Toughest Assignment
(Be Yourself)The toughest assignment for an actor is to remain natural. As a young director, I was warned by mentors to try to avoid asking actors to be themselves. I was told that many actors haven’t a clue as to who or what they really are. In fact, I was told that many actors think...
Read More Immigrant Heroes
No one loved American comic heroes more than our earliest immigrants. Across the board, almost without exception, the neighborhoods of our new Americans fell in love with the bigger-than-life characters who single-handedly were there, on this good earth, for the sole purpose of protecting them. CIRCA 1930 At a time when little or nothing was...
Read More Fathers and Sons — Boys of a Feather — #42: A New Joy to Share
Humbly forwarded without your request, a simple opinion of the “what’s missing in today’s society” and perhaps, also the “what’s missing in the new flick 42.” I haven’t seen the movie yet, but God forgive me I’ve become one of the things I dislike most, a critic. The only difference between me and the other...
Read More Aromas
Even non-coffee drinkers will admit to enjoying the first smell of coffee as it wafts its way to wherever they happen to be. Think about it, when have you ever heard someone complain about the awful aroma of that stinking dark black stuff? Walk into any recording studio early in the morning and the usual...
Read More Number 42 – But Who’s Counting?
Lincoln Terrace Park – Brooklyn, New York A ten to twelve mile hike – who knew? As I abruptly dug the hole for my brand spanking new, fifteen gallon Ficus Benjamina tree, I figured it out. Dad had been up to one of his many tricks as we walked and we talked on the way...
Read More A Wonderful Advantage To Have (If you make use of it)
(PssSt, I certainly did.) Now playing, for your listening enjoyment, the one and the only Ella Fitzgerald, “The Bird, Charlie Parker,” Benny Goodman’s “Jazz at Carnegie Hall,” Mr. Lionel Hampton, Harry James, Peggy Lee, Frank Sinatra, and Lena Horn. CIRCA 1948 — Dorsey High School — my alma Mater Many years later, I can rhapsodize,...
Read More Leadership (Or Not)
Seek the best rulers; People do know that they exist. They love and they praise; Next they fear, Or, for many, soon to be reviled. When they do not command the people’s faith, Some will lose what little faith they had in them forever. They resort to oaths! But, of the best when their task...
Read More Preemptive Strike
We had a kid at P.S.233 in Brooklyn, New York who was our confirmed hero and leader. His name (for short) was Newtie. Newtie was big for his age and had the courage in his soul to match his God-given size. When you’re eight, or ten, an eleven year old is for sure one of...
Read More You and Yours
Proving beyond a shadow of a doubt that people are capable, and will ask an almost stranger almost anything – this one is for you, baby. I was asked, by an inquisitive and incredibly self-needy person of the opposite sex, (I assume) one of the more innocuous questions ever to be heard or to even...
Read More Bruiser’s Prayer
Following the completion of my nightly chat with a higher power, and unexpectedly as my eyes began to close – pending sleep was no more than a minute or two away… Some nights are different. This night was different than most. Stepping towards me, she displayed a special look always reserved for anguish. It wasn’t...
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