Hiya! Welcome back, teens! Hope you're excited for the next piece of my afternoon with Mr. Holland himself, Mr. Richard Dreyfuss...
What a great afternoon it was on Sunday. I was in NYC with my friend, Christian, and enjoying my "winnings" from the POSSIBLE DREAMS auction that took place on Martha's Vineyard this past August 2nd. Let's just rewind to the summer for a few moments, to give you more of an idea of how this all played out, then I'll get right back to where I left off in Part 1...
Of course, if you know me, you know my love of the island, and this summer I went to the auction with the thought that finally, after close to 30 years of attachment to the island, I would try to bid on one of the "Dreams" offered, since all the proceeds went to the Martha's Vineyard Community Services organization. They provide needed services to people who live on the island who can't get them for themselves. Food, shelter, domestic services if needed. Truly a great and important organization, and I felt it was time to try and give something back to the island that had, for so long, given so much to me. So, I was armed with a budget, and hoped something in the auction list would catch my eye.
When I saw "DINNER WITH RICHARD DREYFUSS" listed, I knew I at least had to try to place a bid or two, assuming of course, that I would be swiftly outbid.
It was the Vineyard, it was Shark Week on Discovery Channel, it was the 35th anniversary of JAWS...it was as if the friggin' planets themselves were aligned just for this precise event...and for ME.
The bidding began, and I honestly don't recall if mine was the opening bid. I know however, that I kept raising my hand and calling out amounts anytime someone else outbid me. I knew what my budget was, and I knew how high I could go with my bids. I was determined as hell, focused and totally in my own little zone. I think there were only one or two others bidding with me...well, AGAINST me...but...you know, the only comparitive example I can make here, is this: you know when you go to an amusement park, and you're playing that game where you have to steadily aim a water pistol so the stream of water shoots into the open mouth of a clown and it makes the frog or other little critter go up a wall towards a bell? First one to the top wins. You have to hold that damn pistol in the precise position, like you're a fuckin' sniper with a target in the crosshairs, y'know? Well, I NEVER lose when I play those games--trust me--I have a closet FULL of shoddy knock-off stuffed animals and Looney Tunes characters to prove it!
Well anyway, when I was bidding, it kind of felt like THAT. I was focused, finger on the trigger and I wasn't deviating one millimeter from my target. I guess if we're being completely metaphorical here, yes, Richard Dreyfuss was in my crosshairs...
It wasn't the longest bidding war in the world, but in the end, mine was the final hand raised, offering the winning amount. "The Dreyfuss Dream", as it would soon become known as, was MINE. I was really excited, and slightly shaky in the hands when it sunk in moments later that I had indeed won the auction. I believe the more precise exclamation was in the neighborhood of "Holy Shit...I won!"
I was with a few friends, who were also BIG fans of JAWS and of Richard, and they were sharing my happiness right along with me. I filled out my paperwork for the item, and I was also given a really sweet piece of memorabilia: a chunk of the log cabin that Steven Spielberg and screenwriter Carl Gottlieb stayed in while they wrote the screenplay to JAWS back in 1974. The cabin was something of a holy place for JAWS fans, and in recent years it has been demolished and there is something else now on that plot of land on the Vineyard. I had previously been given a piece of the cabin by my friend, Donna, but the difference with THIS piece, was that Richard had signed it! Way cool...
So, with my instructions and auction paperwork in hand, I returned to my hotel to continue with my summer vacation, now feeling pretty damn proud of myself for WANTING IT bad enough to make sure I GOT IT. The paperwork instructed me to get in touch with Richard's "people", and I was given several options in the form of phone numbers, addresses, both email and snail-mail. I figured it would be easiest to use one of the phone numbers listed, which had a 917 area code, and I knew that to be a New York based cell phone area code. It was 11:30am, and I figured it was a good time to call. I did NOT, however, take one...small...detail into account. The conversation went like this:
After a few rings..."Hello?"
Jonny: "Hi, my name is Jon Bassuk, and I just won the Possible Dreams auction item here on Martha's Vineyard for dinner with Richard Dreyfuss..."
Voice on the other end of the phone: "Oh. Yes. Mm-hmm...Ok. Very good. Congratulations."
Jonny: "Thanks. Umm...I hope I'm not calling at a bad time or anything, but I wanted to try and get some further information on how to set this up...I've never won anything in the auction before, and I was given a bunch of contact information for Mr. Dreyfuss, so I wanted to get in touch and see what's next."
Voice: "Well...it is a LITTLE early...."
**Note from Jonny: Now is about the moment in time where it dawns on me, after hearing that last response...Early? It's 11:30am on a weekday...that's not too early, unless........ohhh.....myyy.....godddddd.....just because it's a New York BASED cell phone, doesn't mean it couldn't be.....somewhere else....like....the West Coast...where it would be 8:30am. THAT means....oh no....that the person I'm on the phone with.....
Jonny: "Ummm....is this Mr. Dreyfuss?"
Voice: "Yes. Mm-hmm. Hi."
Jonny: (now feeling about the size of a microbe) "Ohhh...I'm SO sorry! I didn't even think this phone could be in California. I'm really sorry to bother you."
Richard: (chuckling slightly) "It's ok. It's ok. Umm, what you should do...is call this number...AFTER 10am...and ask for a guy named Tom. He will work things out and start setting it up with you, ok?"
Jonny: (feverishly writing this all down) "Ok...will do. After 10, your time...heh-heh, I feel really badly, I'm very sorry."
Richard: "Nooo problem, it's fine."
Jonny: "Well, it's very nice to talk to you, and I look forward to meeting you soon, thank you so much."
Richard: "Thank you, no problem. Ok, me too. Bye."
Jonny: "Bye."
I hung up the phone, EXHALED DEEPLY, and I think I might have gone directly to the bathroom to pee. I do remember looking in the mirror, shaking my head in disgust, and saying "what a douche" out loud to myself. I was not happy with myself for this gaffe at all. What could I have done, though? I never expected for a SECOND that the contact information I was given was DIRECT to Richard himself! Ok, lesson learned...
Later that day, I called the number again, and prayed ANYONE but Richard would pick it up. Several rings later, I heard a DIFFERENT voice on the other end (thank God!). I explained who I was, and what had happened earlier, which made Tom, Richard's really friendly assistant, laugh a little. He and I began the planning of things, and Tom said he would be back in touch with me a few weeks down the road once he had some time to talk to Richard about his upcoming schedule and other plans. With that in place, I went on about my business, finishing up the rest of my vacation, and having a blast as usual on the island. Now, it was even better than ever knowing what I had in store for me. My artist friend, Paul McPhee, who is also a huge fan of JAWS, loaded me up with all kinds of artwork and other goodies, and I was for sure in shark heaven! Come by my apartment sometime, and you'll see what I mean...
So...weeks and months go by, and Tom and I have been trading emails and schedules, working things out bit by bit until we reached this past Sunday the 21st, and the realization of "The Dreyfuss Dream". It was a day I had been so looking forward to, planning for and getting amped up about with each day that got me closer to it. Now I was here, in Nick's Burger Joint on Broadway in NYC, sitting across the table from Richard, enjoying every moment, every story and every bit of Richard's personality he was so generously sharing with my friend and I. It was fantastic and almost impossible to believe, but shit...isn't that what so many Dreams--possible or not--are made of?
Now that you know the beginnings of all this, let me get back to the present now, and continue with the afternoon's events...
Richard, Christian and I were up to our elbows in the conversation we were having about the state of the country. Richard was on such a tear (and believe me, I wasn't about to stop him or utter a word) that he didn't even touch his food for what seemed like forever. Christian and I had gone through most of ours, and I mentioned at one point that I felt terrible he wasn't eating. At that, Richard actually then cut his burger in half...but STILL didn't pick it up to take a bite!
Richard's commitment to his Initiative is INFECTUOUS...he speaks from his heart, his soul and his life experience...and he never spoke with a sense of feeling sanctimonious or "better" than anyone. He is simply someone who believes in America, and who has a drive that comes from a very perosnal place within himself to do EVERYTHING he can to make it a better place, a safer place, a more prosperous place...on as many levels as possible...as he can. He has great concern for the children who are becoming victimized by the government's "laziness" and/or unwillingness to bring back the fundamentals of civics, reasoning, civility, personal and otherwise, to the classrooms and halls of power.
He said, among many other powerful things, "We are a nation bound only by ideas...this country is a miracle, and the whole world knows it except Americans because we don't teach it."
I mentioned something Richard had said in an interview recently, about how true his beliefs were when he said that nobody from other countries or states is saying "gee, I sure can't wait to try and get to Finland..." They are all saying, "I can't wait to get to America." because THEY know the value of what it is to be here, and what the American Democracy promises. Richard's website illustrates the importance of returning civility to society and how that affects our democracy: "Civility is not just manners, it is the oxygen that democracy requires."
We continued to discuss the importance of the Initiative, and interwove references to other films of Richard's into the mix as well. Mostly, it was MR. HOLLAND'S OPUS that bookended things. Richard's character in that film very closely mirrored the man himself. So, after a time, we were then talking more about the film than anything else, and Richard told a few wonderful anecdotes about making such a personally important movie.
Richard said that HOLLAND was a film he was very, very proud of. Telling the story of a man who put his own desires on hold so he could teach music to high school children, Richard's portrayal of Mr. Holland was again, a foreshadowing of very personal issues to come some 15 years later for Richard in his Initiative. The film spans 30 years, and shows the deep personal impact Mr. Holland has on the students of Kennedy High School as well as on his personal life. His wife and hard-of-hearing son, Cole share in the triumphs and also the letdowns throughout Mr. Holland's storied career. Ultimately, the school board determines it will no longer fund the music program, and it will also cause Mr. Holland to lose his job. Mr. Holland doesn't care about that.
"No, no, no...it's not about my job, it's about (robbing the students) of their ability to think."
A school board member, and former student of Mr. Holland's, says that they did as much as they could to sustain the program, but it just wasn't going to happen.
"Do it again.", Mr. Holland says, firmly. "That's what I said to you when you were my student, and it seemed to work pretty well."
The board member said it was the best they could do.
"Well, your best isn't good enough."
The film culminates with an enormous outpouring of love, admiration and respect for Mr. Holland, in the form of a packed auditorium, filled with cheering students, past and presnt, from Mr. Holland's career--his opus. The lives he had touched were now all there to show him how much he meant to them. Mr. Holland also finally, after 30 years, got to conduct his "American Symphony", the piece of music he had always been working on, hoping to complete, publish and gain money and fame from. Instead, he became a teacher. Sacrificing his own wants for the needs of the children whose lives he changed. He gave them the love of music, and it was life-changing for every student, and for Mr. Holland himself.
I asked Richard about that last scene. When he walks into the auditorium and immediately overcome with emotion at seeing and hearing the crowd there. I wanted to know what part of RICHARD was brought to the character of Mr. Holland right then and there. Every time I see the scene, and Richard's emotion as he conducts the symphony, he is clearly euphoric, both as the character and as an actor playing the part. Where did THAT come from?
Richard said that MR. HOLLAND'S OPUS was a film he was so very proud of, and the entire cast and crew KNEW it right from the beginning, that they were making something WONDERFUL. He said there were days where people in the film would just burst into tears on the set because they were FEELING so good about the film, that they were playing such an amazing part in a very important movie. Richard said the emotion was EVERYWHERE, all the time. He went on to say how on many occasions, including that finale scene in the auditorium, the filmmakers did multiple "takes", which on any show would be a pretty usual thing to happen, but with HOLLAND, they did it BECAUSE THEY JUST LOVED IT, and wanted to do it AGAIN!
"We were on budget, and on time...", Richard said. "So the director would look around, and he would see the looks on everyone's face like...yeah, you wanna do it one more time? Let's do it."
Soon after the film's completetion, the Mr. Holland Foundation was started, which provides musical instruments to schools, and Richard would present the Teacher's Award. It was a very personal project for him, and he told us that to this day, 15 years after the film, there are cast and crew reunions. He also said that during the production, EVERYONE would go out nightly for dinner, drinks and conversation. It was a family affiar, and it clearly reamins very close-knit.
Richard also said he was very fond of composer Michael Kamen (who is one of my favorites as well. His musical sound is VERY easily recognized.), whom he misses a lot. Kamen died several years ago, far too soon.
Richard said he would often go to Michael's house and listen to him compose and play the melodies he was composing for the film. "An American Symphony" is a full-on original piece that Michael composed for the film, and Richard's eyes lit up as he recalled watching it happen. He said, "sometimes I would be at Michael's, and I would be listening to what he wrote, and I would say something...you know, like make some suggestion about maybe this kind of sound should be like this (and Richard made a musical sound to illustrate what he meant), or what if it sounded like that...and Michael would get SO excited, and he'd point right at me and say OH! YES! then he'd go and write it in somewhere."
It seemed very clear that Richard's love of the film and everything about it was enduring and strong. He was nominated for his second Academy Award for his role, and how he was passed over that year is beyond me. It is a wonderous and emotional film that will affect you, move you, and make you realize the versatility and GENIUS of Richard's ability to bring his characters to life.
I then copped to the fact that I had only just a day or two prior to meeting him, seen THE GOODBYE GIRL for the very first time. It was such a hard dvd for me to get my hands on, but that story was told in Part 1...
Richard also was very pleased with the film, and enjoyed the role of a struggling actor opposite a struggling dancer, played by Marsha Mason. Richard's Oscar-winning role for Best Actor in 1978 was so deftly played. His sharp witted, fast-talking character portrayal of Elliot was a delight to play, he said. The people who worked with him were wonderful and funny. He recalled the story of how his character had to play Richard III as a flamboyant homosexual, a fierce departure from any other presentation of the character. Richard told me that every time it was time to get into that character, and do the readings and play the scenes, he would say "I don't wanna do it right now, can we do it later? Can we just do it later?"
Eventually, when it came time to shoot the scene, and there was no more stalling to be done, Richard played the scene for the first time, and that's what was shot and what we see in the finished film. He had no idea where it was going to go, or if was going to work, but he did it right then and there, and it DID work. Richard's Richard (lol!!) was riotous and the apprehension and perspiration we see on his face was probably not just "Elliot" being nervous, but Richard as well!
THE GOODBYE GIRL is a very sweet movie, and a touching love story that is well worth seeing...or seeing again if you haven't been down that road in a while. When Sylvester Stallone presented Richard with his statue at the Oscar ceremony in 1978, Richard's elation and surprise were all over his face. His fist-pumps as he took the stage though, showed how ecstatic he was.
Richard told us that he felt he had won that award "too soon", though, and that he became concerned that from there, the only way to go was DOWN, with regard to fame, popularity, job offers, etc. It was like, "ok, I got this, now I can't go any higher, so I'm probably going to go the opposite direction...shit!"
With Richard's newfound popularity however, he was getting fairly steady work, and moved on to that little number also by Mr. Spielberg called CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND. We didn't really talk too much about this one, and we were more involved with sharing Richard's feelings about his role as an actor in more general terms.
At this point, Richard revealed to us that there were some "dark days" in the late 1970s and early 1980s for him, involving drugs and a serious car accident. he didn't go into too many details, but I found his openness about it on even the slightest level to be very kind and generous. That he would share these demons of his wth me, whether they were previously publicized or not, meant something. I was, in fact, aware of these events beforehand, but made no mention of them, nor would I ever have had he not done so first. I didn't ask any questions or make any statements other than a simple acknowledgement as he shared them.
Richard then went on to say that he was really proud of a lot of the films he made in the 80s into the very early 90s: LET IT RIDE, DOWN AND OUT IN BEVERLY HILLS, NUTS, TIN MEN...and I of course chimed in with STAKEOUT, which brought out a smile. I asked him about ALWAYS, his third Spielberg film, and if he had spent any time taking flying lessons or working on fire lines. If you haven't seen this film, it's VERY good. Another love story, featuring Audrey Hepburn in her final performance. Richard plays a pilot named Pete Sandich, who, along with John Goodman, fly over forest fires, and drop that red extinguisher material to put out the fires. Pete makes the ultimate sacrifice for his friend, and reappears as an unseen, but VERY strongly felt spirit. He helps them overcome the grief of losing him, and the feelings of moving forward without him, and also of learning to love again, in the case of Pete's girlfriend, Dorinda, played by Holly Hunter. It is a very touching and warmhearted film. Richard was really happy to be a part of it because he was working with Spielberg again, and "Steven and I absolutely LOVED the original movie with Spencer Tracy (referring to "A Guy Named Joe"), and we watched the movie so many times that we destroyed it!"
I asked him about certain scenes in the film, and in a few others of that particular era of his filmography, both small and large, and at one point, I noticed that Richard's eyes were a bit red, and he was clearly becoming a bit emotional. He said, "You know...you have CLEARLY studied my career very closely...and I want to tell you something. One time, I got to host an evening, and the room was filled with actresses from the Golden Age of cinema, you know, the 30s and 40s. Ladies like Olivia de Haviland...and I was able to then go to each one of these marvelous women, and TELL THEM what they meant to me as an actor. I could go to this one and say "you taught me how to make love"...I could go to that one and say "you taught me how to kiss"...and I went from table to table, telling these ladies just how they had affected my career as an actor, and their jaws would just drop. I don't think they ever would expect to hear that from someone. Now, I want to ask YOU something..."
This was the first, and really ONLY question Richard would ask me as it related to HIM.
"What is it about ME? What got you started with ME? How did all of this begin for you?"
I took a moment to ponder it, although really, I didn't need it. I made those "looking up" type movements with my eyes as if I were searching for the answer, all the while realizing very clearly, that not only was he looking intently at me, but also that this was THE question...and more importantly THE answer...that was going to define not only the afternoon's importance, but also how Richard perceives me as a person, a fan and an admirer.
"Well..." I began. "I think obviously it has to be JAWS and Martha's Vineyard."
Richard smiled and nodded.
I continued with my answer. "That time of my life where I was first exposed to both the film and to you as the actor in it, was very important. I began to further understand the enjoyment I got from watching exciting movies was directly proportionate to not only what the movie was about, but also WHO was in it. The way you played Matt Hooper, this arrogant, cocky guy from the oceanographic institute who comes to Amity with all his gadgets and knowledge...I LIKED this guy! I wanted Hooper to show everyone up and say "I told you so".
From there, it was CLOSE ENCOUNTERS, and then I saw THE COMPETITION in the theater with my mom, and all I can remember about that was you playing Beethoven's Emperor concerto. There were a few other films that I know I missed, including until recently, of course, THE GOODBYE GIRL. But what I was realizing with every subsequent film of yours that I saw, was that your characters, through what you brought to them from your own life experiences, were making me FEEL things. Everyone was an emotional character. Hooper was arrogant, Elliot was driven to be a better actor, Mr. Holland was a passionate teacher...everyone had a real personality that reached me, and in many cases, have STAYED with me!"
Richard really seemed to be enjoying my answer, my expressiveness. He sat there, smiling and acknowledging things here and there as I said something that hit home for him. I wanted to wrap up my answer with an example of some sort and I knew where I was going to get it from.
"For example..." I continued. "In STAKEOUT, you play a wise-cracking street smart detective who at once is down on his luck personally, and just got the shit assignment of watching some girl from across the street from her house. The movie itself is a great one, and ironically, I first saw it on The Vineyard as well. But there is something in THIS movie, and with many others, don't get me wrong, but in THIS one, that has popped up in my life time after time, and it's hysterical, and it's also why I knew that Christian was going to enjoy today just as much as I was.
Even before I won the auction, every once in a while, Christian or another firend of mine who is familiar with the movie, would just...out of nowhere, come out with "Eatinginbetweenmeals???"....as I did my best impression of Richard's character in the film as he snaps back at a bitchy cashier in a grocery store...
...and with THAT, the previously mentioned Dreyfuss Chuckle erupted into the DREYFUSS LAUGH. Full-on, table slapping, red-faced...the staccato laugh anyone who has seen Richard's films has seen and heard. He was hysterical, and I felt like a million dollars. If you recall, I had mentioned earlier in the morning to Christian, that if I were to bring that line up during the afternoon, it was so obscure, so random, that Richard would probably not immediately associate with it. Boy, was I wrong!! He remembered it immediately and, it would seem, with great fondness as a very funny moment from a very funny movie.
I reiterated to Richard that why I am such a fan of his work and of him, was because of his mastery of the ability to make me FEEL through watching his characters. He brings a true reality and believability to fictional characters like Glen Holland, Matt Hooper, Pete Sandich, Elliot Garfield and real-life individuals like Dick Cheney and Alexander Haig. THAT is why him.
Richard sat there for a moment, silent and smiling.
I then asked him why, given his recent strong new calling to try and put America back on track with his Initiative, and his self-imposed retirement from acting, are we still now seeing him in films like RED and PIRANHA 3D, and on TV shows like WEEDS. Also, I was dying to know, how in the world had he been approached to make his cameo in PIRANHA 3D this past summer! Not a film one would ever think to see Richard Dreyfuss in, but nonetheless, there he was, and looking VERY familiar (dare I say 1974-ish!!) dressed in jeans, a denim jacket, wire-rimmed glasses and a navy blue watchcap...and singing "Show Me The Way To Go Home" for that matter!
He addressed the "return" to acting piece of my question first.
"I have no regrets about any of the films I've done, especially many of the ones in the 80s. Every film I did was because I loved it. Even when I was having other problems (alluding to some of his legal unpleasantness, I believe.), I was doing everything I did because there was a lot of love for it. Eventually, there came a time when...I stopped LOVING it, and it then became an issue of different feelings about it."
Richard very matter-of-factly continued on with his explanation of things:
"As far as movies like PIRANHA and other things I'm doing...well, you know, I made a lot of money in my career, and then after a time, I was making SOME money. With things like the Initiative, I realized that basically, I needed more money, and I hadn't been acting for a while. I took things like PIRANHA because I was offered a LOT of money by Bob Weinstein (frm The Weinstein Company, one of the production companies behind the film) for the Initiative. I told him a little about it, and Bob said to me "If it hadn't already been written, I would write it, but you had me at 'civics'". Richard laughed.
I said, "Ok, but who came up with the very obvious Hooper parody, right down to the "fast fish" line you say when you have a fish on the line? Was that part of what drew you to it?"
Richard chuckled again and said, "That was my idea, actually. The Hooper thing was my idea, and I thought it was a lot of fun."
Let me point out that this cameo of Richard's was so funny and witty, and although I had heard something about him being in the film, and that perhaps there was a JAWS reference in there, I refused to see or read anything about the film beyond the general description because I didn't want to spoil anything. It was great when I went to see the film, several others were in the theater as well, and the film opens with Richard's character of Matt Boyd sitting in his little rowboat, singing and fishing. Seeing essentially the return of Matt HOOPER, I laughed out loud and clapped...by myself. No one else got it. No one else understood why I was so pleased. When I heard the song playing on his tiny little transistor radio, I again cheered and clapped...and again...solo. The clincher was his line of dialogue after a fish takes his bait and runs with his fishing line. The filament is spinning off the reel, and as he frantically reels in the line, he mutters under his breath: "Fast fish!". I almost jumped out of my chair I was so giddy...just like a movie geek SHOULD be in a case like this! Not too long after this scene, some very bad things happened to poor Mr. Boyd, and as we discover a bit later on when his body is discovered, it might've been quicker and easier for Richard's OTHER Matt to just have let the SHARK get him 35 years earlier.
Not long after I saw the film I read somewhere that the intention of the cameo was to re-establish Matt HOOPER, 35 years later, and because "something really bad happened a long time ago in his life", he didn't like being out on the ocean anymore, so he keeps to smaller bodies of water like the lake he was on, where it was calm and he could fish in peace. I don't know how accurate that information was, but it SOUNDED good at the time...
"So...", Richard said. "It's a matter of needing the money to support things in my life like the Initiative. I don't live in Los Angeles anymore, I live in San Diego, away from that. Hollywood chews you up."
Around then, Richard's cell phone rang, and we were treated to Richard just being Richard as he answered...
"I love you..."
It was his wife calling from the hotel. Richard explained he was at the burger place, and he was going to be finished up shortly. It was a brief call, and he ended it as he opened it, by telling Svetlana he loved her. I even glanced over to Christian and made a quick "awwww" face.
I sensed that the time was, in fact coming to an end, and I stole a quick glance at my watch and was surprised to find out that 3.5 hours had gone by! I had assumed that we would have 90 minutes or maybe 2 hours to share before Richard had to go. Another meeting perhaps, an errand or two to run with his wife...whatever it was, I just thought that the time would be nowhere near as long as it wound up being. It was yet another confirmation of how genuine, friendly and casual Richard is. There was no clock-watching, no uncomfortable silences, no awkward comments...none of that. In fact, there was so MUCH awesome and rich conversation, that Richard barely got to eat his cheeseburger! If he got half of it in, it's probably an exaggeration. He DID enjoy the root beer/black cherry soda mix he created, though, as did we all.
I took the opening at that moment, to begin the "end run" of the afternoon.
I told Richard that if he didn't mind, I had a small gift for him. His immediate (and surprisingly funny) reply was: "Oh, is it a rock of crack cocaine?"
We all laughed...but not before HE did first!
I pulled a small red photo album from my bag, and offered it to him. He saw the color photo that had been inserted in the cover, and he smiled broadly.
I had printed up close to 75 4x6 photos taken by various journalists, authors and Vineyard residents during the production of JAWS in 1974. Most, if not all of these photos hadn't been seen in 35 years by ANYone. I had organized them into "cast" and "production" photos, of course with an emphasis on pictures of Richard. With each flip of a page, Richard smiled even more, and again, I saw the emotion in his eyes reveal his sincere happiness and fondness for the treasures I had presented him with. At one point he stopped, and looked up.
"WHERE did you get these?" he asked.
I told him that a friend of mine on the Vineyard had the extreme fortune to befriend many of the original photographers, and he obtained a wealth of these pictures directly from them. I, in turn, scoured them all, and chose these to print and put into an album for Richard. I wanted him to have a little bit of a time warp to a film that so indelibly etched him into modern cinematic history...at the tender age of 27! Richard was clearly enjoying every new photo he saw, and when he came to one of him taken towards the end of the film, when he was getting in the shark cage, he was snapped as he was looking back at the photographer. It prompted another quickie JAWS story...
"You know...I wasn't certified in scuba diving like most of the others on the crew. So, when I went into the cage, and they closed the...the lid of this thing, it knocked my breathing thing outta my mouth, and it took my mask off. And the lid of the cage, when it closed, locked down...so I was stuck in this fucking cage! It was only for about two or three seconds, but...(he chuckles again)...it was the longest two seconds of my LIFE!"
Did any of you guys ever hear THAT story? It was a new one for ME, that's for sure!
Richard finished looking through the photo album, and read the short note I had written to him in the front of it. It said, for the most part, how honored I was to have won the auction, and to have had the time he so graciously gave to spend with him. I thanked him for his body of work, his passion for acting, and for sharing that passion with so many for over 50 years, as well as for organizing and bringing to life The Dreyfuss Initiative. His love of his country and his undying commitment to bring civics and a better understanding of them back into the classrooms of America is undeniable and absolute, and with continued support and word of mouth, the Initiative will gain speed and power, and those changes WILL happen.
Richard closed the album, and laid his hand on the cover carefully, patting it gently as though he was protecting something sacred to him.
"Thank you...so much for this." Richard said.
"Thank YOU for THIS." I replied immediately. "This is a day I will treasure forever. I am so proud to have had this time to meet and talk with you."
Christian seconded the sentiment as well.
I then asked him, carefully, as I wasn't sure of how it would be received, if it would be ok to ask him to sign a few things I had brought along. Richard smiled again, and said how fans at autograph shows were sometimes a bit "scary" for him. I had remembered his assistant, Tom mentioned to me in an email that Richard wasn't a huge fan of signing things or of taking pictures, but that if I handled it deftly, he was sure it'd be ok.
With that in mind, I began to produce my few items: the DVD cover inserts for THE GOODBYE GIRL and MR. HOLLAND'S OPUS, the piece of sheet music for "The American Symphony", which I told Richard I searched high and low for, as I thought what better item for "Mr. Holland" to sign, than his own composition! He agreed, and signed it happily, adding a great message which no doubt many of you have seen already on Facebook. If you haven't, fear not...I am attaching it here as well.
Lastly, I brought out the "shot glass" tooth from JAWS, that I mentioned briefly in Part 1 of this blog. I told him if I didn't get the tooth signed I would really be doing a disservice to my love of JAWS, to the legion of FINatics whom I'm friendly with, and to the film that really put him on the map, so to speak, for all time.
For the record, no, THIS time he did NOT drop the tooth, he did NOT "have an accident", and he probably doesn't care if he gets his picture in National Geographic.
With everything signed, and heartfelt thanks all around, we gathered our jackets and made our way to the exit of the restaurant...where we promptly ran into his wife who showed up at the perfect time as we walked out! Richard kindly introduced Christian and I to Svetlana, who then quickly exchanged a kiss with her husband. I asked Richard if, before we all go our separate ways, could we perhaps take a photo together. He was only too happy to say "Oh, sure, sure! Honey, would you take the picture for us?" I handed my camera to Svetlana, and then Christian, Richard and I positioned ourselves for the photo. It looked as if the camera may not have been cooperating with Svetlana, so I quickly explained the usual bullshit about "hold the button down until you hear it fire...".
"Darling," She began. "I know how to do this...I'm not Spielberg, you know..."
We all broke up in laughter as she took the picture, which as you can see, fired at the precise moment I was saying something to Richard, but who cares. When I got home later, I realized Svetlana had actually taken TWO pictures of the three of us, but in the first one, we CLEARLY weren't prepared, and Richard wasn't smiling. Of course, I kept it anyway, but the second shot, even though I'm mid-sentence, is far better, and the smiles are all around.
Richard shook hands with Christian, and then turned to me to shake mine. As he did that, I again thanked him most sincerely, telling him how special and personally important the day had been for me.
Richard held onto my hand for another moment, then released it, and placed his hand on my arm as he said: "You gave me a Mitzvah today..."
A mitzvah is, in Jewish law, either the fulfillment of a commandment or a worthy deed. Since I don't believe I was following any commandments, I suspected Richard was referring to the latter...a worthy deed. Of course, I knew exactly what he was saying, and what it meant. We are both "of the Tribe", both leftys, both extremely funny and talented...well, HIM probably more than ME...I don't have any golden statues on my mantle...yet. I also realized that Richard very strongly reminds me of my uncle Howard in his mannerisms, humor and also his passion for history. I gotta remind myself to get in touch with my uncle and let him know he may have an Academy Award-winning clone in San Diego...ironically where Howard used to live! Maybe there's just something in the air out there that generates amazing people...my brother lives out there with his family now as well, so I thank myself for proving my own point, lol....
Later that night, after I got home, Christian summarized some of what I was feeling as well, in a series of text messages, which I will now horribly paraphrase...
"...we got to actually see the measure of a man...like the scene in MR. HOLLAND'S OPUS, we gave him sort of a private Lifetime Achievement award that he probably had never gotten before. We were just two John Doe's...true respecters of his work, and now of his person. He shared from his soul...the good, bad and the ugly, and still walked out out with the admiration and continued respect of other good men. Like Mr. Holland, Richard heard and felt what it was to be randomly respected, and we collectively showed him that the belief in his passion...civility and respect for our common man is something not just inside his head, but a truly believable reality. We didn't feed an ego, we shared FROM the heart, and it clearly was taken TO another...his."
I thought Christian's sentiments were right on target, and I told him so. I think that the afternoon with Richard couldn't have gone any better if it was planned by the greatest screenwriters in Hollywood. I went home totally jazzed, excited, and eager to relax with my thoughts and memories. I kept looking at the items Richard signed for me. That sheet music is so unique, I think, as did Richard, and it's really very special to me. Naturally, given this kind of personal, private face time hearing Richard's passionate remarks about all things cinematic and political, has also made my interest in re-watching his films and learning more about the momentum and success of The Dreyfuss Initiative even stronger. If I didn't have to get up early the next morning to go to work, I would have spent all night Sunday having a Dreyfuss-thon of movies. I have plenty of time for that, though. The movies will always be there, as an enduring gift from Richard not just to ME, but to EVERYONE who he has touched with his talents and his dedication to everything he does, every role he plays, whether it's a lawyer, a detective, an oceanographer, a politician...
...or as Richard Dreyfuss. The man. The person. The passionate American.
And for three and a half hours on Sunday, November 21st, 2010...it felt to me like...the FRIEND.
I cannot say strongly enough how amazing the day was for me. It was surreal, mesmerizing, hysterical, moving, educational, and a little bit of everything else all wrapped up in a tiny little hole-in-the-wall burger joint on Broadway, sitting two feet across a table from one of the most intelligent, well-read, sensitive, funny and dedicated men I've ever met...who also just so happens to be one of the best, most versatile and storied actors in modern cinema.
Richard's assistant Tom told me while Richard was with me, I would be in unbeatable company. He was more right than he probalby could imagine. It was a perfect afternoon, one I am forever grateful for, and will always cherish and recall with lots of laughter and great memories.
Because this blog is being shared with Richard as well, I want to step out of the role of storyteller for a moment, and simply say to Richard (and to Tom if you're checking it out as well!) from the bottom of my heart, THANK YOU. For sharing your time and your stories with me with an openness and honesty as you did, and for making the day feel like I was hanging out with a buddy of mine. You are immediately a warm, and generous person, and it was an honor to keep company with you, and I know that besides myself, EVERYONE who reads this blog shares in my sentiment that they wish you all the best of everything your endeavors bring you. You are a true gentleman, and a class act.
Everyone should check out Richard's website, and take a few moments to read what he's trying to do. It's REALLY important! www.thedreyfussinitiative.org
As this, my most lengthy blog EVER, comes to a close, I will now finish off the last 2 hours of my shift at the ambulance company, and then resume what I enjoy doing more often than I should: "Eatinginbetweenmeals!!"
Thanks to everyone for all your great comments on Facebook, keep them coming if you like, and I hope this blog was descriptive and thorough enough for you all to be able to FEEL it without you actually being there. This was a real treat for me to write, and I hope you enjoy it...
Til next time, this your pal, JonnyB rockin' it out, DREYFUSS STYLE!!! ;-)
