Description

“Sonny Mann is a guy with great talent -- but no taste” – Paul Kreppel

Continuing their deep dive into “It’s A Living”, Susan and Sharon sit down with beloved Tony award-winner, actor and director Paul Kreppel, known to 80s TV lovers as the “always on the make” singer and piano player ‘Sonny Mann’ on “It’s A Living”.

Paul’s stage career began in 1968 with the Boston Improvisational theater group “The Proposition” where he performed with Jane Curtin, Judith Kahan, Josh Mostel and Fred Grandy. Since then, Paul has appeared in dozens of classic television shows including “Laverne & Shirley”, “Love Boat”, “Fantasy Island”, “Night Court”, “Remington Steele” (S2, EP8, “Scene Steelers”), “Murder She Wrote”, “Doogie Howser, M.D.”, “Cybil”, “Suddenly Susan” and “E.R.” as well as recurring as ‘Mr. Burkhart’ on “That 70’s Show”.

THE CONVERSATION

• INTO THE WOODS we have to go! -- what it’s like to travel the country performing in the new Broadway production of Stephen Sondheim’s classic musical.
• Paul plays several musical instruments – just not the piano!
• ‘Sonny Mann’ was an afterthought – he was only supposed to be in six episodes. So how’d he end up doing all 120??
• Getting the Job: Paul’s manager heard that “It’s A Living” needed a lounge lizard – “Do you know how to be a jerk?”
• How Sonny always “walked up to the line” -- but the ladies never let him cross it…
• No Audience, No Network, No Problem –doing the last four seasons was totally different from the first two!
• The Big Question – were there any backstage romances? Well, there was plenty of flirting…
• Why Sonny started singing original tunes – written by head writer Tom Whedon!
• PARSLEY, SAGE, ROSEMARY, AND PAUL: Going beatnik on “Laverne & Shirley” -- with Penny Marshal, Cindy Williams and... Art Garfunkel!
• The Other Side of the Camera – Paul steps out from behind the piano to direct six episodes of “It’s A Living”!
• Getting to “be the sage” – and other benefits of growing older and having a life.

So join Susan and Sharon – and Paul – as they talk Jerry Lewis, Louise Lasser, Martin Short, Bob Denver's hat -- and Tom Hanks’ hair!

AUDIOGRAPHY
Find Paul Kreppel at PaulKreppel.com. And on Twitter.
Check out “Into The Woods”.
See Paul’s niece Kelsey Kreppel on YouTube.
Watch “It’s A Living” on Tubi or YouTube.

SUPPORT THE STRIKE!
Read up on LA's Hot Union Summer!
Visit the WGA Strike hub.
Visit the SAG AFTRA strike hub.

CONNECT
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Help us make more episodes and get ad-free episodes and exclusive content on PATREON.