What a great story Joe! Shows how much these guys recognized how cool you are.
Toochis ________________________________ From: "[email protected]" <[email protected]> To: [email protected] Sent: Sun, May 30, 2010 12:27:44 PM Subject: Re: [MOPO] OT-- Joe B and Dennis H-- and a sad omission on the Hwd Walk of Fame 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/ ), > 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. 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.
