A Metaphysical Blogger Reflects about his Career
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Prior to experiencing 'paranormal initiation' and in 1997 becoming a nonfiction metaphysical author, my writing career began with an entry-level position in the Los Angeles San Fernando Valley adult magazine publishing industry (article) during my final months as a USC cinema major. Then, after more than seven years working at a Hollywood Hills home-based talent agency (article) and a stint at a Sunset Boulevard public relations firm, I became a movie studio publicity writer at Paramount Pictures (article) long-known as the only major studio with a long history of geographically being situated in the municipality called Hollywood within the city named with the Spanish words for 'the angels.'
There were aspects of working within a corporate movie studio hierarchy—where key commodities of individual relevance were one's creative skills or celebrity status—that I now recognize as preparing me for what was to follow among the stages of my life experiences. Previous blog articles about this phase in my life include "Ten Film Clips from Paramount Movies" and "Metaphysical Subjects and Paramount Movies (1990s)". There were also interactions witnessed between top-ranking studio executives that left me shocked at the degree of animosity directed at one another. This may have been motivated by the stress of handling the responsibilities deriving from holding a position where a chief's longevity is determined primarily by profit margin. The years when I was involved with Paramount were commercially impressive ones in the history of the studio.
After I completed drafts of press kit production information and news releases, speeches, articles, and other items, these would be circulated to filmmakers for revisions and suggestions. I often would have to interview filmmakers or cast members who weren't adequately covered in materials turned in by unit publicists or available through viewing videotaped interviews or reading interview transcripts. Although I never kept any precise records beyond what quotes were used in press kits and other publicity materials, some of the in-person or telephone interviews that I remember conducting include filmmakers Richard Donner, Scott Frank, Peter Hyams, Neil Jordan, Howard W. Koch, Mary Lambert, Art Linson, Randal Kleiser, Frank Marshall, Lorne Michaels, Ridley Scott, Joel Schumacher, Robert Towne, Robert Townsend, David Zucker; dozens of contributing technicians, designers and composers; and actors including Harvey Keitel, Keanu Reeves, Christopher Walken and multiple cast members of "Clueless," "Pet Sematary," "Scrooged" and two "Friday the 13th" movies. When I telephoned "Scrooged" score composer Danny Elfman to conduct an interview, he called me back to make sure that I wasn't a contriving Oingo Boingo fan.
At that time, I was still a novice in comparison to my degree of writing and editing experience today. I recall there were a few occasions when grammar would be changed by filmmakers that
may not have been compatible with the style guide that I used (The Chicago Manual of Style) yet I didn't have any inclination to intercede. Upon gaining experience, I became more demanding about grammatical consistency yet upon being relegated to work as a home-based vendor to the studio after a company downsizing, my participation in the process became more limited and I devoted my time to writing an unpublished manuscript chronicling the history of talking poltergeist cases (1, 2, 3) among other 'on spec' projects.
This Testament photo shows myself at far right on a Paramount soundstage. Several of these coworkers participated in the interviews conducted for the book, including my twin brother Mike. Two of the other men in this photo are also named Michael. (Testament photos and captions).
In retrospect, my work as a movie publicity writer was a conscious form of creativity or thinking analogous to 'subjective channeling' (article). I became a Paramount Pictures employee after writing the press kit production information for several movies—beginning with "The Untouchables" and including "Fatal Attraction"—while working as a public relations firm assistant at a prominent Sunset Boulevard firm. The first assignment was the result of helping
my brother who was a publicity director at the studio after other writers had turned in drafts that weren't acceptable to department executives. One of the reasons I was well-prepared to speedily accomplish the task for this particular movie is because a book I owned was I Hear America Talking (1976) that includes essential background information about storyline elements in the movie. I also was highly familiar with the movies of Brian DePalma and once received a letter from him after an agent had submitted one of my screenplays to him.
The description of what a movie is about is known as 'positioning.' Having seen so many movies while growing up and majoring in cinema, I always could easily estimate what elements of a movie storyline would be most enthralling to movie critics and filmgoers. Some samples of the final versions of these paragraphs are provided from press kits among my movie assignments that total more than 100.
Dan Gallagher is a happily married New York City attorney. Alex Forrest is an unmarried publishing executive who seduces him when his wife and daughter are out of town. For Dan, their liaison is a diversion. But for Alex, the end of the affair is the beginning of a nightmare for all of them. An impulsive sexual encounter provokes a pathological obsession in "Fatal Attraction."
In 1942, during the third year of World War II, the United States secretly set out to build the world's first atomic bombs. General Leslie R. Groves was the man assigned to get the job done. He selected brilliant physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer to oversee the Manhattan Project's top secret $2 billion experiment. Under the direction of Groves and Oppenheimer, a diverse international group of the finest minds known to science assembled in a remote New Mexico laboratory to build the weapons, which became known as 'Fat Man' and 'Little Boy.' For each man, the mission began as a race against time. It would become their obsession.
A thriller from the director of "Die Hard" based on the bestselling novel by Tom Clancy, "The Hunt for Red October" is set before Glasnost and Perestroika during a time in which the United States Navy and the Soviet fleet are involved in a deadly chain of events. Sean Connery stars as Marko Alexandrovich Ramius, the captain of the Soviet Typhoon submarine Red October. Alec Baldwin plays Jack Ryan, a CIA analyst who is summoned when Ramius begins to carry out a mysterious plan. As the nuclear submarine makes an unauthorized approach on America's eastern seaboard, the navies of the United States and the USSR both hunt for the most deadly submarine ever built in a race that will test all their strength, courage and ingenuity.
Patrick Swayze, Demi Moore, and Whoopi Goldberg star in the suspense-thriller "Ghost," a startling love story.
Sam Wheat and Molly Jensen are in love and have never been happier than they are now, living in their new Tribeca loft. Tragedy strikes when Sam is killed by an assailant on a New York street. Molly is left to grieve for Sam but, unbeknownst to her, he remains on earth as a ghost. Desperate to contact Molly, who is unable to see or hear him, Sam discovers that he is only able to communicate with a psychic named Oda Mae Brown, a charlatan astonished to discover that her powers are authentic. Sam's need to reach Molly becomes urgent when he learns her life is in danger.
On a shaded bus bench in Savannah, Georgia sits a most unlikely storyteller. Forrest Gump has seen it and done it all, but he may not have completely understood any of it. Forrest is not the brightest of fellows. But it's like his mama always told him: "Stupid is as stupid does." And what Forrest Gump has done is follow the tide of history through the latter 20th century, from the football field to the battlefield, from the company of presidents to the clutches of the media, into the arms of his one true love.
The "Star Trek" generations converge in "Star Trek Generations." A mysterious astronomical phenomenon bridging different time frames brings face-to-face the two famous captains of the Enterprise, Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) and James T. Kirk (William Shatner), in the 24th Century.
In the late 13th century, William Wallace (Mel Gibson) returns to Scotland after living away from his homeland for many years. The king of Scotland has died without an heir and the king of England, a ruthless pagan known as Edward the Longshanks, has seized the throne. Wallace becomes the leader of a ramshackle yet courageous army determined to vanquish the greater English forces. Wallace's courage and passion unite his people in "Braveheart." [2023 comment: This movie was a highly idealized version of historical events, to say the least.]
When I'd worked on the production notes for "Fatal Attraction," I saw an early test screening of the movie with the original ending that showed Alex (Glenn Close) commit suicide and leave 'evidence' incriminating Dan (Michael Douglas) for murder. This ending was a letdown for test screening audiences who found it anticlimactic and I was asked to make suggestions. Found among my files is a draft of my response to this request (with typo).
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News headlines today document yet more reasons for sheeple to wake up and demand military indoctrinated government officials practice spiritually aware diplomacy worldwide instead of finding new ways to steal from the public for egotistical war funding. DEFUND THE JOINT CHIEFS!If nuclear war occurs, the main reason will be military indoctrinated American govt officials who lack metaphysical understanding while egotistically controlling foreign provocations/the bureaucracy/economic system/news media to maximize military funding. http://metaphysicalarticles.orgWhat government officials don't comprehend about choosing provocations with other countries and proxy war with Russia due to military indoctrination while lacking metaphysical and spiritual understanding has been explained by 'channeled entities.' Example: https://metaphysicalarticles.org/2015/06/intricacies.htmlEvery organism is an aspect of our shared omnipresent Higher Self/Selves (in Oneness) and subject to the Laws of this (so-called) 'The Only One.' Index of articles that might be beyond the reasoning ability of programmed mystification UFOlogy mentalities: https://www.metaphysicalarticles.org/2020/05/ufology-cases-for-metaphysical.html
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In one previous blog article I wrote about the sudden transformation of my vocational career —
Then in the summer of 1995 began the paranormal initiation that transformed me into someone who wanted to help expand the spiritual consciousness of people instead of engaging in the film publicist's occupation of encouraging people to escape into fantasy. My life changed completely very quickly. My expanded consciousness resulted from what can only be described as an unseen Force manifesting in ways that would've been beyond my own ability to think possible prior to the transformative sequence of events.
There are more than 7.7 [7.9 in 2023] billion other people currently existing on Earth yet the events chronicled in my autobiographical case study and the articles at this blog show reveal there are individuals who chronicle events in their lives that have no known documented precedent. When evidence cannot be denied [and any form of evidence can be denied as a choice made by an individual [example article] understanding becomes possible. First and foremost, I've considered myself a journalist about my own experiences as well as other research findings I've presented. Some further articles about myself are planned as this may help readers to comprehend aspects of their own lives that they may not have considered before.
Concerning the period when I worked as a talent agent, I've always done my best to be considerate when recalling this early period of my career. There were incidents experienced or witnessed that would be considered scandalously abusive behavior nowadays yet at
the time were accepted to be common aspects of male sexual seduction and the conduct could reach absurd levels of debauchery with celebrity behavior. Obviously, manifold 'casting couch' imbroglios of past decades are 'all but forgotten' even during the present epoch of 'Me Too' and 'Cancel Culture' litigiousness. I remember once when Ruth, myself and two other female agency co-workers whom I considered close friends went to watch a client perform at a local valley restaurant, one co-worker began talking about her "gift." I was startled to realize that what she was indicating was her capabilities related to engaging in sexual intercourse with men. The impression was fostered that she'd been so taken advantage of by men that this was her way of coping with memories of her experiences. Soon thereafter, the other co-worker and Ruth decided that the client we'd watched perform that night wasn't worthwhile and dropped her from agency representation. This was unfathomable to me and one more indication that I needed to find another job.
To assist with typing and special projects, Ruth usually preferred actresses that had worked in stage roles with Mickey and whom he liked. I remember once, Barbara from New York complained about dating men because of their sexual advances. Once when she came to work uncharacteristically angry, she explained how a man had promised her in advance that he wouldn't expect anything to happen after taking her out for the evening. Nonetheless, on the way home he suddenly said "I know I can satisfy you" and Barbara was still livid about the predicament the next morning. At least with Barbara, I didn't need to worry about what might happen between her and Mickey.
There were some intriguing synchronicities to my career with some of the creative people who became my friends or whom I encountered as acquaintances. One example is that the assistant with the gift eventually became the girlfriend of a famous actor, who gave her a gift as well — a brand new luxury car. And I personally interacted with the same actor when he played a major role in a Paramount movie. Another example involves a client who often visited me at the office, comedy actress Dody Goodman whom I'd once watched in the late night TV show "Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman." She was too nervous to attend the cast screening of the comedy in which she co-starred "Private Resort" and sent me in her place to report about to her about the movie. I didn't mention that a few scenes of gratuitous nudity had made the otherwise okay comedy into something a little tawdry. I'd invited a casting director to watch the movie with me and afterward, we encountered the two young male stars of the movie, one of whom was Johnny Depp. It wasn't a stand-out role yet the way the casting director was so excited to see Johnny again aroused my curiosity. Later when I was working at Paramount, the actor's movie "What's Eating Gilbert Grape" and "Nick of Time" were among my assignments (although the latter was during my 'working from my home office period' when my contributions to publicity campaigns were more limited). Another example synchronicity is that when agency client Julie Newmar played a starring role in "Streetwalkin," another lead role in the movie was played by Dale Midkiff. The actor also starred in the Paramount movie "Pet Sematary" while I was working at the studio.
I'm now fascinated to consider the tremendous number of actors whom I saw in TV shows and movies during early years in my life and whose path in life crossed mine during my entertainment industry career. For example, at Paramount I worked on press materials for the trilogy of "The Naked Gun" movies starring Leslie Nielsen. One of the movies starring Nielsen that I saw as a child was "Forbidden Planet," among a multiplicity of fictional works with storylines serving figurative warnings about aspects of challenges that are manifestly facing humanity in 2023.
The publicity executives at Paramount kept me so busy with writing and editing assignments that I ended up working late on assignments on the night preceding my expedition to Oklahoma. As mentioned in a previous article — The week of the trip, I dropped by the Paramount publicity department as customary to turn in invoices and pick up copies of completed press kit materials for my file. I turned in drafts for press kit production information for “Vampire In Brooklyn,” “Jade” and “Nick of Time,” so I was planning to be able to give my full attention to preparing for my interview with the family. . . . Following the visit to the studio, I unexpectedly received a call from a director of publicity to write drafts of news releases for two films being announced: “Thinner” and “Night Falls on Manhattan.” I found myself staying up late on Wednesday to complete the assignments, which would be the last I'd ever accept from the studio staff.
What is Hollywood? I mentioned in a previous article — The figurative terrain of Hollywood inspires themes of the interplay of reality and fantasy, conditions of human mentality and ego, and perceptions about how an individual achieves social relevance. Something observed during my years at Paramount was how bad publicity before a movie is released could influence journalists and movie reviewers' perceptions about it upon release. I remember this was the case with the movies "Crazy People" (due to a change of director) and "Funny About Love" (a subplot and famous actress had been edited out).
When one considers the thought processes and synchronicities involved with the giving of names to people and places, the omnipresent spiritual Oneness is always involved. Considering 'wood' as a symbol in the name Hollywood while recalling the Divine nature of innate human creativity or 'imagination,' I now wonder if the potential second crucifixion of The Christ Force is indicated—the wooden crucifix is the biblical metaphor—with betrayal now being demonstrated in the actions of multitudinous human iotas of the all-encompassing Source due to misunderstanding, fear, denial and the illusions of perceived social consciousness.
While working as a publicist at Paramount, I was aware of the appeal of movies to the human mentality as an individual seeks a new experience or some unfamiliar novelty of life through a movie. Something that I've reflected about is how movies truly are more hype than reality and seldom fulfill a viewer's expectations upon considerate reflection. During my 'paranormal initiation' in 1995, I realized that my livelihood as movie publicity writer/editor had made me a 'carpenter in the Hollywood dream factory' within the corporate principality of Paramount Pictures. (previous articles about Hollywood include 1, 2, 3, 4) Considering 'Divine Creativity,' I also realized how movies come together derives from a large variety of contributors so the entire process can be influenced by subconscious perceptions in the mentalities of each individual filmmaker and cast member. Individual talents or 'styles' in the cinema (sinema?) can be considered by one who's metaphysically astute as an aspect of human identity that occurs to the collaborating artists and this is also a relevant consideration the Source of inspiration for all art forms associated with 'self-expression.'
It seemed ironic to receive this award from the Publicists Guild after deciding to devote myself to becoming a metaphysical author helping people to expand their understanding of life instead of instead of engaging in the film publicist's occupation of encouraging people to escape into fantasy. Another Paramount souvenir is shown below.
After the case study Testament was published, upon
eventually researching paranormal case study books I discovered 'The
Michael Pattern' and 'The Bell Pattern' that noticeably interlink famous
cases of documented paranormal phenomena, including Nostradamus, John
Dee, the Fox Sisters associated with the Spiritualism Movement, Madame
Blavatsky, Edgar Cayce, Guy and Edna Ballard, Direct Voice medium Leslie
Flint, channelers such as JZ Knight and Mark Probert, and the 'Messages
from Michael' Ouija Board communication case. (articles about these patterns include 1, 2, 3, 4, 5).
After
receiving a B.A. from USC in 1979, I had originally planned to work in
movie development yet my interviews didn't lead to any offer of
employment. Once on my way to an exciting New York City job interview,
the taxi stalled in traffic and consequentially I was late for what
seemed to me as being an ideal opportunity. I'd compiled a list of 25
movie storyline 'Elements' that I shared with the producers who
interviewed me to their considerable enthusiasm. Something that seemed
undeniable is what I would be unable to avoid noticing as a blatant
seldom spoken 'Hollywood rule' among movie industry executives — 'Never hire anyone who may be bright enough and qualified enough to be able to do your job.'
In January 1980 when my employment search resulted
with talent agent Ruth Webb and actor Mickey Rooney (birth name: Joe Yule, Jr.) becoming a part of
my life, it had seemed like the most random of events when I accepted
what was stated in a daily Hollywood trade paper ad to be a part-time
position working as an actor's (in-agency) assistant.' The job turned
out to be a full-time job from the first day although without basic
benefits such as any retirement plan. Mickey was 59 then and once more
was at a pinnacle of current renown with the hit Broadway show "Sugar
Babies" and he would soon receive an Academy Award nomination for "The
Black Stallion."
Mickey
was always vivacious and tempestuous during his telephone calls and
agency visits, causing me to again and again to consider his
psychological state. I decided Ruth's similar mercurial emotionalism
was due to her having been a stage actress for many years prior to
becoming a talent agent. From my first day at the agency, I was
involved in agency business and became a fully franchised AFTRA, SAG and
Actors' Equity (stage) agent in January 1983. This was after Ruth's previous sub-agent Joan (an admirable and level-headed presence) left abruptly.
I was commuting via car from Pasadena and never relocated because of
not being able to completely accept working at the agency as a
'permanent' position due to Ruth's temperament.
An indication of the absurdity of my situation is that Ruth would often
leave at my desk long notes either in envelopes or stapled shut and I
would never read them at all. Joan had told me she'd never read them so
I decided to see what would happen with my ignoring them and there was
never any repercussion so I realized this was something insane.
It was astonishing to see the range of movie and television celebrities who were associated with Ruth. There
were numerous agency clients interacting with the agency in person or
via telephone who I'd once watched in movies and TV shows while growing
up, including (for example) Edie Adams, Robert Alda, Jim Bailey, Gene
Barry, Vivian Blaine, Sonny Bono, John Carradine, Michael Cole, Johnny
Crawford, Yvonne De Carlo, Gloria De Haven, James Drury, Barry Gordon,
Nancy Kulp, Dorothy Lamour, Al Lewis, Peter Lupus, Virginia Mayo, Eddie
Mekka, Terry Moore, Jaye P. Morgan, Julie Newmar, Virginia O'Brien,
Martha Raye, Penny Singleton, Alan Sues, Russ Tamblyn, Rudy Vallée,
Mamie Van Doren, Dawn Wells, Johnny Whitaker, and Alan Young. The
people who came by to visit Ruth was often surprising; some I still
remember are Buddy Ebsen, Betty Garrett, Regis Philbin, Barry Robins, and Cesar Romero.
One
of the complications of my relationship with Ruth was the fact that her
common law husband Jamie seemed to continuously influence her to make
some decisions that I considered absurd. He was much younger than her
and while they were emotionally dependent upon one another, I witnessed
that they had an 'open relationship' regarding sexual relationships with
the opposite sex. I remember once when Jamie suddenly demanded me to
sign an affidavit about my relationship with the agency regarding the
nature of my employment that simply wasn't true. I refused and the
matter was dropped yet there were many other complications. I was
shocked when another agency coworker, Lois, clued me in to the fact that
Ruth had technically engineered a way to eavesdrop during all of my
agency business telephone conversations. I learned that there was only
one telephone line to which she didn't have access so this became the
one used for my personal conversations with Mickey's sensible wife Jan
or during any other sensitive conversation.
A previous clue about the phone system had occurred when I'd booked
actress Kathryn Grayson in a local production of the comedy play "Noises
Off." When I told Ruth, she replied "I know" with a big smile. She
considered Kathryn as one of her 'special projects' back then. Another
former MGM star like Mickey, Kathryn was a sweet woman who lived in
Santa Monica with Sally, a fan-turned-companion for the grande dame.
Among
the aging movie stars with whom I became well-acquainted were Yvonne
DeCarlo and John Carradine. Yvonne reminded me of my mother in some
ways and didn't mind looking her age. John was very frail in his 70s yet eager to continue his profession in any way he could. He wasn't able to get up from a
couch unless you helped him. I was happily surprised when he won a
daytime Emmy for a "Young People's Special" entitled "Umbrella Jack and
his manager informed me how delighted he was to be honored in this way.
When he acted in "Peggy Sue Got Married," he couldn't remember his
lines for his role of a Masonic elder so I thought it was wise
of director Francis Ford Coppola to suggest that he read aloud
from a book of rituals. Following my 'paranormal initiation' and
thinking back about my years as agent, the irony wasn't lost on me about
Yvonne and John having costarred in "The Ten Commandments" in 1956, the
year I was born. In 1997, the second news release for my book was headlined "'God Has Channeled Three New Commandments Through Me,' Announces Mark Russell Bell, Transcriber of TESTAMENT."
Although
there are exceptions like Mickey, being a talent agent made me aware of
how difficult it is for most actors to find roles after either becoming
associated with a television series character or growing older. Some
agency clients were having a difficult time economically and desperately
wanted to find opportunities. As Ruth was renowned as a stage agent,
some clients were represented only in this capacity.
During
my first year at the agency, I was shocked when Swoosie Kurtz contacted
Ruth for representation and Ruth turned down the opportunity. Ruth
simply hadn't known about Swoosie's recent success after appearing in
"The World According to Garp" and could only think of her from the
former New York City agency days. While I was Ruth's sub-agent, once
Jamie convinced her that if we represented more clients, agency
commissions would go higher. I had no say in the matter and it
eventually became realized that this was another unreasoned scheme.
While the number of daily agency casting submissions increased, it was
still a rarity when casting directors selected less-established
thespians for interviewing. I doubt there would be any aspiring actors
whatsoever if young people contemplated the scope of competition for
each and every role. Today SAG-AFTRA reportedly represents more that
160,000 people.
Knowing
that Ruth could be listening to my phone conversations at any moment
made my life extremely complicated. I remember feeling especially
nervous once when actor Abe Vigoda telephone me and with a distraught
voice informed me that the producer of the Broadway play he was
co-starring in had alerted him to the fact that upon calling Ruth to
hire Abe, she'd suggested that he hire another agency client instead,
John Carradine.
When
Jamie acquired the use of a Malibu beachfront apartment, there were
times when Ruth insisted that I work there regardless of my reluctance.
I was worried about potentially missed telephone calls from producers
and casting directors while also not having full access to my rolodex
and files.
a photo of myself in the Malibu apartment
One
odd quirk that happened at the agency was that on the days when I
attended an evening meeting at the house with "Sugar Babies" producers
or whomever, Ruth would bring me a large glass of Vodka as she deemed
this a necessary refreshment for me. She seemed unconcerned with the
consideration of my nighttime drive home to Pasadena. I would always
pour out the unhealthy liquor at the sink.
To
be necessarily frank, I'll divulge that Mickey once spoke to Ruth about
a sex toy in my presence and this highly shocked me at the time. It
was the first clue during what became my slowly dawning realization that
apparently Ruth felt she had to keep her main client pleased with his
agency representation by helping him to find extramarital 'dates.' I
usually remained quiet and intimidated around Mickey unless he
specifically asked me something.
Some
years ago, I was aghast to learn that a reporter once formed the
impression that his wife Jan had been abusive for a kick under the table
to keep Mickey focused during an interview. What the reporter
apparently didn't understand was that Mickey was likely to exaggerate a
situation if it would bring him more sympathy or attention and the
kicking under the table cues could only have been something Jan learned
from Mickey many years earlier. Many of the reason's for Mickey's
unusual bigger-than-life personality was the great adulation
continuously professed to him by people around him whenever he was 'in
public.' Unless you've witnessed the way people feel like they know a
famous person due to having seen their movies, the psychological
dynamics of 'Hollywood'-style celebrity/egotism may not be
fully comprehended.
I found this photocopy keepsake among my files: a letter from Ronald Reagan to Mickey.
I
remember one incident where a 'crank caller' told Mickey he'd
experienced a vision of the actor being killed on stage and federal
agents became involved with the resulting investigation. Ruth's middle
name was Thea and her home agency was located not far from Mount Olympus
Drive. Ironically, Jamie's middle name was Aristides. My slowly
dawning realization of the sad aspects concerning Ruth and Mickey's
relationship was what finally led me to resign with a couple weeks
notice during a time when a potential suitable successor was working as
an office assistant.
There
had been other horrible situations that also had seemed entirely
unnecessary, such as Ruth insisting that I not allow messenger service
delivery people to enter the office and use the telephone to check in
with their companies. This was considered a common courtesy and it was
infuriating that Ruth's eavesdropping on telephone calls is obviously
what had inspired this tirade. Another example of Ruth's explosive
demeanor occurred after she'd asked me to get the least expensive
airline seats possible for our trip to New York City. She'd approved of
there being a connecting flight in Texas yet when confronted with the
news that there would be no in-flight movie, her wrath was palpable.
While we were changing planes, Jamie chuckled at her frenzied
desperation to rush quickly to the other airplane gate to make sure we
didn't miss the scheduled flight.
The
reason I remained at the talent agency for more than seven years was
because the clients were fascinating and cordial people. Also, this
seemed an ideal position for me to make contacts to further my planned
screenwriting career. To show how different my mentality was during the
1980s in comparison with now, a list of my screenplay projects is shown
below. (This is another keepsake found among my files.)
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I
had also adapted a variety of novels as screenplays for potential
production. For example, I had selected the Robert Silverberg novel To Live Again
as a potential movie to reteam Paul Newman and Robert Redford after
"The Sting" after a producer (who was the brother of an agency client)
told me that this was what he wanted to find. I reimagined the novel as
a big-budget action thriller/social satire as the two lead characters
seemed ideal for the two actors. I described the storyline —
A 'soul bank sting.' In the future, people have the 'personas' of the
dead implanted in their minds to gain many advantages. And then there
are the disadvantages . . .
It was
hard to understand the compulsion for Mickey's highly speculative and
costly non-acting franchise and business enterprises. Although actors
such as Laurence Olivier professed admiration for his acting talent, all
his life Mickey concentrated on his performing career to an extent that
may have interfered with having a more diverse orientation to life.
Something that I've recognized is that people can be hampered by their
own success when it comes to continuing their education and expanding
their avenues of knowledge about life in a meaningful way. Furthermore,
there are a wide variety of entertainment options to distract them.
During the period in Mickey's life when I knew him, it was obvious to me
that his mentality would be considered in variance in some ways with
what might be considered usual or expected behavior or social
interaction.
My
years associated with Mickey now seems a glaring instance of 'the
Michael pattern' in my life. One of Ruth's sons was named Mike. While I
found the activities of being a talent agent engrossing, Ruth's
personality was too tempestuous and unpredictable for my peace of mind.
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I
certainly feel no need to "tell all" about my years with Ruth and
Mickey but I do think it is important to "tell it like it is."
Another big success for the agency was Gene Barry being cast in the Broadway show "La Cage Aux Folles."
Here Mickey and Gene Barry are seen in their Broadway stage roles on
the cover of a talent agency newsletter distributed to stage producers.
As a child I'd seen their movies such as "Boys Town," "National
Velvet," "The Bridges at Toko-Ri" and "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World"
(Mickey) and "The War of the Worlds" (Gene). I remember once attending a
party at the Beverly Hills home disco of the musical's producer Alan
Carr.
When Alan called me to hire Gene while Ruth was out of town, he was so
intent on confidentiality that he wouldn't speak to me until the other
person on the line hung up. He said he's heard a telltale click that I
hadn't noticed. While he waited on the line, I went to the upstairs
office and told the assistant to hang up. It seems Ruth may have
needlessly instructed her to keep an eye on me during her vacation.
I
still have a microcassette audio tape that I recorded one afternoon
when Mickey was brainstorming ideas while developing one of his comedic
screenplays with his friend actor Henry Gibson offering suggestions.
The storyline of "Introducing Suzie" involved a lonely older man who
begins a relationship with Suzie, a blow up doll that arrives in the
mail. Mickey would describe scenes he was imagining and then be unable
to suppress
his guffaws, sometimes asking me to read back what he'd just said.
This is how the audio tape begins:
Mickey: A deserted city street. It is obviously a Sunday morning. The city is Anywhere, USA. In the background, coming towards the camera we can see a — an ice cream truck. The bells intermittently jangle out — what is it, honey?
Jan: I'm going to leave to take the dog to the — to get clipped? I'll be back in less than five minutes. If — if the automobile club comes, hand him this card because they're going to fix the . . .
Mickey: They're there now.
Jan: Oh are they? Okay.
Mickey: . . . what? The bell — the — the . . .
Me: "The bells intermittently jangle out."
Mickey: His — his — his — what? His — his —
Me: Ice cream truck?
Mickey: No, his — his neighbor-calling bells —
Me: Okay.
Mickey: — jangle their merry tune intermittently. His truck slowly comes towards our high shot as we cut to a low shot as his truck grows closer to our camera view . . .
After I left the agency and began working in public relations, I received a call from Ruth inviting me to her annual Christmas party. I was happy to accept the invitation and see again some of my former acquaintances. When I told Jamie that I'd just accepted an offer to work at Paramount as a publicist, he shut his eyes and grimaced so I realized that they'd been hoping I'd return. As chronicled in Testament, one day she called me with what turned out to be another festive invitation. This time when I was reacquainted with her, agency clients included Joey Buttafuoco and other 'scandal' pseudo-celebrities. Once Ruth declared to me about my years working with her: "I didn't know how good I had it . . ."
After more than a decade, I devoted my time to publishing and attempting to publicize Testament in the customary ways. During this period, I also was guided to volunteer part time in the capacity of telephone 'listener' for the Southern California HIV/AIDS Hotline. I prepared for this position by learning about HIV and other viruses, STDs, etc., in an APLA evening class. I later volunteered as a clerk distributing food to clients at the Geffen Center food pantry. While living in Santa Monica, I also was a volunteer docent for the California Heritage Museum. Eventually needing to resume making a living, I worked in temporary and long-term temporary assignments until 2002.
The temporary positions encompassed a wide range of skills including data entry, customer service, filing, Dictaphone transcribing, audit work, and receptionist duties. I worked for such companies as a Santa Monica family-owned scholastic publishing company, The Beverly Hilton Hotel Catering Dept. (article), TeleTech/USPS, a Calabasas landscaping company, a nursing Healthcare company, and the Boy Scouts of America. I experienced some astonishing examples of company mismanagement and even 'abuse' of temporary workers. At a Glendale company where many temp workers were engaged in data entry, a supervisor brazenly declared that whoever did the least amount of work wouldn't be back tomorrow. Considering the atmosphere there, I decided to end the assignment. Once in a similar situation in Chatsworth, I noticed that temp data entry workers weren't taking breaks. I also noticed that they weren't following the instructions regarding the forms needing to be recorded in the computer system 'from the top of the stack.' There were long forms and short forms so the workers were avoiding the long ones. Following instructions one day, I was comfortable keying in all long forms. The next day after I began working, a supervisor told me: "Take your things and leave. You're costing us money." While the worker seated next to me gave a sympathetic expression, I was delighted that this assignment was now over.
After being an outstanding employee in a large room of temp workers giving postal rates and zip code information, one of the young supervisors suddenly informed me that I was doing something wrong by telling callers about the alternative less expensive Media Mail rate for books as it was not allowed to give them this information. Because of my moral and spiritual understanding, I didn't see any reason to continue working in a job where I'd be providing incorrect information to the public. In addition to my ending the assignment, I was a caller during the "Coast to Coast AM" national radio show broadcast and gave the details of this new personally experienced 'government cover-up.' (article) That assignment had resulted with some other startling moments in relation to my witnessing some of the behavior of other workers. One female seemed to 'go postal' from the repetition of job duties and started screaming out loud while dealing with a frustrating caller. Even more startling was an incident when a male temp worker while seated at his work station in the row in front of mine began sexually arousing himself. A female worker sitting in the adjacent station became shocked upon noticing what was happening.
While I had requested to work at nonprofit companies, after a few days doing data entry for the Boy Scouts the amount of military-style indoctrination involving medals and so on, I became uncomfortable. Other dismaying moments during temp jobs included watching an antique store worker become highly disturbed upon being treated irately by a supervisor; and there was one occasion that after performing data during an auction I found myself being asked to continue employment without going through the temp agency. While doing data entry at a Calabasas apparel manufacturing company, it was astonishing to experience incessant disco songs that apparently had the purpose of keeping the warehouse workers at a fast pace. I was working at this company on the day the event occurred that became known as '9/11' (2001). Among the songs, I especially remember the recurring disco song (by Musique) with these lyrics —
Do you like it, do you like it like this, oh
Push, push in the bush
Push, push in the bush
Push, push in the bush
You know I want to get down
The following summer, there was another reduction of staff and services throughout the school district. A union divulged that in my job classification, after the latest cuts there would be what amounted to a 61.35% loss of positions. I received a letter informing me that my current full-time position would be reduced to a half-time position and my new assignment at a middle school would begin fifty days later. Uncertainties about income and employment compel us to consider how ephemeral, how relative are our individual life circumstances.
I was always very busy in my school office assignments and this was a good way of giving me life experiences beyond being a metaphysical author. I was always glad to implement my writing and editing skills for school projects when asked and once found a glaring typo in the final draft of the principal's introductory letter for the yearbook that hadn't been noticed by anyone else (including all the English teachers). Throughout all the years of being an author including those when I worked at local schools, my news releases about Testament and this blog generated little if any perceptible response from news editors and journalists. These circumstances was opposite to the astonishing degree of news media coverage given to the movies I'd helped to publicize through press kits, articles and news releases during my Paramount years.
Sitchin reported about Marduk: "Mesopotamian texts relate that he went into exile; in Egypt Ra acquired the epithet Amen, 'The Hidden One.'" Similar to this epithet, the publication of Testament was not reported throughout the mainstream news media. Zecharia Sitchin includes his perspective of a "great Disaster" that Marduk wasn't able to prevent. The Wars of Gods and Men deals in great depth with what the author believed to have been an ancient nuclear holocaust. This has been one of the main considerations for sharing my experiences with others throughout the last 26 years.
