Actor, Host and 'All That Jazz': John O'Hurley

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HE'S BEST KNOWN as J. Peterman from "Seinfeld," but since the show ended, it seems like John O'Hurley is popping up everywhere. He's the host of "Family Feud," he's performed onstage in "Spamalot," he hosts "The National Dog Show Presented by Purina" each Thanksgiving, and he was on the first season of "Dancing With the Stars." Now, you can find him in D.C. at the National Theatre, where he's playing Billy Flynn in "Chicago."

» EXPRESS: Were you a fan of "Chicago" before taking the role?
» O'HURLEY: I had seen this back in its original conception in the '70s and loved it. I was a big fan of the music, but it was staged much differently, and the show didn't rely as much on imagination in terms of storytelling. This show is the latest version, and it's more pure storytelling, which I like better.

» EXPRESS: You were in both the Broadway production and the touring production of "Chicago." Is there any difference between the two?
» O'HURLEY: What I'm finding is that in cities like Chicago or D.C., you're dealing with much smarter audiences that pick up every nuance of the show. You're not dealing with as many tourists who may be from places that don't speak English that may be in the audience on Broadway. I enjoy doing it much more on the road.

» EXPRESS: What was it like to play Peterman on "Seinfeld"?
» O'HURLEY: I had the most fun with Peterman of all my roles because each script was like a gift — you never knew what the writers were going to come up with every week — and with the talent of people I was working with, it was just so fun.

» EXPRESS: Do you have a dream theatrical role?
» O'HURLEY: I really would love to play Martin Dysart, the psychiatrist in "Equus." I think that's one of the best plays written in the 20th century, and I would love to be mature enough to take that role on.

» EXPRESS: You did so well on "Dancing With the Stars." Where did you learn to dance?
» O'HURLEY: I was the kind of guy who used to stand by the wall with a glass of chardonnay and say, "Knock yourselves out." I knew nothing. [My dancing partner] Charlotte Jorgensen had to tie my dancing shoes on, and anything I learned was a credit to Charlotte, who was able to explain it to me.

» EXPRESS: After "Chicago," what's up next for you?
» O'HURLEY: Literally 36 hours after I close here on April 12, I am in Anchorage to open up a tour of "Spamalot." It's kind of a crazy bit of scheduling, and I'm doing that while also doing "Family Feud."

» National Theatre, 1321 Pennsylvania Ave. NW; through Sun., $46.50-$91.50; 800-447-7400 (Metro Center)

Written by Express contributor Amy Cavanaugh
Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images