James Brolin takes time out from film to talk about Clint Eastwood and longevity: Mobile Version

His relaxed manner belies the first-day "collywobbles," which generally set in when an actor is prepared to deliver his first lines in a film. The hammock at the end of the dock at Bowen's Island still looks inviting, here on the set of "Angel Camouflaged," but James Brolin is focused.

Brolin, who these days moves gracefully from leading man to character actor and back, stars as Salt in writer-director Michael Givens' musical drama. Salt is the essence of the Florida Keys, a crusty but benign fellow with a deep-water tan and a soft spot for a run-down watering hole.

As anyone who has ever dallied in South Florida can attest, the bearded old salt is a living, breathing caricature, descended of Hemingway. But how does an actor sidestep cliche?

James Brolin is in town filming the as-yet released film, 'Angel Camouflaged.'

"Going to a lot of movies, reading a few books, and having a visual feeling of either what you think it would be like or by using your own experience," says the actor. "I'm older, so I've been a lot of places and met a lot of people. But the bottom line is that I won't know until tonight. I haven't shot anything yet. Luckily, they're being kind of easy on me the first day."

James Garner and Steve McQueen may have made the initial breakthroughs, moving from TV stardom to features and, in the process, shattering the old stigma attached to actors from the small screen.

But Brolin and old friend Clint Eastwood weren't far behind. Brolin's launching pad was "Marcus Welby, M.D.," the '60s series in which he co-starred with Robert Young, who took the reverse course from movies to long-time TV icon.

Today, after scores of movies and innumerable TV shows, augmented by work as a director and producer, Brolin remains a believer in pacing. It extends to rehearsals.

"Generally I think it's up to the actor," says Brolin, 68, the only American star (post-Connery) ever to test for the role of James Bond. "I tend to ask for less rehearsals than

I probably need because I like to scare and surprise myself, and if I rehearse too much it starts to become like rote."

Brolin gravitates, in part, to the approach of Eastwood (who gave the bride away at Brolin's first marriage).

"Eastwood will say, 'Does everyone know all the parameters of the scene?' But then he'll want it in one take, with all the fear and electricity that goes with it. And he's always been very budget-minded. He loves giving them (studios) back money.

"Unlike when I was at Fox in the '60s, today you have to budget for what things really cost, so most films run over budget.

"Clint's my mentor, as far as directing is concerned. He really understands what will work and what won't work. He takes chances but also knows how not to take chances."

Brolin seems as busy as ever, already having appeared this year in the features "The Goods" and "Bitter/Sweet," with "Last Will" in the can, "Nailed" in post-production and a number of TV guest shots to his credit.

After "Angel," he returns to "Standing Ovation," the children's musical he's been producing and preparing to take into post-production. He's confident it will be a hit.

"We're still looking for the finishing money, but will not entertain an investor who has an opinion or a studio. We've been showing the rough cut to lots of groups, and our children's screenings have been terrific.

"We're not doing 'test' screenings. We just set up a big theater and say 'Bring all your kids, we've got a kids' movie. It's very informal."

"Somehow I got vectored into being an actor. I didn't start directing until 1981 when Aaron Spelling gave me an opportunity. Of course, it was Roger Corman who really gave me and so many people a shot. For no particular reason, he'd look at you and say 'You look interesting.' and talk to you for an hour and say 'Yeah, you can direct my picture.' (Francis Ford) Coppola started there, Jack Nicholson started there as a director. So many terrific directors started with Corman."

Despite these projects, Brolin insists he doesn't always "follow through" with the same adhesion as his son, actor Josh Brolin ("No Country for Old Men"), with whom he has done two films.

"He's off and running with his career now. He's booked up for the next three years. Josh doesn't care if it's a big or a little role, but a real role, and working among artists. He can really wrap around it. No one is more determined than this kid."

Josh is half of the younger vanguard of a star-studded family. Unless you've been wintering in Mongolia, you know that Brolin's wife (since 1998) is Barbara Streisand, and that another noted talent, Diane Lane, is his daughter-in-law.