Never say Never like they say. For what its worth, Margeret i werlcomed your question on character actor Jay Novello. i spoke to him by phone in 1974 in California and ill be brutally honest with you. it wasnt so much his several roles on TAGS that he commented on but rather several other roles. The Lost world 1960b a film i saw in the theatre was discussed. he often played foreign roles. his accent was obvious but he was very much in the same vein as a leo j. carrol playing spanish italian and other extractions.To be honest he didnt offer much to say about TAGS. Again the NEWS OF THE DAY comes into factor here. i got his number thru SAG . his accent in real life was so pronounced. But my first thoughts to him was a recent role i saw of him a few months earlier that got my attention. It was in The Brady Bunch as Mr Martinelli the bike shop owner. he had a line that cracked me up. i mimic his accent to illustrate the humor of his line The gears they arent clicking. So many youngesters then in those years remember his bit in that role. Jay had a memorable line with a great double take "I wish I could say the same for me" regarding his patience with Peter. HE was laughing himself silly when i actually impersonated him on the phone reciting that scene from the episode. The Lost World The Mad Magican and of course I LOVE LUCY in several memorable episodes were still vividly recalled as i went down my list of his credits. Yes I know what youre thinking. Did Jay Novello comment on his experience working in several episodes of TAGS> YEs he did saying he enjoyed the experienced but here comes another example of rumors that may substantiate some of our fears for the darling FRances Bavier. He simply said and rather quickly too, that she didnt see to like him because he was Italian. ill let others figure that one out. I could tell by his next line, "Did you see me on Love American Style" (Popular show in 1973) that he preferred to say no more about TAGS>I i left it at that. he was simply a gentleman saying he was an every day actor who showed up played his role ,put in a days work then went home to wait for the next rollcall. Had you never mentioned the name Jay Novello, i would never had mentioned his brief comment on TAGS>I had too many other roles to run by him on. He sounded exactly like he did in films and tv roles. His last line to me was "Would you like an 8by10 photo of me Tom?" I replied yes. then he added "Next to me , i dont think theres another italian character actor out there remembered except for Henry Armetta who Jay by the way held in high regard. Henry Armetta died suddenly in 1945. Jay passed away in 1982. im so blessed to have these letters or recorded calls so i can play them back or reread the actual thoughts of these grand character actors. to hear them talk "Off the cuff" about other prerformers, or films or tv shows is thrilling and it captures a chunk of forgotton Hollywood history unbeknownst to most fans of these actors. In closing some actors are just the opposite as they appear on film. I called Sebastion Cabot the grand actor who played Mr French on Family Affair 1966-71. Regal bearing and dignified in film and television, on the phone he was the prankster a sheer delight . he gave one example of him and Brian Keith having a go at it on the tv set hiding their personal effects from their dressing rooms and watching from afar the other guy running about looking for say his Shoes. He was quite a cut up, even the first time by phone. i guess when they see youre spending all that money 3000 miles away and with it you have a list a mile long of their career credits, they tend to "come clean" open up and show a different side to their onscreen persona. in closing , again as i try to illustrate, look here, i got Mr FRench telling me privately by phone that he's having a grand time locking Brian Keith in his dressing room just to get his goat. in hindsight, its amazing the thoughtful insights these wonderful actors gave me. They may not had felt they were the Big Names of the Film World being merely character supporting characters., but to me they were BIG STARS and always will be. bless them. Thanks for asking Margeret. Im glad someone appreciates the word im putting out about what these actors had to say in private life. They are my very best friends in the world. THey gave me a small bit of their time but they truly are everything we Mayberry fans envisioned them to be. Bless you all. Tom Kessel _______________________________________________ WBMUTBB mailing list [email protected] http://www.mayberry.com/tagsrwc/wbmutbb/
