Wednesday, October 8, 2014

My One Time "Breakfast Chum", Marian Seldes


Rick McKay's work documenting the Golden Age of Broadway is beyond priceless, and in the process of making THREE films on it (the next is this one -- to be released in 2015), he came to know Marian Seldes very well. After a few comments I will yield to his greater understanding.





Episcopal Cathedral Church St. John the Divine on Amsterdam Avenue in New York is the LARGEST Gothic Cathedral in the entire world.


It was here, that Tennessee Williams was inaugurated into the Poets' Corner in November of 2009 -- but I am getting ahead of myself.




In March of 2008, as I walked through the lobby of one the the grand hotels in New Orleans associated with the Tennessee Williams Festival, I saw Thomas Keith getting up to leave a dining room table, and he walked over to me, said he wanted me to meet Marian Seldes -- and perhaps I could have breakfast with her since he was her escort and had to leave just as she was served.

I approached her table with Thomas, who introduced us, and then after a few words, accepted Marian's invitation to join her, but declined to order food except coffee.

Although my closest friends in college were Theater majors and I worked for Tennessee Williams, I hardly qualify as a true "theater person", and really knew nothing about Ms. Seldes except for info in the program that year. I KNOW I saw her on Broadway in EQUUS, but she was never a big "celebrity" star or known for "scandalous antics". I didn't know enough about her work to discuss it, but the two of us conversed about all kinds of things, including my unfinished memoir on Williams -- and she was very encouraging, really of EVERYTHING, in her unique, liquid way.


I have often wondered HOW I got to be so lucky meeting so many extraordinary people in my life -- I CERTAINLY have done nothing "good" to deserved so many REWARDS!!!


When I caught up with her to speak at the Episcopal Cathedral a year and a half later, she did not really seem to remember me, so make of that what you will.

But I DO also want to say a word about Rick McKay.



http://www.amazon.com/Broadway-Golden-Legends-Were-There/dp/B000649YA2 is the ONE film I would save -- if that's all I were allowed.


I've watched it more than a dozen times, and among OTHER amazing things, is not only its concentration on the work of Tennessee Williams, but a GREAT scene from CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF with Ben Gazzara as Brick Pollitt. 



Ben Gazzara with Barbara Bel Geddes in CAT, 1955.


Ben's voice is even better than James Earl Jones's!!!


Ben does a GREAT imitation of the eccentric "patrician actress" Marian Seldes at about minute 3:00 in Rick McKay's Tribute to Marian -- I highly recommend the whole thing. And I met Rick when he was touring through Atlanta showing the movie at art house theaters. Rick and I had begun talking about his lecturing and showing his film here in Puerto Vallarta, when I tried to mount the 100th Birthday Anniversary Festival for 2011, but of course REALITY got in the way -- HA!!!

Let me also say now (again -- but easy to forget after I tell dramatic stories castigating Thomas Elliot Keith), that I have TONS of respect for him too -- even love. He's certainly one of the most INTENSE of the "Williams Scholars", and whatever he's felt he had to do politically, I could not imagine actually trying to jail him.


Rick McKay can take it from here . . .






15 hrs · Edited · 
Here is a tribute to my pal Marian Seldes, one of the great actresses of the stage of the last century and well into this one. Marian passed away yesterday, leaving many of us devastated. However, she lived a long, full life and touched many, many people with her work. In her later career she was known variously as “Broadway’s Quiet Lioness,” “The First Lady of Broadway,” or as theater critic Clive Barnes called her, "America's theatrical diva for our time."

I have included footage from Marian in the first film of our Broadway trilogy, "Broadway: The Golden Age." Sadly, I didn't realize until I edited this today that every single star seen on screen in that chapter has passed away since I filmed them. I have also included footage from after a few of our shoots when we were talking candidly before and after posing for press photos. Marian was completely at ease and it is very moving for me to hear the lovely things she says about my work and our trilogy. Later there is also a clip of the great actor Ben Gazzara talking after our last shoot together. While always in sync, it is amazing for me to see, for the first time, Ben and I doing simultaneous, loving homages/imitations of our mutual pal Marian. Ben, the ultimate tough guy movie star and stage actor, was never funnier than here doing a spot-on Marian. Tragically, Ben was gone within the year as well.

The later interview you see with Marian is from our new film, debuting in 2015 and probably Marian's last time on camera as she was declining quickly. But, she is incredibly moving, especially as she reads the Tennessee Williams that she brought me that day.

One of my favorite things that Marian said to me - and there were many - was when I ran into her at Carnegie Hall when Rufus Wainwright was doing his "Judy at Carnegie Hall" - by the way, Marian saw everything. It was intermission and Marian dismissed Rufus and the show summarily, but then said, or rather whispered as only she could, "Darling, it was on again last night." "What," I asked? "Our movie darling. I was dressing for drinks with friends and it came on television. I sat down at the edge of my bed for ONE MINUTE to watch the beginning. Well darling, what do you think happened," she asked. "I NEVER got up. I simply couldn't. I was glued to that edge of the bed for 2 HOURS! It is such a wonderful, wonderful movie. I have seen it at least a dozen times."

Marian never failed to call me every time she saw me on television flogging the film or DVD to tell me enthusiastically what she thought of every word I uttered. She listened to everything. And paid attention. She told me till her last play she would stand in the wings when she wasn't on stage and study every actor - never going to her dressing room to rest or to talk on the phone. I used to adore her phone messages. She was not of this century - and maybe not of the last one either. She is the only person I ever knew who would "sign" her voice mail messages as if she was dictating to her secretary. "Good night darling," she would whisper. "Love, Marian."

You are going to be much missed my dear friend. I hope what you said at the end of this video about my films bringing people back to life after they are gone is true. But, then again, as far as I am concerned, you are still here - and always will be if I have any say in things. . .
Rick McKay with James GrissomStephen McKayJim BrochuLee Roy Reams and "Broadway: BEYOND the Golden Age" mega-producers Anne BernsteinJamie DeRoyRichard Eric WeigleJane KlainFran Bator,Michael Anastasio and Celia Castevens.

For more info, to see the trailer for Rick McKay's upcoming new Broadway film, and to support this invaluable film trilogy, click this link:http://www.broadwaythemovie.com/trailer/bbga

Or get the award-winning first film of the trilogy, BROADWAY: THE GOLDEN AGE on DVD at:
http://www.amazon.com/…/B000649Y…/ref=nosim/broadwthegold-20


Here is a tribute to my pal Marian Seldes, one of the great actresses of the stage of the last century and...
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