Harry Hamlin reflects on "Making Love" as the film reaches its 40th anniversary

Gimme a WW if you think they really did it off set.

It seems so tame today. But then it was so controversial. I commend the leads for taking the plunge and making the film.

I just never thought he was a good actor. He was horrible in Mad Men.

He is always complaining that this film ended his career.

So handsome though. Big ass soup coolers for a white boy…

Wow! They had homosexuals back then!

R5 is that what they’re calling them these days?

Michael Ontkean reminds me of Paul Carrigan.

Jesus, is he still milking this? He's been doing Q&As on this thing for over a decade.

Harry was a stud in LA LAw

he was never going to be a film star. He got LA Law a few years later, he should be thankful.

Harry Hamlin and Michael Ontkean are still banging each other.

Was this Kate's consolation prize for Spelling not letting her out to do Kramer vs Kramer?

This is the story he tells at cocktail parties. He was a pioneer, he paved the way so that other's could follow. His legacy is unmatched.

Everyone avoids him at cocktail parties.

I think he's still handsome and I would definitely talk to him at a cocktail party.

Loved the movie. But the movie didn't kill Harry Hamlin's career. It seemed to kill Michael Ontkean's career. He just kind of faded after the movie, or so it seemed to me.

Michael Ontkean from Vancouver, British Columbia. He's 76 now.

Harry Hamlin is 70.

I was going through a bad time in a relationship when this film came out--similar dynamic in that the man I was seeing was married to a woman--and I had fallen in love with him. Lest you believe this story has a sad ending, we did survive the turmoil, grief, and pain, and have been together now for over 40 years. We still listen to the Roberta Flack single "Making Love," and are grateful for our life together.

Harry Hamlin still zings for me. Ontkean not so much. Kate Jackson looked her loveliest in this film.

Harry Hamlin, 70

Kate Jackson, 73

[quote] He is always complaining that this film ended his career.

I think it probably DID hurt his prospects. He was a cute himbo who appealed to women. Portraying a gay man didn't help broaden his appeal, and he was involved with a much older woman (Ursula Andress) which made his actual sexuality suspect.

Harry is gay?!

What a nice true story, R18. Good for and glad for you both.

R21 is right. He was gorgeous, but a bad actor. Whatever value he had was as a leading man type that women liked. Bad actor AND associated with a controversial gay-themed film that brought up stuff a lot of people didn't want to think about=career killer.

I'm glad he at least has a more positive sense of the movie's place in film history now, instead of trying to shake it off like he did for years.

I loved him on LA LAw .

He did another gay role in Shameless were he was dating a 16-17 year old.

Gurl, yeah OK..

Hamlin was great on Shameless as a lecherous older queen who fancied young gingers, he looked like he was having a great time with the role.

What Harry Hamlin should reflect on is his life as a CLOSET QUEEN.

Another scene with Ian , i guessed he’s not afraid to do this type of roles especially since the other character is under age.

"Clash of the Titans" made a lot of money; surprised he didn't get more chances in film. I wish I could have seen him as Alan Strang in "Equus" though. He was really hot.

Harry did not ping at all on LA LAW

Michael Ontkean fooled around with Paul Newman on during the making of "Slapstick"

The movie got a lot of publicity at the time. It and Personal Best were emblematic of the growing acceptance of gays prior to AIDS blowing that era up. But the movie was a bit dull and watching Kate Jackson break plates grew tedious after seeing the clip a dozen times in television news stories.

Are you people saying that HH might be a peenhound?

Ontkean is great in Slap Shot.

All I remember is Kate going to his trick' s studio apartment with the pull out couch and the open jar of vaseline jelly on the table .

Harry was with Nicolette Sheridan and now Lisa Rinna. Are you sure he’s gay? And several kids

Went to see it on opening day (Valentines Day). The audience thought it was going to be The Way We Were Part II. 30 minutes in half the audience walked out. My 18 yo gayling self thought it divine that my Clash Of Titans hero was snogging the Rookie cop. Stayed and watched it again. Almost wrecked Hamlin and Otkean's careers. They should be proud of it. It helped me and many teen gay boys stuck in the suburbs accept themselves. The word "daring" is thown around a lot by PR when actors play gay even in 2022 but these guys performances were really daring for 1983.

"Ontkean was approached to reprise his role as Sheriff Truman for the 2017 revival of Twin Peaks. At first, Ontkean was reportedly excited about returning to the role, and enlisted Twin Peaks authority Brad Dukes to help him find the jacket which his character once wore on the show. Dukes located a suitable replica, bought it and sent it to Ontkean. However, in 2015, Ontkean officially dropped out of the Twin Peaks revival, for reasons which were never made public. Dukes recalled: "We last spoke in August and he informed me he wasn’t going to Washington after all. I told him I was heartbroken to hear that. Aside from being heartbroken, I am puzzled."

Hasn't worked in 10 years now. Alzheimers?

You stayed & watched it again? Did you buy a 2nd ticket? I think not!

God forbid r40!

Michael Ontkean was so fucking hot!

I was surprised that this film suggested that one had to suck cock in order to appreciate the witty Gilbert and the melodic Sullivan

Apparently Hamlin and Ontkean still 'hooked up', at least until 1988.

I was curious that film was directed by someone named Arthur Hiller.

And the supporting cast included someone named Arthur Hill.

And also there was Dame Wendy Hiller. She was flown over to the US for this one thankless supporting role.

Ontkean is still a quit handsome man at 76.

I hope no one actually thinks that photo of Hamlin at R19 is him at 70.

This is Hamlin at 70. Still attractive.

I loved Harry in his little white skirt in Clash of the Titans...great thighs.

R45 I miss Ron Galella photos compared to the contrived ones of today.

[quote]The audience thought it was going to be The Way We Were Part II. 30 minutes in half the audience walked out.

I can concur. I was a theater manager and at the kiss, the exit began. The thing that amazed me was the entire time, no one made a sound, no heckling or even groaning. Just people getting up quietly leaving and during the entire run not one person asked for a refund which I wouldn't have granted anyway. It was so prevalent that the staff, show after show, would open the glass front doors for easy exit.

They both aged ok, they should do an "elder gay gay " remake !!!! They rediscover each other , get married and buy a fab Mid "Century house in Pallm Springs !!! Bob Harper and Bruce Villach can play supporting roles as annoying neighbors !!!

R51 Thank God a lot of that homophobia is gone now!!!

I had such a big crush on Michael Ontkean on Twin Peaks. Was disappointed to hear he wasn’t going to return for the revival.

He was also extremely hot in Slap Shot.

I’m another fan of ontkean. I enjoyed him in twin peaks and slap shot too. What someone said about ontkean and Newman fooling around on that movie sounds too good to be true unfortunately but one can dream - and they were both hot in that film.

Harry Hamlin sucking cock...

I want Harry to make love to me.

As as teen I was watching late night rerun of a show called The Rookies, and the most beautiful man I ever saw appeared on the screen: Michael Ontkean.

^ He's looking a tad "Rand Paulish" topside these days.

Nothing a deep plane facelift can't fix R59

R13 - Kate Jackson was considered for Meryl's role in Kramer vs Kramer? Seriously? Kate Jackson? Playing opposite Dustin Hoffman?

R61 Kate Jackson was the original choice for Joanna Kramer. She had to decline due to her commitment to Charlie's Angels, Speeling wouldn't let her off to film. Kate Jackson became bitter and treated the rest of the cast of Charlie's Angels very badly and was ultimately fired. Jackson claims had she gotten this part, she could have had a career just like Streep's.

Did she tell you?

Hamlin revealed that the film's more provocative original title was "Presenting Hole".

[quote] I was surprised that this film suggested that one had to suck cock in order to appreciate the witty Gilbert and the melodic Sullivan

R44 Well, it doesn't hurt. I met my partner of 23 years in response to his personals ad (remember those?) that had the headline, "Gilbert Seeks Sullivan."

I've only seen it once and found it forgettable and TV movie-ish, especially with the unfortunate addition of the terminally bland Kate Jackson. Both Ontkean and Hamlin are not matinee idol types, so big movie careers probably wouldn't have happened anyway.

Has Kate commented from her Van down by the river?

Love that song!! Bruce!!

Loved Slap Shot when I saw it first time around in the cinema. Knew nothing much of the storyline and my young gay heart fluttered when Ontkean stripped.

Much preferred him to Hamlin in Making Love and was astonished his character got a happy positive ending - kept expecting him to die tragically or claim it was all a mistake and reunite with Jackson.

In his early years you could tell Ontkean was Canadian from a mile away. He had that classic sweet, innocent, doe eyed, clean Canadian look.

Hot pairing, but PeterGallagher c. Summer Lovers was hotter.

"Much preferred him to Hamlin in Making Love and was astonished his character got a happy positive ending - kept expecting him to die tragically or claim it was all a mistake and reunite with Jackson. "

To be fair both characters probably would have been dead or dying of AIDS in the sequel!

They should do a sequel now while the three main actors are still alive. It would be interesting to see how things panned out for the characters.

They don't make sequels to flop movies.

I’ve read that Michael Ontkean does not give interviews about “Making Love.” Though he also gained a following about his work in “Twin Peaks,” he has since gone silent, refusing to appear in an update of the show, and has since been mostly uncommunicative. His last film appearance was a very small role, little better than an extra, in the background of “The Descendents” (2011).

he has major gay face and seems to only play gay characters now

I've seen him on RHOBH and he couldn't look less interested in his bimbo wife

I always associate Michael Ontkean with what Barbra said about him when preparing Yentl. For the part of Avigdor she wanted someone like Michael Ontkean, just not Michael Ontkean.

When I first saw it on HBO I was sure Hamlin was going to Ontkean's office to get an AIDS lesion checked on and he would die. I was already programmed to expect the gays to die in any movie or TV show.

[quote] When I first saw it on HBO I was sure Hamlin was going to Ontkean's office to get an AIDS lesion checked on and he would die.

The film was shot in early 1981, right before the epidemic came into the public eye.

I understand, r79. I was a kid when I saw it on HBO a few years later, probably after the first wave of TV movies and shows where the gays always died.

R48, that pic was taken in 2016.

And the pic of Ontkean at R47 was taken in 2012.

R75, yes, uncommunicative. Hence my guess that he's suffering from Alzheimer's.

This was an incredibly important movie. Major Hollywood film about coming out. Everyone involved deserves credit. To have this playing at the local movie house was my first awareness that being gay wasn’t just a perversion and that there was a world of acceptance out there.

It also captured that lightning fast period when gay rights were building beyond just the right to exist in gay bars and have sex. There was a sense of real movement towards gay men’s humanity and right to respect - not just as comic or sexual props. The onslaught of conservative politics of the 80s combined with AIDS set the cause back by 10 years it seemed.

R77 why didn’t she want ontkean?

If Ontkean wouldn't be interested, I could see a sequel concentrating on Zach's funeral, and Jackson's and Hamlin's characters being brought together 40 years later after never having met.

'Making Love' in pictures. Ontkean, Jackson and Hamlin were a terrific cast.

[quote]…ended my film career.

What film career? Before this, he had done three movies which nobody saw and a tv miniseries where he was woefully miscast. This film got him attention.

Poor Kate Jackson. If she had been allowed to do Kramer vs Kramer, she wouldn’t have had to do this.

R87 I'm glad she did. It was a landmark film!!! And got a lot of attention at the time. Still does!

So fucking what, bitch?!?!?!?!

I STILL didn't get the Oscar I COULD have/SHOULD have if I'd done Kramer vs Kramer!!!!

Instead, it went to that BITCH Meryl "The Cunt" Streep!!!!!

I hope Spelling is burning in hell...

Oh, I think if Kate had done KvK, she still would have had to do Making Love.

Nope, I'd have got "Sophie's Choice" instead.

Kate, you'd have been lucky just to get a Tasters Choice commercial.

"It would be interesting to see how things panned out for the characters."

Just CGI their faces back 40 years and call it, "Making Love Again".

Making Love can’t be remade. Their whole relationship is one big HIPAA violation!

I remember my mother, sister and I going to see it when it was first released to theaters. No one walked out (at least no one that we noticed) but there was a lot of groaning when the kiss happened and Ontkean and Hamlin rolling around in bed.

Wow, can't believe it's been 40 years.

I was always an Ontkean fan until I read this:

[quote]Actor Michael Ontkean not only declined to be interviewed for the documentary [The Celluloid Closet] but also attempted to prevent clips from his film Making Love (1982) from being shown in it. He was unsuccessful.

Oh let it go R96. One STILL can't be a leading man in movies in 2022 if they're out.

R97 - what R96 posted isn't talking about leading men being out, but about Ontkean not even wanting a clip from his movie being included in a documentary about the depiction of gay characters in cinema.

I’ve come to really like Harry Hamlin on Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. He has a very male menopause vibe where he tells interesting stories, cooks bolognese, and futzes about in his garden. I think Lisa Rinna is a fun, over the top character but I don’t totally understand why he’s with her. His energy seems much different from his wife and shallow daughters.

He does have a taste for bimbo bombshells so I don’t think he’s gay. I do believe the rumors that he might have a male lover in Canada though.

How do the Hamlins earn a living?

Kate Jackson's performance here is very powerful. She was one of the most successful actresses back in the day, but she sure had a lot of talent that went wasted.

I can’t remember does her character end up with another man or does she take the hag route and end up caring for both men when they succumb to the hiv

She remarried.

And had a child.

At the end Kate's character has an new architect husband and adorable son, but in her final monologue, delivered directly to the camera, it is strongly hinted that she will abandon them and pursue lesbonic liaisons at Michfest '83.

[quote] Good (but brief) interview

But Hamlin makes no mention of all the big-name stars who refused to take the role.

Michael Douglas? Would have been awful.

Michael Douglas would have been ugly.

This was a time when Michael was desperate to transition from TV to movies.

[quote] desperate to transition

His father was desperate to transition from Russian/Jewish to Ersatz-Scottish.

[quote]why didn’t she want ontkean?

Jew tell me 🤷🏻‍♂️

Would love to know how Jackson would have reacted if Hoffman slapped her full force in KvK.

Harrison Ford refused to take the role, too.

I don’t see Indy.

Supposedly Richard Gere was very close to signing on (for Ontkean's role, I believe), but his people talked him out of it. Goldie Hawn also supposedly loved the the script but felt like her casting would take away from the men's story.

"Opening 12 February 1982, Making Love was originally hailed as a hit, earning an inaugural four-day box office tally of $3 million and swiftly expanding its theatre count from 300 venues to 700. However the strong opening of Making Love evidently exhausted any potential public interest in the film which would soon prove a costly flop: with a total cost between $13-14 million - including distribution costs and the $5 million advertising campaigns - Making Love's total domestic box office tally would be reported as $6.1 million. Reports of Sherry Lansing's 20 December 1982 resigning as 20th Century-Fox president noted: "The company has produced bomb after bomb under Lansing, including Author! Author!, Monsignor and Making Love" and that 20th Century-Fox would end 1982 with a loss of $16.9 million. (Lansing would subsequently work as an independent producer for Paramount Pictures). The studio wouldn't recoup their losses until the release of Return of The Jedi in the summer of 1983"

Hawn?

For which role - Yentl??

Ohh, we’re back to talking about Making Love, got it.

A good interview with Harry when he was promoting the film in ‘82.

Liza Minnelli should have been cast in Kate Jackson’s role.

Kate could only play one character: herself, just perkier. I wonder if they cast her because she is boyish, explaining why a gay man would be attracted to her (if he couldn't have a real guy)?

By the end of 1981, 121 people had already died of what was soon called AIDS. "Making Love" premiered in Feb. 1982...

I kinda wonder how many audience members in 1982 felt nervous/uncomfortable with the scene where Harry meets Michael as a patient.

Liza played the role in life .... 3x married to a gay man .

I always found the choice of Gilbert and Sullivan as Zach's favorite music an odd touch. I supposed Pinafore being about sailors makes it camp but still.

[quote] How do the Hamlins earn a living?

pied piping?

[quote] In his early years you could tell Ontkean was Canadian from a mile away. He had that classic sweet, innocent, doe eyed, clean Canadian look.

we yanks can do that too,

All I think of when I see Kate Jackson is Sabrina Duncan in "Charlies Angels". Just bad casting..

perhaps thats wore she wore a new do, to distance herself from CA, and make her look, er, more feminine.

I just checked Kate Jacksons' IMDB - She didn't act in another motion picture after "Making Love". She went right back to TV movies and bad episodic series. I'm sure she is bitter as all fuck not acting in "Kramer vs Kramer".

Damn, there’d be no movie star Richard Gere, had he taken that role!

R39 Very true! This movie and the cast deserve a lot more recognition! Especially on DL.

KJ was still wearing that hair in an even more horrible permed lightened style on Scarecrow and Mrs. King!

My golden tresses in "Kramer vs. Kramer" were as widely admired as my performance!

Jackson did a terrible movie with Elliott Gould called Dirty Tricks the year before Making Love so I question her taste in roles.

R119 - is a good interview. I wonder how far Harry let the man go with him before telling him he was an actor doing research.

Daring provocative film for its time. I was in high school at the time, but finally saw it on cable TV much later. I thought both men were great looking, cute, sexy, all that hair on their heads. I preferred Ontkean from the Rookies TV show, and I have a thing for cute doctors. But Hamlin was super hot as Perseus in Clash of the Titans, I mean scorching hot!! Those men rocked my young gay world, and I Thank you for that. :-)

For R136.

Harry's nipples fascinated me as a kid.

My bf worked on the gay marketing of this film so I saw it at a screening. I didn't like it, like someone said above, it has a t.v. movie feel to it, and I watched the dvd a few years ago and it plays as camp now. I was working at ABC-TV when it came out, so I gave screening tickets to some of my co-workers. Their boyfriends walked out. We got a trip to L.A. out of it, we stayed at the Coral Sands and Jon King was a couple rooms down from us. They were making porn there.

Great movie!!!

Wow, I'd rather watch "Making Porn" with Jon King than "Making Love".

What was the movie's theme song? Making Love Out of Nothing at All?

No, "Making Love" by Roberta Flack

[quote]She remarried.

[quote]And had a child.

The film made it quite clear that Kate's character was still very much in love with Ontkean's and that she likely regretted that her child was not his. Despite the movie's other flaws, I thought that final scene of them meeting up again after so many years was quite effective.

^And Kate played it beautifully I might add.

It’s very sad that both Ontkean and Hamlin have negative feelings associated with making this film. I wonder if Jackson feels the same?

I don't think you can characterize Hamlin's feelings as negative. He's been publicly supportive of the film for many years and has done several appearances at screenings.

Here;s an interview with Kate on the film.

R146 perhaps it is due to more than the subject matter. Many actors and crew have had problems working with Miss Jackson - she's nasty!

R144 Puleaze..

Marriage is between a man and a woman.

We worked effortlessly to have the film banned in Australia without success.

I want to like the end scene more than I can. I dunno, it feels like The Way We Were did it better. Also, can we talk about one of the pilot scripts on Kate's desk being for "Callahan's Dolls"? Some prop guy must have felt invincible.

[quote]Jackson claims had she gotten this part, she could have had a career just like Streep's.

She never claimed that. But she did think that doing that movie could have opened up more opportunities in film for her. Especially if she had gotten just a fraction of the acclaim that Streep did.

Look at how many big screen turkey's Farrah got to do before they realized it wasn't going to happen for her. Kate could have gotten similar exposure.

That being said, Making Love did generate some oscar buzz for Kate (although briefly) given that it opened in early 1982, when the field was less cluttered.

Kate promoting it on the Tonight Show

Some asshole boos her when she tells the audience that it's about homosexuality. But Brenner gives it right back to him.

7-Up commercial from 1970 featuring the gorgeous Michael Ontkean.

I think that had Jackson played Joanna in KvK, it would likely have not gotten quite the acclaim it did. Hoffman would have still won, but I don't think it would have won Best Picture/Director/Supp Actress. And not because Kate wouldn't have done a good job, but she wasn't Meryl. And 1979 was the year of Meryl. She was a recent Emmy winner. Then starting the year out with her first Oscar nomination in a Best Picture winner, three supporting roles in high profile Oscar films released in 1979, and pretty much becoming the hot new discovery of Hollywood. She obviously had the talent to back it up, but I think KvK benefitted as much from Streep as she did from it, and that would not have been the case with Kate Jackson.

However, I do think that if Kate had played the role, she would have been given more opportunities in film (and would have been able to skip Dirty Tricks with Elliott Gould, and likely Scarecrow & Mrs. King).

R156, I agree.

Dimitri is Dreamy.

I rewatched the film. It has some cringey lines like "Physician heal thyself" and Zack reminding Bart that his favorite lyric is "People who need people". Ugh. The movies on betamax is a period touch. Not sure why we needed the to-camera confessions, maybe because Zack comes across as a bit of a cipher.

Whether it's classic or camp, you have to give everyone credit for trying. It wasn't some sleazy exploitation like "Cruising".

R148 That's a lovely interview. It wasn't just another project. You can tell that this movie meant a lot to Kate and in another interview she said she's proud of it. Michael Ontkean and Kate Jackson (and Sam Melville) had worked together on The Rookies. They were friends who used to go skiing together with their spouses. Ontkean and Jackson knew each other very well. She later said that it was important to her to do the movie with someone she had known for years.

Sam Melville was so cute…

I didn’t really know of Michael Ontkean until I was in college and first saw Twin Peaks, and I crushed on him HARD. I rented Making Love and Slap Shot and fell more in love. Truly beautiful man. It sucks that he never wanted anything to do with Making Love after the release.

R158 Dimitri Hamlin was fortunate enough to inherit the best features from both parents. Genetics can be a gamble, and hit hit the jackpot.

R163 I think Michael Ontkean wasn't thrilled about how the final product of Making Love. Also there was some backlash to the gay film when it was released and he didn't want it to be the main focus of his career resume.

Actually, R115, Lucille Ball was very close to signing on for Kate Jackson's role, but Gary talked her out of it.

[quote]we stayed at the Coral Sands.

Now that's a blast from the past.

Hamlin was excellent in LA Law. Hot and handsome just like his son in R158. Love the movie.

I do love a good "Gary talked her out of it" joke, R166. That said, I'm now imagining Lucy in Wendy Hiller's role.

Lucy- "Rumer Goddamn?? Who is this cunt?"

Question for those who watched Carson in the 70s and 80s - was it an insult if the stars were booked with the guest host (Joan Rivers excepted)? Were the A list and A list adjacent people reserved for Johnny and guest hosts like Dave Brenner got the rejects ?

No, there was no formula.

Good question, R171. I actually just discovered that all of Pee-wee Herman's appearances on that version of The Tonight Show were when Joan Rivers guest hosted. You have to wonder what/if Johnny thought of him.

I have a feeling R171 is right.

It did seem that a guest host got the second-tier guests.

Do you really think Sinatra would sit there and talk to Rivers or Brenner?

R158 Hot.

Don't mention the husband!

Don't mention the shitpillow

R139, gosh I wish you would post more, your life seems mighty interesting. What are you doing now? Are you still in LA?

R178 - thank you that is kind of you to say those things. I have been posting more recently and I have lived in Hell's Kitchen in NYC most of my adult life. The week in L.A. was a work vaca for my bf. Some of the porn shot at Coral Sands is on porn sites. I haven't seen any with Jon King but he may have been just been escorting the time I saw him there. Actually saw him later in NYC at Boots & Saddles, and he was living with a director in the West Village and was a gofer for The Two Mrs. Grenvilles film with Ann-Margret and Claudette Colbert, based on Dominick Dunne's bestseller.