Q&A with author of Montage, Bruce J. Starin
1. Montage as a title of book seems a bit odd. Can you explain?
Yes of course. In the film and television world a “montage” is a series of shots and scenes without dialogue used to advance the plot. And so it is with this memoir and expose, my fourth published work, with one exception. I utilize quite a bit of dialogue to advance the plot of my experiences in international show business.
2. Who was your most memorable character?
All my encounters were memorable, hence inclusion in this book. But perhaps my most memorable was a meeting with James Earl Jones while he was performing as King Lear in a Shakespeare in The Park production in New York’s Central Park. With a smile and a twinkle in his eye he said, “You can say anything you want to anyone, regardless of how nasty or profane, as long as you keep your eyebrows up.” ‘Ive tried it many times since that interview – and it works!
3. And who was your least memorable?
Certainly not least memorable, but quite despicable was working on a day job in construction for an actor who claimed he had a small part in The Godfather, though I saw the film many times and could never identify him. He was quite nasty and obnoxious, and “affectionately” referred to his live-in girlfriend as “Brain Damage”. Rather than allow for lunch breaks he just shared lines of cocaine with all the workers – of whom I was one. A few months after the construction was finished, he was shot multiple times in his driveway by a hitman and the murder has never been solved. Seems he once turned states evidence against a Mafia don and years later, when the don was released from the penitentiary, it was pay-back time. Oh well…
4. What do you think was your most memorable accomplishment in show business?
One morning at 6 a.m. I received a call from our Executive Producer Jeff Wald, he said succinctly, “Were shooting the talk show pilot with Kenny Rogers today and we want to do a live interview of Flo and Al Joyner who just won Gold Medals in track at the Olympics. You used then on Newlywed Game last year, so they know you. Find them and set up a remote.”
“Where are they?” I asked
“Who knows, somewhere in Japan. Set it up!” and he hung up.
In an abject panic and to make a long story short, I found them, we shot the interview and everyone was thrilled. The next day Jeff Wald called everyone into the conference room and handed me, in his words, “A small token of appreciation for a job well done.” It was a check for $500 dollars.
5. Jeff Wald was legendary as a show business fixer and bulldog. What did you think about him?
He definitely had his charms. A case in point, my wife auditioned for a replacement Host for Dating Game. The next day Jeff stopped me in the hall and said, “Hey Starin, you wife is fuckin’ hysterical – I didn’t even think she could speak English!” Her professional as well as maiden name was Geraldine Papel – an homage to her once upon a time, Castilian roots. Geraldine and I both adored him for his goofy perhaps aggressive yet irascible charm and rapier sense of humor.
6. Who would you consider to be your sweetest or nicest encounter?
Without a doubt, Betty White. We used her in a game show pilot along with Brad Garrett, before Everybody Loves Raymond. Tom Kennedy was the Host and after every “host move” he made Betty would nudge me and say “That’s an Alan move.” Referring to her husband and love of her life, Password Host Alan Ludden. She was hysterically funny and professional throughout the taping of the pilot. When I escorted her to her limo for the ride home, before closing the door she looked at me, smiling and said, “That was the most fun I ever had… standing up!”
7. You have dealt with many famous strs and celebrities in your career who do you feel gave you the best advice?
Attending Emerson College in Boston as an acting major during the early seventies, it was announced that Alfred Lunt an early Emerson alum, and his equally famous wife, Lynn Fontaine we going to be visiting campus and giving a talk in the Charles Street Meeting House, our largest hall – a one-time church built in the early eighteenth century. Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontaine were charming and fantastic, telling theatre stories from both London’s West End and Broadway. One story I’ll never forget was when a Alfred and Lynn were playing in Noel Cowards Private Lives on Broadway. During one performance Alfred innocently asked for a cup of tea – and he brought the house down with laughter. The next night, he adjusted his delivery just a bit, made the same request – and there was nothing from the audience. The following night he tried again and crickets… the audience was silent. Alfred thought he was losing his mind, so before the third performance he asked his wife Lynn what could possibly be the problem? Lynn, consoling her husband like a doting mother simply said, “Alfred dear, just ask for a cup of tea.” Heeding his wife’s advice for the remaining performances, his delivery of the simple line brought the house down once again.
8. You had an encounter with Ms Joan Crawford, while she was married to Pepsi Cola CEO, Alfred Steele – What was that like?
Believe it or not Hollywood film legend Joan Crawford was handing out bottles of Pepsi Cola at the grand opening of a new bottling plant just outside of Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. I was appearing as John Hancock in a traveling company of 1776 and our PR guy arranged for the entire cast to visit the grand opening in our costumes thinking it would yield some great press coverage – which it did in a way. The stars of the show, Ben Franklyn and Thomas Jefferson received most of the attention, so I was free to wander about, smiling and posing for a photo when asked by soda pop executives from all over the south.
I came across the booth with Joan Crawford handing out Pepsi’s and I suppose I was staring and she looked at me and said, “What some people wont do for a buck, eh kid?”
I smiled and said, “You don’t have to tell me that…check out this outfit of mine.” I was standing there dressed like a seventeenth century fop.
Both Ms. Crawford and I started laughing, and she said, “Hey kid, care for a smoke?”
“Not while I’m in uniform.” I replied referring to my costume.
“Fuck’em.” she said definitively, “Follow me.” And she led me into her private dressing area of sorts complete with an illuminated makeup mirror, a few sofas and a bar and bar tender waiting patiently off to one corner. “What will you have kid? I think gin and tonic is the only thing to drink in this damn heat and humidity.” And of course I wasn’t one to disagree.
We sat down, sipping our drinks and she questioned me about my career in show business up to that point in time and what were my dreams and aspirations. Before going into any detail, an assistant came rushing in and said she was needed out on the floor. “Damn!” she said with disdain, “We gotta go.” And we headed for the entrance of the “backstage” area – as we exited through a curtain the paparazzi began taking hundreds of photos. Ms. Crawford gave me a light kiss on the cheek and returned to her Pepsi kiosk – handing out drinks to the thirsty hordes.
The next day my photo with Joan was the only one that made the newspapers and the rest of my cast was livid when I was identified as Thomas Jefferson, particularly pissed off was the fellow who played Thomas Jefferson. I couldn’t care less and we were off to Atlanta the following day.
9. I’m sure you have experienced many memorable moments during your travels – which is one you will never forget?
I was shooting a cowboy “Spaghetti-Matzo” western in the Israeli desert starring Lee Van Cliff and Jim Brown. One night after dinner in the hotel we were all sitting around the bar and I mentioned I was living on a kibbutz in the northern part of the country. Jim, rather quiet most of the time, became very animated and wanted me to take him there for a “look-see”. I agreed and we flew to Haifa from Eilat and drove to Kibbutz Gonen on the northern border of the Golan Heights. He was enamored with the place and the concept. Later I drove him to a bubbling spring nearby which was the actual source of the Jordan River. He immediately took off his shoes and socks and waded into the stream – and just stood there. I let him be with his thoughts. I had an empty juice bottle in my backpack and filled it with the crystal-clear water. Later that evening in the hotel lobby, he thanked me for the tour and I gave him the bottle of water as a souvenir. He beamed with delight and gave me a clenched fist salute.
10. This is your fourth book about your travels and experiences in show business world wide – are there any more languishing in the deep, dark confines of your mind?
As a matter of fact, there is. During the mid-nineties I produced an international truck and bus tour of the United States and Canada of “Wheel of Fortune Live!” with Bob Eubanks hosting. My naivete evaporated quickly during the tour when much to my chagrin, I quickly learned the difference between an “Arena Rat” and a “Lot Lizard”. You will too, as long as you keep “your eyebrows up” while reading my next book, hopefully hitting the market sometime next year.