Actor Alex Rocco On “Batman: Year One” Animated Feature, New Images Released
The World’s Finest presents the latest in a series of studio-conducted interviews, provided by Warner Home Video, for the Batman: Year One direct-to-video animated feature. Continue reading below for an interview with actor Alex Rocco as he discusses the upcoming DC Universe Animated Original Movie title. Click on the thumbnail images below for a closer look at each image.
Forty-six years later, actor who debuted in Batman TV series is once again featured opposite the Caped Crusader; all-new DC Universe Animated Original Movie
Coming to Blu-ray, DVD on October 18, 2011 from Warner Home Video
Alex Rocco, best known for his role as gangster Moe Greene in The Godfather, returns to his mobster roots as Carmine Falcone in Batman: Year One, the next entry in the popular, ongoing series of DC Universe Animated Original Movies.
The appearance in a Dark Knight-related project brings Roccos 44-year career full circle. The Massachusetts-born actor, who was once an adjunct member of Bostons Winter Hill Gang, got his first on-screen role in the 1960s Batman television series.
Rocco appeared as the thug Block in the back-to-back episodes A Piece of the Action and Batmans Satisfaction, which premiered on March 1 and 2, 1967. The episodes also featured the first true crossover appearance of Green Hornet and Kato on the Batman series (aside from a cameo popping out a window in the first season).
Since then, Rocco has been seen on primetime in everything from Get Smart, The F.B.I. and Kojak to The Mary Tyler Moore Show, The Rockford Files and Baretta. He has had recurring roles on The Facts of Life, The Famous Teddy Z, Sibs, The George Carlin Show and The Division. His voice is easily recognized as Roger Myers Jr., the head of Itchy & Scratchy Studios on The Simpsons.
In feature films, Roccos most notable roles include Moe Greene (and his gruesome demise) in The Godfather, the comically curious police chief in The Stunt Man, and as over-the-top Sol Siler, the head of Playtone Records in That Thing You Do!
Produced by Warner Premiere, DC Entertainment and Warner Bros. Animation, the all-new, PG-13 rated Batman: Year One arrives October 18, 2011 from Warner Home Video as a Blu-ray Combo Pack and DVD, On Demand and for Download. Batman: Year One is now also be available in a special download-for-purchase early window (starting October 11) through iTunes, Xbox Live, Zune, VUDU HD Movies and Video Unlimited on the PlayStation Network & Sony Entertainment Network.
Executive producer Bruce Timm and casting/dialogue director Andrea Romano will be at New York Comic Con to discuss Batman: Year One during a panel on Friday, October 14 from 3:00-4:00 p.m. in the IGN Theater. They are joined by Kevin Conroy, the voice of Batman in the upcoming Justice League: Doom.
Rocco, an agreeable and funny man in person, spent a few extra minutes after his initial recording session to chat about mob bosses, Burt Wards whining, Julie Newmars sex appeal, and how to get ahead in Hollywood when your bartending partner takes a bathroom break. Take note Moe Greene, er, Alex Rocco is speaking.
QUESTION: Youre no stranger to gangsters. How did you choose to interpret Falcone?
ALEX ROCCO: I always seem to play everybody’s dad or the gangster. So Falcone to me was like one of the five families from New York, maybe Vito Genovese, somebody like that. He takes his food very seriously, his drink very seriously, his women very seriously. The bottom line is he’s a scumbag, but he thinks he has a lot of class, so I tried to incorporate that.
It’s fun playing gangsters. Where else can you say, Get up against the wall, I’m gonna blow your head away. Well, where else can you say that and not get arrested? I really love playing gangsters.
QUESTION: So you really dont mind being typecast as a gangster?
ALEX ROCCO: Not at all. Whatever pays, thats great. I like comedy and I like gangsters. I always had trouble with love scenes. I’m so insecure. But playing gangsters is great. They usually dress you sharp. And you have a license to pretty much bully anybody. I mean, I wouldnt dare do that at home. My wife will give me a back hander. So doing it at work is a great release it saves you all that money at the shrink.
QUESTION: Is it true you had some real-life experience with gangsters and the mob back in your young days in Boston?
ALEX ROCCO: I come from a place called Winter Hill, and I was kind of a wannabe gangster. I started off running errands for the guys that were always dressed nice in the long collars with their initials. They called me Bobo, and it was always Bobo, go get me a milkshake or Go grab me the newspaper, and theyd throw me a few bucks. Plus I learned a lot from the gangsters. Things like you never look at another guy’s wife, always leave a good tip, never eat meat on Friday but you can kill all during the week.
QUESTION: Did your mob experience help you in the entertainment business?
ALEX ROCCO: I tried to use that street energy to get started in this business. A lot of actors just wait for the phone to ring, but youve got to hustle. I dont mean you have to be overbearing, but you have to stay on top of things read the trades, know whats going on in the town. I call it dare to be stupid. The worst thing they can say is We got nothing for you. So I’ve hustled a lot in the 44 years I’ve been doing this.
QUESTION: How did hustling get you that first gig on the Batman television series?
ALEX ROCCO: I’d worked at the Rain Check Room an actor’s hangout for a while. Youd see people in there like Robert Vaughn, Shelley Winters and Rock Hudson, who used to comb his hair the other way to try and be incognito. I was one of the two main bartenders along with an actor named Arch Whiting, who was down the other end (of the bar). He worked on Voyage To The Bottom Of The Sea and Batman, just about any series at that time. Mike McLean was a casting guy at 20th, and he used to call for Arch. I knew the routine. Hed call Arch and ask, You available Ive got one line for Bottom Of The Sea. I was a little jealous and I never really loved Arch that much. So one day, Arch goes to the bathroom and the phone rang. Its Mike from 20th and hes looking for Arch. I said, No, he’s on vacation in Mexico. What are you calling for? And he said he had something for him for Batman. And I says, Hey, I did eight Naked Citys for Gold Medal knowing that Gold Medals Studios in New York had burnt down, and they can’t get the footage to check me out. I said, I’m a hell of an actor. And he said, Pay is 150 bucks and it’s two lines. And that was my first gig. I stole the Batman gig and it turned out it was a two-partner where they introduced The Green Hornet and Bruce Lee, who ended up teaching my kids martial arts. So yeah, it was funny when they called and asked if I wanted to be in this picture, I flashed back on 1966. So this is fun.
QUESTION: Do you have any special memories from your Batman TV series experience?
ALEX ROCCO: Adam West was terrific. The kiddo that was a pain in the ass was Robin. The director would say Grab his wrist and hold him up against the wall, and then the kid would whine, He hit my wrist. And Adam looked at me and said He does it to every actor. I remember the villain Roger C. Carmel, and Julie Newmar was on set. Oh man, Julie Newmar — I had such a crush on her. She was in costume in the commissary, and I was just smitten.
QUESTION: Did you ever read comics?
ALEX ROCCO: As a kid, Id go down to Murray’s Drugstore in Boston Id just kind of turn the rack around and around, looking at all the comic books. Id buy them and read them, then me and my buddies would trade them. I never did think of them as a collectors’ item, but I loved buying them. I had great Batmans and Supermans, and I always thought they were better than baseball cards. It was fun getting baseball cards, but a comic book is an adventure.
I liked Captain Marvel and Superman, as well as Batman. Ive got to admit that I learned a lot from reading this script I never really knew Batmans whole backstory with the death of his parents, all of that. I was really drawn in. Now I want to know more about Bruce Wayne in this mythology.
When I was a kid, though, it was Captain Marvel because he was the one that, when he said Shazam, he would change. It was magical. And he’s always looked nice. I’ve always wanted to look like Captain Marvel. So my favorites were Captain Marvel, Superman and Batman. And Ive got a little bit of love for Wonder Woman because, you know, just look at her. Plus shes got an invisible plane. How can you beat that?
Additional content is also available at the The World’s Finest Batman: Year One micro-site. A review of the Batman: Year One Blu-ray release and animated feature can also be found at The World’s Finest.
Details on the home video release of Batman: Year One, including a rundown of Blu-ray extras, can be found here, with additional media available here. Warner Home Video is expected to cross-promote the release of Batman: Year One with Batman: Arkham City, the latest entry in the Batman videogame franchise from Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, which is also scheduled for an October 18th, 2011 release.
A co-production of Warner Premiere, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group, DC Entertainment and Warner Bros. Animation, the direct-to-video Batman: Year One animated feature debuts October 18th, 2011 on Blu-ray, DVD, OnDemand and for Download from Warner Home Video. Stay tuned for further updates here soon at The Worlds Finest.
Discuss this in The DC Animation Forum!
In additional news, The World’s Finest and WaterTower Music have teamed up to give fans the opportunity to receive a free copy of the Batman: Arkham City – The Album CD release from WaterTower Music. Beginning today and for this week only, The World’s Finest will be giving away ten copies in total of the Batman: Arkham City – The Album Soundtrack CD release to ten lucky recipients, courtesy of WaterTower Music.
Batman: Arkham City – The Album is now available on Amazon, iTunes and other digital music retailers. The soundtrack is available as both a digital download (Click here for iTunes!) and an Amazon-exclusive compact disc release (Click here to purchase!).
To enter, simply send an email to bbeyond@yahoo.com, including your name, full mailing address and phone number by Friday, October 14th, 2011. Please label the email “Batman: Arkham City CD Contest.” Only one entry per person, per household will be accepted. From there, ten entries will be randomly selected to receive a free copy of the Batman: Arkham City – The Album CD release from WaterTower Music. Please note this special giveaway is only available to residents of the United States. Only those randomly chosen to receive a copy of the CD release will be notified via email shortly after the closure of the contest. Please note the terms and conditions of this special giveaway are subject to change without notice.
Batman: Arkham City – The Album is now available on iTunes, Amazon and other digital music retailers. Official details for the Batman: Arkham City – The Album CD release from WaterTower Music are available here.
Click on the image above to view a Quicktime clip from “Green Lantern”
This October 14th, Green Lantern flies onto Blu-ray 3D Combo Pack, Blu-ray Combo Pack, DVD and Digital Download from Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group.
Green Lantern will be available on Blu-ray 3D Combo Pack, featuring a 3D hi-definition, a hi-definition, a standard definition and an UltraViolet Digital Copy of the standard definition theatrical version of the film, for $40.99; Blu-ray Combo Pack, featuring a hi-definition, a standard definition and an UltraViolet Digital Copy of the standard definition theatrical version of the film, for $35.99; and on single disc DVD with UltraViolet Digital Copy for $28.98. The extended cut will be in hi-definition on the Blu-ray 3D Combo Pack and Blu-ray Combo Pack only.
UltraViolet Digital Copy allows consumers to download the film to a PC or Mac plus instantly stream it from a digital cloud to many computers, tablets or smartphones.
Starring Ryan Reynolds (The Proposal) in the title role, DC Comics legendary super hero soars to the edges of space as Green Lantern, where a war has been raging between those who rule with fear, and those who protect life: the Green Lantern Corps.
Click here to read the Green Lantern 3D Blu-ray Review!
Click here to discuss Green Lantern!