by flagamuffin

This is interesting partially because of the 1987 perspective, also because it's funny, also because it's true -- Marlon Brando changed the definition of the leading man.

Marlon hates publicity, hates reporters. The last time he was interviewed was in June 1977, for a Playboy Q&A. Marlon granted the interview, he said, to “pay a debt, so to speak” to Hugh Hefner, who several years earlier had posted bond when American Indian Movement leader Russell Means was arrested.

Debt or not, Marlon had kept the Playboy reporter on hold for 17 months. He canceled three times before they finally met, and then he did his best, over five sessions in 10 days, to evade all subjects other than the plight of the American Indian.

Prior to that, on a promotion stump for “Superman,” he fried Dick Cavett on network TV. Ninety minutes on Indians.