George Hamilton having fun nightly in revival of ‘La Cage Aux Folles’

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George Hamilton (left) and Christopher Sieber star in the national touring production of “La Cage aux Folles” at the Bank of America Theatre. | Paul Kolnik

‘LA CAGE AUX FOLLES’

† Dec. 20-Jan. 1

† Bank of America
Theatre, 18 W. Monroe

† Tickets, $32-$95

† (800) 775-2000;
BroadwayInChicago.com

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Updated: December 15, 2011 9:05PM

George Hamilton has endured a great deal of roasting for his perpetual tan and his matinee idol looks and lifestyle. But scan his resume and you will see that the actor, now 72, has been the quintessential show biz professional, working steadily in movies, on television (where, in 2006, despite knee problems, he made a solid effort with his “Dancing With the Stars” appearances), and on the live stage.

Although it took until 2006 for the actor to make his Broadway debut (playing Billy Flynn in the long-running revival of “Chicago”), he had performed in everything from national tours of “The Star Spangled Girl” and “Funny Girl,” to “Gigi” and “Barefoot in the Park.” Now, Hamilton is co-starring in the national tour of the 2010 Broadway revival of “La Cage aux Folles,” the enduring Jerry Herman-Harvey Fierstein musical about French “family values.” He plays Georges, the owner of a flashy nightclub in St. Tropez — a man whose life companion is Albin (played by Christopher Sieber), the club’s popular drag queen and chanteuse.

“La Cage” opens Dec. 20 at the Bank of America Theatre. I chatted by phone with Hamilton recently, and here is what he had to say:

Question: How did you get the job in “La Cage”?

George Hamilton: I had worked for Fran and Barry Weissler [the tour’s producers] in “Chicago,” and they called and asked me to come to New York. As it happens, at the very same time I had two other offers to do interesting musicals, though I’d prefer not to name them.

Q. What was the appeal of this show?

GH: Like many people, I’d seen the original French film, and then the American remake, “The Birdcage.” I’d also seen the original Broadway musical with Gene Barry and George Hearn. And I thought: This story must have been pretty shocking and cutting-edge when it was first done. And it’s a farce, much like the film I made in 1981, “Zorro, The Gay Blade.” But what interested me was not doing a farce, but doing a tight, intimate, meaningful story, and being faithful to my character as the anchor in that story.

Q. Did you ever think of playing Albin as opposed to George?

GH: No, Chris Sieber is terrific and full of surprises as Albin. And when I was in “Zorro” I realized, despite having a great makeup artist working on me, that I was the ugliest woman ever. I wouldn’t know where to begin with Albin, with the vocal changes and all the rest. My intention in this show has been to get up to speed so that I could really work the part with Chris, who is such a fine actor, and not just depend on kneejerk responses. After about six weeks on the road, I think I really got there.

Q. What have you discovered about acting while playing George?

GH: Well, for one thing, comedy is far harder than drama in terms of timing. There’s one particular exchange I have with Dindon [leader of the Tradition, Family and Morality Party], who talks about my son being the child of two perverts, and I respond that we’re just one transvestite and one plain homosexual. I tried that line in 20 different ways before I got a real laugh. That’s the fun part of doing the show each night.

Q. You have quite a history from the “old days” in Chicago. What are some of your best memories?

GH: There were always two Chicagos: The workaday city where business was done, and then the celebrity, plumes-in-the-hair world of the great old train station days when you went to the Pump Room or the joints on the South Side and never went to sleep. It was a sophisticated city with lots of strong ethnic undertones. And I loved old man [Richard J.] Daley. I still remember walking arm and arm with him down State Street. and that one year, on St. Patrick’s Day, when I was in the reviewing stand with him. He kept saying “Get over here, get closer to me or you’ll freeze your ass off.” And then I realized he had a little foot heater on the floor.

Q. Do you have a pre-show ritual?

GH: My dresser will bring me dinner at about 5 or 6 p.m. Then I do a speed-reading of the script and vocalize for about 20 minutes. And then I just like to be left alone and concentrate, because by nature I think about a thousand things at once.

Q. Have you had any special guests on the road?

GH:Well, both my oldest son, who is 38, and my youngest son, who is 11, will be coming here for the holidays.

Q. Is there another musical you’d like to do?

GH: I think I’d be quite comfortable with that half-singing as Henry Higgins in “My Fair Lady.”