MUSEUM OF TELEVISION & RADIO SEMINAR SERIES, THE: CLIFF ROBERTSON PRESENTS: DAYS OF WINE AND ROSES {LONG VERSION}
Summary
One in this series of seminars presented by The Paley Center for Media (known at the time as The Museum of Television & Radio) in New York. This evening, in partnership with the National Television Academy, celebrates actor Cliff Robertson and his performance in the 1958 "Playhouse 90" production of "Days of Wine and Roses," the drama in which businessman Joe Clay and his wife Kirsten progress from social drinkers to desperate alcoholics.
Host Ron Simon (curator, The Museum of Television & Radio) offers opening remarks and welcomes Robertson, who briefly discusses his career, sharing a funny anecdote about his young daughter's humbling views of his work. He then introduces the programmed, which is screened in its entirety. (For synopsis and credits, see T:43486.)
After the screening, Diana Williams (anchor, WABC "Eyewitness News") sits down with Robertson. The conversation touches on such topics as: his foray into the world of journalism before committing to acting; how his Broadway experience helped with the challenges of live television drama; how television differs from stage acting, including a shorter rehearsal period; praise for "dynamic" director John Frankenheimer, who was originally unsure that Robertson was "up to" the challenging role of Joe; researching the role at an Alcoholic Anonymous meeting and serving as a sponsor to his "baby," a recovering alcoholic fisherman; excessive drinking and smoking as social norms in the 1950s; why he is rarely "satisfied" with his own performances; why he opted not to get genuinely drunk during the filming; his behind-the-scenes work as a script doctor on several projects; why actors need more stage experience to avoid becoming "seduced" by fame and celebrity; and the unreasonably high salaries paid to A-list Hollywood startlets.
Questions from the audience then lead to a discussion of the following topics, among others: his relatively low salary of approximately $1,000 for "Days"; doing his own stunts, including in the rodeo picture "J.W. Coop" (1971), which he also wrote and directed; his memorable speech at the end of "Three Days of the Condor" (1975) and his love of roles that are meaningful, rather than forgettable "meringue"; his preference for taped performances over live ones, due to the challenges of memorizing dialogue and the ability to make corrections; why people thought that his role in "Charly" (1968), for which he won an Academy Award, would ruin his career; his happiness in "making a difference" with "Days," which is used as an educational tool in alcohol rehabilitation; his chemistry with on-screen wife Piper Laurie; the "agility" required on the large set; working with a real developmentally disabled man, who died before the film's release, for "Charly"; Frankenheimer's sense of "Days" as his own best work; why he pushed for non-"mawkish" dark endings for both "Days" and "Charly"; his script for a sequel to "Charly," set 25 years later; his disappointment at not being cast in the 1962 feature film adaptation of "Days," in which Jack Lemmon played the lead role; his involvement in the "Begelman scandal," in which Hollywood producer David Begelman embezzled from his colleagues, and his lack of regret about reporting the incident despite the ensuing damage to his career; and his recent role as Peter Parker's beloved Uncle Ben in "Spider-man" (2002).
Details
- NETWORK: Paley
- DATE: May 5, 2005 6:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 2:10:15
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: 111765
- GENRE: Seminars
- SUBJECT HEADING: N/A
- SERIES RUN: N/A
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Ron Simon … Host
- Diana Williams … Moderator
- Cliff Robertson … Guest
- David Begelman
- John Frankenheimer
- Piper Laurie
- Jack Lemmon