Hollywood Book: Strange Story I Left Out
- Posted on 26th May 2015
- in celebrity books, Entertainment, entertainment books, Hollywood books, Hollywood memoirs
- by Ben
A recent joke email from my old director buddy Jerry Pruiett inspired this post about a tale I forgot to include in my
Hollywood book,
Three Stages. So here’s an excerpt with this story added.
“The summer of 1960 I was back in show business. I got a job in the chorus for the summer season at Sacramento Music Circus, a stock company doing ten musicals in ten weeks. I wasn’t pleased about being in the chorus but I needed more experience, not to mention an actual, professional theatre job and I was glad I did it. I learned a lot.
“However it was a real grind. The resident company consisted of six or eight singers and six or eight dancers. “Stars” and “jobbers” came in for each show. Some of the jobbers would remain for two or three shows. The ability of the Director, Donald Burr, and the choreographer (I forget who that was) to get a full scale musical “on its feet” in six and a half days was amazing to be a part of. We rehearsed every day and did a show every night except Sunday, which was dress rehearsal for the next show. We got Monday afternoons off. This was in a tent in Sacramento where it often hit over 100 degrees so it was physically grueling.
Himself as Stewpot 1960
“I had a “role” in every show. Sometimes just one line and a few times more than that. The best part I had was “Stewpot” in South Pacific. Norman Fell was a terrific “Billis”. In that show I renewed my acquaintance with Kathy Freeman who played “Bloody Mary” magnificently. …”
Here’s the goodie I forgot to include: Russell Lewis and Howard Young were the producers and they were quite an impressive pair. Always well dressed and very professional, they kindled a sense of awe in we choristers. It was a theatre in the round and opening night as I passed through the lobby on my way to make my first entrance I came across Messieurs Lewis and Young – dressed to the nines in their tuxedos and glistening, patent leather loafers – sweeping the floor and picking up the trash that had been strewn about by the hoi-polloi. I was shocked. Shocked, I tell you! Whether I queried them or not, I don’t recall but my question was obvious in my facial expression.
“We’re the producers. We do what needs to be done”, spake Russell Lewis in his inimitable, upper-crust style.
This was a lesson I would long remember.
Lest you forget, the FREE “Special Selections Edition” of Three Stages can be downloaded in all e-Book formats here. Download it and send it to your friends.
Tags: Howard Young, Kathleen Freeman, Norman Fell, Russell Lewis, Sacramento Music Circus
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