That guy from “˜Austin Powers’ shares his name

  MAIYA HOLLIDAY Actor Michael York spoke
to students in the Kerckhoff Hall Grand Salon on Wednesday.

By Kenny Chang
Daily Bruin Senior Staff

Blockbuster films have the tendency to bring leading performers
into the spotlight.

For the relatively unknown supporting actors, these films propel
them into the limbo of famous supporting actordom ““ not being
the star, but rather the “what’s-his-face” guy
from last summer’s big movie. For those with established
careers, blockbusters draw an interesting picture, adding a gray
area of honorable mention onto their colorful experiences. This is
the case for actor Michael York, who spoke to students at UCLA on
Wednesday in a Q&A session for his new book “Dispatches
From Armageddon: Making the Movie “˜Megiddo’… a
Devilish Diary!”

Many people know York only as Basil Exposition, right hand man
to international man of mystery Austin Powers.

In reality, York has performed circles around leading man Mike
Myers. Acting in movies, Broadway plays, writing books and voice
acting, York’s 30-year career details more experience than
many of Hollywood’s leading actors have.

He is more than Basil Exposition, yet he receives his
appreciation, or unappreciation even, with gratitude.

“I’m not going to complain because these films were
a huge success,” York said. “And it’s very nice
to be associated with not one success, but to have them twice
“¦ Because I see things, having been in the business for 30
years. Success is very nice, very lovely, because it leads to other
things.”

York began acting in 1962 because he thought he would regret it
if he never tried it, but that attempt soon led him to multifaceted
career. Growing up in England and beginning as a stage actor in his
teens, York first appeared on-screen in 1962 in “The Mind
Benders,” eventually leading to roles in over 100 films and
television shows.

York is also currently chairman for the California Youth
Theater, located in Hollywood, which helps provide children with
experience in theater.

“We teach them performing arts, not to train them in
professional theater, but to give them the experience of working in
the performing arts,” York said. “To have those good
qualities ““ discipline, enthusiasm, and all those positive
qualities that you have on the sports fields. People tell me that
these programs are being cut from the schools, so it seems it
becomes even more vital to have this experience.”

The root of York’s contribution to others and his own
inspiration for his roles is his desire for influence. Be it any
role, on-screen or stage, he hopes to affect the audience and
inspire them.

“I’d like to feel that occasionally you could do
something of an importance that shapes the way people feel about
the world,” York said. “When I was young I was very
impressed to read something that Lawrence Olivier had written, that
the role of the actor could be as important as that of the doctor
or the psychiatrist. You aspire to it, but you don’t expect
it to happen all the time.”

In his many years of performance, York has seen some differences
in the culture between the United States and England. According to
York, the distinctions are because of the youthful culture in the
U.S.

“Something that strikes me here is the automatic standing
ovation, which doesn’t exist so much in England ““
it’s maybe a little more cooler ““ so when there is a
standing ovation you know you’ve done something
exceptional,” said York. “What I love about this
country, especially living here on the West Coast, is its youth
““ it’s so new ““ everything is possible. People
haven’t been beaten down by cynicism, whereas if you go back
to England, you’re more aware of a much older culture. People
look at things in terms of thousands of years, not hundreds of
years.”

A modern Renaissance man, York believes that UCLA is the perfect
environment for anybody interested in the film or performing arts
industry to begin.

“Get as involved as possible. Join a film crew, do small
theater ““ nothing is small,” York said. “Learn by
doing. Plant two feet on the stage. Don’t be afraid of making
a fool of yourself. It’s all important. This is a perfect
place for it ““ a university setting ““ this is where you
should be. Experimenting in everything, doing everything. Just go
for broke.”