TONY         How much money could you make bartending?

 BILL           Not enough! I worked for some famous bars. The owners were filthy rich, owning castles in Europe. One of my favorites was Mike O’Neill, who owns O’Neill Brothers by Lincoln Center. He hired a lot of struggling actors.

TONY         Did you get typecast playing goofy people?

BILL           I don’t know. This fits.

TONY         Larry in Newhart was pretty goofy.

BILL           Yeah. I didn’t think he was. I thought he was very sweet. It paid a lot of money. It was nice to have a regular job. I based him on a bum I met in Manhattan picking lint off his shirt, saying “I’ll kill the bitch.” And they thought I was tipping my hat. There’s bums on the bowery who have bands around their arms and DTs and stuff. But they fascinated me. I love tramps.

TONY         How did you get that role?

BILL           Audition.

TONY         Did you go in on a cold cattle call, or did an agent get it?

BILL           My agent got it. But they put the two brothers in there that they found at the Mark Taper Forum. They put their careers on hold by not talking. A lot of people asked me if they minded not talking and I said that they never said anything to me about it (laughs).

TONY         Did you do anything else during the time you were playing Larry?

BILL           One of the nice things about that show was that they let me out to do other things. I got to work with Val Kilmer and Charles Durning on a remake of “I’m a Fugitive From a Chain Gang.” I did a movie with Clint Eastwood and Burt Reynolds which didn’t do anything but it was great fun.

TONY         How much time did you have to put in on the Larry role?

BILL           I did around 17 shows a year. It lasted 8 years. I’d go in on Monday and read it, go home, let the writers hear it. On Tuesday you’d read it again but put it on its feet. On Wednesday you’d start trying to get the book out of your hand. Thursday, you’d finalize it. Friday I’d go in at noon and do a dress rehearsal. They’d shoot that, then do it before a live audience of 200 people on Friday night, which I’m very greatful for. They applauded when we went off the stage. My buddy said, “Yes, Sanderson. I’d applaud, too, when you went off the stage.” (laughs) But for some reason they liked us.

TONY         Did they ever use anything from the dress rehearsal?

BILL           If there was a mess-up. Bob never liked to stay late at night. He had it down to a science. So we had a double shot at it, the dress rehearsal and the live audience.

TONY         So even though you didn’t have a lot of lines, it was a full week’s work?

BILL           Oh, yeah. I had enough lines for me and was paid much more money than my parents ever made. Plus I was a spokesman for the Root Beer Company, and I met ladies. I did lots of things. I had to turn down an independent film shot in Belize because they said I had to be here. That week I had one little scene and when they showed it, they cut it out; the only one ever. But there’s nothing like a regular job for someone like me.

TONY         Why was “Deadwood” cancelled?

BILL           I can’t answer that. If you’re familiar with (writer/executive producer) David Milch, he’s kind of a madman, but I loved working for him and apparently he liked me. He put me in every show.

TONY         Do you get residuals on that?

BILL           Yes.

TONY         They are rerunning in on DirecTV?

BILL           Yes, because of the potty mouth language you can’t put it many places, but I’m getting substantial residuals. I’m getting ready to go on a handshake tour. They tell me the soldiers like it.

TONY         What was it like working for Ridley Scott on “Bladerunner?”

BILL           It was a tremendous thrill for me. He had done “Alien,” and I thought I was going to lose this when he said, “Did you see it?” I said no. Nowadays I look at everything I can. He said, “Did you read the book?” and I said, “I couldn’t get through it.” He said, “Me neither.” It was great fun. I would talk with him one on one. I was thrilled to be working with Harrison Ford. We thought it would be a big hit. I think it was Pauline Kael who said it was a fascinating failure.

TONY         How do you deal with being a celebrity?

BILL           I’m kind of at peace with my recognition. Sometimes it happens, sometimes it doesn’t. When you get recognized all the time, like leaving tips, people say that this guy’s a jerk and this guy’s a nice guy. What would I do with Eddie Murphy or Brad Pitt’s problems? I’ve had my own on “Newhart.”

TONY         What kind of problems?

BILL           I was a bit of a target. People would call. A lady got my number from SAG; she worked there. She called and said, “I need a job.” I gave her a job. I was so busy. I said I want these presents sent to Texas where I’d shot a Movie of the Week. People didn’t get the presents. Years later she called me and told me she was in AA and she was supposed to admit what she’d done wrong and said, “I threw those presents away because I didn’t make as much money as I thought I should.”

TONY         Now you’re a regular on “True Blood” on HBO?

BILL           Yes. It’s a show with Alan Ball, who is a great writer. He wrote “American Beauty,” won an Academy Award, and created “Six Feet Under.” I play a sheriff in Louisiana. It’s based on a series of books by Charlene Harris. It’s the hardest thing I’ve done. He’s normal and clean-shaven. I look every time to see if I’m being killed off. Lots of insecurity. But Deepak Chopra said he never met a great artist who wasn’t comfortable with his own insecurity. I consider myself a journeyman, but I’m comfortable with my insecurity.

TONY         How did you feel when you were named one of the 15 funniest people on Television?

BILL           Making people laugh is a valuable social service and once in awhile I get to do that. But really, being an actor is just a vanity kick, an adrenaline rush.