When producers Ilya and Alexander Salkind wanted to make a Superman movie in the 70s, no one cared, not even the studio behind the movie. Getting some big names attached to this movie gave it momentum. When they got Marlon Brando as Jor-El then Gene Hackman was interested in being Lex Luthor. (Casting Superman would take awhile.) Gene Hackman was already an Oscar winner so he was in a position to make demands. He wouldn't shave his head. So one of the gags in the movie is that Lex Luthor wears wigs. Gene also didn't want to shave his mustache. Richard Donner said he's gotta shave his mustache. Gene still didn't want to budge on that and Richard Donner said: If you shave your mustache, I'll shave my mustache. So Gene shaves his mustache and on set there is Richard Donner with a mustache. Gene said: Hey, you said you'd shave your mustache. Richard Donner said: Oh, that's right. He then peeled off the mustache he had the hair and makeup department put on him. Gene Hackman loved that he went to that trouble and the two worked excellent together making one of the all time great films. Rest in peace, Gene Hackman.
Back in the 20th Century I saw a funny movie in Texas called Free Enterprise. Featured in that movie was a real comic book store in L.A. called Golden Apple Comics. I sought this store out on my first road trip to L.A. and I've been going ever since. When I was out here for the first Halloween convention in '03 I had to drive to LAX and had no idea how to get there. Golden Apple's owner and founder Bill Liebowitz drew me a map how to get there that was easy and kept me off the highways. When I moved out here one of the first places I went was Golden Apple. Bill had passed away just a day or two before I got into town. Since then his son Ryan has kept Golden Apple L.A.'s best comic shop. I've been working there on Saturdays the last six months and seen firsthand what a positive force Golden Apple is in the comic book community. Come by today from 11-7 as they celebrate 45 years. Happy anniversary Golden Apple Comics! This picture was taken last month at L.A. Comic-Con. Phil LaMarr was in Free Enterprise and the picture was taken by Golden Apple owner and my friend Ryan. That's about as full circle as it gets.
I often get asked if I miss living in Texas. I always feel embarrassed and a little guilty by how quickly and enthusiasticly I respond: Fuck no! So I will back pedal a bit and say: It was a nice place to grow up though. And this is true. One of the things that made it such a great place to grow up was my friend Doug who died earlier this week after years of failing health due to a stroke. Doug and I were grown kids when we met as teenagers in 1992. I was working at our local mall developing pictures and Doug was across the highway working at Wendy's. I would go in there once or twice a week on my lunch break. With his curly but receding hair and a mustache, Doug looked like a baby faced middle-aged man. And I'm sure to him in my shirt and tie I also looked like a baby faced middle aged man to him. I met Doug because he made the effort to come out from the back to tell me he thought that my Superman tie was cool. And then he noticed I had comic books to read with my lunch and we were friends from that moment on. We exchanged countless comic books with each other throughout the 90s. Doug introduced me to the amazing artwork of Mike Allred in the Madman comics he gave me. I never shared Doug's enthusiasm for wrestling, but I loved his enthusiasm for it and when he got to talk about it with our other friends who were into wrestling. Doug was one of the most genuine human beings I've ever known. He was himself at all times and he left that up to you to like that or not. He cherished friends. And he never missed an opportunity to hug them. In a small homophobic Texas town in the twilight years of the 20th century, most fellas didn't want to be seen hugging a guy. Doug could care less if that made him look like a fag. When he saw you, you were getting a hug like it was the first and last time he'd see you. He had a courage of self that most never develop and hardly anyone even starts working on in their 20s. Doug made his little corner of the world a better place by being himself. A rare and wonderful achievement.
Timidity is probably my defining trait, but I do have these small windows of courage that occasionally pass by and one of my finer moments in that was 20 years ago today when I arrived in Hollywood with about $200 in my pocket and was lucky enough to find this $20 a night hostel to live in so I didn't have to live in my car. I didn't really have a goal when I moved out here, but within a year found myself working in the entertainment industry. I've never found any financial success in that, but I've never found any financial success at anything else either. And being in a position where I can compare the two, I can tell you it is much better to fall short at something you enjoy than at something you don't. Where I've been immensely successful is living a good life that I chose for myself. It's a dangerous city and I'm all too aware of that as I peck this message out on the subway that increasingly keeps making the news for violence. But from my first friend Mike to Ray Bradbury and too many more to name I've been met time and again with an abundance of kindness. What makes L.A. home for me is not a sense that I fit in here, but knowing that I don't need to. It's been a good life here and if I'm lucky enough to have another 20 years I hope to make the next 20 as fun as the first.
Charles Cyphers has passed away at the age of 85. Best known as Sheriff Brackett in Halloween, he was in several other John Carpenter films as well as numerous TV shows. He was caught by Isis stealing tires, he was punched in the face by Luke Duke, arrested by Dean Cain Superman, killed by Buffy the Vampire Slayer, blown up by William Shatner in Barnaby Jones, and the list goes on. I was lucky to get to know him a bit on a Halloween location tour back in 2008 thanks to @malfuncsean
Sean brought me on his tour to be a tour guide and Chuck was along for the ride to talk to fans about some of his scenes at the locations he was in them. We went all over the city that day and he had stories all over town. He pointed up to the hills in Studio City where he lived in the 70s and one of his neighbors was Harrison Ford. They ran into each other at the mailbox after not seeing each other for awhile and Harrison said he'd been in London working on a science fiction movie. Charles said, "Science fiction, huh. Any good?" Harrison responded, "Eh, probably not." And that movie was Star Wars. Charles gave me tips on dying. Not for real, but on stage. I was in my first play and had a death scene. He loved acting and had a good long life at it. May he rest in peace after a life well lived.
This is Lake Morena. After hiking 20 miles on the Pacific Crest Trail this is the first town you reach. My plan was to keep going much further down the trail and then coming back to L.A. for a few days next weekend for a job I have. But I'm back in L.A. now. My second morning on the trail I managed to burn my leg with the chemicals in the airhorn I carry to frighten away animals. I'm going to get that looked at and let it heal before heading back out. This first section was very beautiful and much like the trails I hike close to home. With all the rain we've had water was easy to find along the way.
Saw The Man Who Laughs in 35mm at the Los Feliz 3 this afternoon. Such a beautiful film. The sets, so many amazing shots. Loved getting to see it on the big screen. And there's a lot of sound in this silent movie. Made in 1928 there is a score as well as crowd noise in several scenes. They considered making this movie a talkie, but the oversized dentures Conrad Veidt wore to achieve the rictus grin of Gwynplaine made it difficult to understand what he was saying. This movie is largely remembered today because it inspired Bill Finger's portrayal of the Joker after seeing the playing card drawing and villain suggestion by Jerry Robinson.
You wanted the best and you got the best, one last time. From 8 tracks to tapes, CDs, and digital, I've been following this band for a long time. If this is really the end of the road I can't think of a better place for it to be. First time I saw Kiss in L.A. was Dodger Stadium on Halloween in '98. That trip out here made me decide to move here.
Well worth a little stroll across town to see Halloween at the wonderful Gardena Cinema. They showed a 16mm print of the film that took you back in time 45 years. A magical night at the movies🎃
