The Plymouth Belvedere

“There once was a Plymouth named Belvedere, a car that many thought very queer.”  OK, no more limerick.  Remember the Belvedere?  No?  Then you must be younger than 50.  Here’s my story of the Belvedere.

In 1964 my 1958 Nash Rambler finally croaked.  After first getting the engine rebuilt in 1962, then the transmission rebuilt in 1963,  my patience was finally severed when in 1964 the transmission once again chose to refrain from transmitting.  That was it.  NO MORE RAMBLER.  Less than 90,000 miles and when I once again heard some clanking and clunking, I swore it sounded as if it was saying “Adios, Jerry; adios, Jerry”.  I was actually relieved.  I had vowed to get rid of it if another major failure developed.  So I returned the greeting “Ciao, AMC; Ciao, AMC” meaning I would NOT be buying another product from American Motors Corporation.

But what now?

My late friend, Jay Washauer, had a brother who owned a used car lot.  I forgot the brother’s name, so I will just refer to him as Jim.  Jay introduced me to Jim who graciously interviewed me as though I were seeking a job.  “No, Jim, I need a car, a good, cheap, dependable used car.  Jay says you can help me.”

So Jim said “Oh, a cheap car?”  I said “Yes, a cheap, DEPENDABLE car.”  Jim said “…then you won’t want anything I have on my lot, but I can get you a great little Plymouth Belvedere.” 

 

Jim had a car dealer’s “pipeline” to the Michoud Corporation, a major NASA contractor located on the coast.  He said that Michoud contracted with the Chrysler Corporation for their fleet cars and turned them over every 2 years.  He said when cars were being "retired" from the fleet after their 2 year tours, Chrysler re-conditioned them and sold them  to used car dealers with full 2 year warranties. 

Jim acquired a 2 year old, fully reconditioned 2-yr warranted Plymouth Belvedere for me at his cost of $700….. a hell of a good deal.  Gloria and I were thrilled.  The only feature in that car we had a little trouble getting used to was the push-button transmission.  Until we became conditioned to that change we kept reaching for a gear-shift lever that  wasn’t there.  But that was the only draw-back …. at first.

Dependable?  You bet!  Mechanically this car was perfect, never a moments trouble, very sound.  We put many miles on it,  going on many Florida, Arkansas and Tennessee vacations … never encountering any problems.  We felt blessed.

We used to frequent Bogue Falaya wayside park just east of Covington.   This park was on the Tchefuncte River and was a favorite picnic spot, offering clean river swimming, playgrounds and ample picnic tables.  We loved it.

One Sunday Gloria said “Why don’t we go to Bogue Falaya today.”  All four kids in unison belted out “YEAH!”.  I observed that the weather seemed somewhat threatening, but that didn’t dampen any spirits.  We put our ice chest in the trunk, headed to Krogers for food and drinks, then headed down Florida Blvd east toward our Bogue Falaya destination (there was not yet an Interstate system). 

When we got just past Hammond, the sky opened up and rain pelted us unmercifully.   All the food was in the trunk and everyone was getting hungry.   Gloria said “Be patient.  We’ll soon be there.  We’ll get a picnic shelter, then we can eat.” 

After a few more miles, 4 year old son Mike said “Hey!  Not fair!”  Gloria looked in the back seat and 5 year old Felicia echoed the same sentiment.  Then Gloria exclaimed “Jerry, how did you get that chicken leg?”  Our oldest child, 7 yr old Jerry III, while gnawing on a fried chicken leg, said “I just reached through this hole and got it from the box in the trunk.” 

It was still raining, so I pulled the car into a small roadside rest area.  I turned around and said “Jerry, show me how you did that.”  He simply reached through a hole in the rear deck (just under the rear window) and pulled out another piece of chicken.  In spite of the rain, I got out of the car and climbed in the back seat, and with a few pushes of my hand, tested the integrity of the rear deck.  In doing so my hand went through it adding another hole next to the one Jerry III had been using.  Gloria asked “What’s the problem?”  I announced that the rear deck was rotten.  SHIT!

Then as I was backing my body out of the back seat, my foot went through the floor board.  SHIT!  I could see the ground below.  Because son Mike was sitting at that part of the rear seat I told him NOT to stand or put his feet over that hole.   I then tested the floor board on Jerry’s side and SHIT! my foot went through there as well…. more exposed ground.  I told all 4 kids “Do not stand or put your feet through these holes!  If you fall through while the car is moving, you’d be killed.”

Rather than continue on to Bogue Falaya we decided to return home to Baton Rouge.  After all it was still raining and I wanted to minimize any chances of kids slipping through the floor board.

In the days that followed I found myself having to contend with other car body rotting incidents.  The spare tire well in the trunk was so rusted away (SHIT!) that I had to use one of our garbage can lids to fashion a large patch to support the spare in the tire well.  The bracket that supported the battery under the hood was completely rusted away and the battery just hung there (SHIT!).  I used a wire magazine rack to support the battery.

Fearing we may wind up with just a motor, 4 wheels and maybe a seat or 2, it was decided that the car MUST go.  I sold it to an insurance agent for $300 …. as is.   Other than for the body, it was still  mechanically very sound and ran perfectly.

I never thought I’d have to give up a car because of body failures.  I would find out later that the fleet cars from Michoud that were re-sold all had body corrosion problems because of the salt air they had to endure during their 2 year “enlistments” there.  Hmmm! No wonder Chrysler Corporation was willing to practically give them away after their 2 year fleet tours at Michoud Corporation.

"There once was a Clifton whose last name was Webb; "Mr Belvedere" he was which made him a celeb"  OK, I'll admit I'm no Ogden Nash.  No more limerick attempts.

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MY BRLT – The 70s

Then came CAMELOT in 1971.  The late, great Susan Straley was immediately cast as Guinevere.  I told Director Lee Edwards that I wanted the role of Arthur.  I was 36 and Aubrey Moore, who also wanted Arthur, was 46 and Lee told me that Aubrey would only accept the role of Arthur if Jerry Leggio accepted the role of Lancelot.  I told Gloria about this quandary and she said I should accept the role of Lance especially if Susan and Aubrey were going to be cast.   As badly as I wanted the role of Arthur I realized that Lee’s casting certainly made more sense.  So I accepted the character of Lancelot.  Lee reminded me that Arthur was closer to Aubrey’s age and Lance was closer to my age. 

Late in the rehearsal schedule Tech director Bill Ernst started teching the

lighting for the show.  Lance’s entrance was to be splashed with brilliance … full lighting and spots were to overpower the stage and bedazzle Lance.  The scene just before my entrance was with Arthur and Guinevere in Arthur’s dimly lit study.   When that scene ends, I am positioned down center stage, poised and ready to burst into my “CAMELOT” introductory lyric.   But when the lights came up on this very first lighting tech,  I was blinded.  I put my hands up to shield my eyes and Lee yelled “CUT!  Jerry, what are you doing?” “Lee, I can’t see.  The lights blind me.”  Lee said “Jerry, you are Lancelot.  We want Lance to really shine.”  OKaaay! 

The following night I was prepared.  When the lights came up on Lance, I was able to start my number with no difficulty.  Lee yelled “CUT.  Jerry, what are you doing?” In my Foster Grant Polaroid Sunshades I said “Lee, I need these to be able to withstand the lighting brilliance.”  Of course I knew I couldn’t do that, but I had to make a point.  Then Bill Ernst saved the day.  He said “Jer, I can help you with that problem.”  Bill, as most local theatre fans no doubt are aware, was one of the Theater’s great (if not greatest) technical geniuses.  Anyhow he mounted a small light fixture in the left stage wing area enclosed behind a black curtain.  This fixture held a 150 watt bulb.  Bill said “You time it.  At about a minute before your entrance, get inside this curtain, turn on this bulb, and gaze at it until a couple of seconds before your entrance.”  It worked like a charm.  Did it every night of the production.

In 1972 we did Samuel Taylor’s THE HAPPY TIME.  I was cast as Desmond Bonnard, Ray Spruel was my father, Grandpere Bonnard and a brilliant newcomer to BRLT, Janis Mayeux, who was cast in the role00e of Mignonette.  We had a great run.

In 1973 Lee begged me to play the role of Evy’s worthless ex-boy friend in Neil Simon’s THE GINGERBREAD LADY.   Jean Koprowsky had the title role and, per her usual theatrical acumen, delivered an outstanding performance.  My character, whose name I’ve forgotten, was a mechanic.  I had only one scene and Lee wanted me coming in with grease all over my costume.  So our costumer decided to scrub her garage floor using the sweater my character was to wear.  Then at our first dress parade I slipped on my jeans, t-shirt and this greased up sweater.  Lee yelled for the costumer to come on stage and then said to her (can’t remember her name) “Why would you just grease up his sweater?  Do you really think a mechanic would work in his sweater?”  She said, jokingly, “Well yes if the shop were cold.”  Then Lee said “Then for God’s sake make sure his jeans and  T-shirt are also greased up.”

In the summer of 1973 Bill Ernst’s genius would come through again.  I played the triple characters of the Duke, Dr. Carrasco and the Knight of the

Mirrors in MAN OF LA MANCHA.  My appearance as the Knight was to be another brilliant entrance reminiscent of Lancelot in CAMELOT.  I was to appear from up stage center, stepping onto the stage from atop a parapet.  This was a raked stage, so the up stage section was about 7 ft high including the parapet.  At this point up stage was a ladder to enable entrances from this up stage center area of the rake.  I didn’t like the idea of the Knight of the Mirrors having to climb up a ladder.  I wanted to just suddenly appear.  Lee said “Jerry, we can’t do miracles.”  But then Bill said “Lee, I think I can help Jer here.”  Bill always called me ‘Jer’.   He mounted some grips on the 4 corners of a forklift pallet.  Then four hefty cast members would be positioned one on each corner and when ready, with me crouched down on the pallet, they would all lift in unison and I would step off onto the parapet giving the appearance of “suddenly materializing.”   Well that was how it was supposed to work.

Our first effort at trying the pallet lift was, thank heavens, on a Saturday matinee when Bill developed this idea.   That attempt was an absolute disaster.  We couldn’t test it because the show was on.  So I, against Bill’s wiser counsel, wanted to just do it for that performance (without ever having tried it before).  On cue the 4 hefties lifted me, but each of the 4 lifted at a different rate thus causing me to lose my balance.  They did get me up and above the parapet, which meant that the audience had a quick glimpse of my attempt.  But, because of the unevenness of the lift, I fell back against the stage back wall.  I said “Bring me down. Bring me down”.  They did and I, with considerable embarrassment, trudged around the rake to make my entrance down stage….completely out of character for the knight of the mirrors . When Aubrey Moore (in the role of Quixote) and Jess Hair (as Sancho) saw me coming I could read their shocked expressions.  Aubrey dared not make eye-contact with me for fear of breaking up; Jess turned up stage, his body heaving in nearly audible giggles.  Jess simply could not control himself.  The audience came to realize what was happening (or rather NOT happening) then joined in the misplaced mirth.  We managed with great difficulty to get through the scene. 

Bill corrected the problem by mounting a wood lip at the point of my step-off.  The pallet would be lifted, then its front would come to rest at that lip offering stability for my step-off.  Worked great.  No more pallet wobble.  Thereafter, the Knight of the Mirrors did indeed just suddenly appear.

In 1974 the theatre mounted FIDDLER ON THE ROOF.  Perhaps the name Jo Paul Steiner rings a bell to many of BRLT’s devotees.  Jo Paul wanted the role of Tevya.  He spent months studying music, taking dance and singing lessons, memorizing Tevya’s lines.  Jo Paul was obsessed with that role. 

But Lee cast himself.  Well, one can just imagine what hit the fan.  WOW! Did this cause a helluva brouhaha.  Jo vowed to get even.  His loss of Tevya to Lee resulted in the creation of THE DINNER THEATER on Aubin Lane.  

Opening in mid-1974, the first THE DINNER THEATER production was

BORN YESTERDAY directed by Aubrey Moore and starring, besides Aubrey and myself, BJ Hopper, Bob Love and Janis Mayeux who delivered a perfect Billy Dawn character   This production was met with great public acceptance and rave reviews and marked the beginning of a dinner theater odyssey that would endure over 10 years.

In 1975 BRLT mounted The Sound of Murder,  another Mayeux/Leggio duo.  Wasn’t much fun for me since I had to perform wearing a back brace, which was not a part of my character.  I had wrenched my back chopping wood on the day of our opening.  And if that wasn’t bad enough, there was a scene where I had to fire a pistol.  I know, I know, you’re way ahead of me.  More often than not the pistol didn’t fire and of course I would simply substitute my own oral “BANG” for the misfire.   This was not one of my more pleasant stage experiences even though the audience always enjoyed the misfire.

The Man Who came to Dinner was in 1976.   The theater’s board of governors allowed Lee to selectively cast this show without benefit of auditions.   He asked people of his choosing if they would play certain roles.  Besides myself, Pat Snow, Bob Earle, BJ Hopper, Bob Rosenthall, Gladys Blieden and some 6-8 other personally selected cast members, we went into rehearsal and enjoyed a phenomenal run.

In 1977 one of BRLT’s great non-musical offerings was the 1973 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, That Championship Season.  Besides myself the cast consisted of B.J. Hopper, Jerry Brent, Hal Phillips and Michael del Rio.  This production was so well received that It was extended for several performances. 

Of particular note was an opening night unintended incident.  B.J., who at the time was around age 50, was playing the role of a retired H.S. basketball coach.  Because his natural hair was black, Lee wanted to age him.   So B.J.’s hair was “whitened”.  Whatever the substance was that was used to whiten his hair it proved disastrous.  Early in the opening night’s performance B.J.’s character, in response to a scripted inquiry, shook his head  thus causing a dense white cloud to envelop him.  Once the audience and cast had re-composed themselves, we managed to complete the act.  During intermission, B.J.’s hair was cleaned and re-whitened.  No more white clouds formed after that.

The next 4 summer musical seasons were without me … HELLO DOLLY, BRIGADOON, MUSIC MAN and OKLAHOUMA.   In 1977 I was 42 years old and tried out for the role of Curly in OKLAHOUMA.   Surely I could pass for a 22 year old Curly …. ya THINK?   Must have been about 20 Curly-wannabes that tried out including myself.   In true Lee Edwards style, when all the reading, singing and dancing tryouts were concluded, all the “Curlys” were asked to form a line in front of Lee.  I was in the middle of that line.  When I looked to my left I saw 8 to 10 kids who could have been my sons.   Then looking to my right and seeing essentially the same thing,  I stepped out of line, walked up to Lee, who was sitting at his work table, and said “Lee, I think I’ll withdraw” to which Lee said “I think that would be a good idea, Jerry”  Lesson here:  never audition outside of your character range.

Then in the spring of 1978 Lee took ill and died.  He had been working feverishly on his staging plans for the 1978 musical KISMET.  I loved KISMET.  Henry Avery, who at the time was managing a Theater in NY, was brought in to direct.  I tried out for anything in that show.  I just wanted to be a part of it.  The Borodin music from which it is scored is, to me, the most gorgeous music … bar none … of any in any of the great classical operettas and stage musicals.  I just wanted to be a part of it.

Among the many who tried out was BJ Hopper.  Everyone just knew that BJ was going to be cast as Hajj, the beggar.  Hajj is the pivotal character in KISMET.

  I too assumed BJ would be Hajj.  But lo and behold Henry asked me to do Hajj.  I was floored.  And scared.  Hajj had 9 production numbers and would also dance.  Yeah, ME dancing.  I spent 24/7 working on this show.  I took leave from my job.   I took voice lessons from Terry Patrick (or was it Catherine O’Neill?)…  I worked tirelessly and feverishly on that role … more than any role I had ever done.  I am proud to say it came off without a hitch and was a big success.   I was saddened when it closed.

Then the newly renamed AUBIN LANE DINNER THEATER (now being directed and managed by John Wilson from Nebraska) announced its launching of THE SOUND OF MUSIC directed by Henry Avery.  I was cast as Captain von Trapp and Nancy Miller was Maria.  We had a great run. 

Then John announced auditions for CAMELOT.  He asked if I would do Arthur.  It was now 1979 and, having previously performed Lancelot at BRLT in 1971, I agreed to fulfill my “bucket list” role of King Arthur.  John, being new to Baton Rouge, was at a loss as to who could do Guinevere.  I told him that he need not worry.  I would introduce him to the perfect Quin (Susan Straley) who had been my Guin in 1971.   When she auditioned for the role,  John looked over at me and said “Jerry, I’ll be coming to you from now on when casting a show.”  Besides Susan and myself, John cast himself as Merlin.  This production was also a resounding success.

Also on my bucket list was the role of South Pacific’s Emile De Becque.  John announced auditions for SP and asked if I would do De Becque.  Upon learning the dates of the run, I was forced to turn him down.  The Motion Picture Producer’s Association had invited me (all expenses paid) to their annual meeting in San Francisco to speak before their membership.  This was my second such speaking engagement before the MPPA.  The week of that engagement was right in the middle of the SP run.  John wanted so bad for me to do the role that he offered to go dark during that week.  Wow!  What an offer!  But I told him I couldn’t do that to him.  So he cast a gentleman from New Orleans who delivered a very powerful and convincing De Becque.  My loss, but I couldn’t say “no” to the MPPA.

Aubin Lane was now becoming a second home for me … and for Gloria as well.  John was doing some great work and I worked a total of 9 productions with John Wilson at the helm.   What a great 5 years!

I did several non-musicals at Aubin Lane including HARVEY which starred the late great Ray Spruell in the role of Elwood P Dowd.  I was Dr. Chumley.   Ray’s Dowd portrayal was impeccable.  Many of us dared to place Ray’s performance above that of Jimmy Stewart’s beautiful 1950 Universal film portrayal of Dowd.  This was another Aubin Lane huge success.

Then there was Aubin Lane’s KING AND I, starring the inimitable Constance Navritil as Anna and myself as the King.  This production along with SOUND OF MUSIC pretty well established me as the most “prolific stage dad” in Baton Rouge theater.

The 3^rd installment of my BRLT ventures will comprise 3 decades (80s, 90s and 2000s)

Also check out 

My BRLT Adventures (1958 through the 60s)
blog archive June 2014

..... and

My BRLT – 1980 to 2010

blog archive October 2014

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HOLLYWOOD SOUTH ... What's it all about????

This was my interview with 

WVLA's Jeanne Burns in May 2014

BATON ROUGE, LA (NBC33) — Jerry Leggio was working for the state back in 1960, when he got the chance of a lifetime. “I was with the Department of Labor,” he explained. “And my boss said to me ‘Jerry, because of your theater background, I'd like you to be in charge of casting films when they come.’"

Leggio said yes. The very first movie he worked on was “Desire in the Dust”, which led him to do a little research. “I found out that up until that time only 37 films had been made in Louisiana since talk films had started in the late 20's.” Leggio decided then and there that Louisiana could do much better than that. So, he set out to get a film commission formed in Louisiana. The Louisiana Science Foundation was, at the time, charged with the task of bringing economic development opportunities to the state, so that is where he started.

Friend Jason Furrate says Leggio was very persistent. “You know, he was involved in government, but he was not a politician," Furrate stated. "So he’d bring the thing up about forming the Louisiana Film Commission. And they’d shoot it down. So he’d wait twelve months and do it again."

And when he did, Leggio was armed with even more information. In true Jerry Leggio fashion, he managed to get a meeting with legendary movie producer Otto Preminger. “He said, 'so if you really want to entrench the industry in Louisiana, you have to give them something,'" Leggio recalled. "'You have to provide them something that you can supply. Don't promise them anything you can't deliver.'”

And with that, Leggio made a second run at the decision-makers. And they shot it down again. So, when Jerry met John Wayne on the set of a film, he asked The Duke to take a look at his proposal.

Wayne was so impressed, he made a phone call to then-Governor John McKeithen. But the governor was out of town. “McKeithen was just broken hearted that he hadn't had an opportunity to talk to The Duke,” Leggio recalls. “But the Governor called Dr. Galianno who was the executive director of the Foundation and said ‘fund that project.’"

That is when the Louisiana Film Commission finally came into being. Leggio went to work wooing Hollywood, doing something that is almost unheard of in the movie industry. “Jerry put the state of Louisiana ahead of his own career,” Furrate said. “He wasn't angling to get a part. He may or may not get a part. He was angling for the state of Louisiana to be the place that they make movies.”

Over the years, that came to be. Leggio remained active in bringing movies to Louisiana. He was and still is a big advocate for creating and keeping those tax credits that have helped make Louisiana the number one movie-making place in the country. And to hear Leggio tell it, it was all a labor of love. “So this isn't all my doing,” he explained. “I mean, I got it going, but I knew at what point I could step out of it.  I just wanted to see it happen".

Leggio has appeared in 56 films and television series over the years. In May, he was awarded the first-ever Anne Price Lifetime Achievement Award by the Louisiana International Film Festival for his work and contribution to the Louisiana film industry.

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It was a WONDERFUL FEELING

When Jason Furrate, Director of Programming and Production for Cox Communications,  invited me in late April 2014 to join him and Andre Chappoy, Co-Founder of CFX Entertainment, for lunch at Coffee Call, my natural instinct told me that another film production was in the offing.  This expectation was quite exciting.   

I had worked on a previous production, LA-308, that was produced and directed by Jason with cinematography by Andre.  The LA-308 experience had been extremely full-filling  and rewarding and I couldn’t wait to be brought in on another Furrate/Chappoy project.

At the appointed date and time we met at Coffee Call on College Dr. in Baton Rouge.  The three of us (myself, Jason and Andre) small-talked while waiting for Charlene Robert’s arrival.  Charlene was the Advocate’s marketing director.  When she joined us, Jason then asked me “Do you have any idea why we are here?”  I confessed that I really had no idea.  I didn’t want to express my hope that another film production was being cast for fear that I would be wrong.

As it turned out I was wrong.  A film project was not in the offing.  Jason said that the LOUISIANA INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL, which was now entering its second year, had instituted a lifetime achievement award named in

honor of the late Anne Price who had been the Advocate’s premiere Arts columnist for nearly 70 years.   Jason  asked “Would you want to take a guess as to who will be its inaugural recipient this year?”  I had no idea and certainly didn’t want to venture a guess.  I said “Tell me, Jason.  I dare NOT venture a guess.”  He said “You”. 

GULP!!

It took a few seconds to process his answer.   I said “You? As in‘me’?”  He said “Yes, YOU, Jerry Leggio” while grinning and pointing at me.  With my non-plussed and speechless expression, I looked quickly over at Andre who grinned and nodded, then at Charlene, who did the same. 

My initial response was “WOW!  Lifetime Achievement? WOW!”  Then Jason said that the LIFF board had met and all agreed that I was the obvious choice.  “WOW!”  The word “obvious” made it more special and even more special was the fact that this award bore the name of Anne Price.  Another WOW!

I was feeling like George Bailey, Jimmy Stewart’s character, in Frank Capra’s enduring 1946 classic film IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE.  All I could say was “IT’S A WONDERFUL FEELING.”  And I could think of no greater honor than being the recipient of an award bearing the name of Anne Price.  This lady was the personification of the Arts not only in Baton Rouge but throughout the state.  Anne’s journalistic contributions to the arts in Baton Rouge and throughout Louisiana greatly enriched our culture.  She epitomized the very essence of theater, music, ballet, film and the graphic arts.

I was quite aware that film production in Louisiana had finally taken hold and that this industry now appeared to be here to stay. Some 5-7 sound stage parks had been developed and were up and running throughout the state.  As of this

writing Louisiana was enjoying FIRST place in film production among all the states including California and New York, a ranking that I had never believed would come this soon though I had envisioned this possibility as Louisiana production activity began to mushroom in the 80s.  I swelled with pride knowing that my pioneering efforts, which I began in the early 1960s, had exploded into a colossal Louisiana economic engine, resulting in an annual billion dollars of economic activity.

At the conclusion of the Coffee Call meeting I was told that the award presentation would follow the showing of Jason’s film, LA-308,  at this years LIFF (La Int’l Film Festival).   LA-308 was a film that I was proud to have been a part of.   Jason and Andre ingeniously crafted this quality production for under $120,000, a true feat in economy and efficiency.

Before leaving the parking lot that served Coffee Call, I decided to text Gloria and let her know the good news.  She had asked that I do this.  I use voice command on my cell phone and vocalized “I am going to be the recipient of a life achievement award at this year’s film fest.” Before pressing the SEND button I reviewed my message for accuracy.  Instead of seeing the intended message, it read instead “I am going to be the recipient of a lice treatment award at this year’s film nest.”  Hmmm!  Was my Android trying to tell me something?  I hoped this was not an omen.  I corrected the message and sent it on to Gloria.

As elated and thrilled as I was, I nonetheless harbored some anxiety.  Gloria asked “What’s bothering you about this honor?”  I said “My great fear is that attendance at this film and this presentation may be very sparse.  I would hate having to accept such an honor before a ‘crowd’ of  only 10 or 15 people or, worse yet, even fewer than that.  How embarrassing that would be.”  She merely said “You worry too much.”

At 11 AM on Saturday morning, May 11 Gloria and I walked into the Cinemark Theater that would be exhibiting LA-308.  Within minutes the theater filled to capacity.  I would learn later that people had to be

turned away due to the sell-out.  My heart filled with both pride and humility.  I could not have been happier.  I was overwhelmed with well-wishers and showered with congratulatory comments.   What a day!  It was a WONDERFUL DAY!  It was a WONDERFUL FEELING!

It never occurred to me that I would ever gain any recognition for my film development pioneering work.  Nor had I ever expected any such recognition. My greatest gratification was witnessing its fruition.  In the late 80s I was all too happy to step back and let younger, smarter folks continue the process …..

….. except when on 2 separate occasions in the late 1990s and then again some 7 years after that when Jay Dardenne’s shrewd and innovative tax credits program was in jeopardy of being repealed, I emailed all the state’s legislators

to persuade them NOT to reduce or eliminate this program.  I explained the sensitive nature of the film industry.  Once an asset is provided to them, like spoiled children, producers expect no less.  If credits are reduced or eliminated, we would quickly see the end of location filming in Louisiana….thus resulting in a devastating loss for Louisiana’s employment numbers and tax base.

Today, thank heavens, the tax credits are still in play and film production in Louisiana has never been more plentiful.  God bless the movie industry.  God bless Louisiana.

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My BRLT Adventures (1958 through the 60s)

I can’t believe I’ve devoted more than 4 years posting Facebook stories about some of my life experiences (film, family, research, scouting, etc), but none (as of this writing) relevant to my nearly 60 years of BATON ROUGE LITTLE THEATRE on-stage adventures.   I beg your pardon – THEATRE BATON ROUGE (as of 2012).

My first ever appearance on stage was in 1951 at the age of 16.  I was cast as the Stage Manager in Thornton Wilder’s OUR TOWN in a classroom production in my sophomore year at Baton Rouge High School.  I suppose a classroom production could qualify as an “on-stage” performance. 

In 1954 while completing my studies at LSU’s Theatre department, Don Blakely, LSU’s director extraordinaire, launched Tennessee William’s classic “A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE.”  I dared not tryout because I was intimidated by the small clique of staffers and teaching assistants that paraded throughout the Speech and Drama Department at that time.   Leading roles were awarded only to graduate students and faculty.  Undergrads won lesser roles.  Blakely’s production was masterfully executed and, even after nearly 60 years, held the distinction of being my greatest stage inspiration.

I was so moved by Blakely’s production I tried out for and won the role of Bonario in the Drama department’s production of Ben Jonson’s VOLPONE which was the forerunner of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s CAROUSEL (which I would appear in some 13 years later at BRLT).   VOLPONE didn’t come close to wetting my theatre appetite, but it did contribute to my stage  experience.  Soon after VOLPONE closed I was approached by the fabulously popular and talented director Oran  “Doc” Teague who introduced himself to me and asked if I would play a major role in an original epic drama entitled ALWAYS ACADIA.   Wow! Thanks, Bonario.   Doc said that this play had been written by the Drama Department’s Dr. Clinton Bradford and commissioned by the Louisiana state legislature to commemorate  Louisiana’s forthcoming Acadian by-centennial celebration (reference my May 2012 Oran Teague blog post).     

At LSU I had gained considerable theatre education and general staging skills from Dr Claude Shaver (for whom the current recently renovated LSU Theatre building is named) and was privileged to have been able to work with Doc Teague, for whom I had much admiration   Sadly both of these gentlemen along with Don Blakely are no longer with us.

Though stage has always been my true love, when ALWAYS ACADIA closed I was again approached by a most talented director / producer, Bob Reed, who was the Production Manager of Baton Rouge’s newest TV station, WBRZ.   He explained that he was in the early stages of producing a weekly local live TV show entitled HIT OR MISS.   He described the format to me and said that the show’s cast each week would be paid.  Hey, Hey!    Even though stage production was my first love, the promise of enriching my bank account spawned a new interest, that of TV production.  For more information on HorM and WBRZ read my (January 2013 HIT OR MISS and my October 2012 WBRZ blog posts).

While my Bonario character in VOLPONE was not the most thrilling nor most challenging, I was grateful for the theatre doors it opened to me and I vowed that one day I would do STREETCAR’s Stanley Kowalsky.

And in 1958 that opportunity did indeed arrive.  BRLT announced tryouts for its upcoming production of A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE.    The tryout venue at that time was Capital Bank on Main street across from Goudcheaux’s Department Store.  I had my entourage with me, consisting of Bill LaVallee, Rex Reed, Floydean Smith, Mel Berry and one or two other members of our HIT OR MISS ensemble  (see my January 2013 blog post).    After concluding my reading I was regaled with a round of applause from my friends which won me no admiration from Director Lee Edwards.  He immediately announced that such outbursts would not be tolerated during the readings.  I flushed with embarrassment and everyone behaved after that.  Streetcar was my first experience with director Lee Edwards, whose natural mastery of the Theatre arts along with his directorial skills and dedication to BRLT I came to value greatly over the next couple of decades until his untimely death in 1978.

Initial blocking rehearsals were conducted in the garage of  the ALLEN-PARKER Credit Services on Main street which was just accross the street next to Goudchaux’s.  The minimum wage that was posted on their staff bulletin board at that time was .75 per hour…. About 1/10^th what it is today.   I have vivid memories of how very cold that garage was during our blocking rehearsals.  We were all thrilled when we were able to continue our rehearsals at our performance venue, the Harding field playhouse. 

The Theatre itself was an old frame-structured 300 seat former military movie house.  There was no back stage.  If an actor needed to make a Re-entrance from the other side (stage left or right), he/she would have to exit outside through the rear stage door and re-enter through the other stage wing.  Everyone who was blocked to make such re-entries were expected to bring their umbrellas … just in case.  Such an exit and re-entry was common to my character, Stanley.   On one stormy night I had to use the umbrella for my re-entry.   I wound up contracting a miserable cold which degenerated into bronchitis.  As painful as it was to perform with fever, headache, sore throat and a general feeling of “out-of-sorts”, I nevertheless refused to allow an understudy to perform “my” Stanley as long as I had voice.  I struggled through some 3 or 4 performances fever and all.

Our  show ran in early 1959 and was such a success, the Theatre’s board of governors decided to hold it over, adding several performances to launch a “fund-raiser” for the “new” Theatre which we all enjoy today.   Construction was begun and the new Theatre opened to a grateful audience in 1961, but NOT before I had an opportunity to work lights for Diary of Anne Frank and play the role of Bertram Cates in INHERIT THE WIND.

Aubrey Moore and Harvey Hyland were cast in the roles of Matthew Harrison Brady and Henry Drummond respectively, defending and prosecuting Cates while a cast of what seemed like thousands either booed or championed Cates’ belief system.  This would be the second of many co-starring roles I would enjoy with the immensely talented Aubrey Moore who sadly died in an accident in the late 70s.  I would again appear in INHERIT THE WIND in 2003 in the role of Henry Drummond.    More on this in a later post.

Then In late 1961 my country needed me and I was called into active service during the latter stage of the infamous Berlin Crisis.  I was in my 9^th year of service in the Louisiana National Guard and because of seniority and rank I must admit I truly enjoyed that year of active duty.   Stationed at Fort Polk near Alexandria, I was able to be with my family – my wife Gloria and our 1 year old son, Jerry III.  Then I heard that the new BRLT theatre would be casting its very first stage musical … SOUTH PACIFIC.  Oh my God, I really wanted to be a part of that production, but my tour would be ending about a week after SOUTH PACIFIC would be closing.  I was heart-sick.  Back then I was too young for the role of Emile De Becque, but just right for Lt. Cable.  Hell, I even had the uniform.  I approached my commander, Col Daigle, and explained my plight and said “Colonel, I really need to be a part of that show.  Is there any way I could …..”, but he cut me off with “Leggio, go back to your desk.”  Gulp!  My patriotic duty trumped SOUTH PACIFIC.

Anyhow, SOUTH PACIFIC came and went.  I didn’t even get a chance to see it.   My active duty ended in late 1962.   Gloria and I, my nearly 2-year old son Jerry III and recently born daughter Felicia  returned to Baton Rouge.  My job with the Louisiana State Employment Service was waiting for me and life returned to normal.  I wasted no time getting back on stage.  

In 1962 Lee cast me as the older brother in Neil Simon’s COME BLOW YOUR HORN opposite Tony Clesi, Bob Earle and Shannon Rifkin.   Tony played my younger brother even though he was 2 years older than me.  Hmmm.   This would be the first of many stage appearances I would share with the great Bob Earle who, sadly, is also no longer with us. 

Then in 1963 came A SHOT IN THE DARK.   I was cast in the leading role of the magistrate and lost 11 pounds in that show.  With nearly every performance I would have to cover for our leading lady, a lovely ex-nun and a very fine actress, who would go up on her lines every night… always in a different part of the script totally unaware of her goof-up. And the worst part – she never knew it.  For anyone who has ever performed on stage, you should fully appreciate the tension such anticipated mis-steps would cause an actor.  To lose weight I prefer dieting rather than stage tension.

Back in its early days the theatre’s governing board required that each of the season’s offerings would NOT be announced until that season’s preceding production had been cast.    Another rule was that an actor could not perform 2 shows back-to-back.  The rationale for adopting these practices was to prevent prospective cast members from “saving themselves” for a particular production later in that season.  While this “unknown” was frustrating, it did provide a sense of excitement and suspense to the casting and production process.

The following summer of 1963 was KING AND I.   No role for me here, but the late Aubrey Moore and the late Constance Navirile delivered sterling performances.  

Then came the announcement that excited everyone –  Clifford Odets’ COUNTRY GIRL.  The movie with Bing Crosby, Grace Kelly and William Holden had been released 10 years prior and was still fresh in everyone’s mind.  Aubrey Moore was cast in the Crosby role of Frank Elgin,  Ellen Moore (Aubrey’s wife) played Georgie Elgin (the title role) that Grace Kelly had performed and I was Bernie Dodd, the William Holden role.    Despite a little opening night “mishap” our production won kudos from a grateful press.  

Unlike today, reviews back in the 60s-80s would appear the very next morning in the Morning Advocate, then another review would appear later that same day in the STATE TIMES.   This practice often resulted in late Friday night cast vigils often at a bar or a coffee house while awaiting the advocate’s distribution to the newspaper vendors around 2 or 3 AM.   COUNTRY GIRL’s review headline was “Little Theatre’s Production of ‘Country Girl’ is lauded” by Ed Perez.

I’m sure the reader wants to know about the “mishap.”                               

                            

A very intense scene between Bernie (my role) and Georgie (Ellen Moore) resulted in a “furniture malfunction”.  There were several wicker chairs in this scene and when, in my attempt to drive home an important point to Georgie, I would support one foot on one of the wicker chairs.   Well, on opening night my foot went through the wicker seat of that chair.  Without missing a beat I continued delivering my line while wrestling that chair off my leg.  Needless to say that scene tension was transformed into a near catastrophe as the audience howled and Ellen and I struggled to maintain some measure of composure.

The next announced production that year was HAMLET.   Wow!  Did I ever want a role as badly as that of Hamlet!   But the Theatre’s “no back-to-back” rule might impair my chances.  Didn’t matter. Immediately I began learning the role.   Perhaps if I showed that I was acutely familiar with this Shakespearean tragedy and demonstrated that I would be a “perfect Hamlet”, then maybe the board would grant me an exemption.  Maybe.   With the tryouts I was thoroughly prepared.  But then “Hamlet” himself tried out … Stanley Beatle, who I had never seen or heard of before, but who delivered a smashing audition and won the role.  Darn!  Oh well, whoever said that theatre would not ever generate moments of disappointment?

Then in ’64…. MY FAIR LADY.  I tried out for Freddy, but Lee said "Jerry, you're NO Freddy."  He cast Patrick O’Neill who turned in a perfect Freddy.       

A year later Lee cast me as Sky Masterson in GUYS and DOLLS which included cast notables Bob Earle, Aubrey Moore, B.J. Hopper, Jess Hair, Carl Bruser and Flip Ross.   The first four of these are no longer with us, but I’m not sure about the latter two. 

Then a year after that in 1966 Lee cast himself as Pseudolus in FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE FORUM and asked me to do MILES GLORIOSUS.  If you’re familiar with FORUM, you may remember the scene when Miles is weeping over the body of his “dead bride-to-be”.  Pseudolus is trying to console him and Miles will have none of it.  At one point Pseudolus asks “Could I get you something to eat?” And Miles says “Oh, no, I couldn’t eat a thing.”  Well one night I decided to inject a little adlib at this point … unbeknownst to Lee.  When he asked “Could I get you something to eat?” I said instead “What are you having?”  The look on Lee was one of stark terror, then I added “On second thought I really couldn’t eat a thing right now.”  Lee exhaled with great relief.  The adlib brought the house down (thank God), but Lee, being the purist that he was, said “NO” when asked if we could leave it in.

In 1967 I was Bill Sykes in OLIVER.  My opening night was a disaster.  The lyrics to MY NAME were to be in cockney dialect (thank God).  After the first 8 bars of

Biceps like an iron girder,

Fit for doing of a murder,

If I just so much as heard a 

Bloke even whisper...

My name! Bill Sikes... 

Well I suddenly went up … went completely blank and started muttering in cockney doubletalk.  I was even reported as having sung “I have forgotten all these lyrics” which I had.  The review that appeared the NEXT day in the paper by Anne Price said my character was sufficiently threatening, but my lyrics seemed to get lost in the scenery… which they had.

I was redeemed the following year however when Lee cast me in the role of Billy Bigalow in CAROUSEL (inspired by Ben Jonson’s VOLPONE).  My leading lady was Ina Claire Shirley (in the upper picture) who had one of Baton Rouge’s loveliest Soprano voices at that time.  In the lower picture with me is Avis Barney in the role of the Carousel owner.  

No mishaps with this production.  If you are familiar with CAROUSEL, then you know how sappy and maudlin it is, but the Rodgers and Hammerstein music is utterly breathtaking.

Visit these related stories:


MY BRLT – The 70s


My BRLT – 1980 to 2010


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