Film and Television Archives - Author Tony Piazza

Steve McQueen- Always Check Your Sources

July 5, 2018 By tonypiazza Leave a Comment

McQueen and Yates (Bullitt)

Always check your sources – something I learned this past couple of weeks. It all started when I was contacted by Jake Ehrlich, editor of Roles Magazine. He was excited that I stated in my e-book, “Bullitt Points: Memories of Steve McQueen and the Making of Bullitt” that stunt double, Loren Janes drove the Mustang in Bullitt. His other source said otherwise, and he was searching for the truth. The long and short of this is, we traced back my original source and it was the Wall Street Journal (which other sources could be traced back to as well), and they got their information wrong. As it turned out, Janes doubled Steve at the Airport, jumping from the jet, but the driving sequences were performed by McQueen, Ekins, and Loftin. Ehrlich, an extremely responsible journalist has now corrected the record, and in his next installment will summarize this fascinating story… which includes the mystery of Steve McQueen’s Rolex watch gift to Janes. Gripping reading.

Thanks to Jake and Rolex Magazine, I will be correcting this in the future. Here’s a link to the website. Read the story thus far!

http://www.rolexmagazine.com/

How the West Was Won- Revisited

October 20, 2017 By tonypiazza Leave a Comment

Beau L’Amour, Louis son, has started releasing some of his dad’s lost treasures. I picked up one of them, “How the West Was Won.” It’s not one of his original stories, but a novelization of a screenplay written by James R. Webb for M.G.M. and Cinerama Productions.

Author Louis L’Amour

I love the stories of Louis L’Amour and read many of them throughout the 1980s. He was a fantastic storyteller. One of his quotes even applies to my own aim as a writer; “I think of myself… as a troubadour, a village storyteller, the guy in the shadows of the campfire.”

One of many excellent westerns by L’Amour

“How the West Was Won,” is a broad story, perhaps over-ambitious, but improved immensely by L’Amour’s adaption of Webb’s screenplay.

Aside from the enjoyment factor, reading “How the West Was Won,” also awakened some sentimental memories. I saw it at the Orpheum Theater in San Francisco when it was originally released in 1962. I was with my parents and a relative from out of town who came specifically to see the film. In those days big budget films had exclusive engagements in select theaters, in what was known then as a roadshow venue. “How the West Was Won” was one of these productions, with the added enticement of the CINERAMA format. For those readers not familiar with CINERAMA, it was a process whereby a film was shot with three synchronized cameras sharing a single shutter. During the showing, the film is presented on a large, curved, screen utilizing three projectors- also carefully synchronized. The effect was awe-inspiring- and with the addition of surrounding stereo, the audience really felt like they were right in the middle of the action. For “How the West Was Won,” this was particularly spectacular. Imagine being in the center of a buffalo stampede, or running the rapids in a raft, or racing along the rails during a train robbery. In this film, CINERAMA also presented breathtaking vistas of vast stretches of an untouched western frontier. Imagine John Ford images on steroids! It was truly a motion picture experience.

“How the West Was Won” follows the story of the Prescott family through several generations and in turn, examines the Westward expansion from the Erie Canal through the Gold Rush, Civil War, and ending in San Francisco of the 1880s. The film was more Hollywood than history, but that was the style of movies during that era. However, what more than compensates for its lack of realism is the pure entertainment value and wonderful performances of actors such as Stewart, Malden, and Fonda, whose likes we will never see again. Yes, its Hollywood’s version of history, but at its very best.

Composer, Alfred Newman’s soundtrack for “How the West Was Won” is phenomenal. It leaves a lump in your throat. Especially the finale when it accompanies images of the present day West- its bridges, cities, and byways (here you’ll notice that the traffic on the LA freeway wasn’t much better- even in 1962 when it was filmed!). There are wonderful songs written for the film by Sammy Cahn and performed by Debbie Reynolds, and The Ken Darby choir also add their voices to several sentimental numbers that you’ll find yourself humming long after the film has ended.

The film won three Oscars: Best Writing, Story and Screenplay – Written Directly for the Screen by James R.Webb; Best Sound- Franklin Milton; and Best Film Editing, Harold F. Kress. Four directors were hired for the production, each assigned to specific segments: John Ford (Civil War segment), Henry Hathaway (The Rivers, The Plains, The Outlaws), George Marshall (The Railroad), and Richard Thorpe (Transitional historical segments).

“How the West Was Won” boasted a multitude of fine talent: James Stewart, Henry Fonda, John Wayne, Gregory Peck, Carroll Baker, and Debbie Reynolds just to mention a few.

This film was also special to me because of my good friend, Karl Malden. He played Zebulon Prescott in it. As usual, he delivered an outstanding performance alongside Agnes Moorehead, another powerful actor.

Karl Malden as Zeb

Autographed photo of Karl

Another connection was Robert Preston, who portrayed wagonmaster, Roger Morgan. He was a friend of my father, and elsewhere on this website, I tell the tale of how he signed my copy of the “Music Man” novel.

Autographed by Robert Preston

I can’t write about “How the West was Won” without mentioning a well-publicized accident that had occurred during the filming of the train segment. Bob Morgan, the husband of actress Yvonne de Carlo, was doubling George Peppard when the logs on a flatbed car suddenly shifted and dumped him on to the tracks. The axels rolled him under, and he lost a leg, some bones from his spine, and partially disfigured his face.

“How the West Was Won,” certainly opened up a plethora of memories. My thanks to Beau L’Amour for re-releasing his dad’s adaption and reawakening those experiences for me.

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Tony Piazza is a Central Coast mystery writer, film historian, presenter, and skilled storyteller well-known for his passion for writing and movies. An author of four mystery novels, and the memoir, “Bullitt Points,” which is a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the classic Steve McQueen movie “Bullitt.” He is also a contributing author to two anthologies and has done many interviews for television, radio, and the print and electronic media. Piazza worked regularly on many Hollywood movies and television shows filmed in San Francisco during the 1970’s, including “Magnum Force,” “Towering Inferno,” and “The Streets of San Francisco.” He now blogs regularly about his Hollywood experiences at authortonypiazza.com. Piazza is a member of Mystery Writers of America, Sisters in Crime, and SLO NightWriters. His latest Tom Logan detective mystery, “Murder Will Out,” has just been released. Find it on Amazon website.

Good, Grief, Charlie Brown and Me!

October 7, 2017 By tonypiazza 2 Comments

Charlie Brown and I have some similar acquaintances. The first, and foremost, is a voice actress named Debbie Mueller. Debbie was a background artist (formerly called an “extra”) during the time I first started working in the entertainment business. We met on location at San Francisco International Airport during the filming of “What’s Up, Doc” (1972). She was playing a stewardess, and I a Marine. Between filming, there was plenty of time for extras to visit, and as we sat in the TWA lounge area we struck up an instant friendship. Incidentally, this was also where I met and became friends with Johnny Weissmuller Jr., the son of the legendary #JohnnyWeissmuller of MGM #Tarzan fame. Debbie was an attractive, strawberry blonde, and easy to talk with. We also were both graduates of #LowellHighSchool. Debbie was a student in our drama department.

Johnny Weissmuller as Tarzan

Debbie was an attractive, strawberry blonde, and extremely easy to talk with. However, what helped us really connect, was when I found she was a graduate of #LowellHighSchool – I had graduated from there as well, only slightly later. The Lowell auditorium (now called the Carol Channing Auditorium) had a picture of Debbie in the sound booth, and I viewed it often.

Working on the set of “What’s Up, Doc.”

Now, here’s the “Peanuts” connection: Debbie eventually married a man named #LeeMendelson – sound familiar? He was an executive producer on the Charlie Brown tv shows. Debbie also did some voices for those productions. She was a teacher in one, and (typecasting?), a stewardess for another (“Bon Voyage, Charlie Brown”). The last time I saw Debbie was with her husband Lee at St. Brendan’s Church in the West Portal District of San Francisco. A very lovely couple.

Lee Mendelson

Another connection with “Peanuts” was the actress, Pamelyn Ferdin, who guested in one of our episodes on “The Streets of San Francisco.” She voiced Lucy Van Pelt in many of the Charlie Brown specials.

Pamela Ferdin

Lucy Van Pelt

Vince Guaraldi was the music composer for the Charlie Brown specials. His jazz piano pieces have become almost as famous as Charlie Brown himself. When he died, #DavidBenoit took over the mantle. An accomplished jazz pianist and composer himself, and a friend of my wife, Susan. They grew up together on the strand in Hermosa Beach, CA. She learned of his dreams of becoming a famous musician long before the world knew of him. He was even jealous because my wife’s family household had a grand piano, and his family’s hadn’t.

Vince Guaraldi

David Benoit

Lastly, after my mother died, my wife and I took my dad to see the Charles (Sparky) Schulz museum in Santa Rosa. It was our way of keeping all of us busy after the loss. Besides taking a detour to see the train station filmed in #AlfredHitchcock’s, “Shadow of a Doubt,” we spent a greater part of the day in this fabulous museum dedicated to the life and work of cartoonist Charles Schulz. Here we saw a mock-up of his office, and the actual drawing board he used to create the “Peanuts” strip. However, it was seeing the booth where he ate breakfast every morning at the nearby ice rink that left you with the spirit of the man. He was a true American icon.

Charles (Sparky) Schulz

So, hopefully, at the end of this, you have a clearer picture of my “Peanuts” connection. It seems like yesterday when many of these friendships were formed and places visited. However, I believe what Charlie Brown has to say about it, encapsulates it better: “Sometimes I lie awake at night, and I ask, “What can I do to keep my life from going by so fast?” Then a voice comes to me that says, “Try slowing down at the corners.”

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Star Trek Remembrances by Tony Piazza

September 10, 2016 By tonypiazza 2 Comments

As our way of celebrating the 50th anniversary of “Star Trek,” we decided to start viewing the original series in the order that it was presented. My wife and I remember when the first series aired, and recall watching it with fascination as other viewers did because it was fresh, thought provoking, and fun. Now, its also very nostalgic. Color television was in its infancy then, and it had been a thrill going where no man had gone before, and to do so in color!

Original “Star Trek” cast

The other night we watched episode three (counting the pilot ) entitled, “Charlie X,” and seeing its guest star (who played Charlie), Robert Walker Jr. brought back another, slightly more personal memory. Robert Walker Jr. was a guest start on our show, “The Streets of San Francisco” in 1975. The episode was “Asylum,” and told the story of a youth locked in a psychiatric ward who witnesses the murder of an older patient. Michael Douglas goes undercover as a patient himself to try to discover the murderer. Walker played the young man who sees the murder, and of course at first no one believes him. It was great episode, of an even greater TV series thanks in no little part to my friend, Karl Malden.

Robert Walker Jr. as Charlie X

I have many connections to Star Trek. I met William Shatner in 1967, worked with Leonard Nimoy (in “Invasion of the Body Snatchers” (1978)), been at the studio where “Star Trek” was filmed, Desilu, and even have a Lucille Ball memory- all of which I’ve written about elsewhere and can be found on this author/blog site. But, seeing this episode opened up a whole set of new ones. For example, in the episode, “Asylum” we filmed at my old high school, Lowell, in San Francisco. I had only graduated three years earlier. It was fun going back with the “Streets” production, now being a part of the crew, and touching base with some of my old instructors. One in particular, Maurice Argent, was a favorite of mine. He was my English teacher, and he, like myself, also belonged to the Brebner Modelling/Casting Agency and did various acting jobs. Mr. Argent could be seen on our show, as well as having speaking roles in “Dirty Harry”(1971), “Magnum Force” (1973) “Invasion of the Body Snatchers” (1978), and many other movies and television shows filmed in the bay area. He’s no longer with us, but was an interesting and talented man… also one heck of an English teacher!

Maurice Argent, playing a role of “Dirty Harry”

Lowell High School, SF

Regarding my memories of Robert Walker Jr., I remember him as a quiet guy, very much the persona you saw on the screen – his “Charlie X” character, minus the malevolence. He couldn’t move things with his mind, but he could move you with his fine performances. He is the son (obviously) of actor Robert Walker (“Strangers on a Train” (1951)), who was a great actor himself (and Walker Jr. favored him in appearance), and mother, Jennifer Jones (“Song of Bernadette” (1943)), a beautiful, talented, and sweet woman- I got to work with her on “The Towering Inferno” (1974). With two wonderfully talented parents as these, how could you go wrong!

Robert Walker Sr.

Jennifer Jones

So, it’s interesting where the viewing of an episode of “Star Trek” might lead you when wandering down memory lane… or is it, where my mind hadn’t gone before!

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Tony Piazza is a mystery writer, film historian, and veteran storyteller renowned for his passion for writing and movies. He is the author of four mystery novels and a non-fiction work. Actor and stand-in for movies and television, Piazza has appeared in such notable films as Magnum Force and The Streets of San Francisco. From Clint Eastwood to Steve McQueen, Piazza’s stories read like a who’s who of Hollywood. He is also a member of Sisters in Crime, Mystery Writers of America and SLO Nightwriters.

An Interview with Ron Koch, Former V.P. at Deluxe Laboratories, Hollywood.

July 25, 2016 By tonypiazza Leave a Comment

You had a very interesting career with Deluxe Laboratories, Ron. I think the readers would be interested in learning something about how you got started there?

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My background was in the Aerospace industry prior to joining Deluxe. I was a Field Engineer working in the areas of Strategic and Tactical reconnaissance Imaging. I met the President of Deluxe Laboratories by happenstance. He felt that my background was interesting and that I would be a good fit at Deluxe to work closely with Cinematographers.

Could you describe to my readers the type of services that Deluxe Laboratories offered, and your position there?

westernavenue1 The old Fox studios that became Deluxe starting in 1915

Movietone_title_card

Deluxe Laboratories was a Motion Picture film processing lab that began in 1915. Everything from Dailies to Release Prints were processed.I was Vice President of Production Services.

deluxe1

Deluxe offices occupying what was an old apartment building next to the Fox lot.

Working with the studios you came into contact with some legendary celebrities, could you share a story or two, those which you consider some of your most memorable?

Yes I did meet many celebrities and had many wonderful experiences. But my most memorable times were the ones where the Directors and Cinematographers that I worked with have won awards for their efforts. Over the years, a number of these artists became my friends…and it was an honor to be part of their “Team”. One of the more memorable moments for me was with “Dances with Wolves.” A good friend, Dean Semler ASC, ACS was the cinematographer and won the Academy Award for cinematography for his efforts. What made this even more special for me was that my wife and I were at the Awards that night, and were there to see him receive this honor firsthand, and to attend the Governors Ball with Dean and his wife Annie after the ceremony.

Dances with Wolves

“Dances with Wolves” (1990)

Another highlight for me was when another friend Roy Wagner ASC, also an Award winning Cinematographer was nominated by his peers at the American Society of Cinematographers for the television miniseries “Drug Wars”. Roy was away on location and should he win, asked me to receive the award in his behalf at the Annual ASC Awards.. He won. I was so proud that he asked me to do this…I will always remember that night. I consider myself to be quite lucky to have been able to meet and work with so many great people over the years. Making a movie is not an easy job. These folks really put their hearts and souls into their work.

Drug Wars (2)

“Drug Wars” (TV miniseries. 1990)

All motion pictures do not receive awards…but to me, they are all special because of what they represent….dedication, creativity, and a commitment on the part of everyone connected with each and every one of them.

35mm-undevel

Undeveloped 35mm film

Over the years, motion picture film has been replaced by digital imaging. I know some directors today for artistic reasons still prefer strip film over digital. Do you see it making a comeback? And I’ve noticed recently that members of our younger generation are embracing vinyl records over digital recordings due to the fullness and warmth of sound they feel is missing with the latter. Along these same lines could you also compare film to digital, and perhaps, expound on each of their advantages and disadvantages?

Delux digital

All of my time at Deluxe was spent with film. The industry was in the early stages of change when I retired. Deluxe was expanding to meet the challenges of this new technology. I was always a fan of new technology, probably due to my background in the Aerospace industry. My personal feeling is that film is a technology that has been in use for approximately 100 years. That’s what I would call quite an accomplishment. Not all technologies can claim that longevity.

Old camera

Old newsreel camera

It is my understanding that film is still available to those who choose to use it. As we continue the move to digital, I can understand how some would miss the film medium. It’s an old friend to many and it’s hard to part with old friends. But I also think that digital should be viewed as a new tool that offers new possibilities for all of the creative minds to use to tell their stories in ways that were not always as easy to accomplish with film. There are also many compelling monetary considerations that come into play. For me, embracing new technology is exciting, and I look forward to seeing more great things to emerge with its’ use.

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Finally, I know you are a great film buff; could you share with my readers some of your favorite films, both classic and contemporary? Please include any favorite cinematographers and directors.

As I mentioned earlier…EVERY motion picture is wonderful…To reveal my personal favorites would make me feel unfaithful to all the others. This mindset also applies to the great artists that create each one. How’s that for ducking a question?

Ron & Tony Ron Koch with Tony Piazza

Thank you, Ron for taking the time to share your fascinating story with my readers. I appreciate it very much.

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Tony Piazza (Courtesy of Charlotte Alexander)

Tony Piazza is author of the 1930s Hollywood murder mystery novel, “Anything Short of Murder,” which had its roots on the TCM fan website. His second novel, “The Curse of the Crimson Dragon” was published next in early 2012, and in November of 2013 his second Tom Logan Mystery, “A Murder Amongst Angels was released.” In July of 2015 his latest Logan mystery, “Murder Is Such Sweet Revenge” was made available for purchase, and has since been an instant bestseller. All are available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble websites. He was an actor/extra during the 1970s and worked with such legends as Steve McQueen, Paul Newman, and Karl Malden. His non-fiction e-book “Bullitt Points” is an in depth look at the making of “Bullitt” from a person who was there. Look for it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble websites, or at the link posted below. All profits go to the Boys Republic charity: www.bullittpoints.com.

Tony Piazza is a member of Mystery Writers of America, Sisters in Crime, and SLO NightWriters.

The Novel Two Film Producers Were Interested In!

February 18, 2016 By tonypiazza Leave a Comment

It’s Here! The bestselling novel of adventure and intrigue is now an audio book.

Now available on Audible. Performed by the talented actor, James Romick.

James Romick

To purchase audio book, follow link below:

http://www.amazon.com/Curse-Crimson-Dragon/dp/B01BU5TTPU/ref=la_B004K2YN0M_1_4_twi_audd_4?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1455833832&sr=1-4

THE NOVEL TWO FILM PRODUCERS SHOWED AN INTEREST IN!

In celebration, I’ve lowered the price of the e-book to just .99 cents! It’s for a LIMITED TIME, so don’t wait too long. Link to Kindle Edition, below:

http://www.amazon.com/Curse-Crimson-Dragon-Tony-Piazza-ebook/dp/B00NJ5PNFK/ref=la_B004K2YN0M_1_4_twi_kin_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1455833832&sr=1-4

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Author Tony Piazza