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| FanSource 2001 |
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| Pasadena, California |
I am writing this report mainly for the benefit of those who were not there and who won't be seeing the video. If you want a definitive version of everything that Bruce said...watch the video, this is just my take on what happened, mistakes and all!
In the
Beginning (apologies to JMS!)
By way of introduction, I must say that it was really great to meet all the Grapeviners, SmacKers etc. whose names have become so familiar to me over the last couple of years. I can't possibly mention everybody by name here, as I'm sure to miss someone out. We had a great time...and that was before Bruce arrived! It was also lovely to meet two UK fans that I hadn't met before, Shaz (Sharon Ney) and Anna (Kibler).By the time Sunday afternoon came around, I think that we were more than ready to see Bruce. Some of us had stayed around the hotel on Saturday and met several of the other guests, who were really nice and friendly. Sadly, there were not many people to see some of them, probably due to the situation after Sept. 11th. I think that they were very pleased to see us...they were certainly surprised that some of us had come all the way from the UK!
From what was said, the Dealers' Room was better this year than last. In addition to Kathy Kautz's excellent Bruce and Melissa candy bars, there were several lots of things being sold in aid of the 'Star' appeal. These included the t-shirts that Kathy Bartels had had printed, plus items donated by Warner Bros and fans, e.g. SMK tapes, B5 calendars, magazines, figures etc. Kate Jackson had donated more SMK scripts with proceeds to her chosen charity. There was also a silent auction of items for the 'Star' appeal.
Bruce was late arriving, he had been delayed by an accident on the freeway that had held up the traffic. Finally he was spotted in the Lobby downstairs, (or perhaps we heard his lovely deep voice first...whatever!) and everyone rushed to look over the rail to see what he was wearing, how long and what colour his hair was, did he have a beard?.. As you have probably all seen from the photos, he was wearing a green/grey Hawaiian shirt with beige slacks. He looked very tanned and trim, his hair dyed brown and about the same length as in the final season of SMK. Several of us did notice that his hair is beginning to thin, I believe he actually mentioned it himself.Kathy Bartels took him into the signing room to get settled. He had brought some 'One Fluid Ounce' CD's, given to him by Sam and they were on sale at the table as we went into the room. To try to speed things up (initially we were told that Bruce would have to leave by 7.00pm!) Kathy asked that people try to reduce the number of items for signing to 3 or 4. She also said that fans would only be allowed in the signing room singly or in small groups and to try to keep photo-taking for the reception (except for individual pics with Bruce).
When my turn came I had a few things to give to Bruce first. I gave him the card that I had made, from the UK fans; there were quite a few messages from fans in it, including several from people who hadn't been able to go to FanSource. The card had a UK map on the front with everyone's name in place of their home town on it and it was tied together with a piece of red, white and blue ribbon... seemed appropriate for the present time. Bruce thanked me and looked carefully at the card. I asked, "Does it look familiar?" "Ah, my itinerary!" he replied. This was a reference to the card that I had given him at last year's UK book-signing tour. I then gave him the book that I had brought as a gift from Lisa Donel and her archaeological dig team in Gloucester 'The Left-handers Handbook"... he looked at the note with the book and laughed! I was unsure about trying to bring beer from the UK so I had brought him a copy of 'The Good Beer Guide' instead. He smiled and said "Thanks" at that. (I later discovered that he had made a pact with Melissa.....she had given up smoking and he had given up alcohol...just for a while!)
Finally, I had a couple of pics for him to sign; the first was for Elena Prima. I explained that she was a BB fan in Russia that I had sent a copy of 'Perilous' to. He signed, struggling a little with the rather thick pen that Kathy had given him. "You could have found a better picture to send her", he commented. Initally confused , I thought that he was referring to the photo that I had brought but of course he meant 'Perilous'. Clearly, 'Perilous' is not one of his favourites! He then mentioned that film companies had been told not to film outside the US and Canada at present as a location shoot could be an easy target! He finished by signing a pic for me, and my copy of 'Searcher'.
I felt that Bruce was not quite his normal relaxed self at the signing, he was just a little nervous and on edge. It wasn't anything he said or did, just a feeling I got. I know that some others felt the same. However, I was in the first half of the queue and later, when I went back into the signing room at the end of the session, he seemed much more relaxed. This, despite the fact that the poor guy was trying to talk, sign and eat bites of his food, a salad roll, all at the same time! Kathy, very aware of the time, was trying to hurry things along. There were only around 45 people in the line (not as many as last year) but the signing had run well over time and the reception was still to come.
Before joining us in the Reception (for Bruce's Official Fan Club members only) Bruce went to the Green Room for a short break....and had a surprise reunion with Martha Smith (Francine from SMK) and Greg Morton (Jamie from SMK). From what was said, I think that he was pretty overwhelmed by this; he said later that he hadn't seen either of them since SMK ended!I'm going to include all the stories that I can remember from the Reception, but not necessarily in the order in which they were told. I found that it was easier to put them into categories first. Bruce spent a few minutes on his own with us, before being joined by Martha and Greg.
The first questions were about this movie that Bruce is part-way through making at present. He starts filming again in mid-November.Locations: Bruce said that he had been filming around Virginia...in fact he had visited most of the main battlefields before filming began. He particularly mentioned Hagerstown, and the Shenandoah Valley, which he liked very much.
Character change: Bruce had had no problem swapping characters from Couch (whose part in the movie had become very small) to Longstreet...he was clearly delighted by what had happened. Apparently, Tom Berenger hadn't thought that Longstreet's role in G and G was 'big' enough for him and really wanted the 'Stonewall Jackson' part!
The Beard: Bruce had grown his hair a little and dyed it for the Longstreet role but had to wear a false beard....made of yak hair! Longstreet had quite a long beard and Bruce mentioned that Tom Berenger wore his own beard for the role in 'Gettysburg', something which caused a little controversy....Bruce mentioned a very un-complementary remark from a review in the London 'Times'. The production team were obviously hoping to avoid this in G and G....Bruce said that the beard (on Bruce of course) had been photographed from every possible angle!
The accent: Bruce admitted that he had been working really hard on his Carolina accent!
Release date: G and G is due for release in late 2002, on the anniversary of the Gettysburg Address.
There was much reminiscing about SMK, Martha and Greg being there to help job Bruce's memory. Greg didn't say a lot but when he did, it was usually pretty amusing. Not many of questions were asked but a lot of stories were told .I cannot possibly remember all that was said but here are some of the stories; you may have heard some of them before.SMK on PAX: Bruce said that his grandmother, who is 96 and had never seen SMK before, had been watching the PAX re-runs and enjoying them!
Mel Stewart: Bruce and Martha had fun talking about Mel Stewart (Billy Melrose) and how he had problems remembering his lines, particularly in long speeches. The crew had made up big cue cards for him! Bruce said that one time, late on a Friday evening, Mel had a problem with his lines. He took so long that by the time ha had finished, Bruce had forgotten what he was supposed to say in reply and Martha (who complained that, after the first season, she had so few lines that she learned everyone else's!) had been itching to say the lines for Mel! Clearly they both had a great fondness for Mel, who sadly died a few years ago.
Filming in Europe in 1984: Much of the discussion revolved around Bruce and Martha's memories of their 'good' time in Europe. Bruce admitted that he had been a 'bad boy' whilst in Europe...I won't go into any details here...I'm afraid you will have to watch the video if you want to know more!
Munich: Bruce repeated the story about visiting a night-club with some of the crew. He was dancing with some girls when a punk came up and accused him of taking his girlfriend. Bruce argued with him and they got into a fight. He and the crew had to make a quick exit!
Incident whilst filming 'Das Geisterschloss': In this episode there is a scene where Lee and Amanda have to jump from the top of a castle wall into the moat. Obviously, Bruce and Kate didn't do this but they did watch. Bruce and Kate's stunt doubles did the jump. The moat was only a few feet deep and so they had to land on cardboard boxes in the water to break their fall. The girl, a British stuntwoman who Bruce clearly admired, banged her head on the stuntman's knee as she landed and it took her eyebrow off! Bruce gave a gory description of seeing her eyebrow stuck on this stuntman's trousers! Obviously, she was concussed by the landing and it was a while before people were able to convince her that she had hurt herself. She wasn't at all phased by it and just carried on....tough girl!
Filming in London: Bruce told a couple of stories about this. Whilst filming 'To Catch a Mongoose" Bruce and Kate filmed a scene in a building belonging to New Scotland Yard. There were a few problems with the scene and Kate came up to Bruce at the end of filming and said angrily, "We have to talk!" They went off for lunch at a small restaurant and had a blazing row, shouting at one another across the table, much to the consternation of the few other diners! In the end they made up and had a laugh and a cuddle! This side to their working relationship came out in another story. Bruce and Kate had arranged to meet the head of Warner Bros., who was visiting London. Whilst waiting for him in a hotel bar, Bruce, who was trying to get his revenge for earlier problems, bought Kate a few drinks....was it 11 Pimms No.1?...Her favourite. Anyway, by the time the Warners' man arrived, Kate was dancing on the table!!
Season 4 problems: Both Bruce and Martha said how difficult the end of Season 4 was after Kate's illness. There were so many rewrites and none of the cast knew exactly how each day would go. It was particularly difficult because no one knew what was the matter with Kate. Bruce said the show should really have gone on for another season. He felt that the reason why there were no novels etc. related to SMK was because it hadn't reached that 'magic' fifth season.
Bruce and Kate: Bruce said again that he would love to see Kate and he couldn't understand why she wouldn't meet him.
Beyond SMK: Bruce recalled having taken part in a paintball game (possibly for charity). He was in a team with his SMK stunt double and other stunt players against a team of professionals (police, I think). Bruce's team won! I guess that the opposition was suitably embarrassed.
Bruce and the CIA!: Believe it or not, Bruce mentioned that the CIA had tried to recruit him whilst he was on SMK....apparently they thought that actors made good (believable) agents! Needless to say, he didn't take them up on their offer.
Bruce spoke about his latest audio book, 'The Holy Road', the sequel to 'Dances with Wolves". It is out now. He said that it was an excellent story and that Kevin Costner is hopefully going to make the movie.
FE was being looked at again for film/TV but there was no sign of an audio book version at present.
Bruce said that he enjoyed The West Wing, though he thought the writing was condescending sometimes -- said it was a little too 'smug'. He'd been asked to go and read for a v small part (would have just been part of one ep, I think), but that he'd turned them down -- Martha Smith asked him if *he* wasn't being a little too smug, which got a laugh. At least I think that's what that comment was all about. - Thanks Jean, I forgot that one!
Shaz commented to Bruce that Perilous had desperately needed better continuity...Bruce's reply, "It needed a script!!" I think that says it all. His character's 'skinny' girlfriend was also mentioned....Bruce didn't comment but he covered his face with his hands! I guess actions speak louder than words.
Bruce said that, as he had left that afternoon, Mikey had been so intent on finding a missing action figure that he hadn't noticed his Dad leave. Typical 6-year-old, got to get his priorities right!!
September 11th: Bruce admitted that he had cried when he had heard about what had happened in NYC and DC....He and Mikey had persuaded Melissa not to go to New York for the weekend of FanSource and she was taking part in her meeting by video-conference. Bruce also mentioned that he and Robert Duvall, who plays Lee in G and G, had travelled from Dulles to LA a few days prior to the attacks in NYC and DC. Bruce said that he would have 'had a go' like the passengers on the plane that crashed near Pittsburg, if he had been in a position to.
SAG: Bruce said that Melissa was fighting hard for the SAG Presidency and that he had been surprised by how 'political' she had become.
The Boys: Sam was doing well with his band and his music studies....From Bruce's description, Lee sounded like a typical 16-year-old!
After the discussion session ended, Bruce mingled with the groups of fans in the reception room. Greg and Martha graciously made themselves available to sign autographs and pose for pics with fans. Bruce also posed for photos with several groups of fans, including, to our delight, the group of 6 Brits (Jean dubbed us the 'Brit Pack'as opposed to the 'Lunch Bunch' and the 'KC Posse') After the pic, Julie gave Bruce a 'thank you' kiss on the cheek! Standing beside her and taking a deep breath, I asked, "May I?" Bruce's answer was to bend down a little towards me and I gave him a 'thank you' kiss too! I still don't know what came over me. He was so kind and gracious about it, so typically Bruce.
After that everything was in a kind of blur...With some prompting from Kathy Bartels, Bruce finally looked at his watch...it was 9.20pm: he had been at the hotel for almost 6 hours!! He did look rather tired as he said a final "Goodbye" to everyone and followed Kathy out of the door....and he still had a 1-hour drive back home!
Although Kathy Bartels had set up a buffet meal in the reception room, I don't think that many people had eaten much. Most had just helped themselves to drinks. I think we were all too 'high' to eat! Thus most of the Grapeviners ended up on the hotel patio at gone 10.00 pm eating a very late dinner before the Chef went home for the night!..and talking about the day's events.Sadly, Alison and Claudia had had to leave after only a short time in the reception, to catch their flight back to the East Coast; the security measures requiring them to check in much earlier than usual. Kathy Kautz almost missed her late-night flight when she missed her shuttle from the hotel. Luckily a later one still got her there in time.
Most people left on the Monday morning. It was sad to say 'Goodbye' to all of them after such a short time. Jean and I had time for a last look around Pasadena in the California sunshine, before catching our noon shuttle from the Doubletree to LAX and the long flight home!
To Jean, for putting up with my company all the way from the UK to the US ....... and back!
To Julie and Jill, for allowing me to share their room at the Doubletree!
To Kathy Bartels and her FanSource crew who, at times, had to make a few seem like a lot , but continued to be gracious and friendly throughout.
To all the BB fans for being such a friendly, welcoming bunch.
And, last but not least:
To Bruce, for 'being there' for us, as always!!
