Can We Talk 2

Aging Writers and Actors

         I'm very excited about this weekend. I'm going to a conference which raises money for charities each year. The guests of honor are the semi-retired actors from a 60's TV show. I never knew of any of them until a few years ago. But I have discovered they are multi-talented. I'm looking forward to hearing about all of their creative endeavors.

         As it got harder for them to find roles in the spotlight, many turned to script writing and directing in many genres. One was a writer for a very popular TV show in the late 60's, a brainchild of Mel Brooks. Most recently, in his 80's he's been working on a TV special featuring a handicapped child. I can't wait to talk to him, especially about copyrights, and using your own concepts developed while working for someone else.

         Another wrote a movie script and directed, and later wrote a novel about the story. It's not a topic that interests me, but the creative process raises many questions. He was in a lot of movies as a stock actor. Yet another, who did movies with major stars, and several TV series, wrote his own scripts and directed, with marginal success, and some failures (because of the scope and the dark genre). Still another is writing a book right now. Yet another has written and recorded his own songs.

         These people are in their 70's and 80's, but they are not resting on their laurels. Most would take a TV role or a move role in a heartbeat if offered one. They like the spotlight, no doubt. They still make these long trips just to shake hands, sign autographs, pose for pictures, and answer questions in a forum. They love being stars. But they also love being creative. It's been their passion, and still is.

         I plan on taking a lot of notes. I expect to learn about them, of course, but also the history of TV, making movies, the whole entertainment industry from their perspective. I want to know about the writing part of it, and hope to catch some of their enthusiasm.