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American Morning

Interview with Dennis Quaid, 'The Rookie'

Aired April 15, 2002 - 09:48   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.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: Actor Dennis Quaid is no stranger to success in Hollywood, and his latest movie role in "The Rookie" is a hit with fans of all ages. It is a story about second chances and pursuing your dreams, and, best of all, it happens to be true. He plays Jim Morris, a high school teacher and baseball coach who lost his chance to pitch in the big leagues, but is challenged by his players to take another shot.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We start winning, you try out again.

DENNIS QUAID, ACTOR: Last time I checked, scouts aren't looking for high school science teachers.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, not many science teachers throw like you.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ZAHN: The real Jim Morris made the most of his second chance, becoming a Major League rookie at the age of 35, and Morris's alter ego, Dennis Quaid, joins me now.

Congratulations. Good morning.

QUAID: Hey. How are you, Paula?

ZAHN: You must be thrilled with the success of this film.

QUAID: Yes, people are really responding to the film and I am very gratified for that.

ZAHN: I know when you heard about Jim Morris's story, you thought to yourself, that would make a great movie, but you didn't necessarily envision yourself playing that role. Why?

QUAID: Yes, I saw a television news magazine story about him back in 1999, and here was this, you know, old guy who was trying to make it to the Majors, and put a big smile on my face for all of us who dream about that, and I thought it would make a good movie, but you know, I'm in my 40's, I didn't think that...

ZAHN: No, you're not in your 40's. He's lying. (CROSSTALK)

ZAHN: Puffing up the age there. Tell us a little bit more about the story, because Jim Morris essentially becomes a teacher, right?

QUAID: Well, he was a high school science teacher in this little town in West Texas, Big Lake, Texas, and he had tried out for the Majors when he was in his 20's, but he threw his arm out. They had to take a tendon out of his ankle and put it up in his elbow just so he could function in life, and he became a high school coach there, and somehow the way it healed over the years he could throw the ball 98 miles an hour. I don't -- no one knows how it happened.

ZAHN: And there's this amazing scene in the movie, where you reenact his first time back in the Major Leagues when he strikes his first batter out. Now, as I understand it, you had to do that during a 7th inning stretch.

QUAID: We did it during the 7th inning stretch at a real game at the ball park in Arlington, Texas, where it happened and everything. And there was like 50,000 people there, and it was...

ZAHN: And you had one chance to get it right.

QUAID: Yes, it was one of those sort of fantasy camp moments where you had to run out on the field from the bullpen and throw. You know just hope you don't throw it in the dirt or in the backstop.

ZAHN: And you didn't, right? You got it right. You struck him out.

QUAID: We had one take.

ZAHN: A little bit of movie magic there.

QUAID: We had one take. The strike out was a little bit of movie magic, yes.

ZAHN: Oh, he admits it.

QUAID: So is my speed, by the way.

ZAHN: I am going to go with the movie version.

QUAID: I never put myself on a radar gun, I never wanted to know.

ZAHN: How much training did you have to do to pull this off?

QUAID: I did about a month -- three months, actually -- of training with Jim Gott, who is a former Dodger pitcher would come to my house, and throw balls in the front yard, you know, for three months. Just to get the form down, and it was a lot of fun.

ZAHN: Without completely violating your privacy here, I know there had to be a part of the story you found appealing, because you really do believe in second chances, don't you?

QUAID: Well, I think all of us believe in second chances, or would like to. You know, I think I'm about on my ninth or tenth chance, actually myself. But -- it is a story about second chances, and we all in life -- and I myself included -- go through cycles in our life, where things go up and down, and I think this is another -- this is another up for me.

ZAHN: So where does the cocaine addiction fit in there? Fifth, sixth chance? Somewhere along the line? Long time ago.

QUAID: That was -- that was ancient history.

ZAHN: And when folks out there that are struggling with the same kind of addiction, what's the best piece of advice you can give us this morning about working through that dependency?

QUAID: Well, you know, you can't save anybody. Everybody has to come to their own bottom with that, so...

ZAHN: And you did. With a lot of help from the outside?

QUAID: You know, I just... that's an insidious drug that gets into people's lives and it can really mess them up. I'm lucky enough to have survived all that. That was 12 year ago.

ZAHN: And you continue to work through it, which is extraordinary. And then, of course, you have gone through this latest transition family-wise. How is your son getting along?

QUAID: He is doing great, he is doing really great.

ZAHN: What did he think of the movie, the first time he saw "The Rookie"?

QUAID: He really, really loved it. In fact, it is his favorite thing that I've ever done. But the film is not -- you know -- the movie is rated G, but I myself -- I have a 10-year-old. I go to a lot of these G-rated movies, and I have a nice nap to tell you the truth. They really just -- they don't speak to me.

ZAHN: Not during "Shrek" though. You had to stay awake.

(CROSSTALK)

QUAID: "Pokemon" down after all this time. This is -- this -- we didn't set out to make a G-rated movie. I think it is a movie for adults that you happen to be able to take your kids to. And even if you're not a baseball fan, you know, a lot of women are like taking their daughters and...

ZAHN: Absolutely, and they are very moved by it.

QUAID: And it's something you can -- everyone can relate to because it is about second chances in life. It is second chances with your dreams and second chances with the relationships in your life, and...

ZAHN: Well, we're glad you've been given all the chances.

QUAID: Thank you.

ZAHN: The movie is a smash. Good luck to you, Dennis. Thanks for coming by this morning.

QUAID: Thank you very much, Paula. You bet.

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