Back around 1980, my friend Beth Brown, a production accountant, invited me to a softball game. This game was held
at a public ballpark off Ocean Avenue in Santa Monica. This was my first introduction to Victoria Burrows. If the name sounds familiar, Vic is a casting director. At the time she was working for TV series mogul Stephen J. Cannell.
at a public ballpark off Ocean Avenue in Santa Monica. This was my first introduction to Victoria Burrows. If the name sounds familiar, Vic is a casting director. At the time she was working for TV series mogul Stephen J. Cannell.
Vic worked on such TV shows at The A Team, 21 Jump Street, Wiseguy, MacGyver, Tales From the Crypt and films “The Frighteners”, “The Lord of the Rings Trilogy”, “King Kong”, “Castaway”, “Contact”. Finding talent for directors Robert Zemeckis, Peter Jackson, Russell Mulcahy. In 1993 I had the pleasure of auditioning for her for a small part on “Diagnosis Murder”
Back in the early 1980's we would play softball every two weeks and the roster of celebrity players was impressive. Players included George Clooney (he was doing a Cannell series entitled “Sunset Heat”, the late Cleavon Little (Blazing Saddles), Terry Kizer (Vic Hitler the narcoleptic comedian from “Hill Street Blues”), Susan Blakely, Tea Leoni, Jay Acovone (Beauty and the Beast,Stargate SG-1), Michael Cole (The Mod Squad), CCH Pounder (The Shield), Steve Valentine (Crossing Jordan), Joanna Cassidy (Blade Runner, Ron Perlman (Beauty and the Beast, Hellboy, Sons of Anarchy). And the list goes on.
As Vic’s renown increased, the games eventually decreased to once a month with the big game of the year happening in August for her birthday. She teamed up with Jay Acovone who’s birthday is a couple of days after Vic’s. The games were held on Diamond Number 5 at Rancho Park, just a block south of 20th Century Fox Studios. During one game the combined guest list numbered between 400-500 people over the course of the day.
My job was to organize these pick up games and keep score. I was always amazed at some of the names I would find on the sign up sheets. Steven Williams (The X Files), Mickey Roarke, Bobby Dicicco, Scott Colomby, Joey Gian, Brian Thompson, Linda Hamilton, Robert Davi, Marshall Teague.
In 1989, during the cake presentation, Vic and Jay called me to join them. I was presented with a plaque that read: TO MICHAEL STEWART OUR HONORARY SOFTBALL MADNESS MANAGER. THANKS FOR OVER TEN YEARS OF DEDICATED PLAY TIME. She autographed and dated it. On August 14, 2004 on the 25th anniversary of the softball games, she autographed it again.
* *
TEA LEONI
In August 1988, as the first two
teams were warming up, I noticed a slim, short haired blonde in grey sweat pants and a white “wife beater” T-shirt in center field. As I called the teams, I found the name Tea Leoni on the sign up sheet. I had been reading about “Charlie’s Angels ’89" which she was to be one of the stars. All the publicity photos showed her with co-stars Claire Yarlett, Sandra Channing, Karen Kopins all with long flowing hairstyles.
teams were warming up, I noticed a slim, short haired blonde in grey sweat pants and a white “wife beater” T-shirt in center field. As I called the teams, I found the name Tea Leoni on the sign up sheet. I had been reading about “Charlie’s Angels ’89" which she was to be one of the stars. All the publicity photos showed her with co-stars Claire Yarlett, Sandra Channing, Karen Kopins all with long flowing hairstyles.
As I called her name, this blonde sprite ran over and hopped up next to me in response. I looked at her short cropped hair and said,” Have the producers seen your new do?” “I just had it cut yesterday,” she replied. She took a moment, ran her hand through her hair and asked “You think it’ll be a problem?” That was my introduction to Tea Leoni.
RON PERLMAN:
Before there was a little thing called the Internet, the only buzz about a new TV show or movie came to us through the archaic system known as magazines. The series “Beauty and the Beast” was in production for its first season and all the information about it was coming to the public through STARLOG Magazine. I had been familiar with Ron Perlman’s career with his work in films such as “Quest For Fire” and “The Name of the Rose”. So the first year that Jay Acovone joined forces with Victoria for the annual birthday games, Ron was joining us.
I’m standing out on the field I suddenly see Ron crossing the field. This was our exchange.
“Hey, Ron. How’s it going?”
“Good, man.”
“How’s the show going?”
“Great.”
“How ugly are you in this
one?”
one?”
And without missing a beat:
“Four hours worth.”
Ron has become a special acquaintance over the years. In 2006, when I was working in the adult film industry we had a small stage we would use and occasionally lease out to other productions which my then roommate was the stage manager called me and said “You’re buddy’s here.” “What’re you talking about?”
“Ron Perlman’s here shooting a movie.” “I’ll be right there.”
Our apartment was ten minutes away. I got to the stage and went into the production office and asked my roommate where they were. “He’s in the green room with Jason Alexander and Rob Estes.” I go to the door of the green room and knock. Someone said “Come in”. I open the door and there’s Ron seated directly across from the door.
Out of the corner of my eye I catch sight of Jason Alexander and Rob Estes, who I had no interest in meeting, and crossed to Ron who stood up and shook my hand. “What’re you doing here, man?” he asked? “My roommate’s the stage manager’s my roommate and called and told me you were here so I came by to say hi.” “That was nice of you, man.” We spoke for a few more moments then I excused myself and left without acknowledging Alexander or Estes, sensing their stares as I left. I can only imagine what the conversation was after I left.
When my Godson was nine the Hellboy DVD: Director’s Cut came out and I got it for him for Christmas. Then an idea struck me and I called Jay Acovone, asking if there might be a chance that Ron might autograph the DVD for my Godson. Jay said he’d get back to me.
Now I had no idea that Ron lives in New York. I thought he lived here in Los Angeles. Jay called me back a few minutes later. “Man are you in luck. Ron’s going to be in town tomorrow for one day on business!” We made a hasty plan to meet in a restaurant parking lot, things went a bit sideways, but I met up with Jay, literally handing him the DVD, Sharpie, and the note of what I wanted Ron to write, without stopping the car. A few hours later Jay called up “Man, is this going to blow his mind.”
Come Christmas Day I handed my Godson his gift. He ripped off the wrapping paper and he looked at the writing. “To Zach, Best Wishes, Hellboy, Ron Perlman.” Scored some major Godfather points with that one.
GEORGE CLOONEY
Everything you have heard or read about how personable and approachable George Clooney is is true. I first met George
in the early 1980's when Victoria was the casting director on “Sunset Heat a self-admitted crappy cop show”, in which George played an undercover, motorcycling riding cop. So he’d show up to the games on his motorcycle and long hair. I can’t recall if he ever actually played, but he’d come and hang out and spend the day like and average guy. This was long before he came to fame and had done , by his own admission, so many bad, failed pilots and TV series he has a very generous attitude towards other artists and respects his fans and despises the paparazzi for their intrusive ways.
in the early 1980's when Victoria was the casting director on “Sunset Heat a self-admitted crappy cop show”, in which George played an undercover, motorcycling riding cop. So he’d show up to the games on his motorcycle and long hair. I can’t recall if he ever actually played, but he’d come and hang out and spend the day like and average guy. This was long before he came to fame and had done , by his own admission, so many bad, failed pilots and TV series he has a very generous attitude towards other artists and respects his fans and despises the paparazzi for their intrusive ways.
But I have never seen him turn down a polite fan request or an intelligent question from the press and I sympathize with his stance that if he is appearing at a premiere or benefit or something directly connected to his work, he is happy to pose for photographers-he understands that is part of his “job” as a celebrity. But when he is doing things in his private life, whether it be on a date, running errands, or what have you that is not “job” related, it doesn’t give the paparazzi license to intrude on him or the people he might be with.
One Christmas time I had just optioned a screenplay and was down on Melrose in a store called “The Last Wound Up” which sells, obviously, windup toys. I was walking the front door when I literally ran into George. He was genuinely glad to see me and asked what I had been up to and told him about the option. He seemed more happy about it than I seemed to be. We stood in the door way for about ten minutes chatting and then he had to leave, wishing me a Happy Holiday. Needless to say everyone in the store had been staring at the two of us trying to figure out who the hell I was and how I rated a conversation with George, although no one asked me.
I confess I love moments like that.
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