From Hollywood to Michael Dante Way by Michael Dante

Michael Dante. From  Hollywood to Micael Dante Way. Albany, Ga: BearManor Press, 2013.

Dante as a child worked as an assistant to a barker at the circus for $2 a day. He discovered he enjoyed performing.

Dante played on a baseball team that won the Connecticut high school championship in 1949 as well as a team that won the New England Newspaper League championship. The Boston Braves signed him for a $6,000 bonus, which was then the maximum bonus that could be offered without requiring the player be on the major league roster for two years. He hurt his arm playing. The doctor suggested he move to a warmer climate to heal. He moved to California. There, a scout signed him to play for Hermosillo in the Mexican Coast Winter League. This was followed with reporting for spring training for the Hollywood Stars of the Pacific Coast League. Yet his injury prevented him from playing for the team. He kept in shape playing semi-pro baseball in Connecticut.

Dante could play baseball yet had troubles throwing overhand. An operation attempted to correct this. While healing, he started class at the University of Miami as an Acting major. He got a scholarship to be Assistant Manager of their baseball team.

Dante attended spring training with the Washington Senators. He was designated to go to their Chattanooga team when he was also offered a screen test. He chose the screen test.

Dante writes “the 1950s was perhaps the most exciting and creative time in the history of the business because television was just coming into its own.” Lots of new opportunities arose for cast and crew.

Dante’s screen test resulted in a standard several year studio contract. The studio, MGM, could cancel the contract every six months. He was offered to meet with an acting coach, even if just to say hello. He made a point ot do that at least twice a week. He wored on improving his diction.

Dante also learned that there was much “envy and jealousy” among other actors.

His first role was in “Shorty the Greek”. He shared a dressing room with Steve McQueen.

During filming, a truck’s brakes failed. The driver managed to avoid hitting people on ground. Dante pulled Steve McQueen away from getting hurt. The truck ran into a plank with a dolly which tossed the camera operator into the air. Neither was seriously injured.

Steve McQueen considered Dante to be with him in the movie “Bullit”. Dante had observed tht McQueen had a complex about his height. When Dante rose at their meeting before McQueen rose, McQueen asked him “Whoa, hey, man. What did you do? Get taller since I saw you last?” Dante correctly knew that he had lost the part.

MGM had one of the first large scale dumping of actors. Dante’s contract was among those MGM did not renew.

Warner Brothers, which was investing in tV shows, hired Dante for $250 a week with increases over the following six years. We has cast before getting the contact. Dante insisted of $275 a week, which he received as he was needed for the movie. He did earn the displeasure of the head of casting.

Dante’s first Warner Brothers role was in “Westbound” where he portrayed a one armed soldier returning from war.

Jack Warner wanted to change Dante’s name fro his actual name that he was using, Ralph Vitti. Warner said of the first and second names that one had to be long and the other short. He picked a relative’s name, Dante, to keep his Italian heritage.

Dante had guest roles in 13 TV shows in addition to three movies in his first year at Warner Brothers. He was getting his name in publicity magazines which helped create interest in his appearances.

Dante was in the movie “Seven Thieves”. Joan Collins was often missing from the set. She was then often found with her boyfriend Warren Beatty. Collins and the director got into heated arguments. Edward G. Robinson advised regarding Collin’s actions “Michael, don’t behave that way, it’s so unprofessional.” Dante followed that advice.

Actors went on strike for six months. This ended all studio contracts. Dante was among the last of the contract actors.

After the strike ended, Dante did several more TV episodes. He then appeared in the movie “Kid Galahad”. He filmed a boxing scene with Elvis Presley as no stunt doubles were used. Elvis accidentally cut Dante’s mouth with a late blow.

Dante’s next movie was a low budget “Operation Bikini” about the Bikini Atoll and not bathing suits. It took two weeks to shoot and made International Pictures a lot of money for their investment, The actors received little pay.

Dante next appeared in the film “The Naked Kiss”. The movie receive rave reviews.

Dante filmed “Apache Rifles” with Audie Murphy Much of the filming was in the 117 degree Mojave desert.

Dante filmed “Harlow” with Carol Lynley. He improvised a line with her on a polar bear fug stating “do you like fff..fireplaces?”, elongating the “f”. The director Alex Segal stated it was one of the greatest improvised lines ever.

Dante made an appeared on “Bonanza”. While filming it, the Executive Producer, David Dortort, offered Dante a role in a TV series he was creating, “High Chapparel”. Dante turned it down and the show ran for five years. Dante writes he has no regrets turning it down.

Dante appeared in “Get Smart” . He writes that experience was the most fun as laughter reigned on the set.

Dante was cast in the TV series “The Legend of Custer”. He portrayed Crazy Horse. Critics did not like the series. It lasted 17 episodes. Four episodes were later edited into a movie “Crazy Horse and Custer---The Untold Story.”

Gene Roddenberry offered Dante to be in “Star Trek” Dante did not have to audition as Roddenberry already appreciated his work. Dante accepted. Most who appeared on “Star Trek” earned more money at fan conventions and autograph shows than what they received for being on the show. Dante and seven others who were “Star Trek”, including a brief appearance by William Shatner, filmed a comedic homage in 2013, “Unbelievable!!!”

Dante filmed an episode of “Daniel Boone”. He performed a scene in water with Darby Hinton. The crew did not realize the water was cold and Hinton was shocked by the coldness. Dante swam 40 yards, holding onto Hinton. Hinton credits Dante with saving his life.

Dante appeared in “Willard”. He notes that the scene were rats appear to kiss Willard’s ear were shot by placing peanut butter on Willard’s ears, thus making their eating look like they were kissing him.

Dante continued appearing in TV episodes.

Dante had the title role in the movie “Winterhawk”. He suffered torn ligaments when the horse he was riding for the film caught his foot between some logs and then reared up. This caused Dante to slide off as the horse bolted. They had to shoot around him during his ten day recovery.

In 1977, Rep. Chris Dodd invited Dante to the National Prayer Breakfast. Dodd was a fan of “Winterhawk”.

Dante’s next movie role was in “The Farmer”, followed by “Cruise Missile”. He then filmed “Beyond Evil”, his only horror film.

While Dante had turned down appearing in a soap opera in 1963, he agreed to appear in “Days of OUr Lives” in 1984.

Dante filmed two movie with Fred Williamson. Dante believes Williamson was “ahead of his time” and that his movies would be more commercially successful today.

Dante got a radio show. After 13 weeks of the show, the manager offered him another 13 week contract. Dante insisted in creating his own show. He paid for airtime and obtained his own sponsors. The “Michael Dante Classic Celebrity Talk Show” lasted 12 years.

In 2011, a road in Stamford, Ct. was named Michael Dante Way.

Merv by Michael Druxman

Michael Druxman. Merv. New York: Leisure Books, 1980.

Every guest on “The Merv Griffin Show”, a 90 minute talk show hosted by Merv Griffin, received the same scale salary as determined by the American Federation of Television / Radio Artists which (in the last 1970s) wa $337.50. Many large stars appeared for exposure, to increased demands for booking their performances, or to publication a work product.

Miss Miller was a fan who was in the audiences of the show as well as in the audience of other shows. Merv often recognized her. She was asked to give a review of a Broadway show for Merv’s show.

Merv Griffin was the late night talk show host on CBS-TV in 1969-72 against NBC’s Johnny Carson and ABC’s Joey Bishop and then Dick Cavett. Merv usually came in second in the ratings with Carson first.

Johnny Carson’s style was his quick wit and taking command of his show. Merv was better at letting guests have their say and Merv was better at making guests feel more comfortable.

Merv’s uncle Peter Griffin was a three time U.S. tennis doubles champion and Marv’’s father Mervyn Griffin was a California and Pacific Coast singles tennis champion.

Merv learned playing classical piano as a child and performed in backyard shows.

Merv spent some time with his Uncle Elmer who was rooming with actor Errol Flynn. Merv was stunned that Flynn was totally naked when he arrived. As Merv related, “but what really threw me is wen these beautiful ladies would come over and he still wouldn’t put any clothes on.” Merv enjoyed that he was constantly being sent to go see movies.

On Merv’s 18th birthday, he felt on inner voice that made him feel that the entertainment  business was his future. At 19, he went into radio station KFRC while driving by and asked for a staff musician job. There were no job available. A friend mentioned that Merv could sing. He was asked to sign and he was hired. Merv had a 25 minute daily “San Francisco Sketchbook” slot on a Thursday for $100. The next Monday, the show’s name was changed to “The Merv

Merv created Panda Records to release an album. His income was $1,100 a week and then $1,500 a week. Merv would make local San Francisco appearance with the orchestra on weekends.

As Merv was overweight with acne, no photos were sent to fans. Nor were there any studio audiences at his radio show.

Merv dieted and lost 80 pounds in four months.

Art Hickman in 1913 was among the first to have a band with an organized dance group.

Orchestra leader Freddy Martin needed a new lead singer when Stuart Wade left his band to try acting. Martin’s secretary listened to records of two singers and chose Merv. Martin auditioned Merv and offered him $175 per week with $25 raises ever 13 weeks. Martin wanted Merv to his vocalist and second piano player. Merv realized this was less than his $1,5000 weekly radio salary yet decided that touring would bring more exposure.

Merv recorded several hit records with Freddy Martin. Merv was paid a flat fee of $50

RCA Victor gave Merv a solo recording contract.

Merv appeared on a 1950 Universal 15 minute short film “Music by Martin” which was a Freddy Marti concert film. It took a day to film.

Merv did live commercials. He once did a commercial for a non-smear lipstick where a women kissed him. He wiped his lips with a handkerchief to show there was no smear, only to have his facial makeup appear.

Merv roomed in New York with Robert Clary. Clary would later appear in “Hogan’s Heroes”.

After four years of singing with Freddy Martin, Merv took a screen test that got him hired at Warner Brothers. He was requested to change his name to Mark yet refused.

Merv had a bit part in his first movie. Gossip columnists claimed that Merv feuded with Gordon MacRae. Merv states that was not true and was based on a Sammy Cahn joke that Merv was seeking to replace MacRae. Merc had one line in his second movie which starred MacRae. Merv was not in the billing.

Merv received second billing in his third film “So This is Love”.

Merv used to appear at premiers with a studio arranged fake date, Delores Dorn-Heft. They would speak to the press, go into the theater, separate, and leave. They wouldn’t stay to watch the film yet went only for publicity’s sake.

Merv and his date Marily Erskine went on a double date with Tony Curtis and Janet Leigh. They all cross dressed as movie characters for a Jerry Lewis party. They were pulled over by a motorcycle police officer leading to much explanations.

Merv did voiceover work in a couple of films. He also re-dubbed an actor’s voice. He did background work while standing behind Jack E. Leonard. As Merv put it, “all through the movie it looked like Jack had a wart on his head-me!” He also recalled that Leonard was so heavy he had it written into his contract that a limo would drive him 50 feet to the commissary.

Merv’s personal manager then was George “Bullets” Durgom, who also represented Jackie Gleason. Durgom helped get Merv appearances on “The Jackie Gleason Show”.

Merv was in “The Boy from Oklahoma”. His character rode a horse, something Merv had never done. Merv was promised to be given two weeks of horse riding lessons. Yet he was called to ride a horse on his first day. He constantly fell off the horse. Merv ad-libbed Jackie Gleason’s expression “away we go” which was kept in the movie that was set in the 19th century,

Merv drove cross country when his engine block cracked in Harrisburg, Pa. The Ford dealer was not helpful until Merv called his friend Edsel Ford who told the dealer to give Merv a new motor.

Merv was dropped from appearing in a Kate Smith TV show which was sponsored by Esquire Boot Polish because of his name Griffin. A competitor to Esquire Boot Polish was Griffin Shoe Polish.

In 1955, Merv hosted the CBS Sunday morning program “Look Up and Live”. He was paid $119 per week. He would introduce singers and Protestant pastors plus provide background before drama skits. Merv lasted 13 weeks, The next 13 weeks had Catholics on. Merv was replaced rven though Merv was Catholic,

Merv hosted the CBS “The Morning Show” for six months until he was replaced by Will Rogers, Jr.

Merv was offered to replace Bob Smith, who had a heart attack, and appear as Hoody Doody. Merv declined.

In 1957, Merv hosted the ABC-TV weekend show “Going Places”. It began as a 45 minute program. Two months later it was increased to 1 hour, 45 minutes.

Merv parted company amicably with his manager Bullets Durgom. He hired Marty Kummer of MCA who would pay more attention to Merv’s career.

Merv had a CBS game show “Play Your Hunch”. ABC picked it up after CBS canceled it. After eight months it move to NBC/

In 1959, Merv had two records in the top 20.

Merv replaced Carl Reiner as a moderator on ABC-TV’s “Keep Talking” for $1,500 per show. He was also appearing regularly on “The Arthur Murray Party”. Merv substitued for Bud Collyer when vacationing as the host of “To Tell the Truth”. He also was a singer on the TV series “Music for a Summer Night”.

Merv in 1960 hosted NBCs “Saturday Prom” with a live orchestra led by Bobby Vinton and 500 teenagers dancing. A friend told Merv the show “looked like an auto accident”.

Merv hosted a game show “Play Your Hunch”. Jack Parr used to make a short cut through the studio where “Play Your Hunch” aired. Paar made an unscheduled appeared on “Play Your Hunch” while taking his short cut unaware the studio was in use. Paar was impressed with how Merv ad libbed. Paar used Merv to substitute for him in his interview show. Paar then left the show. Merv lasted for two weeks while a new host was sought. Merv enjoyed chatting with guest Arthur Treacher. Merv offered to make Treacher his side kick if Merv ever got his own show. Johnny Carson was selected as the new host.

Merv was replaced by Gene Rayburn in “Play That Hunch” in July 1962 as Merv begin his own 45 minute daytime chat show.

Merv had his show appeal to men and women. He also hired Bob Shanks to produce the show for $1,000 a week. Merv admits he could have hired Shanks for less yet he wanted to pay his producer more than Johnny Carson paid his.

Merv’s show lost to “Password” which had four times the number of viewers. Merv’s show was canceled April 1, 1963. Hundreds of letters were sent to NBC upset by the cancellation. It was the os tletters then ever received regarding a cancellation.

CBS hired Merv to host the summer show “Talent Scouts”.

Merv created his own TV company. He created the game show “Word for Word”. Merv then developed the idea for a game show “Jeopardy”. NBC bought the idea in 1964. “Jeopardy” was hosted by Art Fleming. It ran until 1974. In 1968, Merv’s company had four more game shows aired, although most did not last long.

Merv was approached to do an evening CBS talk show to compete against Johnny Carson Merv asked for double what Carson was paid, creative control, and he wanted to keep his same team of producer Bob Shaksn, band leader Mort Lindsey, director Kirk Alexander, and chief writer Bob Howard. There was a quick 20 negotiation and the deal was made. CBS then spent $2 million to make the Cort Theatre in New York City into a TV studio.

Merv’s first week ratings were close to Carson’s. Merv then lost about 30% of his audience as he slid into second place. Merv’s show was on CBS for 30 months.

CBS censored Abbie Hoffman, refusing to show him wearing his American flag shirt during his 40 minute interview. Ironically, a Ford commercial with Roy Rogers and Dale Evans that aired during the interview showed Rogers and Evans wearing the exact same shirt.

Merv’s show appeared on 150 CBS stations compared to Carson being on 210 NBC stations. Some CBS stations began showing Merv’s show in the afternoon instead.

Merv decided to move the show to Hollywood. Arthur Treacher ad Bob Shanks opted not to move with him The others did. The show was taped. Two tapes flew in two different airplanes to the east coast. The show aired two days after it was taped.

CBS network programmer Fred Silverman began suggesting a different type of show replace Merv. Merv asked to be released form his contract.

Merv left CBS knowing Metromedia would offer to take him.

CBS erased all their tapes of Merv’s shows.

Merv’s new show was directed by Dick Carso, brother of Johnny Carson. The show had guests centered around a theme.

I 1973, Carson moved his show from New York to Burbank.

Merv’s show, which was syndicated, had its highest ratings during its last half hour. THis was the opposite of late nights that lost viewers from 11:30 pm to 1 am.

Five Came Back by Mark Harris

Mark Harris. Five Came Back: A History of Hollywood and the Second World War. ew York: The Penguin Press, 2014.

During World War II, the Federal government had filmmakers filming in combat zones They were given great creative freedom even though the government’s goal was to create propaganda to inspire Americans to support the war well. In addition, the films informed people about the war. Five legendary directors were among those involved, including John Ford, Frank Capra, William Wyler, John Huston, and George Stevens. Of them, John Ford was involved first.

Ford was a Navy Lieutenant Commander when Pearl Harbor was bombed. He had already begun creating the Naval Volunteer Photographic Unit involving professional camera operators, sound technicians, and film editors. They rehearsed working in simulated ship conditions.

Rod, at age 46, and Wyler at 39, were too old for the draft. Huston was 4F.

Wyler had directed “Mrs. Miniver” which was designed to give audiences respect for the British spirit.

Stevens watched Leni Riefenstan’s pro-Nazi “Triumph of the Will” movie and decided he needed to act, stating “All film is propaganda.”

Capra wrote that his decision to become involved was mostly out of boredom and somewhat out of patriotism.

The War Department had a long history with filmmaking. The Signal Corps first made soldier training films in 1929.

The movie industry feared government censorship and regulation.

The government’s decision to involve film professionals into a world war was made with little forethought or planning on what they were going to do.

In 1938, the major film companies all avoided films that touched on the politics of Hitler. Exception were allowed in dialogue comments. There was a Production Coe that covered movies that demanded movies avoid controversial topics.

Ford became active in the Anti-Nazi League in 1938. He lated helped found the Motion Picture Artists’ Committee to Aid Spain, which reached 15,000 members.

In 1935, Capra declared he admired Benito Mussolini. Mussolini was a fan of Capra’s films. Mussolini offered Capra $1 million o produce a movie biography of Mussolini. Harry Cohn, Columbia Pictures President, stopped the idea stating “I’m a Jew. Hes mised up with Hitler and I don’t want no part of it.”

Capra supported Franco in the Spanish Civil War. Capra hated unions and declined, for the first 18 months of its existence, to join the Screen Directors Guild. Capra later switched from being anti-Roosevelt and a pacifist to being pro-Roosevelt and an interventionist. He did so after meeting Roosevelt and be awed by Roosevelt. Capra later became President of the Screen Directors Guild.

In 1939, the movie “Confessions of a Nazi Spy” was released. The German-American Bund objected. A Paramount censor warned Warner Brothers that films like that would mean “the Warners will have on their hands the blood of a great many Jews in Germany. Some feared the film would incite accusations that the film industry favored “a Jewish interventionist agenda.”

Capra’s films “Mr. Deeds Goes to Town” and Mr. Smith Goes to Washington” had “quasi-populist anger: yet their “politics are completely non-specific.” Capra insisted his goal was to entertain When questioned if his films had a political theme, Capra declared “Go get fucked with your theme! Are you a Communist?”

Over half of American adults in 1940 went to the movies weekly.

The leaders of all eight major studios formed the pro-war Motion Pictures Co-operating for the Defense.

Ford, a Catholic loyal to his wife, produced for the military the six “Sex Hygiene”. It showed close-ups of penile sores and informed personnel that anyone wishing to have sex with a solider “probably has a disease.”

Ford’s proposed budget for the Field Photo Unit was $5 million for the first year, $3 million for the second year, and $2 million for the third.

Sen. Gerard Nye, Republican from North Dakota, berated the film industry as a group of “foreigners” with “non’Nordic” surnames who produced over 20 movie such as “Sergeant York” and “The Great Dictator” in order to make the public “fear that Hitler will come over here and capture them.” The Senate held hearings on the film industry’s propaganda and monopoly status.

The film industry decided to avoid the monopoly issue and fight back on the propaganda charges. The Motion Picture Producers and Distributors of American paid Wendell Willkie to appear with them at the hearings. Willkie was a pro-interventionist Republican who had been the Republican nominee for President, The strategy was not to appeae the Senators yet to refuse to apologize for informing the public about the international problems. Willkie spoke of the filmmakers’ patriotism.

The Senate committee on the film industry had four isolationists and one interventionist, Sen. Ernest McFarland. Willkie spoke first, proclaiming the studios “abhor everything that Hitler represents.” The committee refused to allow Willkie to ask questions during the hearing with McFarland objecting to that. Nye, who was not a member of the committee, testified first, calling the film industry “the most potent and dangerous fifth column of our country.” Nye declared “the people of Germany and of Italy...are also suffering.” He accused the studios with supporting England for profit reasons with their films shows in England.

Willkie ignored the prohibition on his questioning a witness and asked if Nye had seen the movies he questioned. Nye replied he hadn’t seen all of them. Willkie offered to show to the movies to committee members.

The second day’s witness with Sen Bennett Clark. Clark testified the film industry was controlled by six people and implied they sought to go to war to help the Soviet Union.
He warned if they did not halt their propaganda he would destroy their monopoly.

McFarland later wondered how the film industry could be taking orders from the Federal government, as some Senators accused, when it produced movies such as “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington” which ridiculed the Federal government.

Sen. Sheridan Downey, Democrat from California, testified supporting the film industry, arguing “should be expect Hollywood to turn its back upon the reality of the world?”

Harry Warner of Warner Brothers testified the movies were “accurately recording on the screen the world as it is or as it had been.”

Warner testified disputing charges the movies were being greeted by public indifference. He correctly predicted that “Sergeant York” would be his most profitable film.

Darryl Zanuck noted that Hitler and Mussolini had banned U.S. films for “they wanted no part of the American way of life.”

The Senate committee realized it had litle support to bring its’ issues before the full Senate. It disbanded on December 8, 1941, the day after Pearl Harbor.

After Pearl Harbor, President Roosevelt named Lowell Mellett to operate the Office for Emergency Management in collaboration with the film industry. Darryl Zanuck, an active duty Lieutenant Colonel, met weekly with the War Departnet.

Mellett met with the film industry both to produce films both for government use, such as military training films, and for commenting on films to get the general public to support the war. Roosevelt was aware how public support decreased for World War I. Roosevelt declared he was against censorship, yet wanted public safety to be a priority. Some movie executives were not pleased that Merritt was not from the film industry and was advising them.

In 1942, Ford was ordered to overall the War Department’s first important propaganda film. I was designed to reassure the American public that the Navy remained strong despite in losses at Pearl Harbor.

The film Ford produced was “December 7th”. Ford filmed the Navy in Hawaii. He also did filming in California without informing the government of his California footage.

When an admiral was recommending shots, Ford yelled at the admiral that Ford knew what he was doing. This actually increased the confidence that Navy brass had in Ford. Ford was allowed to fly with airplane raids over Japan led by General James Dolittle. These shots were used in newsreels.

Capra received an Army Captain’s salary that reached $4,000. General George Marshall had Capra transferred from the Signal Corps, which was traditionally in charge of filmmaking, to the Morale Branch. Capra’s first film was “Why We Fight.”

Bette Davis, elected weeks earlier as the Academy Award’s President, proposed turning the 1942 Academy Awards into a war relief fund raiser selling tickets to the public. The Academy Board strongly objected and continued with a lavish Academy Awards. Davis resigned as the Academy’s President. Formal wear was rejected with the recommendation that the money for formal wear be donated to the Red Cross.

Carole Lombard died in a plane crash from Indiana to Los Angeles. She was returning from selling war bonds, She was seen as the first movie star casualty of the war effort.

Louis B. Mayer had led MGM away from making propaganda films. Mayer was upset at the Nye Committee for including MGM’s “The Mortal Storm” and “Escape” in their claims of films that were propaganda. Yet, in 1941, MGM released “Mrs. Miniver” which depicted British civilian strength during the war. Director William Wyler stated he deliberately made a propaganda film because it was something one wasn’t supposed to do. Mayer approved it as it was pro-British without being anti-German. Mayer wanted the movie toned yet after Pearl Harbor, Maybe told Wyler “You do it the way you want.”

Capra asked brothers Julius Epstein and Joseph Epstein as well as other screenwriters to join his war efforts. The screenwriters were all left wingers, the opposite of what Capra himself was politically before Pearl Harbor.

The screenwriters all agreed despite Capra’s reputation of being difficult to work with. Capra admitted he has trouble telling others what he wanted but he knew it when he saw it. He did ask that “to turn words into pictures.”

Capra claims the initial outlines the screenwriters produced “were larded with Communist propaganda.” The author notes the surviving copies of these outlines are not as Capra remembered them.

Capra’s request for office space was delayed by the War Department due to War Department bureaucracy. Capra on his own got the Interior Department to allow him to use some empty space they had in a cooling tower.

Lowell Mellett urged for showing more Blacks in the war effort movies. He wanted white viewers to see Blacks working at jobs not traditionally done by Blacs. It was also hoped ot get more Blacks to support the war. One survey in Harlem found half of Blacks thought there would be little difference in their lives if Japan won the war. There was talk among Southern Blacks of creating a Japanese-Black alliance.

The U.S. Army’s War College in 1937 studied Black soldiers and found them “careless, shiftless, irresponsible and secretive, immoral, un-truthful, and his sense of right is relatively inferior.”

400 movies with war themes were produced by move studies in 1942 and 1943.

Studios loaned screenwriters to Capra. Yet the studios insisted that their time left on their contracts should be extended by the amount of time they were with Capra.

The Museum of Modern Art collected pro-Nazi propaganda films. Some had been shown in U.S. communities with large German-American populations. The films argued that the Treaty of Versailles was “the rape of Germany” and that Germany was defending itself. Goebbels supervised the production of such films as “Campaign for Poland” and “Victory in the West.” Capra studied the films. Capra observed the films encourage the youth to fight for Hitler and that surrender meant death.

Capra developed the “Why We Fight” series.

Eric Knight was an advisor to Capra. He advised that the films required a cohesive theme that would motivate the troops. He found the early screenplays consisted of too many boring facts and contained too much dry information. Capra placed Knight to supervise the screenwriters.

Ford  was wounded with shrapnel with filming the Battle of Midway. Ford was filming from a roof as a Japanese plane attacked. He had picked a power station roof as it had telephones. A bomb hit the station, knocked Ford unconscious, and shrapnel hit his arm. The camera operator, Jack MacKenzie, Jr., stated “I got a swell short of a Jap formation coming in straight toward me.” MacKenzie continued filming elsewhere. Ford needed medical attention. MacKenzie continued filming the devastation of the battles for days afterwards.

Ford would later elaborate the story, claiming he did the filming. MacKenzie later clarified that he and Kenneth Pier had done the cinematography.

Ford was upset when men of Torpedo Squadron 8, whom he had met, died in action. He had a film made of the men and had a copy delivered to eery deceased man’s family. The film was never show to anyone else for about half a century.

Capra was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel. “Prelude to War” became the film film of the “Why We Fight” series, telling about Italy invading North Africa and Japan invading Manchuria. This was followed by “The Nazi Strikes” about Germany invading Austria, Czechoslovakia, and Poland. Next was “Divide and Conquer” about France falling to Germany. The next two were about Germany’s war with England and Russia. The sixth was about Japan invading China. The several was about Pearl Harbor.

In 1942, the Academy changed rules allowing 25 nominees for Beat Documentary with four winners.

Huston had a cameraman who loved being shot at who flew nine missions in six days. They filmed in the Aleutian territory where the bright light required a rare type of film that was hard to find.

Stevens observed that soldiers seeing films experienced a “catharsis” of being reminded of things from home.

Wyler was sent to England with no written directive, officer assistance, or funds. He didn’t have a typewriter or a car. Wyler did not know Army protocols. Wyler was informed by a “Stars and Stripes” writer he won an Academy Award for directing “Mrs. Miniver.”

Ford’s film “December 7” included descriptions of Japanese race-baiting. Tug Gallagher, a film historian, believe the strong anti-Japanese narrative of the film may have been served to gain support for the internment of Japanese nationals. Ford’s film included dialogue that most Japanese Americans supported the U.S. Mellett stopped general release of “December 7th” yet it was show to military and munitions personnel.

A U.S. Senate Committee investigating waste questioned whether Zanuck was using his war post for stir training film contracts to 20th Century Fox. Zanuck denied doing anything improper. He was cleared of malfeasance.

The Army Inspector General conducted its own investigation on Zanuck. Zanuck stopped bragging about being in dangerous combat. It was determined no director had a full time salary from studios in addition to their military pay. The matter was dropped.

Wyler took dangerous shots. He shot from a hole in a plane’s belly to film a landing. He could have been killed had there been a rough landing.

Zanuck with Anatole Litwak filmed much footage of the Casablanca battle. The film was lost when the ship carrying the film was sunk by German torpedoes.

The film “Desert Victory” used some reenactments. Reviews liked the film and were not concerned with the reenactments. Variety’s review wrote “It’s the overall effect that counts.”

Capra produced cartoon shorts of Private SNAFU who would learn the importance of rules. Private SNAFU often wound up blown up.

Capra hired Theodor S. Geisel for the Private SNAFU project. Geisel would later be known as Dr. Seuss. Geisel partnered with Chuck Jones of Elmer Fudd fame. Mel Blanc did the voices. Friz Freling, Frank Tashlin, and Bob Clampett, experienced cartoon makers, joined the process. 26 cartoons were produced in a year and a half. The cartoons got lines past censors such as showing nuts falling off a jeep with the line “it’s so cold it would freeze the nuts off a jeep.”

Capra produced “Tunisian Victory” with reenactments.

Sam Goldwyn wanted Wyler to return to MGM. Wyler stated he would stay until the war was over. Goldwyn asked Wyler to sign that he would return within 60 days of discharge and that Toldwyn could end his contract if the war didn’t end by the end of 1945.

Capra’s film “The Battle of Russia” helped convince viewers that the U.S. was part of an Allied effort. This was not just a U.S. war. This was the first film of the “Why We Fight” series that was released to the general public. It ran for 80 minutes. This film was later used by pro-Joseph McCarthy supports during the 1950s in their claims Capra that Capra had Communist sympathies.

Capra was promoted to Coloneo had yet no additional duties.

Huston claimed he serve as a nurse to the camera crew in San Pietro. He did not. In fact, the footage used in the later scripted movie “The Battle of San Pietro” was taken by Jules Buck. Huston did film there.

Movie audiences were tiring of the documentary movies. THey were increasingly attending musicals, comedies, and biographies.

The Best Documentary Award went to the British production “Desert Victory.”

Ford was promoted to Captain, He produced the film “They Were Expendable.”

For the D Day invasion, Capra was sent to D.C. to handle quickly the arriving film footage and coordinating it for use.

Capra insisted on making “The Negro Soldier.” He was met with government hypocrisy as they wanted a movie that would win Black support yet would not upset whites. Military units were segregated. Black military units did not have this important jobs that would appear as exciting to Blacks they hoped to recruit. Capra kept stereotypes out of the fim. It was well received when released to Black audiences. It was released to general audiences in hopes of changing white people’s attitudes towards Blacks.

The filming of D Day was shot by the Field Photo Unit, SEPCOU (Special Coverage Unit) team, Coast Guard, Canadian Army, and British military. Film ws in London 76 hours afterwards. Color film was converted to black and white for newsreels.Some of the film was so graphically violent it was not shown for over a half century. Churchill watched a 1 hour, 40 minute synopsis.

Stevens filmed bombing results, including the dead and survivors.

Junius Stout, one of Capra’s camera operators, filmed the Omaha Beach invasion from the top of a boat. He died when his returning plane was shot down.

Ford gave his MGM salary to create the Field Photo Memorial Home for rehabilitating studio technicians who served in war. Year later, a critic declared it was a low cost veterans’ housing, which Ford denied.

Ford returned to make “They Were Expendable” for MGM. Zanuck, Ford’s former 20th Century Fox employer, was upset yet it was his patriotic duty to let Ford make the movie where he wanted. Ford told Zanuck he was recovering from shock and war wounds. Zanuck knew Ford like to overly boast and replied “I do not choose to believe all the facts as related by Ford, including the wounds.”

Capra’s family was financially hurting from the lower royalties his films earned. Capra tried to leave military service yet was denied.

Huston wrote scripts under pseudonyms which allowed him to get around Army regulations prohibiting him from having a civilian salary. He wrote “The Killers” and “The Stranger”.

Huston’s first cut of the film “San Pietro” was rejected by the War Department. They believe it was anti-war. Huston stated to the War Department representative that he “pompously replied that if I ever make a picture that was pro-war, I hoped someone would take me out and shoot me. The guy looked at me as if he was considering just that.” Huston recut the film.

It was decided that film propaganda should blame the people of the countries at war with the U.S. In the film “Know Your Enemy”, the Japanese were described as “pigeon-toed and perhaps bowlegged. He is near-sighted and has buck teeth.” 20th Century Fox’s “The Purple Heart” recommended that the was to handle the Japanese was to “wipe them off the face of the Earth.”

Capra, observing Stevens had not taken a break in seven months, ordered Stevens to temporarily report to London to supervise “The True Glory”. Paddy Chayefsky was writing the script. Stevens found there was little for him to do.

Wyler filmed “Thunderbolt” about P 47 fighter planes. Wyler also filmed the devastation of Italy. Wyler’s driver for awhile was Leicester Hemingway, Ernest’s brother, who was known for agreeing to drive into dangerous places.They filmed a ragtag group of local armed resisters. Wyler discovered that the Jews were missing from towns and no one knew where they were.

Ford filmed John Wayne in “They Were Expendable”. Ford yelled at Wayne “Duke! Can’t you manage a salute that looks like you’ve been in he service?” Wayne walked off the shoot. Robert Montgomery walked to Ford declaring “Don’t you ever speak like that to anyone again.” Ford apologized and gave Wayne an additional scene in the film.

During filming, Ford fell off a soundstage several feet and broke a leg. Ford was told he would be in traction for three weeks. Montgomery shot the scheduled close ups and inserts for the next two weeks. Ford returned after two weeks against his doctor’s roders to finish filming.

Wyler lost his hearing from loud plane engines while filming in Italy. Wyler was discharged due to his deafness.

Eisenhower ordered Stevens to film the 16,000 American and British paratroopers attacking Germany. Stevens arrived at a concentration camp in Nordhausen. He discovered piles of bones from mass murder. His film was the first confirmation of Nazi concentration camp atrocities.

Stevens filmed more atrocities at Dachau Concentration Camp. Many dead were there with 30,000 still alive. Those alive were starving and ill.

Theodore Geisel’s script for “Your Job in Germany”, a film for those occupying Germany included the dialogue that the Germans stating “they’re not sorry they caused the war. Someday the German people may be cured of their disease---the super race disease, their world conquest disease.” Ronald Reagan auditioned to read the narrative yet Geisel noted Reagan “didn’t see to have the understanding, the meaning, of the vital issue.” Eisenhower approved the film be shown to all U.S. solders encamped in Germany.

“San Pietro” showed the realism of war to the public.

Huston wanted to remove the stigma that psycho-neurotic veterans experienced. He filmed Let There Be Light”. Military police seized the film before it was to be shown at the Museum of Modern Art. It was not shown for 35 years

After the war, Capra directed “It’s a Wonderful Life”. Stevens commented on the elaborateness of the production, stating “He’s putting in snow scenes. WHy the hell can’t ti be springtime?”

Wyler wanted realism in films. He hired a non-actor Harold Russell, who lost both hands in a military training accident, to appear in “The Best Years of Our Lives.”

Ford tried to use veterans in his first postwar film.

Wyler was nearly fully deaf and worried about hearing actors the nuisances in their voices. He hesitated about returning to directing. Wyler regained his confidence and returned to directing.

The initial poor public reaction to “It’s a Wonderful Life” made Capra feel he has lost his directing skills.

Let's Just Say It Wasn't Pretty by Diane Keaton

Diane Keaton. Let’s Just Say It Wasn’t Pretty. New York: Random House, 2014.

The author admires “women who aren’t afraid to push the envelope” and those who “do what you aren’t supposed to do.”

Woody Allen encouraged her to continue auditioning after she lost at many auditions. She began doubting her own looks. Allen, an actor-writer-friend, told her she was funny and “funny is pretty.” She realized funny women “make funny beautiful.”

Keaton observes there is “no beauty without pain.” For example, Keaton observes that “Marilyn Monroe’s insecurity explains her continuing appeal.”

In shooting a movie “The Little Girl”, Keaton evoked emotions prior to filming an emotional scene by looking at a photograph of her then boyfriend to whom she wasn’t then speaking, Warren Beatty. By kissing the photograph, a flood of emotions returned.

Ann Miller, Keaton noted, had a nose job that did not look well. Ann Miller hid the botched nose job by wearing a fake nose. Once while dancing while filming “Kiss Me Kate” her fake nose flew off.

Many actors worry about their looks. Gary Cooper had a face lift.

Keaton observes “low comedy is looked down upon because it’s targeting towards people who want to feel better by laughing at someone else’s misery.” Yet she notices it makes great comedic experts to excel at slapstick and pratfalls, including Buster Keaton, Laurel and Hardy, the Three Stooges, Jerry Lewis, Steve Martin, Jim Carrey, Matin Short, Adam Sandler, and Melissa McCarthy.

Keaton argues “comedy is not a scene. It’s an art. As you try to analyze it, the funniness disappears.”

Hugh O'Brian, or What's Left of Him by Hugh O'Brian

Hugh O’Brian with Virginia O’Brian. Hugh O’Brian, or What’s Left of Him: A Memoir, Bothell, Washington: Book Publishers, Network, 2014.

O’Brian was born Hugh Charles Krampe in 1925. He learned some magic acts as a child and performed at children’s birthday parties.

O’Brian joined the Marines. While in the active Marines, his name was drawn at random for a box match referred by actor John Wayne. His opponent was much bigger than he was. O’Brian, in the rink, ran from his opponent until the opponent collapsed from exhaustion, O’Brian fell on top of him to win the fight. When O’Brian met Wayne against years later, Wayne remembered that fight.

O’Brian was a contestant on the TV show “Blind Date” while in the Marines He received special permission to leave base but was told not to come back if he didn’t win. The contestants were given answers they were expected to give. When actor Virginia Mayo, who was seeking which contestant to choose, asked O’Brian why he wanted a date, O’Brian, instead of using his provided answer, replied “Because, ma’am, if I don’t win, I can’t go back to the base.” Mayo chose him. They went on the date, She invited him to her set at Goldwyn Studios,

After leaving active duty with the Marines, O’Brian’s girlfriend asked him if he could fill in for an actor in a stage play, as the actor had an emergency appendectomy. O’Brian agreed, never having actoed before The theater bill misspelled his name Krape. Deciding he didn’t want to be known as Hugh Krape (or Huge Krap), he used the stage names Saffer Gray and Hugh O’Brian.

He told a reported he learned about acting while in the Marines They don’t teach acting “but they do show you how to move your ass.”

A play reviewer introduced O’Brian to some theater professionals. He was hired to work in unpaid theater jobs. He eanred a living for three years as what his business card called an “exterior decorator”, which meant he moved lawns.

O’Brian got a job selling merchandise from office to office. He wold a tie to Milo Frank, an agent, who spoke with him and asked to represent him.

O’Brian did a cold reading with a friend of Milo Frank’s wife, actor Ida Lupino. She was unaware O’Brian had previously read he script and knew the characters, She told him he performed the best cold read ever and gave him the role, Years later, O’Brian told Lupio what he did and asked if she would still have hired him, to which she replied “It wouldn’t have made any difference, It was preordained.”

After doing the film with Lupino, Universal gave him a seven year studio contract.

The drama coach at Universal taught him that “the secret to acting is to to act”.

O’Brian won a coveted role at Universal by offering to shave his head. SInce contract workers were only paid 40 weeks a year, he insisted he be allowed to wear a big on his next role, they agreed, He filmed six movies wearing wigs.

Movie companies used to arrange dates between stars to generate publicity. Debbie Reynolds, who grew up in a strict home and had never kissed anyone before, was nervous when she learned she would have to kiss Gene Kelly in filming “Dancin’ in the Rain”.The studio arranged for Debbie Reynolds and Hugh O’Brian to go on a date, She recalls she at first turned down a kiss from O’Brian, stating she doesn’t kiss. Reynolds recalls O’Brian mentioning she had to kiss Gene Kelly O’Brian recalls Reynolds brought up the kiss with Kelly, They kissed. After the kiss, Reynolds recalls she exclaimed “Aw, that’s nothing. I can do that.” Yet, when Kelly kissed her, he used some tongue. Reynolds gagged, cried, and ran off. On the subsequent kiss, Kelly’s mouth does not move.

Both Abbott and Costellow were sick when they were supposed to film a movie, “Fireman, Save My Child”. Studio executives then decided to fil heir thinnest actor and their fattest actor O’Brian filmed the movie with Buddy Hackett. The studio then offered to make them into a comedy team yet they both turned it down.

During filming “Fireman, Save My Child”, O’Brian and Hackett were in a horse driven fire wagon that rode through San Francisco streets with the two of them having onto the side of the wagon. Some streets angled up to 45 degrees. Hackett began yelling “What the hell is this? Just find someone else who looks like me.”

O’Brian impressed studio executives by the amount of fan mail her received, He sent a lot of it in to himself.

O’Brian had been roommates with Johnny Stempanato at Kemper Military School. Stampanato was a bodyguard to mobster Mickey Cohen. Stampanato dated married women and then extorted them by threatening to reveal their relationships to their husbands. He did this to Lana Turner while filming with O’Brain in Mexico, O’Brian told this to the son of the Mexican President, Stompanato was expelled from Mexico,. When Turner removed to America, Stompanato broke into Turner’s bedroom where he was stabbed to death. Turner’s daugher Cheryl Crane, a minor, was convicted and sentenced to a few years incarceration, People question where Turner or someone else killed Stompanato who could have received a long or even life sentence.

Back then, Universal did not want their contract actors on TV, They believed people would not pay to seem movie actors in movies if they could see them for free on TV.

O’Brian was in four episodes of Firestone Theater on TV in 1951. He then appeared in the TV show Playhouse 90.

While filming at RKO, O’Brian was not given a dressing room. Lucille Ball saw this and observed the studio did not want to spend the $100 a week rental on another dressing room. She offered to share her dressing room with O’Brian in hopes this would shame RKO into giving O’Brian a dressing room. This did not work and RKO did not give O’Brain his own dressing room.

After three years at Universal, making four to six movies a year, Universal declined to give O’Brian a raise or starring roles. O’Brian left Universal He did films at MGM and 20th Century Fox before signing with 20th Century Fox, He finally got his own dressing room, which had once been used by Spencer Tracy. He received better roles at 20th Century Fox

O’Brian and others were able to leave his contract as a result from a lawsuit won by Bette Davis, Studios began dropping their insistence on actors fully completing the years declared in their contracts, Davis had a life contract with Warner Brothers She sued regarding this and won. The studios sought for a 12 year maximum contract and agreed with the Screen Actors Guild to a seven year maximum contract, That is now the maximum in any profession under California law,.

In 1954, O’Brian was cast to star in the TV series “The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp”. It was described as the “first adult western”, which O’Brain explained meant “the cowboy still kisses his horse, but he worries about it.”

O’Brian turned down another TV series offer that paid double what the Wyatt Earp series offered . O’Brain believed the Wyatt Earp series would last longer. It did, lasting seven years,

O’Brian insisted on authentic dress on the TV series.

In the pilot, O’Brian filmed a fight with Morgan Woodward’s character They did not use stunt doubles. They prepared their fight and it worked.

O’Brian practiced becoming a quick draw with a gun, His holster was a metal cup with a leather exterior to reduce friction. He could raw and fire in two seconds, He shot full loads which were noisy. The crew wore earplugs or cotton in their ears. O’Brian believes his hearing suffered from those shots.

The studio refused to reimburse O’Brian for his gun which he bought for practicing his draw. He learned the studio rented guns, saddles, and holsters at $1,000 to $1,200 a week. O’Brian then created the National Gun Rental company, bought guns, saddles, holsters, etc, and rented them to the studio for extra income.

The TV series filmed two episodes a week, The first was filmed on Mondays through Wednesdays, he second was filmed on Thursdays through Saturdays, He needed to memorize about 20 pages of script a day on five hours sleep.

The Screen Actors Guild, led by its President Ronald Reagan, won a five day work week. Yet O’Brain’s show only compressed the filming of two episodes into five days.

After the series was cancelled in 1961, O’Brain appeared in several Broadway shows.

In 1962, O’Brian gusted on the first episode of “The Virginian”. He filmed a fight with James Drury, who never filmed a fight before. They rehearsed and it turned out believable.

O’Brian appeared as a matador in “Love Has Many Faces” where he actually faced a charging bull.

O’Brian was charged by a rhinoceros while filming “Africa-Texas Style, As it charged, he roped its neck and ran to a tress where he got the rhinoceros wrapped into the tree,

While filming “Ambush Bay” with Mickey Rooney, he jumped into an irrigation ditch. He found a water buffalo here. He jumped onto the water buffalo’s back and rode it,

While filming “Saskatchewan”, his character was supposed to push Shelly Winter’s character aside. Winters had been difficult on the set paying more attention to her boyfriend Joe DiMaggio than the film, The director, Raoul Walsh, asked O’Brian to surprise and throw Winers as far as he could. O’Brian threw Winters about 20 feet. Walsh declared “Take! That’s a take.”

While filming “There’s No Business Like Show Business” with Marilyn Monroe, Monroe looked tired and complained that male fans kept knocking on her door. O’Brian stopped that by putting a sign on her door that read “Do not touch this door; otherwise , I will coe get you. - Wyatt Earp”.

O’Brian visited former President Lyndon Johnson at his reach, O’Brian and his lady friend a bed there during sex, They didn’t know that news made the newspapers They were having breakfast with Johnson when Johnson read about it in the newspaper, Johnson replied “You broke the bed in there! That’s one of the greatest stories I’ll be able to tell.”

O’Brian’s next series was “Search” in the early 1990s. It lasted one season.

O’Brian asked to be in “The Shootist”as it was well known that would be John Wayne’s  last movie. O’Brian was told the film couldn’t afford him. O’Brian stated he would be in the film for free. A role was written for him. O’Brian character s shot in the forehead by Wayne’s character. It was filmed with a blood pellet shot onto O’Brian forehead. O’Brian considered that his riskiest shot ever as he risked blindness.

O’Brian was cast in “Twins” with Arnold Schwarzenegger and Danny DeVito.

O’Brian portrayed Wyatt Earp again in “Day of Paradise” and then again in “Wyatt Earp - Return to Tombstone”, which was the highest rated program for the week,

O’Brian believes paparazzi need to realize that celebrities are human beings. He once grabbed an overly persistent photographer and threw him off a wharf.

O’Brian leads the Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership (HOBY) program that has served over 700,000 youths.

I Am What I Am by John Barrowman

John Barrowmn with Carole E. Barrowman. I Am What I Am. London: Michael O’Mara Books, Ltd., 2010.

John Barrowman was in the TV series “Torchwood” which first aired in England in 2006. Prior he was worked on numerous shows. His first TV appearance was as a backing dancer and singer on “Opryland Special” with Barbara Mandrell. When he first filmed a speaking part, he was given lines to say by a man with a thick Scottish accent, which resulted in him repeating them in a thick Scottish accent.

The show was successful. It was moved to BBC1 in its third series. Yet the third series had 5 episodes rather than the usual 13

When Barrowman and fellow “Torchwood” actor Burn Gorman rehearsed weapons scenes, they did so between their trailers, This helped them know where to be for the “crew rehearsal” (a.k.a. “camera rehearsal”) so the crew knew where to be so they can perform their duties without getting in each others’ ways, Barrownman notes that on another show he was o there were up to 60 people on the set.

Once during taping, Barrowman forgot he was not supposed to make verbal sound effects of gunfire when he was shooting a weapon, Sound effects are used and both sounds would be on the tape, A re-take was required

Actors must have patience, Barrowman advises. Scenes are re-filmed at different angles. Something as a glare fro a light can cause a scene to be re-shot, Oe scene took three hours to film.

A scene involving a lie detector flashing different colored lights required a woman operating the machine sitting off-screen between Barrowman’s legs. Barrowman, who is gay boes states that was “a place where no woman has gone before.”
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Barrowman admits to stealing a prop. He took a prop paperback that he began reading in-between takes.

Barrowman was a judge on a TV talent show. He drafted possible responses to contestant successes and failures so he would have some lines ready. He advises that staring blankly after a contestant’s performance on live TV doesn’t work.

A young boy once asked Barrowman why his character, Captain Jack, was oing in a Costco store. Barrowman replied he was undercover and asked the boy if the boy had seen a Cyberman, The boy replied he didn’t and they shook hands.

One boy once told Barrowman “I don’t care if Jack likes a man or likes a woman, he’s still my favorite hero.” He gave the boy a hug.

Barrowman observes that “gaffer tapes holds up (and keeps down) anything.”

Barrowman was a childhood fan of Lindsay Wagner. He once stopped his limo when he saw her so he could run up to her and meet her, His husband later told him “I dont think you’re ever cut through traffic that fast for a woman in all the years I’ve known you.”

In a scene where Barrowman’s character had to walk barefoot on top of rubble, sanitary towels were placed on the bottom of his feet.

Barrowman read and loved the script for a BBC Radio 4 “Torchwood Special” He agreed to do it It was the most listened to show in BBC Radio 4 history as well as the most downloaded program on iPlayer. He agreed to record three more shows.

Barrowman recommends that actors treat their dressers and make-up artists with the same respect as they do their co-stars.

Barrowman was in the TV show “Desperate Housewives”. Most interior shots shots were filmed in a stage. The exterior shots of Wisteria Lane are houses on the Universal lot that are not facades but have rooms inside for filming, The show had one of the largest and extensive make-up trailers.

When Barrowman first met co-star Drea de Matteo, she greeted him with a smart comment containing cuss words. This helped cut the ice and they got along.

Balancing It All by Candace Cameron Bure

Candace Cameron Bure with Dana Wilkerson: Balancing It All: My Story of Juggling Priorities and Purpose. Nashville, Tn: B&H Publishing Group, 2014.

Candace Cameron Bure grew up in Hollywood. Her mother showed some photographs of her who showed them to an agent. The agent asked to see her and her siblings. He agreed to represent her brother Kirk and sister Melissa for a year. Candace was too young at age four and her sister Bridgette had braces, so he turned down representing them. He did ask Candace to return in a year. Candace began acting in commercials at age five. This led to some appearance on TV shows and then TV movies.

Her mother sought to keep the children focused and away from the chaos of the entertainment world. Her mother served as their managers.

Her brother Kirk was hired for a role in the TV series “Growing Pains”.

Candace got a role in the movie “Punchlline”. While filming, she also won a role on the pilot for the TV series “Full House”. Yet the filming schedules conflicted. The “Full House” producers agreed to film her around his movie commitment schedule.

Candace was tutored on the set, beginning at 8 am. It was required she be tutored an average of three hours daily. She was tutored for five hours on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays. The adults rehearsed during this time. On Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays, she began rehearsing at 1 pm.

Candace would leave the studio between 5 pm ad 6 pm on Mondays through Wednesdays. The show would tape on Fridays before a live audience beginning at 5 pm. It usually took 4 to 5 hours to tape.

Candace found it helpful that her mother had gone through similar situations with her brother Kirk. She was more experience in managing Candace.

Candace learned to have a balanced life. She was involved with her religion and spirituality. Her parents did not let her attend parties where other child stars would get into trouble. She believes this all helped her have a more normal childhood.

Candace went to public junior high school yet found she was bullied and teased for being on television. This drove her to leave public school to studying with a tutor. She realized her mother recognized what she was going through and tried to have her meet as many school friends as she could despite her working schedule that took away many afternoons and evenings.

Candace “had a blast” filming a TV movie “Finding Normal” for the Up Network. People on the set had fun and laughed a lot. She advises people find enjoyment in what they do.

She enjoyed filming “Full House”. She mentions that co-stars Bob Saget and Dave Coulier were often joking, often with jokes that were not appropriate for children, “although not direct” as their mothers were there.

The family involvement increased when Candace’s sister Bridgett was hired as Candace’s stand-in.

Candace loved meeting fans. At one mall in Canada about 20,000 fans appeared for autographs. She regrets that there was not enough time or security to sign for so many people.

Candace’s mother became an agent. Candace then hired a new manager to replace her mother.

She and most others who were on “Full House” were stunned when they learn the show was cancelled.. The show had started the season with strong ratings.