Over the years photos have documented the players and situations involved in my career. I share them for no particular reason in present-to-past order as best I can remember it. In this photo, at my uncle William Saroyan's 100th Birthday Celebration at San Francisco's Palace of Fine Arts last year, I am pointing to myself in a photo shot by me at my uncle's flat in Paris in 1974. He was working on a piece of abstract art, much of which is now gaining worldwide acclaim. See below. It is estimated that he did over 2000 paintings in a period of 20 years with one three year break. Noted Scholar, Dickran Kouyoumjian has documented the evolution of his art as preceding or paralleling many of the great abstract artists of our time. He was friends with Jackson Pollock and there are rumors of a conversation between he and Arshille Gorky.
In 2008, at the urging of the actor's involved, I directed a one-off webisode called, "Two, The Hard Way," about two young men, played by Luke Eikens and Josh Berens, who come to LA to make a go of it, but are compromised by their own ineptitude. Luke's character has a job as a professional deliverer of bad news. His target, Dana Fares, has come to her favorite coin-op laundry as predicted by her boyfriend, when Luke gives her the bad news.
Below, Luke and Josh, in his underwear for story reasons, and I work out some of the details where they await the arrival of Dana at a laundromat.
Dana doesn't find Luke's impersonal break-up with her gutless boyfriend amusing and decks him. Moments later, when he comes-to Luke tells Josh he thinks he wants to date her. (url link to come.)
5 Card Stud, below, was my first feature film shot with a very small budget. It starred Khrystyne Haje as Aly, the love interest and center of the story. The film was based on a successful small play written by Larry Toffler who also played the lead, Greg. The producer was Chantel Sausedo, Larry's wife and a long-time friend of mine who also played Donna, the second female leads. The film was well-received and reviewers have been appreciative. It won the Creative Vision award at the Bahamas Film Festival. It is available through Netflix. Not for kids due to language and some situations, all of which I liked. I am particularly proud of the production value and ambition of the shoot.
The boys taunt each other at their weekly card game. hence, the title. Cast from left to right, Kevin McCarthy (Paul)Jeff Parise (Rich,) Steve Houska (Bill ,) Larry Toffler (Greg) and Brian Everett (Doug.)
Aly asks Greg about the crazy "guy stuff" like the two idiots making sexual faces in the bathroom door behind her.
Donna (Chantel Sausedo) and Paul (Kevin McClatchy) attempt spontaneous morning lovemaking in the kitchen, when they are interrupted by restless and lonesome neighbor, Aly, whose man (Brandon Wine) is always out of town. Paul takes it upon himself to set her up for a one-nighter with Greg, which goes all haywire.
Greg prepares to respond to Aly's pleas for reconciliation.
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National Geographic Channel's Animals of the NFL, below, grew out of a casual conversation about the NFL teams named after animals and whether or not the behavior in the wild exemplified the play on the field. It was one of the few chances I've had to combine my Zoology degree from Berkeley with my lifelong love for football. Plans are currently in the works for a sequel about the other seventeen NFL franchises. James Brown of NFL Today hosted and did a stellar job. Earl Mann of NFL Films did the narration. The result is a handsome and informative show both about wildlife and the history of these fabulous NFL franchises. I was exec. producer/producer/writer.
On the set, J.B. and I consult on some of the upcoming words. James Brown was and remains a joy to work with.
Andrew Wilk, then Exec. V.P. of the National Geographic Channel , a talented director in his own right, points out a set concern in National Geographic's Washington, D.C. studio. Andrew and I first met when he served as associate director on the New York Philharmonic Young People's Concerts which I produced in 1978.
I became involved with the Annual Prism Awards after editing their winning clip segments in 1998. I suggested to Brian Dyak, CEO of the Entertainment Industries Council that we could make this into a fine television special... in 1999 we did and in 2000 we hit the air. I believe we broadcast some of the most compelling anti-substance abuse acceptance speeches in TV history: Montel Williams, Suzanne Somers, Andy Garcia, Martin Sheen, James Woods and many others. Casey Kasem announced.
I deliver Anthony Lapaglia's Prism Award at the taping of his acceptance for his role in "Happy Hour" an independent film about a star-crossed writer/alcoholic.
Above, Reba at the Beverly Hills Hotel with her Prism for best sit com episode. Below, I share an anecdote while we await lighting for her acceptance.
I present John Cusack his Prism Award for producing the independent film, Never Get Outta The Boat.
Co-Producer Gareth O'Neil, Dr. Drew Pinsky and me after the show at The Hollywood Palladium.
Old friend, Mackenzie Phillips (and Brian Dyak, off screen) completely surprise me with a Prism Award of my very own in 2006.
Surprised as heck, I tearfully accept my Prism in the name of all other kids who are growing up in the shadow of alcholism, drug abuse and violence.
Thora Birch and me backstage, each with our awards: hers, expected; mine, a surprise.
In 1996 I was asked by Judy Price, Margaret Loesch and Jeanne MacCurdy of the Television Academy to produce "The 50th Anniversary of Chidren's Programming" at the Academy of Television Grounds in North Hollywood, during which Joe Barbera, one of my dearest personal mentors, was presented a lifetime achievement award. Here, Scooby and I listen as he accepts his plaque and the Flintsone statuette.
National Geographic's GeoKids was an original concept of mine for a Toddler show based upon nature footage. It was National Geographic's first co-venture with an independent production company, yet in spite of the inherent difficulties in that, the show has received universal acclaim for its inventiveness and several subsequent children's shows and elements have grown out of our mini-segments. Due to corporate issues within the industry at the time, we were unable to sell the show to PBS, for whom it was designed. You can find multitudinous clips on You Tube of which I have included one below. In the shot below I am sitting (on the right) near the rainforest set with my two producers, Bruce and Caroline Somers.
William Saroyan's The Parsley Garden was my live-action directorial debut and a very personal journey for me, as it is a story about my father, Henry, as a young boy and my grandmother, Takoohi, written by my uncle a few years before I was born. The Academy was kind enough to present me with the Outstanding Directing Emmy Award in Children's Drama.
On location in Fresno, I position the double for our child star, Christopher Miranda, for a reverse shot as he watches his mother, Adrienne Barbeau, walk into the house. Crew includes from left Hector Figueroa, camera operator, seated Echol Marshall, first assistant cameraman, Bob Rust, key grip, Adam Bleibtreu, producer and Susie Bub, script supervisor.
Takoohi comes to the door as her son, Al, ponders the gravity of having been caught stealing. Shortly he walks off to town for one of the more difficult fantasy scenes of the picture.
Above, a graphic representation of my late uncle, William Saroyan. I use this image on stage when performing his prose with live musicians. original photo by Bohos Boghosian.
backstage at Doug Weston's Troubador, circa 1993 with Bob Dorough creator of Schoolhouse Rock.
the late Barbara Billingsley (Nanny) and Dave Coulier (Animal) join me at Muppet Babies recording session.
The assembled cast of Dungeons and Dragons, 1982.
Donald (Donny) Most and me at Dungeons and Dragons recording session.
Willie Ames, Adam Rich, Me and Donald Most at a rare session when all three of them showed up together. Dungeons and Dragons.
Blocking the staging of the first New York Philharmonic young people's concert, I show Erich Leinsdorf and Beverly Sills, what is what. Below, Beverly and I discuss the dialogue and her energy level which was always superb.
The late Bill Lee and me in the opening titles of the first prime time half-hour Chicago special, "Chicago, In The Rockies," taped at famed Caribou Ranch with guest star, Al Green. Below that, a still from the opening titles of the follow-up, one-hour special "Chicago, Meanwhile, Back At The Ranch" with Charlie Rich and Anne Murray. We didn't always dress like cowboys and carry guns, but it was part of the wild west history of Caribou Ranch above Boulder where we shot.
Below, age twenty one, second from left, I participate in a Guys and Dolls parody sketch written by me for The Aniversary Game with Alan Hamel, my first and most delightfully funny mentor in the business. It was Alan's belief that I was funny and a good writer, even though a pre-med grad from Berkeley, that got me on camera and a position as writer of the newly revised show.
Here, I am as a bogus Jerry Lewis-ish karate instructor attacking Alan Hamel as he leads to commercial. Alan was later responsible for my arrival in Los Angeles where he had formed a partnership with Dick Clark... to host a daily talk show called Mantrap... In many ways he saved my young career.
In one of our "man on the street" sketches (below,) disguised as a city worker, I attempt to distract the contestant from taking a survey and get her to sing and dance a Broadway show tune with me (her long-held dream according to her husband.) Of course, it was San Francisco's Golden Gate Avenue and not Broadway, but my recall is I got her to sing and the couple won some money. Not sure who the guy behind us was, but he stayed there the whole time. He did not sing nor did he win anything.
