William Atherton - What Was This Dude's Scene Again? Trying To Straight, With Some Weird Cult?

Yes. He claims to have been "cured" of his homosexuality. A real nut job.

Here he is on Donahue talking about it. He's crazy. Starts a 24:51.

He was so creepy in Looking for Mr. Goodbar.

But he was always good at playing creeps.

Interesting

He had been in some cult where he was going around trying to wish the gay away. Sad.

[Quote] Atherton has also coached young adults in school programs

Eek.

He talks like a preacher in that Donahue clip. Creepy.

R 2 and R 7....That ain't Atherton.

R8 Yes, it is.

NO, IT IS NOT. Compare what the real Atherton looked like in Speilberg's movie 8 years previous to the '81 clip. Does not match!!

Nut case...is this why he doesn't work anymore? Too bad, cause he started out as a very promising NY stage actor, then had that entry to Hollywood, with a starring role in Speilberg's first feature that co-starred Goldie Hawn who was a much bigger name then.

R10 I'm assuming you're trying to be funny. You can't possibly be that stupid.

I have loved him since the late 70s.

SUCH a good actor; there are a very few actors so interesting I can overlook their crazy. Michael Moriarty is another who fits this category.

[quote]He was so creepy in Looking for Mr. Goodbar.

I found him creepier than the Richard Gere character.

Wasn't he supposed to be playing the good guy to contrast the losers that she dates?

Did he procreate?

Wow I had no idea about the Donahue appearance or that he even identified as ex-gay.

I recall a story in the 90s that he made an actress cry at a movie premiere by claiming she was sitting in an seat that was supposed to be reserved for him. Turns out he was wrong and the actress he made cry was actually in the movie they were about to see (while he was not).

He’s always excelled at playing an asshole. Not much of a stretch, it seems.

I watched the video at r2 and clocked two pre fame actors in commercials- Ian Zeiring at 30:49 for Scott and Shelly Long at 56:07 for a local Chicago furniture store

Nice catch, r17!

The mad bomber from 'The Hindenburg' (1975); 'Dickless' from 'Ghostbusters' (1984); a father who happens to be a KKK member in 'Grim Prairie Tales' (1990). He does seem to specialize in playing assholes. It's been decades since he's been in anything I watch, though.

[quote] Wasn't he supposed to be playing the good guy to contrast the losers that she dates?

In the book, his character is dull and cannot excite Teresa. In the film, for whatever reason, Brooks made his character seem sweet and square at the beginning, then creepy and stalkerish, I guess to show that Teresa was being stalked by all these different men and which one would eventually kill her?