ACTOR YOU KNOW FROM "THE GODFATHER PART III," "JOAN OF

ARCADIA," AND HIS 13 SEASONS ON "CRIMINAL MINDS."

PLEASE WELCOME TO "THE LATE SHOW," JOE MANTEGNA!

♪ ♪ ♪ ( APPLAUSE )

>> Stephen: NICE TO MEET YOU.

>> NICE TO MEET YOU.

>> Stephen: I'VE WANTED TO MEET YOU FOR MANY YEARS.

>> I'VE WANTED TO MEET YOU FOR MANY YEARS-- WELL, MANY MONTHS.

>> Stephen: I WAS A YOUNG ACTOR IN CHICAGO WHEN YOU WERE

FIRST BECAME, YOU KNOW, A SENSATION IN ACTING.

AND I LIVED THERE FOR 11 YEARS, AND SINCE WE BOTH LIVED IN

CHICAGO, I AM REQUIRED TO ASK YOU SOME QUESTIONS.

ARE YOU READY FOR THEM?

>> I'M READY FOR THEM.

>> Stephen: CUBS OR SOX?

>> CUBS.

>> Stephen: ONE OTHER SOX FAN.

ONE.

>> THOUGH WE HAD A RESTAURANT FOR MANY YEARS.

MY WIFE HAD A RESTAURANT IN BURBANK, CALIFORNIA, CALLED

"TASTE CHICAGO."

WE CLOSED IT RECENTLY.

BUT WHEN YOU HAVE A RESTAURANT CALLED "TASTE CHICAGO" YOU HAVE

TO SUPPORT EVERYBODY.

I NEW ROBYN VENTURA.

I EMBRACED THE SOX SOMEWHAT, BUT CUBS, IT'S GOT TO BE CUB S.

>> Stephen: SPEAKING OF TASTING CHICAGO, FAVORITE DEEP

DISH.

>> ACTUALLY, I PREFER A NEW YORK SLICE, TO TELL YOU THE TRUTH.

( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ).

>> Stephen: >> Stephen: OH, A NEW YORK

SLICE.

YOU WERE LESS LIKELY TO FALL IN AND DROWN.

>> COULD NEVER GO BACK TO CHICAGO.

I LOVE DEEP DISH, TOO.

BUT I PREFER -- >> Stephen: HOW DO YOU TAKE

YOUR HOT DOG?

CHICAGOANS TAKE THEIR HOT DOGS VERY SERIOUSLY.

>> YOU HAVE TO GET THE WHOLE DEAL.

YOU HAVE TO GET THE POPPY SEED BUN S.

>> Stephen: ALL BEEF.

>> THE VIENNA BEEF.

YOU GOT YOUR MUSTARD.

YOU GOT YOUR PICKLES.

>> Stephen: TOMATO WEDGES.

>> AND IN TERMS OF THE RELISH, YOU HAVE YOUR CHOICE.

AT THE RESTAURANT WE HAD THE REGULAR RELISH AND THE NEON

RELISH, THE ONE THAT LOOKED LIKE IT HAD BEEN TO CHERNOBYL.

>> Stephen: YOU HAD TO PUT ON GOGGLES TO DISH IT OUT.

>> WHEN I GREW UP THEY DIDN'T HAVE THE RADIOACTIVE TYPE OF

RELISH.

WE HAD BOTH.

AND PEOPLE COULD LOOK AT IT, "I'LL TAKE THE DAY-GLO ONE OR

NOT.

>> Stephen: AND CELERY SALT.

YOU HAVE BEEN ACTING FOR 51 YEARS.

>> YES.

>> Stephen: YOUR FIRST PROFESSIONAL ROLE-- IS THIS YOUR

FIRST PROFESSIONAL ROLE?

>> IT IS.

>> Stephen: YOUR FIRST PROFESSIONAL ROLE WAS IN "HAIR"

IN 1969.

>> YES.

>> Stephen: WAS YOUR FAMILY SUPPORTIVE OF ACTING?

DID THEY KNOW-- DID THEY UNDERSTAND?

>> NO, I DON'T QUITE THINK THEY UNDERSTOOD, TO TELL YOU THE

TRUTH.

IN TERMS OF "HAIR," I REMEMBER WHEN MY MOTHER CAME AND SAW THE

SHOW, THE OTHER MEMBERS OF THE CAST-- IT WAS LIKE 1969.

AND THERE WAS A NUDE SCENE IN THE SHOCK, NOT MUCH, BUT IN 1969

IT WAS A BIG DEAL.

AND THE REST OF THE CAST SAID, "YOUR MOTHER IS COMING?

YOUR YUR MOTHER IS GOING TO SEE THE SHOW."

AND SHE COMES BACKSTAGE AND I SAID HOW DID YOU LIKE THE SHOW,

MA.

SHE SAID, TRVETION GREAT AND YOU GOT A NICE BODY.

SOME OF THESE KIDS ARE OUT OF SHAPE BUT LOOK PRETTY GOOD.

JUMP CUT, MY MOTHER LIVED TO BE 101 --

>> Stephen: WOW.

>> SHE DGOD BLESS HER.

SHE PASSED AWAY A COUPLE YEARS AGO, AND AT HER FUNERAL, MY

BROTHER, WHO IS EIGHT YEARS OLDER THAN I AM, GAVE THE

FIRSTUAL YE FOR HER.

AND HE SAID I WANT MY BROTHER TO KNOW THIS, BECAUSE I DON'T THINK

HE KNOWS THIS.

WHEN JOE SEGUED FROM THEATER AND MOVIES AND THE TV SERIES HE HAS

BEEN ON FOR QUITE A WHILE SHE CALLED ME AND SAID, "RONNIE, I'M

WORRIED ABOUT JOEY."

AND HE SAID, WHAT, DO YOU MEAN?" AND SHE SAID, "HE'S ONLY WORKING

AN HOUR A WEEK SM EXPCHT SHE WAS DEAD SERIOUS.

AND MY BROTHER HAD TO KIND OF ALLEVIATE HER FEARS "IT'S OKAY.

HE'S DOING FINE.

THAT HOUR IS PRETTY GOOD."

>> Stephen: PAYS WELL.

>> I'M NOT QUITE SURE MY MOTHER QUITE UNDERSTOOD SHOW BUSINESS

AND WHAT I DID FOR A LIVING.

BUT I THINK IT WAS GOOD.

IT HELPED GROUND ME.

>> Stephen: DID SHE GET A CHANCE TO SEE YOU PLAY RICKY

ROMA IN "GLENGARRY GLENN ROSS."

( APPLAUSE ).

>> THANK YOU.

>> Stephen: DID YOU WIN THE TONY FOR THAT?

>> I DID.

I WON THE TONY FOR THAT.

I HAD TO CALL AND TELL HER, "WATCH THE SHOW TONIGHT.

BECAUSE THERE'S A CHANCY MIGHT GO UP AND GET THIS THING."

AND SHE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT IT WAS.

OF COURSE, WHEN IT ALL HAPPENED, SHE WAS TELLING ALL HER FRIENDS,

"JOEY WON THE OSCAR, BUT FOR THE PLAYS."

( LAUGHTER ) AND THEN WHEN I TOLD HER, I

SAID, "MOM" I WON THE TONY AWARD.

MOM, WHY DON'T I COME FLY YOU IN TO COME SEE THE PLAY ON

BROADWAY."

AND SHE SAID, "WILL YOU BE DOING IT IN CHICAGO?"

I SAID, PROBABLY, EVENTUALLY, WE WILL.

WE'LL PROBABLY TOUR AND BE IN CHICAGO."

SHE SAID, "I'M CAPITOL HILL GAND SEE IT WITH LOLLY."

AND IT MADE SENSE TO HER.

>> Stephen: YOU'RE IN THE 15th AND FINAL SEASON OF

"CRIMINAL MINDS."

YOU'VE BEEN ON THE SHOW SINCE SEASON THREE.

>> RIGHT.

>> Stephen: 13th SEASON.

WHO IT GOING TO BE LIKE OR ARE YOU PREPARED TO LEAVE YOUR

CHARACTER BEHIND?

>>UN, IT'S BEEN A GREAT RUN.

AND I MEAN, 13 YEARS ON ANYTHING, I MEAN, IT'S A

BLESSING IN THIS BUSINESS.

SO, I MEAN, YOU GO INTO THESE THINGS IT'S DAY BEFORE I GOT THE

CALL TO COME AND DO THE SHOW, I DIDN'T KNOW-- YOU GET THIS JOB,

AND YOU THINK MAYBE I'LL DO THIS FOR THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS AND

IT WILL BE FUN.

IT WAS A WONDERFUL GROUP, THE CAST, THE CREW, EVERYBODY

INVOLVED.

IT WAS A BLETION.

THE CAST, WE STILL TEXT EACH OTHER ALMOST EVERY DAY.

THERE'S, LIKE, A TEXT THREAD THAT WE DO.

AND SO YEAH, IT'S HARD TO PUT IT AWAY, BUT YET, ON THE OTHER

HAND, YOU KNOW, NOTHING GOES ON FOREVER.

AND SO YOU TRY TO BE REALISTIC ABOUT IT, MOVE ON.

AND I JUST FEEL BLESS THEY HAD DID IT AS LONG AS Y I DID.

>> Stephen: YOU CAN JUSTIFY THIS FOR ME?

WE BOTH WORK ON CBS AND I THINK YOU HAVE DIFFERENT CENSORSHIP

RULES THAN WE CO.

WE WERE TOLD WE COULD NOT SHOW A PICTURE OF MICHAEL ANGELO'S

DAVID UP CLOSE, PERSONAL, EVEN IF IT WAS A LONG SHOT, FOR TWO

SECONDS.

ON YOUR SHOW, THEY STACK UP DEAD HOOKERS LIKE CORD WOOD.

>> OH, YEAH.

>> Stephen: WHY DO YOU GET AWAY WITH THE BLOOD AND THE

GLOWER, EXPWI CAN'T SAY THE WORD ( BLEEP )."

>> OFTEN WE WOULD BE ASKED, "DOESN'T IT BOTHER YOU TO BE ON

A SHOW THAT'S THAT CREEPY?" AND I I SAY, "ABSOLUTELY NOT.

HERE'S A GUY LAYING THERE WITH AN ARROW IN HIS CHEST, AN AXE

THROUGH HIS HEAD, AND A BOWLING BALL IN HIS MOUTH, AND THEY SAY,

"CUT."

THAT SAME PERSON GETS UP, WALKS OVER WANT TO TABLE, HAS A

SANDWICH, LOOKS APT ME AND SAYS, "HEY, JOE, YOU CAN TELL ME WHERE

I CAN GET A COKE?" SO, THAT'S-- THAT'S-- AND THE

THING IS THE REAL MEN AND WHOAM DO THAT WORK I HAVE SUCH RESPECT

FOR THEM.

NOT JUST F.B.I., BUT PEOPLE IN THE MILITARY, PEOPLE IN LAW

ENFORCEMENT.

>> Stephen: I THOUGHT YOU MEANT THE REAL MEN AND WOMEN WHO

PRETEND TO BE DEAD BODIES.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE, PRETEND DEAD BOABS.

>> I HAVE SOME RESPECT FOR THEM.

BUT MY POINT BEING THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO REALLY DO THOSE JOBS.

IN TERMS OF YOUR CENSORSHIP THING, THAT'S ON YOU.

THAT'S YOUR PROBLEM.

I CAN'T HELP YOU WITH THAT ONE.

>> Stephen: JOE, GOOD TO SEE YOU, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR

COMING ON.

>> THANK YOU.

>> Stephen: "CRIMINAL MINDS" AIRS WEDNESDAYS AT 9:00 P.M.

ON CBS.

JOE MANTEGNA, EVERYBODY!

WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK.