Episode 155 – The Incredible Life of Legendary Hollywood Casting Director Joel Thurm - Part 1
In Part One of this must-listen, two-part conversation, host Tony Miros sits down with legendary casting director Joel Thurm to explore his extraordinary Hollywood journey & the stories behind his new memoir, Sex, Drugs & Pilot Season: Confessions of a Casting Director. From humble beginnings to shaping TV and film history, Joel shares how a kid who grew up on his grandfather’s dairy farm in Brooklyn—with cows and a love for The Wizard of Oz and Some Like It Hot—found his way into the heart of show business.
He opens up about his path to Hollywood: flunking out of Hunter College, becoming a truly terrible substitute teacher, and stumbling into theater through summer stock. Along the way, he shares unforgettable early encounters, including a rain-soaked meeting with Judy Garland that forever shaped his expectations of artists—and artistry. His big break came working for legendary Broadway producer David Merrick, where he was thrown into the fire, learned the business from the ground up, and discovered his instincts for casting.
The conversation also dives into Joel’s eye for talent and storytelling, including how he discovered River and Joaquin Phoenix when they were just kids, his close relationship with their family, and how Joaquin later encouraged him to finally write his memoir. Joel reveals why it took years—and a global pandemic—for him to finish the book, and why he famously opens it by apologizing for “discovering” David Hasselhoff.
We also hear how Pearl Bailey brought him to Hollywood, leading him to CBS TV Studios and the start of an iconic career casting shows like The Bob Newhart Show. Joel shares behind-the-scenes stories like casting Georgia Engel on The Mary Tyler Moore Show, championing diverse & against-type casting, and his early involvement with The Rocky Horror Picture Show and Grease.
JOEL THURM
Joel Thurm is a legendary & highly influential Hollywood casting director whose instincts, wit, and fearless advocacy for actors have helped shape decades of TV and film history. Born on one of the last remaining dairy farms in Brooklyn, NY, he grew up surrounded by cows, Broadway cast albums, and a love of movies. A graduate of Hunter College, he briefly worked as a substitute teacher before realizing his creative instincts were better suited for the entertainment world.
His path into show business began in theater, including formative work with legendary Broadway producer David Merrick, where he learned the business from the ground up. He soon transitioned into casting and made his mark in Hollywood with an extraordinary run of film credits, including Grease, Airplane!, and The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Early on, he recognized that John Travolta was far more than a teen idol, casting him in The Boy in the Plastic Bubble and helping launch one of the most iconic careers in film history.
From 1980 to 1990, he served as Senior Vice President of Talent and Casting for NBC and Paramount Television. He played a pivotal role in discovering and guiding River & Joaquin Phoenix as children and helping set them on their paths to stardom. Overseeing casting for groundbreaking series like Cheers, Taxi, The Golden Girls, Hill Street Blues, and many more, he became known for casting against type, championing authenticity, and respecting actors’ craft—later chronicling his remarkable journey in his candid memoir, Sex, Drugs & Pilot Season: Confessions of a Casting Director.
Joel Thurm Website - https://www.joelthurm.com
To Purchase Joel’s Book on Amazon - https://tinyurl.com/453capve
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Casting Director / Producer / Author
Joel Thurm is a legendary and highly influential Hollywood casting director whose instincts, wit, and fearless advocacy for actors have helped shape decades of television and film history.
Born and raised on one of the last remaining dairy farms in Brooklyn, New York, Thurm grew up surrounded by cows, Broadway cast albums, and a growing love for movies. He graduated from Hunter College, majoring in theater and psychology, and briefly worked as a substitute teacher—an experience he famously describes as becoming “the worst substitute teacher in modern times.” Unable to follow rigid lesson plans, he brought art supplies into the classroom and immersed his students in creative projects, an early sign of the unconventional thinking that would define his career.
Thurm’s path into show business began in theater, including working for legendary Broadway producer David Merrick, where he learned the business from the ground up and developed a sharp eye for talent. His career soon expanded into casting, eventually leading him to Hollywood, where he became one of the most respected and powerful figures in the industry. His film credits include three iconic classics: Grease, Airplane!, and The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Early in his career, Thurm recognized that John Travolta was far more than a teen idol, casting him in The Boy in the Plastic Bubble and helping set the stage for his meteoric rise.
From 1980 to 1990, Thurm served as Senior Vice President of Talent and Casting for NBC, following earlier work with Paramount Television. During this time, he pla… Read More
