Bookpleasures.com welcomes as our guest Hank Garrett who was raised in Harlem in a multi-cultural neighborhood. In the 1950s, poverty was a way of life. Survival was the goal and violence was the means. By age 12, Hank was carrying a .25 caliber handgun. 

A serendipitous meeting with Sammy Davis Jr. changed the trajectory of Hank’s life, and Hank stepped into the worlds of comedy, acting, martial arts, and wrestling. Lying about his age, at 17, Hank balanced a career as a pro wrestler with doing comedy acts at various clubs, all while still attending high school. By age 19 he had landed a role in a successful television series.

Hank  began power lifting, bodybuilding and karate as a means of self-protection in a rough neighborhood, starting at age 13.  In 1958 he was the winner of the Junior Olympic Power lifting competition. This led to an extended stint in professional wrestling under the name of The Minnesota Farm Boy. 

Hank is an actor and producer, known for Death Wish, The Amityville Horror and Three Days of the Condor.   

He  has worked with Peter Falk, Patrick Stewart, Kathleen Turner, Christopher  Lloyd, Al Pacino, Sophia Loren, James Coburn and James Earl Jones. Television appearances include Columbo, Nothing Sacred, Knots Landing, Full House, and Max Headroom. Film credits include Death Wish, Johnny Dangerously, Three Days of the Condor, Serpico, and The Producers.

Hank has recently published his memoirs in From Harlem Hoodlum to Hollywood Heavyweight.

Good day Hank and thanks for participating in our interview.

What do you consider to be your greatest success (or successes) so far in your careers?

Hank:  Winning the New York Film Critics Award for my role as the killer mailman in Three Days of the Condor.  And recently being presented an award for being in the Best Fight Scene in Film Ever for the movie Three Days of the Condor.

Norm: What has been your greatest challenge (professionally) that you’ve overcome in getting to where you’re at today? 

Hank:  Overcoming the anger and bitterness that I developed while living on the streets of Harlem as a kid.

Norm: What kind of a kid were you?

Hank:  I was a fighter.  I was always trying to overcome my need for love and security.  

Norm: Did you ever do something that you are ashamed of?

Hank:  Yes.  Getting into a fight with a kid who had been my close friend.  He made fun of the way I was dressed.  I seemed to be wearing the same clothes all of the time.   But I couldn’t let him know that was all I had.  When I hit him, he was shocked and the look on his face broke my heart.

Norm: When did you know you wanted to become an actor? What was your training and do you specialize in any particular acting technique? When did you first perform and how did you get the part?? 

Hank:  I was working in the Catskills in upstate New York and I was asked if I wanted to do Summerstock.  They cast me as Lenny in Of Mice and Men.  I was hooked and knew acting had to be my career.  I studied with Paul Mazursky in New York.  For tough scenes I’d recall the deep anger I felt as a kid.  At one point, Paul pushed me to the point of bringing it out full force.  I got up and went towards him.  He yelled, “Hey, Hank, that’s enough!”

Norm: What's the most difficult thing for you about being an actor?

Hank:  Sometimes, it the coming down from playing different characters…in other words, coming back to the real me.

Norm: What did you find most useful in learning to act? What was least useful or most destructive??  

Hank:  Being mentored by Sid Caesar in dialectic gibberish which I learned to perfection.  This led me to being invited by the BBC in London to appear on “TW3” (That Was the Week that Was) starring David Frost.  I appeared weekly for 18 months.

I learn something from every scene I play, even if at the time it seems not useful or a negative experience.  

Norm:  What would you consider your dream role? 

Hank:   Perhaps playing the lead in a comedy -- and realizing I’m not a kid anymore, I’d like to play a retired comedian who has never lost his sense of humor. Perhaps even taking this into a television series.  Now that would be fun!  

Norm:  What motivated you to write From Harlem Hoodlum to Hollywood Heavyweight?  What were your goals and intentions in, and how well do you feel you achieved them? 

Hank:  I’d never really considered writing a book, but my manager started writing down stories I’d tell her.  And that got me excited!  Then my focus became inspiring troubled youth.   I thought that  perhaps I could keep them from making the same mistakes as I did as a kid.  Since then, I’ve formed an organization called “Hankster’s Kids” to help at-risk youth.    

Norm: Please tell us a little about your book?

Hank:  From Harlem Hoodlum to Hollywood Heavyweight is my autobiography.  It’ s my life in print, with all the tears, pains and joys.  

Norm: If someone can only buy one book this month, why should it be yours? 

Hank:  As one of my fans said, “Buy it because it’s not like any other book.”  It’s proof  that no matter how dark the beginnings, you can still come shining through.  No matter what the odds, you can still win.  And isn’t  that the American dream?

Norm: Where can our readers  find out more about you and your book?

Hank:  My WEBSITE:  

or Google “Hank Garrett.”  

Norm: What is next for Hank Garrett?

Hank:  There’s been interest in my book being made into a movie.  And a  movie that would inspire others.  And that would be a dream come through.

Norm: Thanks once again and good luck with your future endeavors.