Stupendous story Joe, I can only hope this story gets picked nationally,
well more "nationally" than MOPO. This recalls that spectacular blog of the
girl that grew to be a young physician that stayed friends through letters
with John Hughes. While reclusive and troubled in his later years in
sharing her great story with "the world" it added a wonderful insight to a
life
well lived, and kindness irrespective of other issues. So thanks for
sharing
freeman
In a message dated 5/30/2010 12:02:55 P.M. Pacific Daylight Time,
[email protected] writes:
Hi from Joe.
Hope some of you won't mind on OT tale. Delete if you aren't interested.
I guess in the wake of the loss of Dennis Hopper, I should tell the story
of my "connection" again. I'm pretty sure I've told it before
In 1967, as I've told many times, I worked on the Sunset Strip at a
restaurant/pizzeria/coffee house called first, "Angelo's," then "Mama Yuro's"
and, finally, "Mother's." The place was leased to partners but was owned by
Elmer Valentine and Mario (of the Whisky)-- and I believe Steve McQueen had
a hand in it. (I also believe the esteemed Greg Douglass was a customer as
well, but we didn't know each other!)
During the early part of that summer ('67), Dennis Hopper and Peter Fonda
started hanging out on our front sidewalk patio, often with Lou Adler,
John and Michelle Phillips and other music folk from across the street
(offices in the 9000 Sunset building) and the Whisky a-Go-Go which was down
the
street on the corner.
Dennis was already affecting the bearded, long-haired look that was to
become iconic. I didn't recognize him the first time I waited on them.
During their visit, I overheard someone calling him, "Dennis," and realized
after awhile who he was. I had always liked him (particularly in "Giant") and
told him so.
Hopper liked joshing folks and he pretended he didn't know who I thought
he was and that I was mistaken. I caught on and told him he was right, that
I WAS indeed mistaken and that I really finally recognized him as Sal
Mineo. This started something.
Over the next few weeks, anytime Dennis and Company came in, I waited on
them, calling him "Sal" all the time, confusing the hell out of his friends
and amusing the hell out of Dennis.
It culminated one day when a girl who was with them was giving Dennis a
hard time. Just as she finished letting him have a verbal assault, I leaned
over to deliver something and said to her, "You ought to be nice to him.
I saw him in 'Exodus' and he was damned good!" That was it! Hopper fell
on the floor in hysterics, the girl fumed and we all had a huge laugh.
Some two years later I was working in the Mineo production of "Fortune &
Men's Eyes" at the Coronet Theatre on La Cieniga Blvd, when one day the
stage manager, Len Marsal ( _http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0550348/_
(http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0550348/) ), asked me if I used to work on the
Sunset Strip
at this place, etc., and when I said yes, Len said, "Goddammit, YOU'RE the
one!"
"What do you mean?" I asked.
Anyway, it turns out that Dennis Hopper had remembered me and when they
were putting together the team to shoot "Easy Rider," probably during 1968,
he sent Lenny (who was to be second asst. director on "Easy Rider") looking
for ME on the Strip. I was not to be found.
Needless to say, it was another case of Joe's idiotic inability to stay
put. Had I still been in L.A. (I was in MS at the time) and Lenny had found
me, I would have worked on and probably been IN "Easy Rider."
Lenny said that Dennis had said that since "that guy" from the Strip
restaurant was a southerner, it would be a good idea to have someone like me
along for "communication" purposes in those days when long-hairs like Dennis
and Peter were not particularly welcome in some places where shooting was
planned. Indeed, in those days, the ending of "Easy Rider" was certainly a
possiblity in real life.
But I was gone from the Strip----- so, no "Easy Rider" for Joe.
That incident and the fact that I was once again in Mississippi after the
NYC production of "Fortune and Men's Eyes" and was unable to be found to do
a speaking part in the movie (arghhh!).....
well, that's another thing.
Oh, well. I'm still young! I'll only be 67 this July-- two days before
Mick Jagger turns the same age (and the same day (7/23) that Dan
Radcliffe-- "Harry Potter"-- will be 21 (the little bastard ). And I ain't
finished
yet!!!
R.I.P, Dennis Hopper! You were the last of a unique Hollywood breed and
you will indeed be missed!!
Joe
PS-- It is fitting and proper that Dennis Hopper finally got that deserved
star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame--- even if it was less than three
months before his death.
Sal Mineo, nominated twice for the Oscar by age 20 and a friend of
Hopper's, is still awaiting HIS Hollywood Walk of Fame star--- almost 35 years
after his tragic murder--- mugged and stabbed by a low-life thief just below
the Sunset Strip--- where I had first met and waited on him in the same
year-- 1967-- that Hopper and Company were customers as well. However they
never happened to be at Angelo's at the same time.
Joe
Visit the MoPo Mailing List Web Site at www.filmfan.com
___________________________________________________________________ How to
UNSUBSCRIBE from the
MoPo Mailing List Send a message addressed to:
[email protected] In the BODY of your message type: SIGNOFF MOPO-L
The author of this
message is solely responsible for its content.
Visit the MoPo Mailing List Web Site at www.filmfan.com
___________________________________________________________________
How to UNSUBSCRIBE from the MoPo Mailing List
Send a message addressed to: [email protected]
In the BODY of your message type: SIGNOFF MOPO-L
The author of this message is solely responsible for its content.
