Hi Glenn and all,
Thank you for the story. I have often wondered the same thing myself. I have
a few theories having known actors. Many actors I have known are really
insecure people and I think they often turn to acting to find a more confident
alter ego. However, the dichotomy of that is that the acting and entertainment
business is the most insecure business I have ever known. There are many
"unknown" actors that end it all, sometimes because they feel they just are
never going to "make" it. For many, having steady gigs isn't enough. They want
to be famous and, in their minds, only that fame equates success. Being able to
pay the bills and live comfortably isn't enough.
Being here in Hollywood, I have many actors and other entertainment people
as customers and friends. I hear a lot of stories. I have several customers
that I have known for 20 years, watched their careers go up and down and either
fizzle out or skyrocket. That's Hollywood!! Look at you Glenn, you have had
success as an actor and when things weren't "happening" you took a 9-5 job. But
you kept at it and kept your head about you at the same time. Now, you've
written a script that has brought you some good cash, but more importantly
validated your efforts and is being produced with a healthy budget and well
known actors. That is a true success story to me (I'm proud of you!).
There is always, of course, just the simple fact that young actors often
party a lot, stay out all night long and then need "drugs" to keep them awake,
asleep, whatever, to exist. They get hooked on that cycle and drugs alter your
personality. You start making choices that sometimes aren't rational. You often
take more drugs because normal dosages aren't working for you. Hey, I grew up
in the crazy town and have hung out at the clubs on the strip since I was a
teenager. I've seen a lot of stuff and some of it pretty shocking. When I
worked in the film business I was offered cocaine as payment when the producers
ran out of money. I have been in editing rooms where there was a table of
"coke", and other assorted sundries, and people just lined up to take some
often because we were pulling all nighters to get the job done. This story
doesn't just happen in the entertainment business. It's all over. It's just
your choice to do it or don't. That's it. It isn't always a easy choice for
various reasons, but it is "your" choice. The killer for me is that I worked
with some really talented people that "screwed" up their lives with drugs.
That's a waste to me.
There are thousands of actors that don't get into drugs or if they have
tried it or whatever, they don't let it get out of control. Really we hear
about the handful that did let it get out of control. Monroe, Belushi, etc.,
it goes way back. I think these people had it in their personality. I think
they would have felt "it wasn't enough" whether they were an actor or a
plumber. However, if they were a plumber they might not have been surrounded by
the temptations and availability of drugs. Who really knows? Life makes no
promises but it does give us all choices. Happy day all..........
Sue Heim
www.hollywoodpsterframes.com<http://www.hollywoodpsterframes.com/>
(800) 463-2994
----- Original Message -----
From: Glenn Taranto<mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>
Sent: Saturday, January 26, 2008 12:18 AM
Subject: [MOPO] Heath Ledger - Actors and Drugs (Off Topic)
Dear MOPO friends,
I wanted to post something about Heath Ledger's death but needed to make sure
I had some time to do it. This is a long post so you may feel free to delete.
Perhaps you will take a moment...
This thing about actors and drugs is something that has haunted me for years.
I was on the high school newspaper at a time when Saturday Night Live was in
its infant stages and also at its height.
I thought I'd be cute and told my teacher I wanted to go to New York and
interview John Belushi.
She said, if you can get him to agree you can go. I guess she figured it
would never happen.
I called NBC from the office phone and actually got to talk to Belushi. He
said they were going to go to New Orleans in a couple of weeks to do a show and
when they got back we could set something up.
Naturally everyone thought this was a big deal and they couldn't wait for me
to talk to him next.
I anxiously waited for that New Orleans show to come along. Jerry Lewis'
Broadway show Hellzapoppin' was supposed to have a big
special on that Sunday but when the show closed before it opened NBC was left
with a big gapping hole in their schedule. So they sent the SNL crowd to New
Orleans.
From what I read it was quite a party. The show, as I remember was not that
good. I suspect it had something to do with the fact that a lot of partying was
going on. The Tuesday following I called NBC again and once again,
miraculously, was put through to John Belushi. The conversation was brief and I
could tell that this was not the "same" John Belushi I had spoken with before.
He was a different person. Seemingly not as upbeat.
He politely refused my request for an interview saying he'd been misquoted
enough in the press. When I pointed out that this was a high school paper he
stated the same and said he wasn't going to do any more interviews. Thus ended
my brush with Belushi and my hope of going to New York to see SNL.
Later when I got to know Dan Ackroyd's father through a mutual friend he
intimated that was how Belushi was. Often fueled by drugs he could be one
person one day and another person the next. He said if I had called on
Wednesday instead of Tuesday Belushi might have said yes.
Five years later, in 1982, when I heard Belushi died of drugs I wasn't
surprised. It was almost as if that was where he was headed anyway. A
disappointment certainly but not a surprise.
I've never done anything stronger than aspirin. Subsequently I never got the
whole drug thing.
A year and half later, in 1983, I was working for the accounting firm Touche
Ross. It was without a doubt one of the most depressing jobs I've ever had. Way
down deep in the bowels of the Capitol building in New York . There were two
older women, different as night and day. Iris, the tough old Irish broad, and
Irene, the well-dressed, gentile Jewish lady. As nice as these two women were
to me this was not a job for a young man. Getting slips of paper from
accountants and finding the file, then replacing the file, then getting the
file, then replacing the file, then, well, you get the idea.
I would sit there hoping each audition I went on would help rescue me from
this miserable existence. One day, on the radio, came the announcement that a
rising young actor by the name of James Hayden died of a drug overdose.
I had seen James Hayden in two plays, AMERICAN BUFFALO, the one he was
currently starring in, and just a few months earlier as Rudolpho in A VIEW FROM
THE BRIDGE. His performance as Rudolpho was heartbreaking. I knew here was an
actor of great importance. Just beginning his career and soon to be someone
everyone would know.
When I saw him in AMERICAN BFFALO his ability was cemented for me. There
comes a time in many an actor's life when they realize. OK, maybe I have some
talent but THAT guy is an actor! That's how I felt about James Hayden. The
same way I felt when
I saw a 21 year-old Sean Penn in a play called HEARTLAND. There's something
special there. I wish I had whatever that was.
And when I heard James Hayden had died from a drug overdose it caused me to
wonder very deeply, what is it that he had, that I wanted that wasn't enough
for him? He's starring on Broadway in a play with Al Pacino making 15 hundred
dollars a week. I'm stuck here in the basement at this lousy job with these two
old women. If anyone should be putting a needle in his arm it's me.
I was haunted by all these thoughts for quite a long time. Unfortunately, to
a lesser degree, I still am. Now that, once again, drugs, whether intentional
or not have claimed Brad Renfro and Heath Ledger these thoughts come racing
back to me. What is that they have, that I want, that's not enough for them.
Now these questions go far deeper than just fame, fortune and the chance to
be in prestigious projects. It goes to the heart of life and living. Enjoying
what we have. What we've been given. Enjoying the journey, the people we meet
and the friends we make. The rest, as they as they say, is bullshit.
Now the irony of it all. In 1991 I wrote, directed and starred in a play that
more or less dealt with my feelings about James Hayden's death. After
struggling in New York for ten years I finally got an agent who a year later
asked if I wanted to move to LA to try my hand in television. I did and I've
been here ever since.
New York or LA there's been some success mostly it's all been a very, very,
VERY difficult career. And through it all no drugs of any kind.
Unfortunately Heath Ledger's death will not prevent another successful young
actor from O'Ding. That's the sad part for me. There will always be a
successful actor who finds something missing in his life and will hope what
ever he's looking for will come in the form of some kind of drug. And always
there will be another young actor with less talent but with equal or greater
desire to have that career left wondering what is it that they have, that I
want, that isn't enough for them?
Glenn T.
----- Original Message -----
From: Joseph Bonelli<mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, January 22, 2008 5:48 PM
Subject: Re: [MOPO] Heath Ledger 1979-2008
Latest press releases (I'm at work at a New Orleans public radio station)
say that the apartment was not owned by M.K.Olsen-- that's an official Olsen
announcement.
Joe B in NOLA
PS-- Can't get over the shock at the death of this fine young actor.
Susan Heim <[EMAIL PROTECTED]<mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]>> wrote:
I just saw that he was found in the apartment of Mary Kate Olson who was
out of town. What a tragedy to such a young life.
Sue Heim
www.hollywoodposterframes.com<http://www.hollywoodposterframes.com/>
----- Original Message -----
From: Richard Del Belso<mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, January 22, 2008 2:48 PM
Subject: Re: [MOPO] Heath Ledger 1979-2008
Yes, this a shocker. My jaw dropped when i read your message. What a
pity...he was such a talented guy.
Richard Del Belso
> Date: Tue, 22 Jan 2008 16:55:25 -0500
> From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]<mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> Subject: [MOPO] Heath Ledger 1979-2008
> To: [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>
>
> A shocker:
>
> Academy Award nominated Heath Ledger found dead today, age 28. Here's
a
> link:
>
> http://www.tmz.com/
>
> Scott
> MoPo List Owner
>
> Visit the MoPo Mailing List Web Site at www.filmfan.com
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