John Goodman comes home for role in Route 66 festivities

Actor John Goodman is in Springfield for the National Route 66 Centennial Kickoff Celebration.

One of Missouri State University’s best-known alumni, Goodman was downtown this morning for an interview during the live taping of the Third Hour of the “Today” show. He is also set to host tonight’s kickoff concert and plans to represent his alma mater in tomorrow’s parade.

Goodman said he feels a strong connection to the Mother Road, and he offered up a memory.

“Riding my thumb down here,” he said. “Any time I needed to get back and forth, I’d get out to the highway – some friend would drop me off and I’d stick my thumb out; sometimes I’d wait awhile.”

He said rain looms large in his memories of the road.

“My brother’s old Army coat kind of kept me dry,” he said. “I never worried about it. I’d just stick my thumb out, and the highway was kind of like a time machine – stick your thumb out, take a nap, wake up in Fort Leonard Wood or something.”

He added, “I have a lot of good memories of that old road.”

In media availability provided by the MSU Foundation this morning, Goodman also reflected on his good memories of Springfield.

“It changes all the time, but there’s something about it that’s so familiar, and the people don’t change much – they’re still as good and friendly as they were when I left,” he said.

Coming home
On his visits, Goodman said, he is drawn to the MSU campus, which he likes to walk around as the memories come rushing back.

“It feels like home,” he said. “Sometimes it seems like I was just here two weeks ago. I mean, the time just went by so fast – 50 years, just … pffft.”

A few things have changed. The Internet Movie Database lists 182 credits for Goodman, counting three that are forthcoming, including “Digger,” starring Tom Cruise. Fans know him for roles as diverse as Walter Sobchak, bowling buddy of The Dude in “The Big Lebowski,” and as Sulley, the huggable blue-and-purple monster in “Monsters Inc.” He’s even a 13-time host of “Saturday Night Life,” with about a dozen other cameos on the comedy sketch show.

But Goodman said he was once just another broke college student.

“I used to write checks for chili dogs at the Dairy Queen,” he said.

Goodman credits the university with helping him chart his course.

“My life came together here,” he said. “I went to college just as a time-filler. I didn’t really have much of a purpose.”

He said he wanted to be in a theater department, and he got lucky because MSU had a very good one.

“It opened up so many doors for me,” he said. “When I figured out what I wanted to do, I got very passionate about it, and that involved a lot of research, which is history, English language – not many math skills, which is good – art, music. They were there the whole time, but I never noticed.”

And he said he never stopped learning.

“It’s opened up a passion for life,” he said.

Goodman served as chair of MSU’s Onward, Upward campaign from October 2019 to 2022, helping to raise $274 million with 60,000 individual donors. He said he has no forthcoming collaborations in the works with MSU, though he stands ready to serve.

He said that he does not feel indebted to MSU, exactly; instead, he feels something more kinetic.

”If I can help move it along to the next generation or help some other kid, it would be worth it,” he said.

Goodman’s advice
Goodman has some advice that works not just for actors, but for anyone.

When the actor was asked what counsel he would provide young actors, Goodman said the industry has changed so much, he wouldn’t know what to tell newcomers to the profession.

“I would just say you’ve got to work on yourself,” he said. “You’ve got to keep yourself fit; you’ve got to keep your mind in shape. I’ve learned the hard way to avoid distractions like booze – that really tied me up for a long time.”

He also said it’s important to keep one’s mind open.

“Dive into the other arts,” he said. “Everything ties in. … It all merges together.”

It’s important to keep an open mind and stay curious, he said.

“I got lucky, but when I got lucky, I was prepared for it,” he said. “You basically build yourself, and if it doesn’t work out, you’ve got a pretty good human being on your hands anyway.”

Goodman hails from the Mississippi River town of Affton, Missouri, and to hear him tell it, he just wandered aimlessly toward Southwest Missouri State University, now MSU.

Goodman said he had no sense of direction as a student – but then he found theater. To hear Goodman tell it, that was a discovery that gave his life lasting purpose.