About Dustin Hoffman

MIDNIGHT COWBOY, the 1969 classic with Dustin Hoffman and Jon Voight, was at the center of a memorable night of mother and child bonding. I saw MIDNIGHT COWBOY with my mother. Mom was a somewhat irritated movie-goer when MIDNIGHT COWBOY ended. The source of her irritation was the MPAA ratings board (Motion Picture Association of America). Mom felt MIDNIGHT COWBOY was excellent, one of the best films she'd seen that year, and did not deserve an X rating. Mom had read articles about the film and was aware of its X-rating controversy. She sensed it was an important film. Mom knew I wanted to see it but, as I was still in high school, I might not be sold a ticket if I went solo to see it. I was thrilled that Mom opposed the movie ratings board and saw MIDNIGHT COWBOY as a significant and ultimately compassionate film that should've received a rating no harder than R. There we were -- mother and son, two lovers of films, with shared feelings for a new film starring Dustin Hoffman.

That was in my Los Angeles youth. In 1980, I landed my first professional TV job. I was movie critic and entertainment contributor on the ABC affiliate in Milwaukee, WISN TV. During those years, I was invited to participate in the New York City press junket for the 1982 release, TOOTSIE, starring Dustin Hoffman. I couldn't wait to call Mom and tell her I'd be interviewing Hoffman about playing  Michael Dorsey and Dorothy Michaels.

That interview was spirited and a blessing. We had fun discussing the film. So much fun that a portion of my interview was quoted in The Village Voice by columnist Arthur Bell. After the interview, Mr. Bell pulled me aside for a chat. He advised to me to seriously consider leaving Milwaukee and to set my sights on New York City. His mention of me in his cover story on Dustin Hoffman brought me my first attention from New York City TV executives. I relocated there to accept a TV job offer in 1985.

I knew that Hoffman was a fine pianist and that he'd written a song with Bette Midler. I brought that up during the interview and he told me that he wanted to use the tune as the love song in TOOTSIE but director Sydney Pollack nixed the idea. "It Might Be You" sung in the film by Stephen Bishop was the Best Song Oscar nominee from TOOTSIE. However, Hoffman told me he played a bit of the song he wrote with Midler on the piano during the surprise birthday party scenes at the beginning of the film.

THE GRADUATE, MIDNIGHT COWBOY, LITTLE BIG MAN, ALL THE PRESIDENT'S MEN, KRAMER VS KRAMER, LENNY, RAIN MAN … he has hit several homeruns on the big screen. What an outstanding character actor. Today, Dustin Hoffman celebrates his 82nd birthday.

In between her funny debut appearance on the TONIGHT Show with Johnny Carson, her hit record with her sultry cover of "Do You Want To Dance," her bawdy and brilliant concert shows and her riveting Oscar-nominated dramatic performance in 1979's THE ROSE, Bette Midler had a 1977 NBC music variety special called "Ol' Red Hair Is Back." Bette was a redhead then.

On her TV special, with Dustin Hoffman on piano, Bette Midler performed the song they wrote.

Heck... I think "Shoot the Breeze" is a good song. Thanks and Happy Birthday, Dustin Hoffman.

One last thing -- during the TOOTSIE junket, I also interviewed Jessica Lange. Remember the scene where Michael Dorsey sees Julie Nichols (Jessica Lange) at a fancy party and awkwardly flirts with her? She throws a drink in his face. Well, Jessica Lange did that in real life to a guy who went too far when he came on to her. She did it …to Bob Fosse.