My Life On The Z List

I have been connected with the Entertainment industry in one form or another since the 60s, starting as a child actor on television. In my teens I spent four years on a dance show called Boogie which now haunts me on more much under the title Retro Boogie.

My first Feature film as an adult sort of [19] was in 1979 with Hal Holbrook Eva Gardner and William Shatner  The Kidnapping of the President was so good it never got released and went straight to video and tv.

As work got scarce I shifted gears and went on the road with a band as the lead female vocals sharing the spotlight with my Uncle Charley Ecstein. cousins Ray and Grant. in between the dysfunctional relationships and visits to the nut ward I managed to have some fun.

By the 90s I knew I wanted to give the biz one more try which was expeditious, since I ended up coming out here to BC to follow a man [yes I did, the ass] I felt the way we had ended was less than conducive to my health and this was my way of finding closure. 

Once he was dealt with I started doing stand up and MC work, grabbed an agent and began the long climb to principal actor. [bit parts galore and even some extra work].

I kept my feet wet with theatre and cabaret shows here and there among my other endeavors. Then suddenly in 98 the parts started to come and I have been sort of working ever since. There is something to be said for being a character actress, no one gets on you about weight aN sometimes you just need to walk in the room and the part is yours. The comedy timing helps a lot too. 

So here's what I meant by after a long day on set, the last thing I want to do is to be around people. [The beauty of the Net u can walk away from the puter anytime..........]

There have been tons of good experiences on set, nice people, down to earth, no big egos etc, but then there have been those sets where the star aint happy and it has a trickle down effect that everyone feels, this then contaminates the whole experience.

So if you are stuck there for 14-18 hrs a day shooting, it gets wearing. There is a lot of hurry up and wait that goes on to begin with, so if the vibe is icky who wants to stand around the set not me.

There are only so many times during breaks where u get to run n hide in your trailer and sometimes depending on budget the trailer is a cubby hole, so unless the weather is nice and you can leave the door open sit on the step etc, you get my drift, you go stir crazy, or you spend your time gourging at craft services. [Oye the junk food they have there]

It is also the place where people treat you with that deference you don't truly deserve, the yes people and the phony [let's do lunch people], all mingle about trying to decide if you are worth befriending, after all, you never know a good word might get them in your next picture or working behind the scenes.

Now being an empath this is not lost on me and all that garbage inundates me all day long, so by the time I walk in my front door no matter how much fun the work itself was, I am ready for some big time, alone time. Sometimes that includes the hubby at others well even he needs to go to another room and leave me the hell alone ;-)

At least until after my bath........................