Life & Work with G. Larry Butler

Today we’d like to introduce you to G. Larry Butler.

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
The summary of my career is on my IMDB.com page under G. Larry Butler. I was working in a salvage yard in Denver, CO for Mt. Bell Telephone in 1984 when my co-workers persuaded me to try stand-up comedy (as I always had them rolling in the dirt with my bizarre sense of humor). From there, I got a showbiz agent (J.F. Images) and started working as an actor. First, TV commercials, then Print (for magazines, newspapers, etc.), then TV movies (Perry Mason with Raymond Burr), Prison for Children with Josh Brolin and John Ritter, Dream West with Richard Chamberlin, The Christmas Gift with John Denver, Father Dowling with Tom Bosley. Then a co-star part with Michael Pare in Warner Bros. The Womens Club.

From there, I moved to Hollywood in 1989 and signed with Film Artists doing commercials and TV series guest star spots, as well as signing with Joan Mangum’s Print Agency, where I did international commercial modeling as a character model. I have worked in nearly every phase of show business: Feature Film, TV, Commercials, Print, Voice Overs, Theatre, Stand up Comedy, Vaudeville, Magic Mime, Pro Piano, playing accompaniment for Frank Sinatra Jr. twice for The Defenders TV series, as well as for the Eric Andre show. I did over two dozen celebrity impressions, created an answering machine cassette tape, and did over 40 classics animation voices for producer/director William Winckler, even the iconic characters of Ultraman 7 and Ultraman Father, along with Dr. Garuman and the legendary villain, Etelgar… I met Mr. Winckler when I auditioned for his film The Double D Avenger in 2001. He laughed so hard at my performance he fell over in his chair and cast me on the spot for a co-starring role. I had a radio show and tv show running simultaneously called Underground Hollywood in 2000. In the last few years, I worked opposite Julia Roberts in Gaslit and played the legendary Johnny Most in Winning Time opposite Adrian Brody and Michael Chicklis. It’s been a very interesting career. I have many more stories to tell…

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Someone told me once–You must have so much fun in what you do. I replied The frustration balances out the fun. It’s been a roller coaster ride. A lot of disappointment and betrayal, rejection, and dead-end day jobs. I’ve been fired for not returning in time from lunch for being at an audition. You need steel-clad determination to stay in this business. A will to succeed at all costs. It doesn’t hurt to be a masochist either. I’ve had more pain than pleasure. I must feel I deserve punishment to stay in, but I will stay with it til I drop dead. If Im too feeble to stand, tie me to a chair so I don’t fall over and give me a line. I have many stories to tell to embellish on this. I was filmed in a dog house once with ticks as big as your thumb…

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am involved in every phase of show biz and continue to hustle to get every audition I can and get the gig. I specialize in theatrical acting and voice work. I started in comedy, which is my forte, but love drama as well. I’ve been in almost every genre of film. I’ve played piano, sax, tuba in movies, as well as sung in a few. I am most proud of the awards I’ve won in acting, as well as nominated in a few. It is nice to be recognized for my talents. My mantra is I want to be the most memorable actor in a forgettable movie. It is gratifying to affect the audience emotionally. To make them laugh, cry and cringe is my sacred obligation. I told my acting class to feel the emotion, not fake it. The audience pays to vicariously feel something through us. If they see our strings (as fake puppets) then they pull out of the trance a movie should put them in. We need to create an alternate reality to walk through a part is to fail at our craft. I am most proud of relatively insignificant movies I’ve performed my role in an excellent manner, as well as the latest commercial success of Gaslit and Winning Time. When I performed as Johnny Most, 500 background actors rose up and gave me a standing ovation. A few people told me “I knew Johnny Most, and you are him” Michael Chicklis was one of those people. High praise indeed.

Where we are in life is often partly because of others. Who/what else deserves credit for how your story turned out?
I’ve had many mentors and advocates that helped me along the way. Agents that saw potential in me, directors too. Willaim Winckler and I had a wonderful collaboration for over 10 years and 40 films. James Balsalmo and Shawn C. Phillips continue to use me for my ability to improvise as well as learn scripted dialogue. There are too many to give credit to here for their contribution in my success. Lawrence Whitener is one of the most recent, an award-winning writer/director/producer. We just finished a short film with a very important message which we are both proud of.

Contact Info:

• Facebook: IMDB.com/name/nm0124920/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_l
• Linkedin: G. Larry Butler
• Youtube: G. Larry Butler channel

Image Credits
Military pic from PTSD, and Business pic from Fortune Defies Death