# James Lipton dies at 93. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 2, 2020, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/james-lipton-dies-at-93/848809 "2020-03-02T19:11:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2020, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/james-lipton-dies-at-93/848809/1 "2020-03-02T19:11:13Z")
I watched Inside the Actors Studio for many years. Lipton was always so organized with his questions on index cards. What started as a instructional class taught all of us about the craft of acting. RIP Mr Lipton > **[James Lipton, Longtime Host of Inside the Actors Studio, Dies at 93](https://people.com/movies/james-lipton-dies-inside-the-actors-studio/)** > > James Lipton served as host of Inside the Actors studio for nearly 25 years > [@](#): > > In 1994, he created Inside the Actors Studio and served as the host and executive producer from its inception until he stepped down in September 2018 after nearly 25 years. The show was one of cable’s longest-running series. He had also served as the Dean Emeritus of the Actors Studio Drama School at Pace University in New York City for several years. ---
**Author:** ![jonesj2205](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ecc23a/32.png) [@jonesj2205](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jonesj2205)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2020, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/james-lipton-dies-at-93/848809/2 "2020-03-02T19:19:49Z")
He clearly had a love for the arts and the people who acted and sang and wrote and directed. And that came through when he spoke to people. ---
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2020, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/james-lipton-dies-at-93/848809/3 "2020-03-02T19:21:28Z")
My favorite curse word? Damnit! ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2020, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/james-lipton-dies-at-93/848809/4 "2020-03-02T19:48:08Z")
I saw him several times on Conan O’Brien when his show was in NY. The show wrote some silly Sketches and Lipton was always willing to do them. He didn’t mind poking fun at his serious, academic image. ---
**Author:** ![not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/not_what_you_d_expect/32/3246_2.png) [@not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/not_what_you_d_expect)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2020, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/james-lipton-dies-at-93/848809/5 "2020-03-02T20:06:17Z")
Oh, I enjoyed him on the Actors Studio show. RIP Sir. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2020, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/james-lipton-dies-at-93/848809/6 "2020-03-02T20:25:23Z")
He was good on Arrested Development as well. It was really funny because David Cross had said some less-than-kind things about James Lipton’s show and then Lipton was cast as the Warden on Arrested Development. They were able to move past it to make the show. ---
**Author:** ![snfaulkner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snfaulkner/32/433_2.png) [@snfaulkner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snfaulkner)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2020, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/james-lipton-dies-at-93/848809/7 "2020-03-02T20:49:57Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > I saw him several times on Conan O’Brien when his show was in NY. > > The show wrote some silly Sketches and Lipton was always willing to do them. He didn’t mind poking fun at his serious, academic image. And it was hilarious. 93 though? Jeez I didn’t think he was even in his 80’s. Not that I paid too much attention this past decade or so. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2020, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/james-lipton-dies-at-93/848809/8 "2020-03-02T21:14:05Z")
This is someone who really requires an IMDb [link](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0513851/), which is a must read. Amazing. He wrote for a bunch of soap operas! Not much acting work. A while back there was a thread on finding links between widely separated shows. I did one chain from _The Goldbergs_ to _The Goldbergs_ starting with his appearance on an [episode](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1810177/) in 1954. (Here’s a near minimum chain: _The Goldbergs_ -\> James Lipton -\> _Arrested Development_ -\> Jeff Garlin -\> _The Goldbergs_. I think I went via _ITAS_ and Drew Barrymore.) ---
**Author:** ![xizor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xizor/32/102_2.png) [@xizor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xizor)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2020, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/james-lipton-dies-at-93/848809/9 "2020-03-02T22:12:55Z")
Somebody at [people.com](http://people.com) didn’t check their URL, or left it as “/james-lipton-dies-inside-the-actors-studio/” as a poor attempt at a haha. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2020, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/james-lipton-dies-at-93/848809/10 "2020-03-03T00:29:09Z")
> [@snfaulkner](#): > > 93 though? Jeez I didn’t think he was even in his 80’s. Not that I paid too much attention this past decade or so. I swear his hair just kept its color the whole time. It is possible he dyed it, but it looked really natural and was through his beard. It helped him maintain his youthful look. Dude didn’t age the last 25 years. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2020, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/james-lipton-dies-at-93/848809/11 "2020-03-03T01:31:29Z")
I got the mental image of him meeting God, who’s sitting in Lipton’s chair on his set, and God says “Your body is going to fertilize an orchard. Now… (whips out an index card) if you could be any kind of tree…?” ETA: God of course looks like Will Ferrell playing Lipton. ---
**Author:** ![SpoilerVirgin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@SpoilerVirgin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpoilerVirgin)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2020, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/james-lipton-dies-at-93/848809/12 "2020-03-03T01:40:43Z")
The New York Times ended its obituary with a few of Lipton’s answers to Bernard Pivot’s questionnaire: > [@](#): > > Q. What is your favorite curse word? > > A. Jesus Christ! > > Q. What is the profession you wouldn’t have wanted to practice? > > A. Executioner. > > Q. If God exists, what would you like to hear him say after your death? > > A. You see, Jim, you were wrong. I exist. But you may come in anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Sherrerd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sherrerd/32/8_2.png) [@Sherrerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sherrerd)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2020, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/james-lipton-dies-at-93/848809/13 "2020-03-03T01:45:16Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > He was good on Arrested Development as well. It was really funny because **David Cross had said some less-than-kind things about James Lipton’s show** and then Lipton was cast as the Warden on Arrested Development. They were able to move past it to make the show. (my emphasis) I have to admit that Cross’s Lipton bit was the first thing I thought of on hearing the news of Lipton’s passing. Cross did an imitation of Lipton being, well, quite dramatic, in discussing his staff: ‘\_\_\_\_\_\_, who brings me my tea—you are God’s own warrior…’ Condolences to all of James Lipton’s family and friends. ---
**Author:** ![Fir\_na\_tine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a587f6/32.png) [@Fir\_na\_tine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fir_na_tine)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2020, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/james-lipton-dies-at-93/848809/14 "2020-03-03T12:54:42Z")
Always enjoyed his interviews. Are they archived anywhere with free public access? ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2020, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/james-lipton-dies-at-93/848809/15 "2020-03-03T14:50:06Z")
> [@SpoilerVirgin](#): > > The New York Times ended its obituary with a few of Lipton’s answers to Bernard Pivot’s questionnaire: That was always the worst thing on the show. Not the questions themselves or Lipton asking them, the actors pretending to be hearing them for the first time and acting like their answers were spontaneous. ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2020, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/james-lipton-dies-at-93/848809/16 "2020-03-03T21:56:32Z")
I really enjoyed his show for a while, but as his interview subjects kept getting younger and younger, he also became “the guy who thinks every movie was good” and it was frustrating that he’d only want to talk about popular crowd-pleasing movies instead of diving deep into some more obscure (but excellent) films on the actors’ CVs. And the less said about the absolute train wreck of his show with the cast of THE SIMPSONS, the better. But it was nice that he never took himself too seriously via his fun cameos, as well as the incredibly funny parody that Will Ferrell did of him (which was both riotously over-the-top and yet completely dead on). And he brought enormous visibility to discussions of the craft of acting, which I think many lay people either took for granted or misunderstood. RIP. ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2020, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/james-lipton-dies-at-93/848809/17 "2020-03-03T22:18:16Z")
If the word “cringe” was an actual person