John Lithgow Admits to Skinny-Dipping and Wild Parties While Making 'Footloose'
Although he played the stern Reverend Moore in "Footloose," it turns out John Lithgow was far from straitlaced while making the 1984 classic.
While reminiscing for Variety about the movie with Kevin Bacon, Lithgow revealed that he and Dianne Wiest, who played his wife, went skinny-dipping in the pool on location in very conservative Provo, Utah!
"I and Dianne Wiest, who were the preacher and his wife, we felt so old with all these youngsters, and you were the oldest among the youngsters," Lithgow recalled after pointing out he's 12 years older than Bacon. "We felt like we were the old 'fuddie duddies' ... Somehow, I think in compensation for the fact that we were the conservative older generation, Dianne and I were wild. We had these parties — do you remember the parties? — where we would do soul train and dance." Who knew?
But it gets better: Lithgow then recalled, "We even took off our clothes and swam in the pool [at the hotel where all the actors were staying during filming]. There was a memo sent out to every member of the production the next morning from [producer] Dan Melnick that said, 'Behave yourselves. It was directed to Dianne and me." Even more scandalous? He added, "I do remember Lori Singer [who played his rebellious daughter!] followed us into the pool."
Although Bacon jokingly refers to the movie that gave him his big start as "the 'F' film," they both have fond memories of making it.
"It was actually a wonderful experience," Lithgow said.
Agreed Bacon, "It was great."
The whole interview will air on June 13 on PBS as part of Variety's "Actors on Actors" series.