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American Morning

Showbiz Today Reports: Actor Ossie Davis Remembers Jack Lemmon

Aired June 28, 2001 - 11:37   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL TUSH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: As we are seeing, friends and colleagues are remembering Jack Lemmon this morning as one of the greatest actors of an American time. The two-time Oscar winner died Wednesday night at the age of 76.

Joining us on the phone is another great actor, Ossie Davis, who had the opportunity to work with Mr. Lemmon in the TV version of "12 Angry Men" and also on the film version -- or the film "Grumpy Old Men."

Ossie, welcome to our little "Showbiz" break here.

OSSIE DAVIS, ACTOR: Thanks for the opportunity.

TUSH: You know, we all know that Jack Lemmon was able to make us laugh and make us cry. And you had the opportunity to work with him in two -- you know, one very serious role and one very funny role.

Is there any way he approached either one? Was he the same way on either role when you worked with him?

DAVIS: Well, his basic technique was always a serious one. Acting to him was something that you didn't play around with. He was -- he came prepared. And he sort of stayed in the mode. And he was constantly working, refining it.

At the same time, he was loose and easy and free. He combined many aspects of the craft. I always thought that Jack had a portable center of gravity. And whenever he went, that's where the scene went. Your eyes couldn't help but go to where he was. And that was the kind of person he was, both as a man and as a performer.

TUSH: I would think that you are -- in addition to being a friend of his, you were a fan of his also. And I notice you started your career -- one of your firsts films was in 1950. His was in 1949. You both kind of came out of the box at the same time. Did you know each other over the years or it was just in the latter part -- later part?

DAVIS: No, I didn't know him except as someone on stage whom I saw -- and in film -- and admired and studied. No, it only much later in his career when I got to the actually work with him. And that was a joy, because I had learned so much from watching how he performed and what he came to symbolize in our whole profession. He was the consummate little guy who refused to be bound by all of the powers in the world: the powers of technology, the powers of law, the power of whatever. He was the little guy who, to the last drop, was fighting his way to be heard, to be respected and not to be set aside. He made us laugh in that mode and he also made us cry. But I don't think anybody more sufficiently recognizes the heroic nonhero more in the American personality than Jack Lemmon did.

TUSH: Well, Mr. Davis, I wanted to say that when he acted -- which is what you all tried to do, is make it looks like you are not acting -- but he really made it look like it was just him. Was there a line between him and the actor?

DAVIS: I don't know. I have a feeling -- although I didn't know him well -- that the craft and the life seeped over one into the other. That tends to be the case with this profession.

And certainly Jack would use all of the elements of his own life to instruct him in his craft. So, naturally, one thing led him to another. He was always Jack Lemmon on or off stage. And that was a pleasure to behold and to be around.

TUSH: Well, I know we are all going to miss him. It's like a personal loss to all of us.

Ossie Davis, thanks for joining us.

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