Ed Begley Jr. with Mary Steenburgen & Ted Danson at Live Talks Los Angeles
discussing his memoir, "To the Temple of Tranquility…And Step On It!" The talk too place on October 11, 2023.
Beloved actor and environmental activist Ed Begley Jr. shares hilarious and poignant stories of his improbable life, focusing on his relationship with his legendary father, adventures with Hollywood icons, the origins of his environmental activism, addiction and recovery, and his lifelong search for wisdom and common ground.
Ed Begley, Jr. is an actor and environmental activist. He has appeared in hundreds of films, television shows, and stage performances. He played Dr. Victor Ehrlich on the television series St. Elsewhere from 1982 to 1988. The role earned him six consecutive Primetime Emmy Award nominations and a Golden Globe Award nomination. Since 1970, Begley has been an environmentalist, well known for his travels in an electric car, reducing trash and recycling, and becoming a vegan.
In To the Temple of Tranquility…And Step On It!, Ed Begley Jr. shares hilarious and poignant stories of his improbable life-from his relationship with his legendary father, to adventures with Hollywood icons, and the origins of his environmental activism, addiction and recovery. He is known equally for his prolific film and television career and his environmental activism. From an appearance on My Three Sons to a notable role in Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman to starring in St. Elsewhere-as well as films with Jack Nicholson, Meryl Streep, and mockumentarian Christopher Guest-Begley has worked with just about everyone in Hollywood. He shares insightful and surprising tales about about Marlon Brando, Annette Bening, The Beatles, Monty Python, Richard Pryor, Cesar Chavez, Jeff Goldblum, Tom Waits, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Carrie Fisher, and so many more luminaries. Behind all the stories, Begley has wisdom to impart. His memoir is about family, friends, addiction, failure, and redemption.
Mary Steenburgen is an Academy Award and Golden Globe winning actress best known for her work in the films Melvin and Howard, Parenthood, What’s Eating Gilbert Grape, Philadelphia, Stepbrothers, and Book Club and television shows Justified, Orange is the New Black, Curb Your Enthusiasm and The Last Man on Earth. Most recently, Steenburgen starred for two seasons as Maggie Clarke in NBC’s musical television sensation Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist.
Ted Danson is an Emmy Award and Golden Globe Award-winning actor known for an array of of performances, most memorably for his portrayal of Boston bartender Sam Malone on NBC’s multi-award winning and iconic comedy Cheers, which ran for 11 seasons and won three Emmys as Best Comedy Series. More recently, Danson starred in the NBC comedy The Good Place, for which he was nominated for his 14th Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor and received a Critics Choice Award for his role as ‘Michael’. Danson also played himself in Curb Your Enthusiasm.