From the very beginning of his career, comedian Rich Little carved out a name for himself as "the man of 1,000 voices." And many of those voices belonged to the most powerful people in the world—American presidents! It's been a long, storied journey for Rich, who's famously impersonated every U.S. commander in chief since Richard Nixon. Now 82, he's still going strong, and he sat down with Closer to dish on his career, his impressions, and the challenges of mimicking some of the most famous men in history.
Let me tell you, Rich's career has been nothing short of legendary. He's become known as the guy who nailed Richard Nixon, but there's so much more to his story. "I think Ronald Reagan was probably my best impression," Rich says. "And Reagan loved my impression!" But it's not just Reagan—Jimmy Carter, George Bush Sr., and George Bush Jr. all had their own unique quirks that made them perfect for Rich's repertoire. Even modern presidents like Joe Biden and Donald Trump have made their way into his act. But one president had him scratching his head: Barack Obama. "Barack Obama—that was a very tough voice. I just couldn’t find the hook for him," Rich admits.
From Nixon to Broadway: A Lifelong Journey
These days, Rich is keeping things fresh by stepping into the world of theater. Recently, he made his off-Broadway debut as the 37th president of the United States in Trial on the Potomac: The Impeachment of Richard Nixon. It's a fascinating play that doesn't take sides—it leaves the verdict up to the audience. "It doesn’t say whether Nixon was innocent or guilty," Rich explains. "It leaves you to form your own opinion by the end of the play. If they had a trial for Richard Nixon and he defended himself and you heard all the facts that came out, would you change your opinion about them?"
Read also:The Views Big Move Why It Was A Gamechanger For The Show
After wrapping up the show on September 4, Rich returned to his long-running gig at the Tropicana with Rich Little: Live in Las Vegas! And if that wasn't enough, he's also releasing an updated version of his book, Little by Little: People I’ve Known and Been. If you ask me, this guy's not just staying busy—he's thriving!
How It All Started: The Road to Stardom
So, Rich, did you always dream of being in showbiz?
Oh, you bet! Rich didn't waste any time figuring out his calling. "Always. Yeah, yeah. I was a big movie buff and loved movies. I love film stars. Admired them so much I started imitating them." But it wasn't just about copying famous voices—it was about acting. "Before I became an impersonator, I was doing a lot of acting. Then I started imitating my teachers. That’s how I started doing impressions," he recalls.
Who was the first celebrity you ever imitated?
Turns out, it was none other than Jimmy Stewart. And guess what? Rich actually got to know Jimmy over the years, and they became good friends. "We had a lot of fun over the years, doing things together," Rich says. "One time, at a charity event we did, he said, 'I’m very fond of Rich Little, and I was thinking of adopting him. Gloria, my wife, said, 'No, Jim. No, no, no, no. Two people around the house going wah wah wah wah wah would be one too many.’” Can you imagine?!
What If Showbiz Hadn't Worked Out?
What would you have done if your career hadn't taken off?
Read also:Sunny Hostin Opens Up About Personal Loss During Heartfelt The View Segment On Heart Health
Rich had a backup plan—or at least a starting point. "I was a disc jockey when I was a teenager. And I don’t know whether I would have pursued that or not, but I always had show business in the back of my mind." He slowly started mimicking local politicians and TV personalities, and before he knew it, his career skyrocketed. "Then when I came down from Canada, because I’m a Canadian, to do Judy Garland’s show—that’s when my career really took off," he explains.
What was it like working with Judy Garland?
Rich says Judy was "great," but she had one little habit that made their collaboration extra special. "She never came to rehearsal though, so she only saw my routine when we filmed it. And it got such a great reaction because she had never seen me do it at rehearsal because she was never there!" If you watch that routine today, you'll see Judy reacting like crazy while Rich nails all the voices.
Working With Legends: The Best of the Best
Who were some of the other celebrities you enjoyed working with?
Rich has worked with some of the biggest names in entertainment history. "I loved working with Julie Andrews. And Doris Day. I did her show—she was wonderful. And Carol Burnett and Lucille Ball. I’ve done both their shows and a lot of variety shows in the ’70s. I was on a variety show almost every week," he says. It's like a who's who of classic TV!
And what about The Tonight Show? That was a big deal, right?
You're telling me! "I hosted it 32 times!" Rich exclaims. "The Tonight Show was great for my career because everybody watched it. And then I had a falling-out. I could never get an answer on why. But I still have great memories of Johnny Carson because he was a great impression for me to do, and I got a lot of mileage out of doing him." Along with The Hollywood Squares and the Dean Martin roasts, these shows helped launch Rich's career to new heights.
Not Everyone Loved Their Impressions
Did any stars dislike your impression of them?
Unfortunately, not everyone was thrilled. "Yeah, Paul Lynde from the Hollywood Squares. Hated my impression. Made faces every time I did him. Looked into the camera and said, 'Who’s he doing? Who’s that? Get a day job. Oh, God.' He hated my impression. Absolutely hated it. I thought he was gonna strangle me one night. I really did," Rich recalls. But hey, you can't please everyone, right?
Was your Richard Nixon impression the one that really put you on the map?
Absolutely. "He was one of the first people I impersonated when I came down from Canada. I was kind of known as the guy that did Richard Nixon. And I got a lot of mileage out of doing him, too. I did a lot of Nixon back in the ’60s, you know, and here I am, more than 60 years later doing Nixon again. It’s kind of ironic that I’ve gone back to Nixon," Rich says with a chuckle.
Back to Vegas: The Show Must Go On
You're also busy with your show at the Tropicana in Las Vegas.
"I’ve been there for five years. I took a month off to do this play, but now I’m going back. I was there four or five months ago, and nobody else was performing [because of the pandemic]. People were wearing masks, and nobody was close to one another, but it was great to be back," Rich shares.
Did the audience appreciate getting out again to see your show?
Absolutely. "I had a kid come and see my show. He sat down in the front. He was about 15 years old and laughed his head off. He was in hysterics. I saw him in the casino after the show was over. I said, 'You seem to enjoy my show.' He said, 'Mr. Little, you’re funny. Oh my God. I thought it was great. But I was confused.' And I said, 'You were confused about what?' He said, 'Well, as you were performing, I kept wondering why you kept changing your voice,'" Rich laughs. It's moments like these that remind us why Rich's work is so special.
Words to Live By
Any words of wisdom you live by?
Rich's advice is simple but powerful. "Do your best at whatever you’re doing. Don’t give up. Stick with it and see what happens." Words to live by, if you ask me.
