Hollywood

by Ed Nelson

  Before falling asleep I thought about girls again. This was getting to be a problem. I had to meet someone.

  Friday was the same, get up, exercise, run, go to the studio. Go to costume, go to makeup. Go to set, wait for Paul Grant and wait for Paul Grant. This time the Director didn’t rant and rave, however he was in serious conversation with the Producer and all of the assistants. Mr. Wayne was also involved in the conversation. None of them seemed happy.

  The Biology test was as I feared. They wanted specifics that I didn’t know. I felt like I had bombed it. I really needed the workout after that.

  I decided to worry about World History Saturday and Sunday and spent Friday evening watching my little TV. I did add to my letter home.

  Saturday morning they delivered my office furniture early. I set everything up and added some more to my weekly letter. Later I walked to the Mall to buy some new underwear.

  Walking towards the Mall there was a public library. I stopped there and was able to obtain a library card using my new driver’s license. I browsed for a while and checked out several books then headed onto the Mall. After that shopping I returned to the apartment. I now had to go to the bank

  At the apartment I dropped off the books and picked up letters from my father and our attorney. They identified me as being able to draw from the checking account that had been opened by mail.

  At the bank I went to a window, where they in turn sent me to see an officer of the bank. After I shared the letters and my driver’s license the officer, Mr. Sloan went to a cabinet and withdrew a file.

  After reviewing it, he commented.

  “This is highly unusual, but all is in order. May I ask what brings you to California?”

  I explained about the movie. All of a sudden he was okay with everything. This branch had a lot of experience with the movie industry and had a good understanding of their specific needs. He ordered me personalized checks for future use. In the meantime asked me how much I needed.

  I told him that I would be taking fifty dollars a week out of living expenses but that I would be buying a car this coming week and would need close to three thousand dollars.

  This led to a discussion of what sort of car I was buying. When I told him a 58 Thunderbird he about drooled on his tie. Turns out he is a Ford man. I think I had a friend for life. For my money this week I filled out a counter check and he had one of the tellers cash it.

  I had tacos for lunch at a little stand. This food was growing on me.

  I spent the afternoon studying. After six o’clock I knocked on Dick’s door and made a call home. Everything was fine for them and me. I gave an update on the movie, setting up my apartment. Denny wanted to know if I had been swimming yet. I told him I would be doing that tomorrow.

  When I hung up I sat and talked with Dick for a while. Janice was at a card club with friends. We discussed the upcoming week and decided that Monday would be a good time to start looking for a car.

  He also shared that the Producer of the film was beginning to feel like having Paul Grant in it was a big mistake. They were hoping that they could get him to the studio Monday on time, ready to work. It cost a lot of money to have crews sitting around, too many days like this past week and they might not be able to finish the movie.

  I returned to my apartment and started one of my library books. It was a western with everything you could ask for, gunman, a pretty girl, a masked rider, rustlers and gunfights. I was glad to see Jane and Lassiter fall in love. Bern and Bess escaping to the east made sense. I don’t see how you could live forever in a sealed off canyon even if it was an earthly paradise. Other than that part of the story it was a fun read.

  Sunday morning was like the other days of the week except after my run with Dick I had nothing to do. I had packed a swim suit from home so I went down to the pool. It was in the mid-seventies but I was the only one there. I swam a few laps in the chilly water and then stretched out on a pool lounge chair.

  I had been there long enough to turn over when a female voice stated.

  “You’re not from California are you?”

  Wondering how she would know that I looked up to a lovely vision. She met the requirements of a Beach Boy surfer girl. Since she was wearing a frock I doubted she would be swimming today. Unfortunately she looked to be in her mid-twenties.

  “I’m from Ohio, but how did you know I wasn’t from California.”

  “Californians don’t swim in unheated pools in January.”

  “Oh,” was my brilliant return.

  She laughed and walked away. That was so much for my dream of meeting a pretty girl by the pool. Dreams crushed I returned to my room, cleaned up and walked the two miles to the Mall. I ended up buying some golf shirts at Kresge. At least I called them golf shirts. The salesman called them polo shirts. Apparently polo was considered higher class than golf.

  I had lunch at a nondescript restaurant on the way home. I decided not to eat there again. The place didn’t look that clean and I didn’t want food poisoning. When I got home I cracked my World History book and started memorizing names, dates and places. I didn’t spend much time on the whys which was what I really enjoyed. I was studying for the test.

  I had hotdogs for dinner than watched some TV. For the first time I started to feel lonely. I added more to my letter home.

  Chapter 25

  It started out as a normal Monday. I dropped my letter home in a mail box at the studio entrance. When I arrived at my voice lesson things took a strange turn. There was shooting going on, but I wasn’t in it today so I had to work on my lines for my next speaking part. It was to be a four hour session.

  Half way through two gentlemen came into the room. I thought I recognized one of them from his distinctive mustache but since no one introduced him I said nothing.

  The other guy, one of the writers said.

  “He was a no show. We are looking at Plan B.”

  I wasn’t certain what that was all about but I figured the no show was Grant. Vince Jacobs gave me a thicker group of papers.

  “Read these in your posh accent.”

  I cleared my throat and started. Each page had a different flavor. I had to be happy, sad, angry, really angry, tired and insulted to name a few of the emotions that had to be demonstrated. The entire time I had to keep the accent. The further into the reading the easier it was. This was something I had done for days on end at home if I wanted to tease Mum a little.

  At the end the unnamed gentleman spoke up.

  “He has the accent, you will have to work on his delivery.”

  He then asked me.

  “Was your Mum’s maiden name, Newman?”

  From his accent I knew who he was.

  “Yes it is Mr. Niven.”

  “You look a lot like her. I thought I recognized your last name. I knew your Mum during the war and met your father several times. We were all jealous of him you know. We couldn’t figure out why she picked a Yank. Tell them I said Hello.”

  “I will Sir,” as he left with the writer.

  “What was that all about Vince?”

  “I think Plan B might be a change in your role in the movie if Grant doesn’t come around.”

  “But why do they want an accent?”

  “That part I don’t understand.”

  I had lunch at the cafeteria with several of the stunt men. I thought I would be hanging out with the other child actors. I mentioned that and the stuntmen laughed.

  “They play the part of children. The youngest is at least twenty five. They just look young. They show up when they are needed for a scene.”

  “What about their coaching sessions?”

  I then had to explain my sessions on learning how to deliver my lines.

  “Someone likes you kid, that is not normal. Actors are professionals that take care of themselves. If they need a coach they hire their own.”

  I suspect I owed a Thank You to Mr. Wayne.

  After lunch I went for my World History e
xam. It was easier than I thought it would be. I had picked the right people, places and dates to memorize over the weekend. Of all my tests, biology had given me the most trouble.

  I finished the exam by three thirty, so I headed over to the stunt area to start my work out. When I arrived I saw something very interesting going on. The stuntmen had the trampoline set up and were practicing falling off a roof. Of course I had to watch that. It didn’t take long and I had the short course on how to fall off a roof.

  It was really fun. One of the stuntmen told me he had seen me be dragged behind that horse in the movie It Never Happened. He told me that looked so real. He wanted to know who the stuntman was. I told him I did it.

  He wanted to know how the shot was set up, how many takes it took and other details. I finally broke down and told the truth that it was an accident caught by the cameras.

  He thought that was a hoot and had to tell everyone in listening distance. I figured I would hear jokes about falling off a horse for a week or so.

  I had finished my lifting routine when Dick showed up. Of course he was asked if he knew about me falling off a horse in It Never Happened. He hadn’t so it was related all over again. He loved it. His comment was.

  “And a star was born.”

  On the ride back to the apartment I told him about the morning’s events and this mysterious Plan B. His response surprised me.

  “Rick do you have an agent?”

  “No,” I replied.

  “It is time you had one, right now you are swimming with sharks.”

  “I don’t know anyone or how to contact one.”

  “Would you trust me to recommend one?”

  “Sure, if I could interview him before signing anything.”

  “That is a sensible attitude. You should also call your parents tonight and let them know what might be going on.”

  “Who is the agent?”

  “John Baxter, he is an old pro in this business. He represents me.”

  “Sounds like I should meet him.”

  “I think you should, I owe John a lot and I know he is going through some tough times right now.”

  “Such as?”

  “He has a granddaughter with leukemia and her treatments are costing a fortune. They seem to be working, but he needs every cent he can get.”

  “I will talk to him, how can I contact him?”

  “I will call and have him meet with us as soon as possible. I think you are going to need an agent real soon.

  “There is something else Rick, we were going car shopping later. Do you think it is wise with everything going on to put a new car in the mix?”

  Dang I hate this adult stuff!

  “Yeah you’re probably right. Let’s put it off till next week.”

  When I called home Mum answered, and I explained my apparent need for an agent. I explained everything I knew and then retold it all to Dad. In turn Dad talked to Dick and then me again. He told me to go ahead and speak to an agent, but not to sign anything without talking to him first. This made complete sense to me.

  As I was about to hang up I remember to tell them that Mr. Niven told them hello. Mother thought that was nice, she told that to Dad. I heard him in the background.

  “Tell that Limey bast…,”Mum interrupted and told me we would talk later.

  Janice reminded Dick and me that it was eight o’clock and that neither of us had eaten dinner. She made us some toasted cheese. They were the best I had ever had. She used whole wheat bread with real cheddar cheese instead of Kraft American Cheese slices and put salsa on them. Wow! Better than Wonder Bread any day of the week.

  For the first night in a week I didn’t have any studying to do. I spent the evening in front of the TV with a Coke and potato chips and a new item from the grocery. While Janice and I were buying groceries a pretty young lady had me try something new. It was a dip for potato chips. The French onion flavor was perfect with the chips and Coke.

  That night I had too much going around in my head about next week and my new car, possible changes in the movie, where I could visit in my new car, and then there were thoughts about girls and my new car. I wondered if there would be girls in the movie changes. That raised the possibility of girls in the movie riding to cool places in my new car. I had so much to consider!

  Chapter 26

  I love California! I met Dick and we went for our run. Last night they told me it was snowing in Ohio. Here I was running in sunshine and seventy degrees. It was perfect. On our way to the studio he told me he had already spoke to Mr. Baxter and we were having dinner with him.

  Dick also told me, “Enjoy your dinner tonight, if he becomes your agent he will never buy again, it will be your money no matter who picks up the check.”

  I’m not certain how I felt about that.

  As I was walking over to the set where our shoot was taking place I heard a voice.

  “Hey partner, hold up.”

  It was Mr. Wayne and he was calling to me. He caught me in two strides.

  “I sort of brought you in this business by the side door. By any chance do you have an agent?

  “Not yet, I’m having dinner with Mr. John Baxter this evening.”

  “I see the rumor mill is working just fine. John is a good man. He is in a bit of a bind right now, he needs money desperately and it might send him in a bad direction.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “He is supporting a very sick granddaughter and needs money, a lot of money. If you sign with him he will try to get every dime he can for you from the studio.”

  “What’s wrong with that?”

  “It could wreck the budget and the project wouldn’t get off the ground. If he did get the higher amount he will also want the highest percentage from you that he can get so he in turn will receive enough money to take care of his problems. I couldn’t blame him for trying to take care of family but he might end up losing it all if he goes overboard.”

  Mr. Wayne continued, “This is a small town business wise, everyone hears everything. If John messes this up he will destroy any chance of making the money he needs for his family.”

  “That sounds like a mess. Could you give me some real numbers so I have a perspective on this?”

  Mr. Wayne stopped in the middle of the street. We were in the middle of a turn of the century housing development. He led me over to the steps of a Victorian mansion and sat down.

  “We will be late for the start,” I said.

  “Oh I think they will wait for us.”

  I felt really stupid for saying that, of course they would wait for the star!

  “Here’s the deal. We think Paul Grant is trying to get out of his contract. Word is that he has been offered the lead role in a comedy with Doris Day.

  It would give him a lead role, and break him out of the western mold. In a way I can’t blame him for wanting to do it, but I do blame him if he welshes on a deal.”

  “It was talked about you taking on his role. You have the size needed, all the other guys are older than you, but they play younger kids.”

  “Odd when you think about it, the older guys can only play really young parts and the young guy can play an older guy. I’m getting a headache just thinking about it.”

  “Then your speech coach told a writer about your ability to do a good British accent. The writer told the production group. David Niven was on the set so we roped him into listening to you. He says you can maintain the accent under all conditions. That would fit in perfectly with another project I have had in mind for some time.”

  “What’s that?”

  “I will get into that later when we see how it is going to work out with Grant. In the meantime here are the numbers. For a lead role you could ask for two hundred and fifty to five hundred thousand. In turn Baxter will ask you for five to ten percent as his fee. If he can stick us for five hundred thousand and get ten percent from you his problems are solved. Unfortunately we could never agree to the higher amount.”
/>   “You keep saying ‘we’ about the project and the money. Is this your project?”

  “I had better learn to watch my tongue around you youngster. Yes I would be putting a lot into the project. That way I would have major points in the movie.”

  “What are points?”

  “One point is one percent of the profit.”

  “What would it be reasonable for me to get?”

  Mr. Wayne looked at me sharply. “Are we negotiating?”

  “Not yet, then I will get tough.”

  I hoped the way I smiled told him I was kidding. He let it go so it must be okay.

  “Realistically three hundred thousand would work and possibly points.”

  “My Dad told me that when I had time to think before acting I should, there are times you can’t. I have a little time to think about this.”

  Mr. Wayne stood up, slapped the dust off his pants with his Stetson and we moved on. Yes, I slapped the dust off with my Resistol we must have looked a pair.

  This time we were the late ones on set. I was rushed through costuming and make up. Part of costuming was putting on a gun and holster. These were presented by a studio armorer. He was responsible for all weapons on the set.

  He had me double check that the barrel of the single action Colt 45 was clear so there would be no squib shots. He also showed me the color markings he put on blanks and how there was no bullet, just a wad holding the black powder in. He explained the powder was a three quarter load.

  This resulted in lots of smoke, flame and noise but there wasn’t a projectile. He cautioned me that at two feet you could kill someone with the wadding, a piece of cardboard. At four feet you could blind them. Beyond that there could be burns but they would live. Over ten feet and no effect at all.

  I pulled the Colt out to examine it. One thing I noticed right away was the weight.

  “I own a pair of Colts and this one seems lighter.”