60 Seconds With ... Hal Linden

Hal Linden has performed in 15 Broadway musicals, won the 1971 Tony Award as best actor for “The Rothschilds” and earned three Emmys for dramatic work, but people still call him “Barney.” And that’s just fine with Linden, who portrayed Barney Miller from 1975 to 1982 on the ABC sitcom of the same name. Linden currently stars in Wendy Graf’s play “Lessons,” playing through Dec. 23 at the Lee Strasberg Theatre in West Hollywood. And while the play hasn’t been critically well-received, Linden’s performance has been welcomed with open arms.

You know what the first line of my act is? I have an opening number about Broadway and the first thing I say after the applause dies down is, “What the hell is Barney Miller doing singing?” Because that’s on everybody’s mind and I just like to get it out of the way.

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THOUGH “LESSONS” ISN’T A MUSICAL, YOU SING AND DANCE IN YOUR ONE-MAN SHOW. DOES THAT SURPRISE PEOPLE?

DO YOU THINK MORE ACTORS TODAY SHOULD HAVE STAGE TRAINING?

I think it’s overrated that you have to have that sort of background. If you’re a good actor, you can do it in any medium.

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YOU’VE RECENTLY DONE SOME GUEST APPEARANCES ON SHOWS LIKE “LAW AND ORDER: CRIMINAL INTENT,” “WILL AND GRACE” AND “KING OF QUEENS” . . .

Did you know that I played a gay character in each of those three shows? I’ve got a whole new career path!

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WOULD YOU CONSIDER COMING BACK TO TV FULL-TIME?

Sure. Whatcha got? It’s all about the property . . . and the part. If there’s something there that you can chew on, you can do something imaginative and creative with, I’ll go anywhere -- play, television, movies -- you name it, even off-off-off Broadway. That’s always been the determining factor. I consider myself very lucky. You don’t always get the opportunity to do that.

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HAVE YOU HAD A GOOD EXPERIENCE HERE IN LOS ANGELES?

The first time I came out here, with [the musical] “Bells Are Ringing,” we played the Civic Light Opera, which was in Pershing Square in a church before they built the Music Center. I lived in Hollywood, and like all the New York actors, you went to this huge market and you bought one Pepsi -- you didn’t buy a six-pack -- because any minute you could be going back to New York. I was the typical New York actor. I couldn’t wait to get back to the theater and all that . . . [But] the next thing I know, I was a golfer. It’s tough to be a golfer in New York. I like L.A.

-- Tom Sparks

theguide@latimes.com