Good Morning Vietnam 25 Years Later with Richard Portnow

Although actor Richard Portnow has enjoyed a long and successful career in film television and the Broadway stage, it was the 1987 film Good Morning Vietnam that changed Portnow’s life.

After working on Broadway and television for years as an up and coming actor, Richard Portnow landed the memorable role of as Dan “The Man” Levitan in director Barry Levinson’s Good Morning Vietnam, starring Robin Williams in his first major feature film hit as colorful and opinionated radio DJ Adrian Cronauer.

The film was a huge in 1987 also due to such supporting cast members as Richard Portnow, Forest Whitaker, Bruno Kirby, J.T. Walsh, Robert Whul, Juney Smith, and many more.

For Richard Portnow, the role of Dan “The Man” Levitan, the ultra dull military radio DJ to Robin Williams’ outspoken Adrian Cronauer character, helped paved the way for an even bigger career as an actor. Fans of The Sopranos will certainly remember Portnow from his role of Attorney Hal Melvoin, mob lawyer to Uncle Junior. But 25 years after the release of Good Morning Vietnam, Portnow credits his time on the Robin Williams topped comedic drama as a pivotal moment in his professional career.

Ahead of the Disney Blu-ray release of Good Morning, Vietnam: 25th Anniversary Edition on January 17, The Deadbolt went one-on-one with Richard Portnow to look back on the film, the character of Dan “The Man”, working with Robin Williams, and what it was like on the set of Good Morning Vietnam.

THE DEADBOLT: Do you remember what you were doing when you first got the part of Dan “The Man”?

RICHARD PORTNOW: I remember very, very well what I was doing. I was in New York, I was asleep, and it was 1 AM in the morning. The Broadway show that I accepted and turned down Good Morning Vietnam to do had closed in two nights and I got a call from Mark Johnson at 1 AM. He told me that he and Barry [Levinson] heard the play closed. Mark said, “Listen, maybe you’d like to join us on this film. We can’t get you the part that we were originally think of you for but there are a lot of other good parts available. So I asked him where he was calling from, and he said, “Bangkok.”

I’ll never forget that incident because in a way it changed my life. And I say that because after we finished Good Morning Vietnam, Mark Johnson invited me to stay at his house for a while to see if I liked Los Angeles. I had to stop in Los Angeles in order to get back to New York, so I took him up on that. Then he threw work at me. I arrived at the right time and I wound up staying here. That phone call changed my life.

THE DEADBOLT: How did you figure out who Dan Levitan was as a character? Was he a real guy?

PORTNOW: Well, he was not a real guy. It’s interesting you ask that question because on the plane going over [to Bangkok] I had studied the wrong part. I assumed I was playing a certain part. But when I got there, Barry Levinson said, “You’re not playing that guy, you’re one of the DJs.”

They had already been there for ten days. We started shooting the very day after I arrived. I think they already shot some and did improvising and getting to know one another for about ten days prior to my arrival. I felt insecure and I let that feeling of insecurity inform the character. That’s why Dan “The Man” trips over his tongue and mispronounces words. I thought it would be interesting if the guy had a golden throat, a terrific voice, but was never going to make it as a DJ. He’d wind up in a department store somewhere, “There’s a sale on fine ladies underwear.”

That’s how the character started to flesh out, by my own insecurity. I used that in order to build the character. I feel a little off base because these guys have all been working for ten days and now I’m coming in. I’m not certain of how I’m going to fit in, where I’m going to fit in, so I used that to inform the character.

THE DEADBOLT: Given that insecurity, how much of Dan’s on-air material was improv?

PORTNOW: A lot of it, or a great deal of it. For instance, when I say, “So remember, G.I.s, always rinse your razor with cold water instead of hot. Your face will look and feel a whole lot better. That’s it for hygene. Next week we’ll be discussing foot care, so be sure to tune in.” That was me. I love that!

Before we wrapped the radio station, Barry came up to me and said, “Listen, I’m going to put you back on the air. Come up with some stuff.” I spent three days working on it, one day writing, one day rehearsing breath, emphasis, punctuation, and one day rehearsing it in character. Then we shot and I made it. It was five minutes worth of material that I had come up with and we made it with twelve feet left in the mag. They used some of that in the film, which I was always very happy about.

So I did improvise a lot of it, but a lot of it was also written. I believe the scene where we were taking phone calls – there’s a line of us taking phone calls, one after the other. That was also improvised, as I recall. Barry just lets you go.

THE DEADBOLT: What was it like to watch Robin each day on set?

PORTNOW: It was great! The guy’s insane. It’s interesting, though. On a one-to-one, when you’re sitting there talking with Robin, he’s calm and quiet, a very warm guy. He’s a terrific guy, I think. But when another person joins the conversation, he just goes when there’s a bit of an audience. And two people is an audience! So watching him riff like that was just exciting. This guy’s inspired, demented! [laughs]

THE DEADBOLT: What was the atmosphere like on set given the backdrop and some of the issues?

PORTNOW: The atmosphere was very light. We were all having a pretty darn good time. There was never any gloom over the show at all.

THE DEADBOLT: What was your take on the controversy surrounding Adrian Cronauer?

PORTNOW: I thought Cronauer was a terrific audition. As a character, I had a secret envy and jealousy of the guy because he was the star of the ARFS. I did not want to see him off the air.

THE DEADBOLT: When you look back now, what’s the most special memory for you?

PORTNOW: I’d have to say the most special memory is getting off that plane. I had never been to Asia. I didn’t even know where Bangkok was when I got the call. Getting off of that plane and just being in the midst of a multitude – You know, it’s still with me. I can still see it. Barry’s assistant picked me up and it must have been a hundred degrees. That’s very specific. I can still see the airport when flying in. It was great.

Good Morning Vietnam: 25th Anniversary Edition is available on Blu-ray and DVD on January 17.