There are moments in my life that seem rather surreal to me, and in light of this particular interview I am about to share, that word ideally encapsulates my feelings and thoughts. I am not an avid football fan (though I grew up in a household that was), and until I became an adult, I didn’t even bother to attempt to understand the game. I’ve had male friends at various times in my life who adored football and watched it religiously, but my mother’s hoops and hollers as she watched the Sunday games and the Superbowl were my introduction to this all-American sport. However, even a non-football fan like me can surely recognize some of the legends within the sport, and there is no doubt that Joe Theismann is one of those. With immeasurable fondness, I remember his first Hallmark movie, and even upon my initial viewing, I was aware of who this man was. However, never in my wildest imaginings would I have ever dreamed that I would be chatting with this man. Nevertheless, because of Hallmark, executive producer Beth Grossbard, and God’s favor, I am honored to be able to share my recent conversation with Joe in anticipation of his upcoming film, Snowcoming.
Joe Theismann Credit: ©2018 Crown Media United States LLC/Photographer: Allister FosterRH: Joe, I cannot thank you enough for making the time to chat with me today.
JT: My pleasure, Ruth.
John Reardon, Joe Theismann Credit: Copyright 2015 Crown Media United States, LLC/Photographer: Eike Schroter
I want to begin by telling you that I would consider my knowledge of football to be about on the level of Laurel from Love On the Sidelines.
{laughs} Okay.
But I do know who you are. There are names that you can’t help but know because you hear them all over the place. And in my family, my mom is the football fan. As well as my brother.
Oh, that’s great.
My brother and my mother were both very excited when I told them I was going to be interviewing you.
Thank you very much. I appreciate that.
I figure we’ll probably focus on the acting side of things, if that’s all right with you.
Sure, that will be great.
Joe Theismann Credit: Copyright 2015 Crown Media United States, LLC/Photographer: Eike Schroter
We’re getting ready to see you in your second Hallmark movie.
Correct. I did my first one in 2016, Love On the Sidelines.
Yes, and I loved that one from the beginning, and I know that is still a huge fan favorite. I know it gets replayed quite regularly. I’ve seen it several times. And I know that the fans often request a sequel to it.
You know what’s funny too? So, I’m only on Twitter. I don’t have Instagram or Facebook. Enough of my life is public. I like to keep what I can private. I like to control aspects of my life, maybe a little bit more than some other people do. I’ll get a tweet from someone, “Hey, I just saw Love On the Sidelines, and it was terrific! Go get ’em, Dad!” And it’s flattering. Beth Grossbard was the one who really gave me the opportunity to do it. And, of course, Bill Abbott as well. Hallmark is such a wonderful group of people. Everyone I talk to about Hallmark, the first thing they say is, “Hallmark. Feel-good movies.” And in this day and age where there’s so much negativity and so many crazy things happening, it’s so nice to have someplace to go and just feel good about a movie. That’s why I’ve been flattered that I was asked to do a second one.
Before you did your first Hallmark movie, how familiar were you with the network?
John Reardon, Joe Theismann Credit: Copyright 2015 Crown Media United States, LLC/Photographer: Eike Schroter
Quite a bit. My wife and I would watch the Hallmark Christmas movies. So mostly during the holiday season is where I became more familiar with the network. And, of course, ever since I did the movie, I’m a lot more familiar with it. My wife binge-watches Hallmark. I travel a bit, so she’ll start watching these Hallmark movies at ten o’clock at night, and if I ask her later how it went, she’ll tell me how she just watched the last one at three o’clock this morning. She is definitely a Hallmark binge-watcher.
And you know, it’s funny. It’s not just her. I think a lot of people, once they watch a Hallmark movie, no matter if they’re male or female, they will watch it and go, “Oh, that was nice.” And then the next one starts, and they find themselves watching the next one too. It’s like that with NCIS for me. I love Mark Harmon and that whole group of people connected with that series. If you finish watching one, you might walk away for a second, but then the next one starts, and you go, “Oh, I think I’ll watch this one too.”
I know exactly what you’re talking about. And I think there’s so much bad news out there today that Hallmark is a nice haven, like you were mentioning.
It’s a breath of fresh air.
Yes, it’s great to have something positive for people to watch, and I think that’s one of the reasons Hallmark has been growing so much over the past few years. People want something positive, safe, and family-friendly, and Hallmark always provides that.
Joe Theismann Credit: ©2018 Crown Media United States LLC/Photographer: Allister Foster
They do. And that’s why I’m so flattered to have been able to do the two movies I have done with them. The first movie I ever did was back in 1980 called The Man With Bogart’s Face, and that’s one that ought to take you back. And the next movie I did was Cannonball Run II, and it was a very different part from the first one I did. And the ensemble in that one was incredible from Academy Award winners to great entertainers to great singers. Sammy Davis, Jr., Frank Sinatra, Charles Nelson Riley, Jackie Chan, Burt {Reynolds}, Dom {DeLuise}…most of the Rat Pack was in that one. It was really unbelievable to be around all of those people and see just how wonderful they were.
You know, I think so many people will watch television or watch a movie…they see the finished product, but I don’t know if they truly understand the work ethic of the professionals that are in the movie and how hard they work at honing their skills. The presentation, the voice inflection, the looks, the body language. What does the director want? How was the script written? There’s so much more to it than I think people truly understand. It’s great that people get to see the finished product and get a chance to enjoy it, but you get a tremendous amount of respect for someone in another profession once you get involved in it. That’s how it’s been with me for acting.
Joe Theismann Credit: ©2018 Crown Media United States LLC/Photographer: Allister Foster
Well said. I have been doing these interviews now for three years, and I am always blown away when I talk with these actors, directors, writers, and all sorts of people involved in the process. Like you’re saying, it’s so easy to take it for granted and for people to be really critical and say, “Why didn’t they do it this way or that way?”
{laughs} You’re right.
But once you realize the amount of work that’s involved…even if you don’t agree with every choice that is made in a movie or show, once you begin to understand everything that’s involved…I really have a hard time being especially critical of things I see on TV and film anymore.
Joe Theismann Credit: ©2018 Crown Media United States LLC/Photographer: Allister Foster
It’s challenging in this day and age to make a film or a show and have people take notice of it and connect with it. I think to a little bit of a degree that’s why you see at the end of movies so many outtakes. I think it humanizes the characters a little bit more to know that certain parts were crazy and funny and other things were interesting. It’s a fascinating world, and like I’ve said, I’ve been interested in it for a long, long time. I am so flattered to be such a part of this world now.
Hallmark fans are so excited to see you get to do a second film with the network after Love On the Sidelines was such a success. And of course, I love Beth. I think she’s fantastic.
She is phenomenal.
What can you tell us about your character in this upcoming Winterfest film Snowcoming, and how does your character relate to the story of the movie?
Joe Theismann Credit: ©2018 Crown Media United States LLC/Photographer: Allister Foster
I fell in love with the character when I read the script. Not to give a lot of it away, I got to play an agent, a sports agent. As far as sports agents go on film, I know you’ve had the movies like Jerry Maguire and the TV show Ballers with Dwayne Johnson. There are lots of different movies that have focused on this profession. For me, this movie was a chance to sort of do it my way. I’ve had agents all my life, whether it’s in the theatrical world or the sports world or the business world or for my speaking engagements.
Joe Theismann Credit: ©2018 Crown Media United States LLC/Photographer: Allister Foster
So since I have been dealing with agents most of my life, it gave me a chance to draw on a lot of different experiences, a lot of different people that I’ve met, and a lot of people I’ve admired. Even a lot of people I’ve looked at with a raised eyebrow. But I wanted to take the character and have it be a fun character, a character that feels a bit threatened, and just really have fun with it.
Peter DeLuise was the director, and he’s just phenomenal. The first time we talked, he said, “Hey, look, just have fun.” And that’s what we did. When you’re on set, you can see that he moves along at an extremely fast pace. It’s wonderful. I’m used to that in football because in our installation meetings, you’ve got to stay with it or else you won’t be with it. That’s basically the way it works. So playing this role in this film was demanding, and yet extremely enjoyable.
I’ve actually had the opportunity to meet Peter DeLuise. I got to tour a Hallmark set, and he was my tour guide. Not only that, but he was looking for volunteers, and even though I didn’t volunteer, he decided to volunteer me.
{laughs}
Joe Theismann, Trevor Donovan, Lindy Booth, Ed Marinaro Credit: ©2018 Crown Media United States LLC/Photographer: Allister Foster
So I got to act out this little scene that he directed. And after doing this tiny clip for fun, I found myself saying, “I can’t imagine ever having to do this for a living.”
Yeah, I know what you mean. That’s why there are so many people in Los Angeles and elsewhere that are doing other things besides acting. Because acting is challenging and it’s specific to a certain degree when it comes to choice of characters and individuals that play them.
Joe Theismann, Pauline Egan Credit: ©2018 Crown Media United States LLC/Photographer: Allister Foster
Take Tyler Perry, for example, with his studio. The things he has done with Medea. People talk about franchises like Rambo, but Tyler Perry is a franchise unto himself. Just a phenomenal one. And funny.
And the other part of it too is it challenges your creativity. The writers and the director have challenged you to be creative in the role. It’s like playing quarterback. You’ve got to own the position. There are so many little nuances about it that give you a chance to be able to achieve things. It’s the same thing in acting. It’s more than just regurgitating the script. It’s more than just memorization. It’s the movement that is going on around you and the interaction with the people you’re doing it with. Those are all things that come into play. It’s fun, and that’s really the only way I can describe it. It was wonderful to do this film.
Where did you film Snowcoming?
Joe Theismann Credit: ©2018 Crown Media United States LLC/Photographer: Allister Foster
We filmed it outside of Vancouver in Squamish. Beautiful setting. I mean, there were times when the mountains looked so majestic, and there were other times when you couldn’t see them because of the fog. For me, it was sort of a bittersweet travel back to Vancouver. We shot Love On the Sidelines in a home in Vancouver. But Snowcoming was shot in a little bit of a different environment. When I played in the Canadian Football League, and we went to the Grey Cup–the CFL Championship–back in 1971, when I got out of school, we actually played in the Old Empire Stadium–which doesn’t exist anymore–in Vancouver, British Columbia. I had been to Vancouver a few times previously on engagements and appearances. Going up to Whistler and that whole part of the country is just unbelievable.
Joe Theismann Credit: ©2018 Crown Media United States LLC/Photographer: Allister Foster
Did you have nice winter weather when you were filming?
Yeah, we did. The weather was cooperative. They had to create some snow, but you certainly knew it was winter. Let’s put it that way. It wasn’t a wintertime movie that was shot in the summer, I can tell you that.
That’s good. I’ve heard some interesting stories about those kinds of film shoots.
I get a kick out of it sometimes with the lighting and all that during these film shoots. It’s something how it can be raining outside, and if you look past the characters, you can see the sun shining someplace, and you think, “This is interesting. A passing shower.” The magic of filmmaking.
How is your character related to the stars of the film, Trevor Donovan and Lindy Booth?
Joe Theismann, Trevor Donovan Credit: ©2018 Crown Media United States LLC/Photographer: Allister Foster
I play Trevor’s agent. What a terrific kid that Trevor is. We drove up together a couple of times in the morning, and we had a chance to visit and talk about life. And he really is a great kid. I think he’s got a very bright future. He’s already done a number of things. Lindy’s the same way. She’s might be a tiny person in terms of size, but she has a wonderful presence.
Well, of course, I’m looking forward to this movie as I do all the Hallmark movies. Hallmark knows how passionate I am about supporting the network and everyone involved with it.
That’s just great. Please be sure to let me know what you think of Snowcoming.
Oh, I definitely will. Every one of Beth’s films has been a favorite Hallmark movie for me, so I’m sure this one will be no exception to that rule. I love both of the leads, and it is exciting that you are a part of the film too.
Thank you.
Joe, thank you for chatting with me today. You are the first football person I have ever interviewed, and it was such an honor to get to interview you.
Thank you, Ruth. I hope you and all the fans really enjoy the movie.
Joe Theismann Credit: ©2018 Crown Media United States LLC/Photographer: Allister Foster
I cannot begin to detail the magnitude of joy that permeated my heart after this unbelievable interview. In addition to Joe being one of the nicest guys with whom I’ve ever chatted, his humility and gratitude regularly emerged. By all rights, Joe could have chosen to be condescending and/or patronizing due to my lack of passion for and knowledge of the sport that has been an integral component of his life. Moreover, he was certainly not required to even grant a freelance journalist like me an interview. I mean, it’s not like he needs the press; he’s Joe Theismann!
But after chatting with him, it is readily apparent that his gracious, down-to-earth nature is the very essence of who he is, and we both respected each other as professionals and fellow human beings, an attribute that impressed me to no end. In this post-modern era, chivalry and kindness are almost a thing of the past, and oftentimes, humility is viewed as a deficiency in either gender. Thankfully, Joe is “old school” with enough “new school” perception to realize that at the end of the day, we all share this earth, and treating all individuals with respect and decency will get you much further in life than treating people with disinterest and disdain. To be quite honest, because of the way in which Joe regarded me, I would have remained on the phone and encouraged him to discuss anything in the world with me, including football, and I would have been a rapt listener because there is no one so entertaining as someone who is speaking about something about which one is impassioned. Also, there is no doubt in my mind that as devoted as Joe is to football and to the many endeavors he has pursued over the years, he is absolutely enamored with the acting world as well. While he may not have acquired the technical know-how that someone who has studied this craft for a lifetime has, he is willing, even in the golden years of his life, to acquire new skills while implementing his relevant expertise into another profession, thus gaining further experience as well as wide acclaim.
I hope that everyone tunes in for the final Winterfest premiere, Snowcoming, on the Hallmark Channel this Saturday, January 26th. (Alas, I see no premiere date for Snowcoming in Canada yet, but I do see that January 27th on the W Network, Love On the Sidelines will air if you would like to see Joe’s first Hallmark film.) Additionally, I would invite you to visit Joe’s links below and consider following him on Twitter. (If you see ANY account claiming to be him on Instagram or Facebook, I would suggest you report it immediately since he is only on Twitter!) While I was already a fan of his acting talent as seen in Love On The Sidelines, I am more exhilarated to watch Snowcoming as I have a sense this is going to be a special project considering the cast that has been assembled. Moreover, after conversing with Joe, he has requested that I personally give him my feedback, and I am already preparing to enjoy this movie in its entirety and give him a glowing report that will hopefully guarantee that he will come back again sometime soon for another Hallmark project! Regardless, I appreciate Joe’s benevolent nature and his refreshing thoughts concerning the entire filmmaking process. In truth, this is going to be an interview I will cherish as long as I live, and it is a moment I shall never forget when the non-football fan had the opportunity to chat with one of the legends of the game!
FOLLOW JOE
Joe Theismann Credit: ©2018 Crown Media United States LLC/Photographer: Brendan Meadows
