Sunday, November 25, 2007

Super Lady

This afternoon at Mid-Ohio Con, I had the pleasure — and believe me, it was one — to interview Noel Neill, who played Lois Lane on the Superman TV show...the best one, the one starring George Reeves. The more I've learned about that show, the more impressed I am with how it was carried by the fine acting abilities of Reeves, Noel, and the gent who played Jimmy Olsen, Jack Larson. The series had about the same budget as the 8mm monster movies I used to make in my backyard and that meant shooting them piecemeal. That is, they'd film all the scenes in Perry White's office for several episodes. Then they'd film all the scenes in Clark Kent's office for several episodes...and so on. The actors worked killer hours, put up with cheap special effects and had to struggle to remember which storyline they were in.

And still it all worked. Few shows have ever been rerun as often and loved as much. That was all, I think, because of the three leads.

So it was great to sit and talk with Noel, especially because today was her birthday. To the delight of the audience, "Superman" arrived in mid-panel bearing a candle-lit cake...and I apologize that I don't know the name of the gent in the suit. (That's my arm, by the way, in the above photo by Kevin Lillard. Thanks, Kevin.) Noel was also presented with a huge birthday card signed by about half the people at the convention.

I don't know why but it makes me very happy to see someone like that mobbed at conventions, with people lining up to buy autographed photos. In many cases, the photo purchase is just an excuse to meet the person and tell them how much their work has meant to you, how much pleasure it brought. I guess a lot of it is seeing the fans make up a little for the lousy pay that folks like Noel Neill had to endure.

A couple notes before I leave the topic of Mid-Ohio Con: Not that most of you will ever be able to use this information but we had several great meals in Columbus, Ohio. Thanksgiving Day, we dined at an old and classic restaurant called Lindey's in the German District. One of the nicest places I've ever eaten in — beautiful decor, great service, exquisite food.

Then, we had a couple meals at B.D.'s Mongolian Barbecue, which is a chain that I regret has not yet reached anywhere near Southern California. I always liked the concept of Mongolian Barbecue: You fill a bowl with meat and vegetables of your choice, select a sauce and have them stir-fry the thing for you. Alas, all the ones I've been to in L.A. have disappointed me, usually because the meat in the buffet bins looked like it had been there since about the time the Macarena was popular. This was not the case at the B.D.'s a few blocks from the Mid-Ohio Con. We loved it the first visit, then Saturday night, I organized a big expedition to invade the place and it was a huge hit. Between them, Steve Rude and Sergio Aragonés, who selected the "all you can eat" option, consumed enough bowls that Mr. B.D. probably didn't show a profit for the week.

Quick! Someone near me in L.A. open one of these. And while you're at it, if you'd be so kind, I'd really like a Five Guys hamburger place. Get right on that, would you?

And of course, the con was great today and my panels went well and I talked to a lot of interesting people and all. But you already knew that. Thanks again to Roger Price, who runs Mid-Ohio Con about as well as I've ever seen a con run.

• Posted at 9:10 PM · LINK

WGA Stuff

Negotiations are scheduled to resume mañana in the AMPTP/WGA standoff. I will be surprised if they result in a quick meeting of the minds. The more likely scenario is at least one more flare-up where both sides claim they've made major concessions to settle the thing and the other side has not responded in good faith.

But I must admit that a lot about this strike has not gone according to script; that things that seemed inevitable based on past WGA strikes have not occurred. In the past, we always had a loud faction within the Guild that decried striking; that said that whatever Management offered was good enough and that we should grab it and get back to the keyboards. I've barely heard a peep in that direction this time, not even from certain parties who'd say that if the offer was for us to henceforth pay them to let us write movies. I have also not seen my Guild rupture along the usual fault line of the Haves and Have-Nots; of the so-called "working writers" and the usually-unemployed.

In every past WGA walkout of my life, the major talking point from the Producers was that the strike was not truly supported by the "working writers," the ones who actually comprised the industry. It was those outta-work, nothing-to-lose types that were driving the strike, they said. It was never true but it was a hard assertion to knock down. No matter how many Larry Gelbarts and Phil Alden Robinsons got up and proclaimed their militancy, the story would spread that the strike was nothing more than a temper tantrum of bitter, unemployable guys who earned their livings working at Radio Shack. (For some reason, of all the dopey places one can work these days, Radio Shack became the place most often cited. At one WGA rally during the '88 strike, someone even stood outside passing out employment applications for Radio Shack.)

Hasn't happened this time and I'm amazed.

I'm not sure how much of that is attributable to the outrageousness of the Producers' position and how much is due to good p.r. work by my Guild, rallying the important folks and getting them out front-and-center. I'm sure it's both but I'm not sure which has been the more important. When the Producers' spokesguy Nick Counter goes out and makes his assertions that we don't understand the business, you get the feeling that even he doesn't believe it...but I guess the guy has to say something. Regardless of how this thing turns out, the folks who employ him to keep unions from gaining any muscle in town can't be too happy at how this one's been managed.

• Posted at 7:43 AM · LINK