Off the top of my head, I saw Charles Durning, and Christopher Walken in Lanford Wilson’s play Lemon Sky. It was 1970 at the Old Studio Arena in Buffalo. Durning I recognized, but not Walken. He was only in his mid 20’s and so tall and skinny that when he turned sideways you could almost see him.
Off the top of my head, I saw Charles Durning, and Christopher Walken in Lanford Wilson’s play Lemon Sky. It was 1970 at the Old Studio Arena in Buffalo. Durning I recognized, but not Walken. He was only in his mid 20’s and so tall and skinny that when he turned sideways you could almost see him.
I performed Off Broadway with Morgan Freeman , Garret Morris, and Reggie VelJohnson. It was around 1980 at the New Federal Theater down off Delancey. Morris had already done SNL, although NYC theater knew Morgan, the rest of the world did not. He had only done bit parts in one or two movies at that point. Reggie had yet to land his dad role in the sitcom Family Matters. We had an absolute ball and I wish I could have a transcript of what went on in the dressing room. It wasn’t long after that when I walked away from it all.
I know there’s a few more ‘before they were famous’ times, but right now I can’t remember.
Reggie was probably the funniest person I ever knew in the theater. We shared a mirror in the DR and he and I would improv an ongoing wacky conversation , but we had to only look at one another in the mirror. He loved a good laugh, and who doesn’t?
Oh my heavens….you’re so right Roy!! I performed with Floyd Vivino (‘Uncle Floyd’) at the theme park Gaslight Village in Lake George in summer ‘73. We entertained at the Opera House there. I went back to work there in ‘76, but Floyd wasn’t there. He was becoming known in NJ as one of their favorite sons. I would bring in his ‘kiddie’ TV show on VHF when I had my studio in Brooklyn. We did a revival performance up there somewhere around 2008. All the old comedy & vaudeville bits and the singing. All out of the past, and now it’s all in the past. We had a long phone conversation the day after Robin Williams died. He had been a friend of Floyd’s.
My father in law played Big Daddy at the Mark Taper Forum in LA. about ‘82. We flew out to see the show, and backstage & dressing rms I got into a brief conversation with the actress playing Maggie, a very young Kirstie Alley.
Fisher Stevens and I got our Equity cards together in a show at the 18th st theater. About 1980.
Yeah, we raised the money ourselves, found an author, jumped through the hoops, and found a dive to perform in. There were actually some great moments!
Remember doing the Saroyan play ‘Hello Out There?’ You had to go outside and walk around the back of the building to get from stage right to left. Hard to believe we did all that.
Off the top of my head, I saw Charles Durning, and Christopher Walken in Lanford Wilson’s play Lemon Sky. It was 1970 at the Old Studio Arena in Buffalo. Durning I recognized, but not Walken. He was only in his mid 20’s and so tall and skinny that when he turned sideways you could almost see him.
I performed Off Broadway with Morgan Freeman , Garret Morris, and Reggie VelJohnson. It was around 1980 at the New Federal Theater down off Delancey. Morris had already done SNL, although NYC theater knew Morgan, the rest of the world did not. He had only done bit parts in one or two movies at that point. Reggie had yet to land his dad role in the sitcom Family Matters. We had an absolute ball and I wish I could have a transcript of what went on in the dressing room. It wasn’t long after that when I walked away from it all.
I know there’s a few more ‘before they were famous’ times, but right now I can’t remember.
Reggie was probably the funniest person I ever knew in the theater. We shared a mirror in the DR and he and I would improv an ongoing wacky conversation , but we had to only look at one another in the mirror. He loved a good laugh, and who doesn’t?
How could you leave off Floyd Vivino?!
Oh my heavens….you’re so right Roy!! I performed with Floyd Vivino (‘Uncle Floyd’) at the theme park Gaslight Village in Lake George in summer ‘73. We entertained at the Opera House there. I went back to work there in ‘76, but Floyd wasn’t there. He was becoming known in NJ as one of their favorite sons. I would bring in his ‘kiddie’ TV show on VHF when I had my studio in Brooklyn. We did a revival performance up there somewhere around 2008. All the old comedy & vaudeville bits and the singing. All out of the past, and now it’s all in the past. We had a long phone conversation the day after Robin Williams died. He had been a friend of Floyd’s.
My father in law played Big Daddy at the Mark Taper Forum in LA. about ‘82. We flew out to see the show, and backstage & dressing rms I got into a brief conversation with the actress playing Maggie, a very young Kirstie Alley.
Fisher Stevens and I got our Equity cards together in a show at the 18th st theater. About 1980.
You could get Equity cards from the 18th Street Theater? I thought just ringworm.
Yeah, we raised the money ourselves, found an author, jumped through the hoops, and found a dive to perform in. There were actually some great moments!
Remember doing the Saroyan play ‘Hello Out There?’ You had to go outside and walk around the back of the building to get from stage right to left. Hard to believe we did all that.