Monday, April 28, 2014
a deamy dream
I had this dream the other night about Jack Nicholson....we were all young and full of hopes and 'dreams' of the future.....
I woke up and thought....'now why did I dream about Jack?'
It was a very nice dream and actually did have some relationship to a long ago personal time with him.
He was young and so handsome and so incredibly talented.
Back in the day, as we say now, Jack was a very active member of Theatre West---the long time group that I still belong to, though I am inactive now......
This time that we all spent with Jack, was in the mid 1960's.....Our little group of professionals were housed at a 90 seat Theatre in Van Nuys---in fact, it was on the corner of Van Nuys and Dickens, for anyone familiar with that area. (Once a little Post Office----now, a Restaurant....everything changes.....)
It was Theatre West's second space....we moved there in 1964 and stayed there till 1967-68, when we moved to our present and l-o-n-g time home on Cahuenga Blvd West.
Jack came into TW sometime in '64 I believe....he was dedicated and involved and I remember him working on a wonderful play by the brilliantly talented writer, Charles Eastman.
Charles was also Directing his play, as well. He was such a truly gifted man; a dedicated Artist-----I think they worked on that play for at least six months......
It was quite a cast----there was Jack and the wonderful Paul Winfield.
Paul was so young then, too.....just out of UCLA.....so very very talented.......
And the very talented and underrated actress Brett Somers.
Working on everything at Theatre West was a 'labor of love'. No one got paid---you did things because you just had to, to fulfill the passion of creating, whether you were an actor, a writer, a composer, a director, or a set designer, etc., etc....
And of course when these projects grew and developed, there was always some hope that whatever it was you were working on---especially if it was a whole evening----that it would get on at our little theatre for the public to see----back in those days, we didn't charge anything for tickets---it was free to anyone and everyone who wanted to come.....The Theatre West Board voted on what was shown to the public and what wasn't.
Charles' play did not get on---one of the few mistakes our little group made back in those early days, I must say.
I never knew anyone to work as hard as Charles and his deeply dedicated cast. It was an exciting play---new in many ways---and maybe the feeling was it was 'too far out' at that time.
Well, the Board was wrong.
And of course when these projects grew and developed, there was always some hope that whatever it was you were working on---especially if it was a whole evening----that it would get on at our little theatre for the public to see----back in those days, we didn't charge anything for tickets---it was free to anyone and everyone who wanted to come.....The Theatre West Board voted on what was shown to the public and what wasn't.
Charles' play did not get on---one of the few mistakes our little group made back in those early days, I must say.
I never knew anyone to work as hard as Charles and his deeply dedicated cast. It was an exciting play---new in many ways---and maybe the feeling was it was 'too far out' at that time.
Well, the Board was wrong.
One of the joys of Theatre West on a Monday Night was after an evening of exciting and stimulating work, some of us would go out afterwards to a local pub where people could get a bite to eat or have a beer, or a drink, and we had this lovely social interaction based on the shared experience of the evening, and friendships were deepened by these 'after the workshop' outings.....We had lots of laughs and lots of heated discussions, and sometimes we closed the place down.....
Jack was always a part of these after workshop gatherings as was dear Betty Garrett and many other wonderful talented people who were a part of Theatre West at that time---like Carroll O'Connor, and Richard Dreyfuss, who was just a kid back then.....
I felt a real affinity with Jack, and dear Betty Garrett did too.....He was smart and funny and dedicated and passionate about his work. And Ohhhhh so attractive!
I remember one night we all were having such a good time at the Golden Bull, and it was almost closing time and Betty said----'Hey, why don't we go back to my house'.....So, Jack and Betty and I all went back to her place.....Betty's husband, Larry Parks, was fast asleep, as were her two boys, and we---Jack and Betty and myself----stayed up all night just talking and laughing and philosophizing the way you do in the wee hours of the morning----and before you know it, dawn was breaking. When Jack and I left Betty's house, the sun was just about peeking up over the hill and it was a little after 6am.....
It was one of those memorable nights that one never forgets.....
In fact, Betty was talking about it with the 'Ladies Who Lunch' at that very last lunch we had before she died---still remembering that special night, all those years later.
I don't remember exactly what we talked about that night---just that we shared more personal things and the difficulties of life, in general, and the difficulties of a life in the theatre, in particular.
It was a great evening!
I don't remember exactly what we talked about that night---just that we shared more personal things and the difficulties of life, in general, and the difficulties of a life in the theatre, in particular.
It was a great evening!
Jack did get a bunch of movies made with Corman and got so busy, that his Theatre West days fell by the wayside.....
And then came "Easy Rider".......
And the rest is History.
And then came "Easy Rider".......
And the rest is History.
My dream the other night had something to do with that all-night-into-day marathon evening so very many many years ago....
It was, as I said, a really nice dream----it made me feel good, and I woke up thinking---'Gee, what a nice dream that was'.....And it brought back those early Theatre West days and the Evenings of thrilling work on a Monday night and then, the kind of social celebrating that became part of the work, after, at The Golden Bull.......
The last time I actually saw Jack, in person, was sometime in the mid 70's.....I was having Lunch at Musso and Franks on Hollywood Blvd.---a very popular Hollywood Restaurant where many deals were made and lots of good food was consumed---an old fashioned place with a long long history---the oldest Restaurant in Hollywood, and it is still there.
I was having lunch with a sweet friend of mine at one of the smaller booths---a booth for two----and Jack came in through the back, where the parking lot was----by this time he was a big star....
He saw me and with that gorgeous smile, leaned over and gave me a kiss and said 'Hey...Naomi!'
He sat down next to me on this bench seat for one and it was so incredibly lovely to see him and feel that he too had such wonderful memories of all those years before when we were so close, at Theatre West......And sitting so close on that bench-for-one, out of necessity, felt just about as wonderful as you might imagine it would!
I'm not sure what triggered that lovely dream, but it certainly flooded me with lots of sweet wonderful memories, when we were all young and when Jack was just starting out----a young man with a big talent and even bigger dreams.
And he has had a truly great career and deservedly so......
It's strange how lives drift apart, but not unusual in a business that takes people all over the country and the world, for months at a time.
That night, so very many many years ago stayed with me and stayed with Betty, too.
There was something very special about it; very intimate and sweet, and it was all about the love of our work.....people looking forward to living out more of their hopes and dreams.
It was unforgettable.......
More To Come........
It's strange how lives drift apart, but not unusual in a business that takes people all over the country and the world, for months at a time.
That night, so very many many years ago stayed with me and stayed with Betty, too.
There was something very special about it; very intimate and sweet, and it was all about the love of our work.....people looking forward to living out more of their hopes and dreams.
It was unforgettable.......
More To Come........
| posted by OldLady Of The Hills at 2:00:00 PM
Thursday, April 17, 2014
happy easter
A very Happy Easter to one and all.....
I haven't had my computer for days and days, and
I hope this publishes.......
Things are still not right with my computer or me.....But, onward we go, as best we can.....
Here are a few more charming Easter Greetings that I just loved.......
I love the bunny's and their sweet faces.
And this one above is so sweet, with that little chick.
And there must be an Easter Greeting with Cats, as well......I love these old fashioned cards.
And though it is a little late, here is a very lovely Passover card.
For all my dear family and friends who Celebrate Passover, I wish you everything good and true.
And we cannot forget those beautiful chocolate Easter Eggs that I always look forward to......
And the delightfully delicious Chocolate
And we cannot forget those beautiful chocolate Easter Eggs that I always look forward to......
Bunnies, too.
Yummmmmm!
I know that Easter is about more serious things than Easter Eggs and Bunnies and Chicks......
Yummmmmm!
I wish you all the
loveliest of Easters in this year of 2014.
More To Come.........
Note: If I don't get around to you all......it's because I'm still having problems with my computer.......
| posted by OldLady Of The Hills at 2:30:00 AM
Tuesday, April 08, 2014
that time of year
OY!
This is my life right now. Hoping to finish up before the due date.....
For some reason it is all more complicated and problematic this year, than ever before.
Praying that this will not be the case for me!
More Oy!
I shall return when this is finished.
Just Quickly:
We lost another giant of show Business this week.
He could do it all! And did!
He could Sing and Dance; do Comedy and Drama.....Had more energy than Niagara Falls, and he worked from the time he was just a little kid, until just a few months ago.
He left a body of work like no other.
There are 4 Stars for him on The Walk Of Fame---each for some different area of his enormous talent.
The hardest working man in Show Business,
Mickey Rooney,
is gone.
But through the Magical Fabulous Film Channel,
Turner Classic Movies,
Mickey will live on, forever.
RIP dear Mr. Rooney!
You will be missed.
More To Come........
| posted by OldLady Of The Hills at 2:42:00 AM
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