Lilja: I couldn’t imagine narrating an audiobook myself. I wouldn’t be able to focus for so long, even though I assume you don’t read the whole book in one sitting. I feel it would be hard to keep my voice and tone right, which I would need to keep the reader interested. Do you have any secret tricks?
George Guidall: Secrets? I’m an actor. I’ve been trained to use my imagination to bring life to the written word. In the recording studio it’s the mind and the voice at work. Too much bodywork hits the microphone and I have to start over. Don’t laugh. It’s happened. Sawing the air too much, I’ve been known to punch the mike and nearly burst an engineer’s eardrum. No carbonated beverages. No gas-producing lunches. Dairy is a mucous producer, nuts get in your teeth, coffee dries the mouth, bread is a stomach silencer. But, let’s not get too personal. The tricks are vocal. The work is through the mind and heart.
Lilja: How hard is it to get in character when you read a book, and more interesting, how hard is it to switch between many different characters? My experience is that the ability of the reader to do this can be the difference between success and failure.
George Guidall: Usually, there are about two or three major characters in any novel. Maybe four. The rest are peripheral, important, but not the ones we focus on constantly. There can’t be too much vocal play with the main characters. It would draw too much attention away from the flow of the book. One doesn’t want the listener to think about the narrator’s “wonderful” vocal flexing. There’s more room to add color to the other characters, though. One has to have enough differentiation so the listener doesn’t spend time trying to figure out who’s doing the talking. There are some sadistic authors who have, say, presidential cabinet meetings, or huge family reunions, and when that happens I tend to go slightly psychotic and engineers come into the booth with restraining gear and high-pressure hoses.
Lilja: How do you prepare for recording a book like Wolves of the Calla? Do you read the book before you go into the studio?
George Guidall: The most important part of preparation for me is discovering the author’s emotional point of view in writing the story. For me, it’s not simply a question of conveying information from the page to the ear. One can listen to news broadcasts and get that. There has to be an emotional point of departure at the very outset with which to engage the listener. This is key for me. I imagine myself as the original storyteller and search for an appropriate mood that enables me to tell the story. It’s a narrative concept, which acts as a frame for the experience. I read every book before we start the recording. It would be unfair to do less. Arrogant, really. The author has spent considerable time creating his piece. I need to do him justice. Would an actor start rehearsals of a play without reading it first? Stephen King says, “Find the truth within the lie.” You don’t find the emotional truth, or any other kind, by winging it.
Lilja: How long does it take to record a book the size of Wolves of the Calla?
George Guidall: The usual ratio is 2:1. One hour of recording for every two hours spent doing it. That’s an average. Some books are easier. Some more difficult. Wolves of the Calla runs approximately twenty-six hours. That means about forty-to-fifty hours of studio time. Probably less, because I found it engrossing and the prose didn’t present any major obstacles. King’s writing is honest, with its own natural flow. As a literary surfer, I simply rode the wave home. It was great fun.
Lilja: You are picking up after Frank Muller, who read The Dark Tower books before you; first, by reading the revised and expanded edition of The Gunslinger, and then the last three books. How did this happen, and do you feel Muller’s shadow hanging over you? Many fans thought he was “the” King reader.
George Guidall: Frank Muller and I have been friends since before I began audiobook narration. We shared the stage in a production of a Faydeau farce, entitled Flea in Her Ear, back in the 70s. It’s a strange feeling recording “his” material. He is “the” King reader, as you say, and it is not my intention to minimize that fact. Actually, recording this material brings me closer to him, in a way. I think of him constantly while I do it. It’s unavoidable. His tragic accident has deprived many people of extraordinary listening pleasure. Anyone wishing to contribute to his long and arduous recovery can contact the Wavedancer Foundation for information. The funds would be greatly appreciated.
Lilja: It says in your bio that you have recorded more than eight hundred unabridged novels. That is probably more books than I will ever read in my lifetime. Do you have a favorite?
George Guidall: Favorites? There are a few. King’s work, of course. Proust’s Swann’s Way, Lamb’s I Know This Much is True, Frankenstein, Thomas H. Cook’s mysteries, Crime and Punishment…oh, there are so many. Why don’t I just include a list and you can disperse it like milkweed to the wind. [The list can be found at the end of the interview.]
Lilja: After reading so many novels by other authors, have you ever thought about writing a novel yourself?
George Guidall: You’ve probably hit on the reason I love doing this. I’m most likely a frustrated writer, which is why this interview is so long-winded.
Lilja: I understand that you also read The Bookman’s Promise by Cliff Janeway, which will be released in March 2004, and will be reading The Dark Tower VI (August 2004) and The Dark Tower VII (November 2004). Anything else new on the way?
George Guidall: The Bookman’s Promise is written by John Dunning. Cliff Janeway is his major character. Dunning is another of my favorites. Great stories. Crime in the wonderful world of antique book dealers. Janeway is a retired cop and owns a bookstore. I just completed the second of a series of elegantly written WWII novels of people’s struggles to stem the Nazi tide in Europe as the war progressed. Espionage and love and betrayal and marvelously drawn pictures of Europe in the early 40s. Allen Furst’s novels are Kingdom of Shadows and Blood of Victory. They are top notch.
Lilja: Again, thanks for doing this interview. Are there any last thoughts you want to share with the visitors of Lilja’s Library?
George Guidall: Let us all congratulate Stephen King on his lifetime achievement award at the National Book Awards on November 19th. If anyone deserves it, he certainly does; not only for his tremendous output, but for his journey to the top as well as his ever-present generosity to fellow writers and, yes, even to audiobook narrators.
A Suggested List for Audiobook Listeners
The Devil’s Advocate by Morris West
Nautical Charts
Shadow Song by Terry Kaye
The Ghostwriter by Roth
Patrimony by Roth
Frankenstein
Corrections by Franzen
Crime and Punishment
Rise to Rebellion by J. Shaara
Snow Falling on Cedars
The Good Earth
In The Deep Mid-Winter by Clarke
Cheaper by the Dozen
I Know This Much is True, by Wally Lamb
Thomas H Cook: Any one of his books (The latest: The Interrogation)
The Hunchback of Notre Dame
Gates of the Alamo
Tides of War by Pressman
Gates of Fire by Pressman
2nd Glance by Picoult
Any of Max Byrd’s bios of Grant, Jackson, or Jefferson
Remembrance of Things Past; Swann’s Way by Marcel Proust
The Cat Who…series by Lillian Jackson Braun
Navaho Mysteries by Tony Hillerman
The Killer Angels by Michael Shaara
George Guidall has recorded more than eight hundred unabridged novels, bringing a consistent artistry to his readings and delighting listeners for over twenty years. His narrations of everything from classics like Crime and Punishment and The Iliad to best sellers like Snow Falling on Cedars and Lillian Jackson Braun’s The Cat Who…series have set a standard for excellence recognized throughout the audiobook industry. Acclaimed as one of the original “Golden Voices” in Audiofile magazine, he holds the record for the mo
st “Earphone” awards (thirty-two) given by the magazine to any narrator for excellence in narration. In addition to his award-winning work as an audiobook narrator, Guidall has also enjoyed a forty-year career in the theatre, including starring roles on Broadway in such plays as Chapter Two, Cafe Crown, Alone Together and Cold Storage. He has received an Obie award for best performance Off-Broadway, and has shared the stage at the New York Shakespeare Festival with Kevin Kline, Morgan Freeman, Meryl Streep and Tracey Ullman.
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Richard Dooling
Posted: February 26, 2004
Lilja: Hi Richard. Thanks for agreeing to this interview. Tell me a bit about yourself. I’m afraid that many of my readers don’t know who you are and what you have done before your involvement with Kingdom Hospital.
Richard Dooling: I am primarily a novelist. You can read about me and my work at www.dooling.com. That will save me repeating it here.
Lilja: How did you get involved with Kingdom Hospital? I heard that Stephen King contacted you after reading one of your books; is that correct? What do you say when you are answering your phone and it’s Stephen King on the other end?
Richard Dooling: Stephen King quoted from one of my novels (Brain Storm) in his book On Writing. He sent me a signed copy of On Writing with a nice note, and also said that he had read Critical Care and White Man’s Grave. After that, we began emailing, and he said that he might be doing a TV series about a haunted hospital and asked if I would like to help. I said yes.
Lilja: I understand you are listed as a creative consultant and your main thing was to help with the medical aspects in the series, but I also know that you wrote some of the episodes. How would you describe your part in the making of Kingdom Hospital?
Richard Dooling: Originally I was hired to help with the medical jazz in the scripts, because I used to work in hospital intensive care units as a Respiratory Therapist. But even after the scripts have been written and are being shot, there are frequent changes and modifications that must be made to reflect the changing needs of the actors and filmmakers. That’s a lot of what I do during the filming process. After awhile, I was upgraded to a producer, which means you must do whatever needs to be done at any given time.
Lilja: How did the writing process work? Did Stephen decide what would happen and in which direction the plot would go, or did you work that out together?
Richard Dooling: We made an outline early on. Then Steve wrote the first four episodes and sent them to me for medical details. Then we kind of proceeded from there.
Lilja: How much of the series have you written and how much is written by King?
Richard Dooling: In terms of hours worth of scripts (of which there are fifteen), Stephen King wrote more than two-thirds of the series because he wrote episodes one and thirteen, which are both two hours long, and most of the hourly episodes too. I wrote four episodes (one hour ones), mostly in the middle.
Lilja: Stephen has said somewhere that if Kingdom Hospital gets renewed for a second season he would turn over the writing to you entirely. Is that true, and if so, how do you feel about that?
Richard Dooling: At the moment, we are focused on getting the episodes ready to air and making sure they are the best they can be. We don’t have time to speculate about next season, if there is one. Stephen King likes Kingdom Hospital a lot, and it’s very personal for him. If it kept going, my guess would be that he would still write it, because it’s fun.
Lilja: How much did you look at the original, The Kingdom, when you created the plot and the characters? Some of the characters are really close to the original one, like Dr. Jesse James and Dr. Stegman, for example, and some of the scenes are quite similar to the original. Did you aim for a remake?
Richard Dooling: We really liked the characters and some of the scenes from Lars Von Trier’s Riget. We did not aim for a remake; we wanted to add a lot and to Americanize it, and as the series progresses you will see that we have added many characters and situations that are not in the Danish original.
Lilja: How much did you participate in the actual shooting of the series, and if you were present at the shooting, what was your role then?
Richard Dooling: I don’t shoot. I don’t know anything about it. Writers don’t belong on the set. They should be in their rooms writing.
Lilja: What do you think of Stephen King as a writer?
Richard Dooling: Stephen King is the grand master. That’s why you built your website, yes? I differ from some of your visitors in one respect: I don’t really get all that scared by a Stephen King book. Mainly he makes me laugh, which is the highest compliment I can pay to another author.
Lilja: You have written books like Brain Storm, White Man’s Grave and Critical Care. How would you describe yourself as a writer to someone that hasn’t read any of your books?
Richard Dooling: I write satire and horror.
Lilja: What is next for you?
Richard Dooling: More satire and horror.
Lilja: Again, thanks for taking the time to do this interview. It was fun.
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Ed Begley, Jr.
Posted: March 1, 2004
TV fans will know Ed from his numerous guest appearances. He has been in 7th Heaven as Dr. Hank Hastings, as well as Six Feet Under as Hiram Gunderson. He has also appeared in Scrubs, Dharma & Greg and The West Wing. Movie fans will recognize him from such movies as Homicide: The Movie, Not in This Town and World War II: When Lions Roared.
Lilja: I looked you up in Internet Movie Database and I was stunned by how much you have done. The list goes on and on. I especially noticed that you have been a guest star in many TV series. How do you do it? How do you find the time?
Ed Begley, Jr.: I feel lucky to still be busy after thity-seven years. I will always find the time for good projects.
Lilja: Have you always wanted to be an actor?
Ed Begley, Jr.: Since I was three years old, I’m told.
Lilja: This fall you directed an episode of NYPD Blue called It’s to Die For, and now you’re directing Coming In. Is directing something you want to keep doing?
Ed Begley, Jr.: It is even more exciting than acting, if that’s possible. I want to do it more than anything.
Lilja: You have done a lot of voiceovers as well. How does that differ from “regular” acting, other than the fact that you don’t have to be seen? Are the preparations the same?
Ed Begley, Jr.: It’s a great deal easier. No wardrobe or makeup. And, you don’t have to learn your lines. You just read them!
Lilja: How did you get involved with Kingdom Hospital?
Ed Begley, Jr.: I got a call from my agent. We started filming the next week.
Lilja: Did you have to audition for the part or was it written directly for you?
Ed Begley, Jr.: I didn’t audition, but it was not written for me.
Lilja: Your character, Dr. Jesse James, is very similar to the character Professor Moesgaard (played by Holger Juul Hansen) in The Kingdom. Is this something you did or is it the way the script was written?
Ed Begley, Jr.: It’s the way the script was written.
Lilja: Had you seen the Danish version, The Kingdom, that Stephen King is basing Kingdom Hospital on, and if so, what do you think of it?
Ed Begley, Jr.: I still haven’t seen it, but I’d love to.
Lilja: Can you describe the character Dr. Jesse James? He seems to be quite lost and also a bit odd, if you don’t mind me saying so.
Ed Begley, Jr.: He’s quite lost. His idea of hospital administration is to brighten up the hallways. I love him.
Lilja: How would you feel if Kingdom Hospital was renewed for another season? Would you be back as Dr. Jesse James? It must be hard to get the time to do other things while doing a weekly series, right?
Ed Begley, Jr.: I was only contracted for the first thirteen episodes.
Lilja: But would you be interested if they asked you?
Ed Begley, Jr.: Perhaps.
Lilja: Speaking
of that: how many of the thirteen episodes will be done when the series premiers?
Ed Begley, Jr.: All but one month of filming. We started last August.
Lilja: I got the chance to see the pilot the other day and I must say that this is one of the best pilots I have ever seen. How do you rank it amongst the rest of your work?
Ed Begley, Jr.: I haven’t seen it yet, so I don’t know.
Lilja: Are you (or were you) a fan of Stephen King’s work?
Ed Begley, Jr.: I have been a fan for years. And now, more than ever.
Lilja: What’s up next for you?
Ed Begley, Jr.: I’m spending time with my family after this seven-month job.
Lilja: Thanks, Ed, for taking the time to do this interview. It was fun and I wish you all the best in the future!
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Marsha DeFilippo
Posted: April 12, 2004
Marsha DeFilippo is Stephen King’s personal assistant, and I’m sure all of you have seen her name in articles where she has commented on different issues regarding Stephen King. Well, I got the chance to talk to her and here is what she had to say:
Lilja: Hi Marsha. First, let me thank you for taking the time off from what I understand is a rather hectic schedule to do this interview! I really appreciate it! You are only the second woman I have interviewed. Do you think that Stephen has more male fans than female fans, and if so, why do you think that is?
Marsha DeFilippo: I haven’t noticed a big gender difference in his fans. What I’ve noticed more is the diversity of his fan base and that it includes such a wide range of ages, gender, ethnicity, etc.
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