MARTIN SHEEN My Biggest INSPIRATION

The showbiz veteran shares thoughts about his background, family and celebrated career

- Katie Bruno

In 1968, a young actor named Martin Sheen starred in a groundbreaking adaptation of Hamlet in New York City. Created by Free Shakespeare in the Park founder Joseph Papp, the show revolutionized the Bard's timeless tragedy with contemporary sensibilities and rock music. "Joe wanted to do a modern version of the play, but he also wanted to do a version that spoke to an audience that did not normally attend theater - let alone Shakespeare," Martin, 81, tells Closer. "So we sang and danced. It was called Hamlet as a Happening or The Naked Hamlet. It was one of the greatest experiences I've ever had in the theater."

Martin went on to find great success in films, including Badlands and Apocalypse Now, and on television, where he played U.S. President Josiah Bartlet on The West Wing. He's also proud to share his memories on American Masters: Joe Papp in Five Acts, a new star-studded PBS documentary that premiered June 3. "To be a part of that theater and to have known Joe at an amazing time - it's the highlight of my life in the theater," Martin says. Check your local PBS station for additional air dates.

How much time did you spend in New York City doing theater?

I was in New York as a youngster starting in 1959, and I was there for 10 years. Jan and I met there, were married there, and all our children were born there. Those 10 years were vital in my life as a husband, father, an activist and an actor.

What did you enjoy most about your theater days?

Athletes have this phrase, "We're not going to leave anything off the field." That's the way I felt about theater. I never left anything off the stage. Joe inspired you to do the most outrageous things. You'd come into rehearsal every day excited.

What was Joe Papp like as a person?