Reviews

This lover of Broadway musicals got his break in 1969. 20th Century Fox, Ernest Lehman (Prodcr.) and Gene Kelly (Dir.) cast Scully, then Staff-C.D. on the Century City CA lot, as Casting Director for "HELLO, DOLLY!" the MOVIE! "Of course, I get to the-Big-Apple to cast the East Coast shoot." I said. "Too expensive, and you'll be busy cast'n the H'wood shoot. But, you get to choose your E.Coast associate." Dratt-it! NewJersey-Joe gets no trip back to the homeland. Not all-bad though... Alixe Gordin, longtime NY Casting-buddie & friend was available & signed on. I'm happy to admit, it was Alixe brought-in Michael Crawford & Tommie Tune. And my Mom and Dad made visit to L.A. in time to meet the-wife Penelope, daughter Samantha, & to catch The Streisand with Satchmo-Louis Armstrong film their duet-chorus of the title song. And didn't we have Judy Knaiz as Ernestina Simple, David Hurst's Rudy Reisenweber! Scatman Crothers!! and the eternal J.Pat O'Malley as the Cop in Central Park!!! Ahhh, them was the days! And the Movies!!!!

The actress playing Laura in this flic is my "kid". Is that face a beautiful way to open a movie... or WHAT ?!! I recommend the opening shot. I've seen the entire film only once, but I come back to it again, to see its only...Beauty.

George C. Scott was/is a fine actor, he never had to flim-flam in performance, not even in the title role on this one. Watching the dailies, as the Casting Director I knew for sure we had the right leading man. As himself George could not put up with the flim-flam & hype of showbiz. That led to his refusing the hyped & exploited presentation of the awards the industry gave him. He's a true Actor for eternity now.

Both CICELY TYSON and PAUL WINFIELD, whose performances in this discrimination-breaking film, were the first starring role for each, in a theatrical feature film. Oscar nomination was won by Cicely ("best performance by an actress ") and Paul ("best performance by an actor." It seems to me that the nomination of the film as "best picture" should have extended to include MARTIN RITT as "best Director." Of course that's merely the opinion of the film's proud, yet exaltedly-humble Talent Casting Director.

The exception to Playhouse 90's being exclusively a Hollywood production was "The TIME Of YOUR LIFE", which came out of CBS TV's New York Studio. It starred JACKIE GLEASON in his finest, dramatic TV performance. The production's "humble" Casting Director/Assoc.Producer is proud to point out that it introduced, revealingly that the Eastern seaboard's socialite DINA MERRILL was and is a remarkably talented Actress.

Watching and listening to Mike and Elaine together in the back -seat of a Rolls Royce limmo, singing Victor Herbert's "Why do I love You? Why do you Love me?" to each other, remains for their "humble" Casting Director/Associate Producer a vivid career-highlight memory all these forty one years later. Memory loses a lot in time, yet I find great, easy pleasure in recalling/ replaying their performance in this mind and heart.