E-MAIL MEMORIES, PAGE 14
I was modeling for Star Studios when I got a call to audition for WDSU-TV for some network promos. I was happy to be in the studio since it had been my first TV studio. I was on Miss Muffin's show when I was five. And I was delighted when I was the one cast to do the spots.
The man who introduced himself as my director was incredibly handsome. He looked just like Burt Lancaster to me. But I soon forgot to feel shy about his looks when he showed me he was a consummate professional and was able to support me to being the same. The difficulty we had was the copy was twice as long as the time we needed to get it in for. A 10 second commercial was 20 seconds worth of words. So the director had me talking a blue streak to get all the words in for each spot. This was not that hard for me to do since I'd grown up in a house with five other women (mother, grandmother, and three sisters) where you had to talk fast to get a word in edgewise. But I think I impressed this director because we got in about 50 commercials that first day, and he invited me back to do some more. I'm not kidding when I say that we did at least 100 commercials, all told, and maybe 150. It was a LOT!
When I moved to the Big Time (New York and L.A.) a few years later and people asked me to modify commercial copy by means of my delivery (usually to speed it up), I would think of that handsome guy in New Orleans and smile to myself at how well he had trained me to be a better actress. And with every residual I would be reminded of my roots in the biz and know to be grateful to one who had been so kind and helped me so much on my way.
His name? You've already figured it out when I said "handsome." He still is... Mr. Paul Yacich.
BOB:
Just another reason why Paul Yacich is one of our TV greats!
I, too, was on Miss Muffin's show, three times. Remember how she gave each kid a free toy or game? All three times I got a Mr. Potato Head game. Go figure!
Your experience with those commercials reminds me of an experience of my own. I was hired by WGNO Channel 26 in 1990 to record their promos of the show lineup coming up..."Next, so-and-so, followed by ABC at 8, then XYZ at 9." Several dozen breaks were recorded in advance for each week. Each break had to be 11 seconds long. They sounded great, nice and comfortable reads with emphasis and style. Then some brainchild decided to start adding a few more words with details of the upcoming shows. But it still had to fit into 11 seconds. So my delivery sped up a little...no problem. Since the added copy was successfully being fit into 11 seconds they decided to add more. So I read faster. They added more. I read faster.
Finally, they fired me because the readings weren't sounding good!
Your site is incredible! I will be sharing its URL with others who have fond memories of those days in the Crescent City.
BOB:
And we could almost smell those aromatic King Edward cigars that we were
too young to smoke!
BOB:
I bet the Friday night fare at the Bell also included b&w gems like
"From Hell It Came" and "Attack of the Crab Monsters,"
many times in those beloved double features. I bet a Frankie & Annette
theme party would be great at La Maison de la Bonne Vie! And there was nothing
like those hot summer nights in the Little League parks...I still remember
watching slugger Louis Bertucci starring on the diamond at St. Patrick's
Park.