Marc Tyler Nobleman's Blog, page 78
June 26, 2014
“Peanuts” interview: Robin Kohn Glazer (Lucy in Thanksgiving)
Introduction to the Peanuts interview series (including the list of interviewees).
How old were you when you portrayed Lucy in A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving?
I started with Snoopy, Come Home when I was nine and continued in three other shows until I was 12.
Where were you living at the time?
I was living in Marin County, CA, just north of San Francisco, where the shows were recorded.
Were you a Peanuts fan?
Yes, I loved Peanuts! I had a Peanuts pillowcase and loved watching the shows and reading the comics with my dad.
How were you hired?
I was taking acting classes starting at age four with Magic Circle in Ross, CA, and performed in many children’s plays. When I was eight, and my sister was six, my father, Mortimer Kohn, who worked as an advertising art director in San Francisco and was working with children in commercials, suggested that we get signed up with Ann Brebner Casting Agency in San Francisco.
Not long after that, the producers of the shows were auditioning through Brebner’s for Peanuts roles for the upcoming feature-length movie Snoopy, Come Home. I was called in to audition for three roles: Lucy, Sally, and Lila (Snoopy’s former owner), and I got the part of Lucy. I heard they called in about 200 kids to audition for the various roles. They told me I got the part because I sounded the most like the original Lucy (I was the third Lucy) and because I looked like Lucy.
What other shows had you appeared in?
Snoopy, Come Home was my first role. After that I was Lucy in A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving, You’re Not Elected, Charlie Brown, and There’s No Time for Love, Charlie Brown. I also recorded some commercials as Lucy for Weber’s Bread.
Any funny stories from the experience?
Typically, Bill Melendez, the director, would be in the booth with me and would read my cue line so I could respond. One time, when I wasn’t getting [it] quite right, he said my line and told me to repeat it exactly as he did. He had a slight Spanish accent and I was repeating him literally! Lee Mendelson, the producer, came into the small booth with us and the two of them had a big argument in front of me about how I was supposed to say the line. Ultimately, I did not say it with a Spanish accent.
Was anything hard about the process?
The process of recording was easy and fun, and I would say that they really made an effort to make us comfortable, not recording more than one or two hours at a time.
Did you record in the same room at the same time as the other actors?
No, we took turns recording and they spliced it all together. This resulted in the slightly choppy conversational sound of the shows. The only real problem was when they had us all individually sing “Over the River and Through the Woods” for A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving, and then overlaid the voices. The resulting song was a bit more off-key than I think your average children would sing if they sang together.
If you got to meet Charles Schulz, how was that?
Yes, I had my 10-year-old birthday party at his ice skating rink in Santa Rosa, CA. He came to visit and say hi to my friends and me in the birthday party room when we were having cake. I met him again at a Peanuts reception at the Los Angeles MOMA in 1990, but he was inundated by people, so it wasn’t a really personal connection.
What did you think of the finished show?
I loved it!
What did your parents think?
They loved it, too!
What did your friends think?
They really loved it and still do! I had somewhat of a celebrity status at my small elementary school; I got to miss a few days of school here and there to record. I had mixed feelings about this because sometimes I didn’t want to stand out too much. One summer [at camp], when the kids found out I was Lucy, they all wanted to be my pen pal, and I didn’t feel like they really liked me, just the fact that I was Lucy. When I was in college and law school, my friends would gather in the student lounge to watch A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving with me, and I enjoyed that.
What were you paid?
I’m not sure exactly, probably about $750 for a recording session. I have received residuals over the years for reruns of the shows, and for a while I got some residuals for the commercials.
Did you or your family stay in touch with anyone else from the cast?
My sister Melanie played Lucy after I did; she was two years younger and our voices were similar. I went to high school with Todd Barbee, who played Charlie Brown when I was Lucy. We’ve seen each other a few times over the years and in 2008 did an interview together with Beth Ashley for the Marin Independent Journal.
Have you had any fun Peanuts moments since (a reaction when someone you meet discovers you had a role in it, Halloween costume, etc.)?
The most fun I’ve had is when I’ve played the party game Three Truths and a Lie. No one can believe that I was actually Lucy! It has definitely been a wonderful conversation piece over the years.
Did you do any non-Peanuts voice work/acting after this?
I continued with acting classes and plays through high school and was also an extra in The Godfather. In 2008, after many years as a lawyer, a mom, and a real estate broker, I was desiring to return to acting. I was offered some royalties by Hallmark to use my original recording of the Lucy-pulling-the-football-away-from-Charlie-Brown scene in an audio card.
I decided to spend these royalties on voiceover classes at Voicetrax in Sausalito and restarted my voiceover career.
I am now represented by Stars Agency in San Francisco and have done a bit of work since then, including five audio books, several commercials, and a museum audio tour. I also work part time as a “standardized patient” with UCSF Medical School, playing a patient for students to practice their people skills.
In addition, I have my own residential real estate brokerage in Marin County and am busy being a mom to a 17-year-old daughter. I also enjoy yoga and dance and have recently gotten into taking improv classes.
What has been your career highlight so far?
Wow, that’s a tough one. I guess in terms of recognition and longevity, it would probably be the opening scene of A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving, with the football. Everyone has seen that!
Where do you live?
In Mill Valley, Marin County, CA.
What was your future husband’s reaction when he learned you were part of this cultural institution?
He was pretty excited about it. It was something extra I had going for me when he introduced me to his parents!
What does your daughter think of your Peanuts connection?
I also have a half-sister who is 22 who I am also close to. She and my daughter both absolutely loved it, and we loved watching the shows together. My half-sister accompanied me to Comic-Con in 2008 when I was on a Peanuts panel and had a wonderful time.
How was your experience at Comic-Con? What was it like to see the other cast members after a long time—in fact, had you ever seen them before? What was it like to meet your fans for (presumably) the first time?
It was really fun. We did an interview on a local TV station, some other interviews individually for the Snoopy’s Reunion video, an autograph signing session, and a panel discussion. We also had a reception where they filmed us talking to each other about the Peanuts experience. Warner Bros. sponsored the event for the re-release of the videos as digital DVDs.
They put us up at the Hard Rock hotel and we all drove together by limo to the TV station so we had a chance to schmooze and talk about how the experience had influenced our lives and what we are up to now. The autograph signing was enjoyable; it felt a little bit strange to suddenly be a celebrity again after all these years, but once I realized how much joy the shows had brought so many people, it really felt like an honor to be up there signing autographs for a couple of hours.
What did you think when you first heard from me?
I occasionally get strange fan mail so I was a little skeptical, especially since most of the publicity has come through Lee Mendelson productions. But you seemed legitimate, and since I am continuing to promote my voiceover career, I wanted to pursue this interview.
Do you still have any ongoing connection (professionally or personally) to Peanuts?
Yes, I still get residuals and use the work on my acting resume. It is always a great piece of personal trivia for any conversation.
How do you look back on the experience?
It was a wonderful experience that I’m glad I’ve had in my life. I never dreamed Peanuts would [still] be so big 40 years later! It also gave me a perspective that not everyone gains—and from an early age—about celebrities. I never really put people on a pedestal, but rather just admired their skills and talents.
Next: Stephen Shea—Linus (Thanksgiving).
How old were you when you portrayed Lucy in A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving?
I started with Snoopy, Come Home when I was nine and continued in three other shows until I was 12.
Where were you living at the time?
I was living in Marin County, CA, just north of San Francisco, where the shows were recorded.
Were you a Peanuts fan?
Yes, I loved Peanuts! I had a Peanuts pillowcase and loved watching the shows and reading the comics with my dad.
How were you hired?
I was taking acting classes starting at age four with Magic Circle in Ross, CA, and performed in many children’s plays. When I was eight, and my sister was six, my father, Mortimer Kohn, who worked as an advertising art director in San Francisco and was working with children in commercials, suggested that we get signed up with Ann Brebner Casting Agency in San Francisco.
Not long after that, the producers of the shows were auditioning through Brebner’s for Peanuts roles for the upcoming feature-length movie Snoopy, Come Home. I was called in to audition for three roles: Lucy, Sally, and Lila (Snoopy’s former owner), and I got the part of Lucy. I heard they called in about 200 kids to audition for the various roles. They told me I got the part because I sounded the most like the original Lucy (I was the third Lucy) and because I looked like Lucy.
What other shows had you appeared in?
Snoopy, Come Home was my first role. After that I was Lucy in A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving, You’re Not Elected, Charlie Brown, and There’s No Time for Love, Charlie Brown. I also recorded some commercials as Lucy for Weber’s Bread.
Any funny stories from the experience?
Typically, Bill Melendez, the director, would be in the booth with me and would read my cue line so I could respond. One time, when I wasn’t getting [it] quite right, he said my line and told me to repeat it exactly as he did. He had a slight Spanish accent and I was repeating him literally! Lee Mendelson, the producer, came into the small booth with us and the two of them had a big argument in front of me about how I was supposed to say the line. Ultimately, I did not say it with a Spanish accent.
Was anything hard about the process?
The process of recording was easy and fun, and I would say that they really made an effort to make us comfortable, not recording more than one or two hours at a time.
Did you record in the same room at the same time as the other actors?
No, we took turns recording and they spliced it all together. This resulted in the slightly choppy conversational sound of the shows. The only real problem was when they had us all individually sing “Over the River and Through the Woods” for A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving, and then overlaid the voices. The resulting song was a bit more off-key than I think your average children would sing if they sang together.
If you got to meet Charles Schulz, how was that?
Yes, I had my 10-year-old birthday party at his ice skating rink in Santa Rosa, CA. He came to visit and say hi to my friends and me in the birthday party room when we were having cake. I met him again at a Peanuts reception at the Los Angeles MOMA in 1990, but he was inundated by people, so it wasn’t a really personal connection.
What did you think of the finished show?
I loved it!
What did your parents think?
They loved it, too!
What did your friends think?
They really loved it and still do! I had somewhat of a celebrity status at my small elementary school; I got to miss a few days of school here and there to record. I had mixed feelings about this because sometimes I didn’t want to stand out too much. One summer [at camp], when the kids found out I was Lucy, they all wanted to be my pen pal, and I didn’t feel like they really liked me, just the fact that I was Lucy. When I was in college and law school, my friends would gather in the student lounge to watch A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving with me, and I enjoyed that.
What were you paid?
I’m not sure exactly, probably about $750 for a recording session. I have received residuals over the years for reruns of the shows, and for a while I got some residuals for the commercials.
Did you or your family stay in touch with anyone else from the cast?
My sister Melanie played Lucy after I did; she was two years younger and our voices were similar. I went to high school with Todd Barbee, who played Charlie Brown when I was Lucy. We’ve seen each other a few times over the years and in 2008 did an interview together with Beth Ashley for the Marin Independent Journal.
Have you had any fun Peanuts moments since (a reaction when someone you meet discovers you had a role in it, Halloween costume, etc.)?
The most fun I’ve had is when I’ve played the party game Three Truths and a Lie. No one can believe that I was actually Lucy! It has definitely been a wonderful conversation piece over the years.
Did you do any non-Peanuts voice work/acting after this?
I continued with acting classes and plays through high school and was also an extra in The Godfather. In 2008, after many years as a lawyer, a mom, and a real estate broker, I was desiring to return to acting. I was offered some royalties by Hallmark to use my original recording of the Lucy-pulling-the-football-away-from-Charlie-Brown scene in an audio card.
I decided to spend these royalties on voiceover classes at Voicetrax in Sausalito and restarted my voiceover career.
I am now represented by Stars Agency in San Francisco and have done a bit of work since then, including five audio books, several commercials, and a museum audio tour. I also work part time as a “standardized patient” with UCSF Medical School, playing a patient for students to practice their people skills.
In addition, I have my own residential real estate brokerage in Marin County and am busy being a mom to a 17-year-old daughter. I also enjoy yoga and dance and have recently gotten into taking improv classes.
What has been your career highlight so far?
Wow, that’s a tough one. I guess in terms of recognition and longevity, it would probably be the opening scene of A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving, with the football. Everyone has seen that!
Where do you live?
In Mill Valley, Marin County, CA.
What was your future husband’s reaction when he learned you were part of this cultural institution?
He was pretty excited about it. It was something extra I had going for me when he introduced me to his parents!
What does your daughter think of your Peanuts connection?
I also have a half-sister who is 22 who I am also close to. She and my daughter both absolutely loved it, and we loved watching the shows together. My half-sister accompanied me to Comic-Con in 2008 when I was on a Peanuts panel and had a wonderful time.
How was your experience at Comic-Con? What was it like to see the other cast members after a long time—in fact, had you ever seen them before? What was it like to meet your fans for (presumably) the first time?
It was really fun. We did an interview on a local TV station, some other interviews individually for the Snoopy’s Reunion video, an autograph signing session, and a panel discussion. We also had a reception where they filmed us talking to each other about the Peanuts experience. Warner Bros. sponsored the event for the re-release of the videos as digital DVDs.
They put us up at the Hard Rock hotel and we all drove together by limo to the TV station so we had a chance to schmooze and talk about how the experience had influenced our lives and what we are up to now. The autograph signing was enjoyable; it felt a little bit strange to suddenly be a celebrity again after all these years, but once I realized how much joy the shows had brought so many people, it really felt like an honor to be up there signing autographs for a couple of hours.
What did you think when you first heard from me?
I occasionally get strange fan mail so I was a little skeptical, especially since most of the publicity has come through Lee Mendelson productions. But you seemed legitimate, and since I am continuing to promote my voiceover career, I wanted to pursue this interview.
Do you still have any ongoing connection (professionally or personally) to Peanuts?
Yes, I still get residuals and use the work on my acting resume. It is always a great piece of personal trivia for any conversation.
How do you look back on the experience?
It was a wonderful experience that I’m glad I’ve had in my life. I never dreamed Peanuts would [still] be so big 40 years later! It also gave me a perspective that not everyone gains—and from an early age—about celebrities. I never really put people on a pedestal, but rather just admired their skills and talents.
Next: Stephen Shea—Linus (Thanksgiving).
June 25, 2014
“Peanuts” interview: Todd Barbee (Charlie Brown in Thanksgiving)
Introduction to the Peanuts interview series (including the list of interviewees).
How old were you when you portrayed Charlie Brown in A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving?
I had just turned 10 years old.
Where were you living at the time?
Mill Valley and Sausalito, California—when those towns were just being discovered by the Summer of Love generation as the groovy place to migrate to from the city.
Were you a Peanuts fan?
Sure. Who wasn’t at that time at that age? Or any age, for that matter. In fact, I had auditioned for another Peanuts special a couple of years earlier, but didn’t get the part, and had already been in You’re Not Elected, Charlie Brown. That was a funny little special that aired during the famous election campaign cycle pitting Richard Nixon against George McGovern. I remember my dad had a campaign pin pinned to the visor in his VW camper bus that said “Lick Dick in ‘72.” That gives you an idea of my parents’ political and social leanings at the time.
How were you hired?
My father, Chuck Barbee, was Lee Mendelson’s director of photography. So Lee had mentioned to Dad that they were having auditions for Peanuts character voices for upcoming specials. At the time, Lee and Dad were traveling all over the world shooting specials for network television.
What other shows had you appeared in?
I’m credited with playing the voice of Russell, a one-off character running against Lucy for class president, I think, in You’re Not Elected, Charlie Brown (1972), Franklin in There’s No Time for Love, Charlie Brown (1973), Charlie Brown in A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving (1973), Charlie Brown and Schroeder in It’s the Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown (1974), and Charlie Brown in It’s a Mystery, Charlie Brown (1974).
Any funny stories from the experience?
So many, both in the recording studio and in my personal life. One that I remember very clearly is working with Bill Melendez in the recording studio when we were voicing for the Thanksgiving special. Bill would always work with us kids in the sound room that had just a podium, a stool, a script, and a big boom mic. Bill would kind of walk us through each scene with his thick Spanish accent and then would leave the room and watch us through the glass with Lee and the sound engineers.
One time they wanted me to voice that “AAAAAAARRRRRGGGGG” when Charlie Brown goes to kick the football and Lucy yanks it away. Try as I might, I just couldn’t generate [it as] long [as] they were looking for…so after something like 25 takes, we moved on. I was sweating the whole time. I think they eventually got an adult or a kid with an older voice to do that one take.
Was anything hard about the process?
The above story was something that really stuck with me. In my personal life, I grew very tired of having adults and other kids in my school constantly ask me about being Charlie Brown. I learned some powerful, early lessons about the stranger side of people and fame at an early age.
Did you record in the same room at the same time as the other actors?
No, we all recorded separately. We also read the scripts blind—we didn’t study the scripts prior to going in to Coast Recording Studio in San Francisco.
If you got to meet Charles Schulz, how was that?
Since my father was working so much with Lee and Sparky, on network specials and other projects, I had the opportunity to meet him on many occasions. I remember him as a very kind and gentle man.
What did you think of the finished show?
Well, it was a very big deal! TV Guide had a corner on the market at that time, and seeing my name printed in TV Guide made everyone around me go bananas—teachers, press, kids, adults…everybody…just thought I was some big movie star or something. But I remember feeling like it was not nearly as big a thing as everyone was making it out to be. I got to the point where I just wanted to be a normal kid without all the constant attention.
What did your parents think?
Dad and Mom were very much part of that Summer of Love counterculture generation. I was being raised as a long-haired hippie boy. They were proud of me, but they never really made a big deal out of it. They were more focused on their own counterculture activities. And Dad was working nonstop with Lee.
My grandmother, on the other hand—and just about every other adult in my life—made me out to be a superstar! In the final scene in the Thanksgiving special, all the Peanuts gang is singing “Over the Woods and Through the Hill to Grandmother’s House We Go” and the very last line—and it really is funny—is Charlie Brown saying, “But wait, my grandmother lives in a condominium.” That slayed my Grandma and she had every TV Guide clipping and anything else she could get her hands on plastered all over the place.
One time she made me get up in front of her Christian Mega Church up in Santa Rosa (at what is now the Wells Fargo Center for the Arts) and speak to the congregation of like 1,000 people! To her, me being Charlie Brown was as big as it gets.
What did your friends think?
Big deal. I was like a movie star at school for a few years.
What were you paid?
They worked out a deal to pay us pretty well up front, in 1972 dollars, but it was a payout number and we had to give up any residuals or royalties forever after. I’ve always felt that wasn’t the fairest way to handle that. But at the time it was a significant amount of money.
Which Peanuts special you worked on is your favorite, and why?
Well, the Thanksgiving show is really one of the three big classics that everyone remembers, along with Christmas and the Great Pumpkin. I’m happy to have played Charlie Brown in such an iconic classic.
Did you or your family stay in touch with anyone else from the cast?
Robin Kohn, who played Lucy in the Thanksgiving show. We actually went to high school together. We still live in Marin County, are Facebook friends, and occasionally see each other.
Have you had any fun Peanuts moments since (a reaction when someone you meet discovers you had a role in it, Halloween costume, etc.)?
It’s never-ending. Since the show plays every year, the recognition continues to this day. When people first find out they are amazed!
Did you do any non-Peanuts voice work/acting after this?
During that time, I had an agent named Ann Brebner. She is now 90 years old and still very active in the business, I believe. I did a dog food commercial voicing Charlie Brown talking to Snoopy, for Alpo or something, and had a potentially interesting career ahead of me. I had a good kid look and there were multiple opportunities on the horizon.
But not long after I voiced the last show I went to my parents and told them that I really wasn’t interested in pursuing that direction in my life. All the constant attention had made me feel uncomfortable, and mostly I wanted to ride my skateboard with my best friend Troy and build forts and get dirty. So I kind of bowed out of the business at about age 12.
What are you doing these days?
I’m a freelance creative director with a number of interesting clients in the Bay Area. I shoot video, write scripts, am involved in planning and development, and am raising my 8-year-old daughter Madeleine with her stepmom.
What has been your career highlight so far?
In terms of work, perhaps being a part of the team that helped design the staging and concept development for the Rolling Stones Bridges to Babylon World Tour…although, and I mean this very sincerely, raising my beautiful daughter is by far the most rewarding work I’ve ever done.
Where do you live?
We live in a beautiful little home in San Anslemo, California with spectacular views of Mount Tamalpais in central Marin. It’s kind of a sacred mountain to me as I spent my youth playing on it, so I feel very fortunate to live here.
If you’re married, what was your future wife’s reaction when she learned you were part of this cultural institution?
Divorced and now with my partner Jennifer for the past seven years. Both my former wife and Jennifer, like everyone, thinks that part of my life is very cool.
What does Madeleine think of your Peanuts connection?
She loves to tell her school and classmates that Dad is Charlie Brown. Every Thanksgiving, her friends and their parents turn on the show and then it’s chattered about for days at school.
What did you think when you first heard from me?
Cool, man!
Has anyone else ever interviewed about this? If so, when and for what publication?
There have been many interviews over the years. San Francisco Chronicle, Marin Independent Journal , etc. I also have a nice video interview in the special features of the special Warner Bros. (I think?) three-DVD set (Christmas, Halloween, and Thanksgiving specials) released several years ago. I gave that interview up at the Peanuts museum in Santa Rosa. Jean Schulz still runs that place.
Do you still have any ongoing connection (professionally or personally) to Peanuts?
Well, like I said, since Dad and Lee worked together for so many years, they have a cool relationship to this day. I know the Mendelson family and recently went to Lee’s 80th birthday party at the Tonga Room at the San Francisco Fairmont Hotel. That was a great event and there was a big turnout of people involved with Lee over the years, including Jean. We really had a great time and Lee and Jean are very warm and fun to be around.
Have you appeared at any fan conventions to sign autographs? If not, would you?
I missed the big Comic-Con thing a few years back, which I was invited to attend. I helped open up Snoopyland at Knott’s Berry Farm about 20 years ago. Other than that, not so much. Sure, I’d consider going to a fan convention if it didn’t interfere with my work.
How do you look back on the experience?
A very cool part of my life. It’s nice to be 51 years old and still remembered for this iconic part of American history.
Next: Robin Kohn Glazer—Lucy (Thanksgiving).
How old were you when you portrayed Charlie Brown in A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving?
I had just turned 10 years old.
Where were you living at the time?
Mill Valley and Sausalito, California—when those towns were just being discovered by the Summer of Love generation as the groovy place to migrate to from the city.
Were you a Peanuts fan?
Sure. Who wasn’t at that time at that age? Or any age, for that matter. In fact, I had auditioned for another Peanuts special a couple of years earlier, but didn’t get the part, and had already been in You’re Not Elected, Charlie Brown. That was a funny little special that aired during the famous election campaign cycle pitting Richard Nixon against George McGovern. I remember my dad had a campaign pin pinned to the visor in his VW camper bus that said “Lick Dick in ‘72.” That gives you an idea of my parents’ political and social leanings at the time.
How were you hired?
My father, Chuck Barbee, was Lee Mendelson’s director of photography. So Lee had mentioned to Dad that they were having auditions for Peanuts character voices for upcoming specials. At the time, Lee and Dad were traveling all over the world shooting specials for network television.
What other shows had you appeared in?
I’m credited with playing the voice of Russell, a one-off character running against Lucy for class president, I think, in You’re Not Elected, Charlie Brown (1972), Franklin in There’s No Time for Love, Charlie Brown (1973), Charlie Brown in A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving (1973), Charlie Brown and Schroeder in It’s the Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown (1974), and Charlie Brown in It’s a Mystery, Charlie Brown (1974).
Any funny stories from the experience?
So many, both in the recording studio and in my personal life. One that I remember very clearly is working with Bill Melendez in the recording studio when we were voicing for the Thanksgiving special. Bill would always work with us kids in the sound room that had just a podium, a stool, a script, and a big boom mic. Bill would kind of walk us through each scene with his thick Spanish accent and then would leave the room and watch us through the glass with Lee and the sound engineers.
One time they wanted me to voice that “AAAAAAARRRRRGGGGG” when Charlie Brown goes to kick the football and Lucy yanks it away. Try as I might, I just couldn’t generate [it as] long [as] they were looking for…so after something like 25 takes, we moved on. I was sweating the whole time. I think they eventually got an adult or a kid with an older voice to do that one take.
Was anything hard about the process?
The above story was something that really stuck with me. In my personal life, I grew very tired of having adults and other kids in my school constantly ask me about being Charlie Brown. I learned some powerful, early lessons about the stranger side of people and fame at an early age.
Did you record in the same room at the same time as the other actors?
No, we all recorded separately. We also read the scripts blind—we didn’t study the scripts prior to going in to Coast Recording Studio in San Francisco.
If you got to meet Charles Schulz, how was that?
Since my father was working so much with Lee and Sparky, on network specials and other projects, I had the opportunity to meet him on many occasions. I remember him as a very kind and gentle man.
What did you think of the finished show?
Well, it was a very big deal! TV Guide had a corner on the market at that time, and seeing my name printed in TV Guide made everyone around me go bananas—teachers, press, kids, adults…everybody…just thought I was some big movie star or something. But I remember feeling like it was not nearly as big a thing as everyone was making it out to be. I got to the point where I just wanted to be a normal kid without all the constant attention.
What did your parents think?
Dad and Mom were very much part of that Summer of Love counterculture generation. I was being raised as a long-haired hippie boy. They were proud of me, but they never really made a big deal out of it. They were more focused on their own counterculture activities. And Dad was working nonstop with Lee.
My grandmother, on the other hand—and just about every other adult in my life—made me out to be a superstar! In the final scene in the Thanksgiving special, all the Peanuts gang is singing “Over the Woods and Through the Hill to Grandmother’s House We Go” and the very last line—and it really is funny—is Charlie Brown saying, “But wait, my grandmother lives in a condominium.” That slayed my Grandma and she had every TV Guide clipping and anything else she could get her hands on plastered all over the place.
One time she made me get up in front of her Christian Mega Church up in Santa Rosa (at what is now the Wells Fargo Center for the Arts) and speak to the congregation of like 1,000 people! To her, me being Charlie Brown was as big as it gets.
What did your friends think?
Big deal. I was like a movie star at school for a few years.
What were you paid?
They worked out a deal to pay us pretty well up front, in 1972 dollars, but it was a payout number and we had to give up any residuals or royalties forever after. I’ve always felt that wasn’t the fairest way to handle that. But at the time it was a significant amount of money.
Which Peanuts special you worked on is your favorite, and why?
Well, the Thanksgiving show is really one of the three big classics that everyone remembers, along with Christmas and the Great Pumpkin. I’m happy to have played Charlie Brown in such an iconic classic.
Did you or your family stay in touch with anyone else from the cast?
Robin Kohn, who played Lucy in the Thanksgiving show. We actually went to high school together. We still live in Marin County, are Facebook friends, and occasionally see each other.
Have you had any fun Peanuts moments since (a reaction when someone you meet discovers you had a role in it, Halloween costume, etc.)?
It’s never-ending. Since the show plays every year, the recognition continues to this day. When people first find out they are amazed!
Did you do any non-Peanuts voice work/acting after this?
During that time, I had an agent named Ann Brebner. She is now 90 years old and still very active in the business, I believe. I did a dog food commercial voicing Charlie Brown talking to Snoopy, for Alpo or something, and had a potentially interesting career ahead of me. I had a good kid look and there were multiple opportunities on the horizon.
But not long after I voiced the last show I went to my parents and told them that I really wasn’t interested in pursuing that direction in my life. All the constant attention had made me feel uncomfortable, and mostly I wanted to ride my skateboard with my best friend Troy and build forts and get dirty. So I kind of bowed out of the business at about age 12.
What are you doing these days?
I’m a freelance creative director with a number of interesting clients in the Bay Area. I shoot video, write scripts, am involved in planning and development, and am raising my 8-year-old daughter Madeleine with her stepmom.
What has been your career highlight so far?
In terms of work, perhaps being a part of the team that helped design the staging and concept development for the Rolling Stones Bridges to Babylon World Tour…although, and I mean this very sincerely, raising my beautiful daughter is by far the most rewarding work I’ve ever done.
Where do you live?
We live in a beautiful little home in San Anslemo, California with spectacular views of Mount Tamalpais in central Marin. It’s kind of a sacred mountain to me as I spent my youth playing on it, so I feel very fortunate to live here.
If you’re married, what was your future wife’s reaction when she learned you were part of this cultural institution?
Divorced and now with my partner Jennifer for the past seven years. Both my former wife and Jennifer, like everyone, thinks that part of my life is very cool.
What does Madeleine think of your Peanuts connection?
She loves to tell her school and classmates that Dad is Charlie Brown. Every Thanksgiving, her friends and their parents turn on the show and then it’s chattered about for days at school.
What did you think when you first heard from me?
Cool, man!
Has anyone else ever interviewed about this? If so, when and for what publication?
There have been many interviews over the years. San Francisco Chronicle, Marin Independent Journal , etc. I also have a nice video interview in the special features of the special Warner Bros. (I think?) three-DVD set (Christmas, Halloween, and Thanksgiving specials) released several years ago. I gave that interview up at the Peanuts museum in Santa Rosa. Jean Schulz still runs that place.
Do you still have any ongoing connection (professionally or personally) to Peanuts?
Well, like I said, since Dad and Lee worked together for so many years, they have a cool relationship to this day. I know the Mendelson family and recently went to Lee’s 80th birthday party at the Tonga Room at the San Francisco Fairmont Hotel. That was a great event and there was a big turnout of people involved with Lee over the years, including Jean. We really had a great time and Lee and Jean are very warm and fun to be around.
Have you appeared at any fan conventions to sign autographs? If not, would you?
I missed the big Comic-Con thing a few years back, which I was invited to attend. I helped open up Snoopyland at Knott’s Berry Farm about 20 years ago. Other than that, not so much. Sure, I’d consider going to a fan convention if it didn’t interfere with my work.
How do you look back on the experience?
A very cool part of my life. It’s nice to be 51 years old and still remembered for this iconic part of American history.
Next: Robin Kohn Glazer—Lucy (Thanksgiving).
June 24, 2014
“Peanuts” interview: Sally Dryer (Violet in Christmas, Lucy in Halloween)
Introduction to the Peanuts interview series (including the list of interviewees).
How old were you when you portrayed Violet in A Charlie Brown Christmas?
8.
How Peanuts is this?
Where were you living at the time?
Burlingame, CA.
Were you already a Peanuts fan?
I don’t really remember, actually. My sister worked for the producer, Lee Mendelson, so Peanuts was a topic of conversation in the household because Lee had been persistently approaching Charles Schulz to allow him to produce children’s specials. Schulz had said no repeatedly. But then he called Lee and said “It has to be on my terms—[the show] has to be Christmas.”
How were you hired?
Nepotism. One of the conditions for Charles Schulz was that for the most part they used real kids—not professional movie stars—so it would sound genuine. Someone asked Lee to take reel-to-reel around to schools in the area. My sister came home that evening and said “Might as well take Sally’s voice, too.” Whether they took me as Violet because of that, I don’t know. But then I was promoted to Lucy because my voice had a crabbiness to it.
Doesn’t seem to anymore!
Oh yeah it does! (laughs)
Too obvious to cast you as Sally?
Oh yeah! But [it’s caused] confusion all my life.
How old was your sister?
She was 19 when she went to work for Lee. She’d been his best babysitter ever and he was starting a production company in Burlingame because he didn’t want to be in L.A.
What other shows had you appeared in?
That was the first show I had appeared in.
Why did you change from Violet to Lucy for Great Pumpkin?
Because they asked me to.
At the time, did you have an opinion on which character you would like to be?
Not really. I knew Lucy was crabby and was okay with it. When I was a teen, I was kind of embarrassed by it, but now I embrace it.
Looking back, did you like playing one character more than the other (though I suppose the answer is obvious)?
Lucy, of course. More lines.
How did your experience differ between Christmas and Great Pumpkin?
I remember thinking how great it was to not have to go to school that day. I felt a bit like a celebrity. [After the Great Pumpkin recordings], they always took us out for hamburgers. I don’t recall any of that the first time around. I can’t remember how many times they took us from Burlingame to San Francisco (about 30 minutes apart), but probably a few for Great Pumpkin.
Any funny stories from the experience?
I’m not sure which show it was, but we were in the studio and Jefferson Airplane was also there recording. We were excited about seeing them and they were excited about seeing us. It may have been on one of the later shows.
Was anything hard about the process?
Oh no. (laughs) They made it pretty easy. They’d say a line, we’d repeat it until we got it to their satisfaction.
Did each of you record alone?
Typically a group of us went to the studio together—all young, wild kids running down the halls—but we’d record one at a time.
If you got to meet Charles Schulz, how was that?
Tremendous. Kind, dear, quiet man. He left a huge impression on me. We went up to his property when they were working on a book or something to take photos with him, and he had invited me to come to his office, if you will, and watch him draw for a few minutes. I got to stand next to the drawing table in his office. It’s a vague memory but in his museum they have his office set up like it was, and when I saw it, it was the same.
What did you think of the finished shows?
I thought they were wonderful and entertaining. It was a little odd—you feel removed from it. At the time, I couldn’t relate that it was my voice. But the neighbors said they’d know that voice anywhere.
What did your parents think?
My father was no longer in the picture. I think my mother enjoyed it but was very protective—and overprotective.
How so?
Wanted to make sure that we [the kids] were well taken care of [at the studio]. But she was pretty proud of it, and proud of my older sister who became a tremendous production assistant for Lee Mendelson and had opportunities to meet movie stars and do great things.
Is she still doing that work?
No, she retired when she started a family in the 1970s.
Was your mom not with you at the recordings?
No, and that wouldn’t happen today, would it? My sister would drive me up to San Francisco, and she picked up the other kids as well. Those were the days!
That must have been a fun road trip.
Except Charlie Brown (Peter Robbins) was not part of our group, the Northern California group, because he was a professional actor in L.A.
What did your friends think of the shows?
I don’t know, honestly. I think they probably thought it was interesting. It wasn’t a big deal at all. I’m still good friends with a friend from that time. My partner just said that this friend [of ours] said I have a lot of Lucy in me. I didn’t know that! (laughs)
What were you paid?
It was about $100 per show, no royalties. Scale for the day. But I became a member of the Screen Actors Guild and they paid my dues. [What I was paid] was a huge amount of money for doing very little. I kept all the pay stubs until very recently—about a year ago. I should have saved some!
I was just going to say that! Which Peanuts special you worked on is your favorite, and why?
Great Pumpkin because it’s the only one you see anymore, and Christmas is a classic, of course. All-Stars (the second special, 1966) was fun.
Did you or your family stay in touch with anyone else from the cast?
No, not really. The first group of kids—all our voices changed at the same time for the most part, which was a challenge. Schulz had not anticipated [these specials] would catch on and people expect characters to sound the same [from show to show]. The second or third batch of characters did not sound like the first so then they tried to find kids who sounded like the originals.
My sister, though, stayed in touch so I would hear how the others were doing if they recorded after I did. I know of them. I opened a picture frame business in my early 20s in Burlingame, so the parents of some of the other kids would come in and I would sort of keep in touch that way. Small community.
Have you had any fun Peanuts moments since (a reaction when someone you meet discovers you had a role in it, Halloween costume, etc.)?
Surprisingly enough, it happens all the time. We have a store in Jerome, AZ, called Nellie Bly—it’s the largest kaleidoscope store in world. We sell art glass. Most all is made by artists here in the States. Kaleidoscopes are an American art form.
We also sell the two books on the making of Great Pumpkin and Christmas, so when people find out, they come in and get an autograph. It’s always a highlight of my day when they say they want to meet Lucy. Sometimes we give the books away.
We live in a town of 450 people and we get a million and a half tourists a year.
Lucy tourists?
No, to shop here for kaleidoscopes. [Otherwise] it’s a ghost town. But it’s real. It was a copper miners’ town. The mines were closed in 1955. My people—the hippies—came in the ‘70s and ‘80s and turned it into an artists’ community.
Did you do other voice work/acting after Peanuts?
When my voice changed, they let me down easy and made me Patty (not Peppermint Patty) in A Boy Named Charlie Brown (1969). I did a voiceover for Stanford Hospital for the children’s unit, I think. It was a promo for the hospital. And that was it. I was 12.
In addition to the store, what are you doing these days?
I do optical sculpture—kaleidoscopic in nature. I also volunteer at the Humane Society and I do the anesthesia for surgery. Dog lips are not poison!
(laughs) Did you need certification to do that?
No, a vet trained me. I’ve been working with her for 12 years, since I moved to Jerome.
What has been your career highlight so far?
I don’t think I’ve had it yet! I’m still exploring. I get to do a little medicine, a little sculpture, animal rescue, display at the store, rescue dogs—we have four rescue dogs and eight rescue cats. I’m not so much of a dog whisperer…more of a dog yeller.
What was your partner’s reaction when she learned you were part of this cultural institution?
(she asked her partner, with a laugh) “Hmmm,” she said. Her name is Mary; she started the store 25 years and I started 15 years ago.
Just “hmmm”?
“Fascinating.”
She must have watched the shows, right?
Yeah, but I don’t know that it was anything unusual. But she’s a great supporter and advocate.
Kids?
No. Two wonderful nieces.
What did you think when you first heard from me?
I thought that would be good. I was happy to jump on board.
Has anyone else ever interviewed about this? If so, when and for what publication?
Off and on, and then we were invited to Comic-Con a few years ago, when Warner Bros. bought the property. I thought that’s just ridiculous because they’re all there to see Darth Vader, but we created a stir. It was great fun to see other cast members again.
The Making of A Charlie Brown Christmas (2001)(Last name misspelled. Good grief!)
Did you stay in touch since then?
No. Haven’t had time, I guess. [But we did] exchange emails.
Do you still have any ongoing connection (professionally or personally) to Peanuts?
No, not so much. We’re still friends with the Mendelson family but I haven’t spoken with Lee in a while. One of the Mendelsons did come to the store.
How do you look back on the experience?
Fondly.
Anything you’d like to add?
Not that I can think of.
Next: Todd Barbee—Charlie Brown (Thanksgiving).
How old were you when you portrayed Violet in A Charlie Brown Christmas?
8.
How Peanuts is this?Where were you living at the time?
Burlingame, CA.
Were you already a Peanuts fan?
I don’t really remember, actually. My sister worked for the producer, Lee Mendelson, so Peanuts was a topic of conversation in the household because Lee had been persistently approaching Charles Schulz to allow him to produce children’s specials. Schulz had said no repeatedly. But then he called Lee and said “It has to be on my terms—[the show] has to be Christmas.”
How were you hired?
Nepotism. One of the conditions for Charles Schulz was that for the most part they used real kids—not professional movie stars—so it would sound genuine. Someone asked Lee to take reel-to-reel around to schools in the area. My sister came home that evening and said “Might as well take Sally’s voice, too.” Whether they took me as Violet because of that, I don’t know. But then I was promoted to Lucy because my voice had a crabbiness to it.
Doesn’t seem to anymore!
Oh yeah it does! (laughs)
Too obvious to cast you as Sally?
Oh yeah! But [it’s caused] confusion all my life.
How old was your sister?
She was 19 when she went to work for Lee. She’d been his best babysitter ever and he was starting a production company in Burlingame because he didn’t want to be in L.A.
What other shows had you appeared in?
That was the first show I had appeared in.
Why did you change from Violet to Lucy for Great Pumpkin?
Because they asked me to.
At the time, did you have an opinion on which character you would like to be?
Not really. I knew Lucy was crabby and was okay with it. When I was a teen, I was kind of embarrassed by it, but now I embrace it.
Looking back, did you like playing one character more than the other (though I suppose the answer is obvious)?
Lucy, of course. More lines.
How did your experience differ between Christmas and Great Pumpkin?
I remember thinking how great it was to not have to go to school that day. I felt a bit like a celebrity. [After the Great Pumpkin recordings], they always took us out for hamburgers. I don’t recall any of that the first time around. I can’t remember how many times they took us from Burlingame to San Francisco (about 30 minutes apart), but probably a few for Great Pumpkin.
Any funny stories from the experience?
I’m not sure which show it was, but we were in the studio and Jefferson Airplane was also there recording. We were excited about seeing them and they were excited about seeing us. It may have been on one of the later shows.
Was anything hard about the process?
Oh no. (laughs) They made it pretty easy. They’d say a line, we’d repeat it until we got it to their satisfaction.
Did each of you record alone?
Typically a group of us went to the studio together—all young, wild kids running down the halls—but we’d record one at a time.
If you got to meet Charles Schulz, how was that?
Tremendous. Kind, dear, quiet man. He left a huge impression on me. We went up to his property when they were working on a book or something to take photos with him, and he had invited me to come to his office, if you will, and watch him draw for a few minutes. I got to stand next to the drawing table in his office. It’s a vague memory but in his museum they have his office set up like it was, and when I saw it, it was the same.
What did you think of the finished shows?
I thought they were wonderful and entertaining. It was a little odd—you feel removed from it. At the time, I couldn’t relate that it was my voice. But the neighbors said they’d know that voice anywhere.
What did your parents think?
My father was no longer in the picture. I think my mother enjoyed it but was very protective—and overprotective.
How so?
Wanted to make sure that we [the kids] were well taken care of [at the studio]. But she was pretty proud of it, and proud of my older sister who became a tremendous production assistant for Lee Mendelson and had opportunities to meet movie stars and do great things.
Is she still doing that work?
No, she retired when she started a family in the 1970s.
Was your mom not with you at the recordings?
No, and that wouldn’t happen today, would it? My sister would drive me up to San Francisco, and she picked up the other kids as well. Those were the days!
That must have been a fun road trip.
Except Charlie Brown (Peter Robbins) was not part of our group, the Northern California group, because he was a professional actor in L.A.
What did your friends think of the shows?
I don’t know, honestly. I think they probably thought it was interesting. It wasn’t a big deal at all. I’m still good friends with a friend from that time. My partner just said that this friend [of ours] said I have a lot of Lucy in me. I didn’t know that! (laughs)
What were you paid?
It was about $100 per show, no royalties. Scale for the day. But I became a member of the Screen Actors Guild and they paid my dues. [What I was paid] was a huge amount of money for doing very little. I kept all the pay stubs until very recently—about a year ago. I should have saved some!
I was just going to say that! Which Peanuts special you worked on is your favorite, and why?
Great Pumpkin because it’s the only one you see anymore, and Christmas is a classic, of course. All-Stars (the second special, 1966) was fun.
Did you or your family stay in touch with anyone else from the cast?
No, not really. The first group of kids—all our voices changed at the same time for the most part, which was a challenge. Schulz had not anticipated [these specials] would catch on and people expect characters to sound the same [from show to show]. The second or third batch of characters did not sound like the first so then they tried to find kids who sounded like the originals.
My sister, though, stayed in touch so I would hear how the others were doing if they recorded after I did. I know of them. I opened a picture frame business in my early 20s in Burlingame, so the parents of some of the other kids would come in and I would sort of keep in touch that way. Small community.
Have you had any fun Peanuts moments since (a reaction when someone you meet discovers you had a role in it, Halloween costume, etc.)?
Surprisingly enough, it happens all the time. We have a store in Jerome, AZ, called Nellie Bly—it’s the largest kaleidoscope store in world. We sell art glass. Most all is made by artists here in the States. Kaleidoscopes are an American art form.
We also sell the two books on the making of Great Pumpkin and Christmas, so when people find out, they come in and get an autograph. It’s always a highlight of my day when they say they want to meet Lucy. Sometimes we give the books away.
We live in a town of 450 people and we get a million and a half tourists a year.
Lucy tourists?
No, to shop here for kaleidoscopes. [Otherwise] it’s a ghost town. But it’s real. It was a copper miners’ town. The mines were closed in 1955. My people—the hippies—came in the ‘70s and ‘80s and turned it into an artists’ community.
Did you do other voice work/acting after Peanuts?
When my voice changed, they let me down easy and made me Patty (not Peppermint Patty) in A Boy Named Charlie Brown (1969). I did a voiceover for Stanford Hospital for the children’s unit, I think. It was a promo for the hospital. And that was it. I was 12.
In addition to the store, what are you doing these days?
I do optical sculpture—kaleidoscopic in nature. I also volunteer at the Humane Society and I do the anesthesia for surgery. Dog lips are not poison!
(laughs) Did you need certification to do that?
No, a vet trained me. I’ve been working with her for 12 years, since I moved to Jerome.
What has been your career highlight so far?
I don’t think I’ve had it yet! I’m still exploring. I get to do a little medicine, a little sculpture, animal rescue, display at the store, rescue dogs—we have four rescue dogs and eight rescue cats. I’m not so much of a dog whisperer…more of a dog yeller.
What was your partner’s reaction when she learned you were part of this cultural institution?
(she asked her partner, with a laugh) “Hmmm,” she said. Her name is Mary; she started the store 25 years and I started 15 years ago.
Just “hmmm”?
“Fascinating.”
She must have watched the shows, right?
Yeah, but I don’t know that it was anything unusual. But she’s a great supporter and advocate.
Kids?
No. Two wonderful nieces.
What did you think when you first heard from me?
I thought that would be good. I was happy to jump on board.
Has anyone else ever interviewed about this? If so, when and for what publication?
Off and on, and then we were invited to Comic-Con a few years ago, when Warner Bros. bought the property. I thought that’s just ridiculous because they’re all there to see Darth Vader, but we created a stir. It was great fun to see other cast members again.
The Making of A Charlie Brown Christmas (2001)(Last name misspelled. Good grief!)Did you stay in touch since then?
No. Haven’t had time, I guess. [But we did] exchange emails.
Do you still have any ongoing connection (professionally or personally) to Peanuts?
No, not so much. We’re still friends with the Mendelson family but I haven’t spoken with Lee in a while. One of the Mendelsons did come to the store.
How do you look back on the experience?
Fondly.
Anything you’d like to add?
Not that I can think of.
Next: Todd Barbee—Charlie Brown (Thanksgiving).
June 23, 2014
“Peanuts” interview: Cathy Steinberg (Sally in Christmas, Halloween)
Introduction to the Peanuts interview series (including the list of interviewees).
How old were you when you portrayed Sally in A Charlie Brown Christmas?
About 4.
Where were you living at the time?
San Mateo, CA.
Were you already a Peanuts fan?
Not that I recall.
How were you hired?
The producer [Lee Mendelson] was a neighbor and family friend.
Presuming you were not the only girl in the neighborhood, do you know why they chose you for Sally?
I believe that they went to L.A. and cast most of the voices but they had not found a Sally. They came by to test my voice and it worked for them. I’m not really sure why.
What other shows had you appeared in?
[None.]
Any funny stories from the experience (either Christmas or It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown)?
I remember not being able to read the script for the Christmas show because I was too young to read and I have heard that they rushed recording because I had a loose tooth.
Do you know how the loose story got out there?
The loose tooth story was put forth by someone, maybe Lee Mendelson.
Was anything hard about the process (either Christmas or Great Pumpkin)?
No.
Did you record in the same room at the same time as the other actors (either Christmas or Great Pumpkin)?
Christmas was recorded at my parents’ house and Great Pumpkin was recorded in a studio with other actors
If you got to meet Charles Schulz, how was that?
I don’t recall meeting Charles Schulz.
What did you think of the finished show?
I enjoyed it.
What did your parents think?
I think that they enjoyed it, too.
What did your friends think?
When I was in elementary school, my friends thought that it was very cool.
What were you paid?
Unfortunately Peanuts.
How did your experience differ between Christmas and Great Pumpkin?
Not much different in my experience. I could read the script by that time and the recording was with other kids, so it was more fun.
Which Peanuts special you worked on is your favorite, and why?
I don’t have a favorite.
Did you or your family stay in touch with anyone else from the cast?
No.
Have you had any fun Peanuts moments since (a reaction when someone you meet discovers you had a role in it, Halloween costume, etc.)?
Sorry.
Did you do other voice work/acting after this?
No.
What are you doing these days?
I own a business that designs and manufactures interior design accessories for luxury hotels.
What has been your career highlight so far?
Running a successful business, seeing staff grow and develop new skills, manufacturing beautiful handcrafted objects.
Where do you live?
Miami Beach and Paris.
If you’re married, what was your future husband’s reaction when he learned you were part of this cultural institution?
He did not grow up in the U.S. so he was not familiar with Peanuts.
Do you have kids?
No.
What did you think when you first heard from me?
I thought that it is amazing that this keeps living on. It was such a long time ago.
Has anyone else ever interviewed about this? If so, when and for what publication?
No.
Do you still have any ongoing connection (professionally or personally) to Peanuts?
No.
Have you appeared at any fan conventions to sign autographs?
No.
Would you?
I am not interested. I’m really busy and travel quite a bit.
How do you look back on the experience?
It was a positive childhood memory. I’m glad that I had the experience. It really has not had an impact on me other than that.
Next: Sally Dryer—Violet (Christmas), Lucy (Halloween).
How old were you when you portrayed Sally in A Charlie Brown Christmas?
About 4.
Where were you living at the time?
San Mateo, CA.
Were you already a Peanuts fan?
Not that I recall.
How were you hired?
The producer [Lee Mendelson] was a neighbor and family friend.
Presuming you were not the only girl in the neighborhood, do you know why they chose you for Sally?
I believe that they went to L.A. and cast most of the voices but they had not found a Sally. They came by to test my voice and it worked for them. I’m not really sure why.
What other shows had you appeared in?
[None.]
Any funny stories from the experience (either Christmas or It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown)?
I remember not being able to read the script for the Christmas show because I was too young to read and I have heard that they rushed recording because I had a loose tooth.
Do you know how the loose story got out there?
The loose tooth story was put forth by someone, maybe Lee Mendelson.
Was anything hard about the process (either Christmas or Great Pumpkin)?
No.
Did you record in the same room at the same time as the other actors (either Christmas or Great Pumpkin)?
Christmas was recorded at my parents’ house and Great Pumpkin was recorded in a studio with other actors
If you got to meet Charles Schulz, how was that?
I don’t recall meeting Charles Schulz.
What did you think of the finished show?
I enjoyed it.
What did your parents think?
I think that they enjoyed it, too.
What did your friends think?
When I was in elementary school, my friends thought that it was very cool.
What were you paid?
Unfortunately Peanuts.
How did your experience differ between Christmas and Great Pumpkin?
Not much different in my experience. I could read the script by that time and the recording was with other kids, so it was more fun.
Which Peanuts special you worked on is your favorite, and why?
I don’t have a favorite.
Did you or your family stay in touch with anyone else from the cast?
No.
Have you had any fun Peanuts moments since (a reaction when someone you meet discovers you had a role in it, Halloween costume, etc.)?
Sorry.
Did you do other voice work/acting after this?
No.
What are you doing these days?
I own a business that designs and manufactures interior design accessories for luxury hotels.
What has been your career highlight so far?
Running a successful business, seeing staff grow and develop new skills, manufacturing beautiful handcrafted objects.
Where do you live?
Miami Beach and Paris.
If you’re married, what was your future husband’s reaction when he learned you were part of this cultural institution?
He did not grow up in the U.S. so he was not familiar with Peanuts.
Do you have kids?
No.
What did you think when you first heard from me?
I thought that it is amazing that this keeps living on. It was such a long time ago.
Has anyone else ever interviewed about this? If so, when and for what publication?
No.
Do you still have any ongoing connection (professionally or personally) to Peanuts?
No.
Have you appeared at any fan conventions to sign autographs?
No.
Would you?
I am not interested. I’m really busy and travel quite a bit.
How do you look back on the experience?
It was a positive childhood memory. I’m glad that I had the experience. It really has not had an impact on me other than that.
Next: Sally Dryer—Violet (Christmas), Lucy (Halloween).
June 22, 2014
“Peanuts” interview: Tracy Shaw (Lucy in Christmas)
Introduction to the Peanuts interview series (including the list of interviewees).
How old were you (then known as Tracy Stratford) when you portrayed Lucy in A Charlie Brown Christmas?
10.
Where were you living at the time?
We lived in the San Fernando Valley—Woodland Hills, CA.
Were you a Peanuts fan?
Perhaps—I read the comics, but I don’t think that was my favorite. I liked Broom-Hilda the witch.
How were you hired?
I assume I went on an interview, but don’t recall. I don’t remember that interview, so perhaps it was a direct hire.
What other shows had you appeared in?
A couple of
Any funny stories from the experience?
Just Bill Melendez’s (Spanish) accent affecting how lines were said—particularly Linus’s when responding to Lucy’s fist giving him five good reasons to get rid of his blanket!
Was anything hard about the process?
Nope. It was fun.
Did you record in the same room at the same time as the other actors?
Chris Shea, Peter Robbins, and I were together around the mic with Bill Melendez directing and coaching us.
If you got to meet Charles Schulz, how was that?
I never met Mr. Schulz. He was in San Francisco and we were in L.A.
What did you think of the finished show?
I liked the music the best. The show was fun, but I never took it too seriously.
What did your parents think?
My parents loved it—they were very proud—but I don’t think anyone had any idea of how iconic the show would become.
What did your friends think?
My friends were ambivalent. They may have liked the show, but it’s never anything we talked about, really. I just worked, and that was it.
What were you paid?
I have no idea.
Why was that the only Peanuts special you worked on?
We did voiceovers for commercials for a couple of years for a variety of companies, but no other specials for me. At 12, my voice had gotten “too old.”
Did you or your family stay in touch with anyone else from the cast?
No, we/I did not.
Have you had any fun Peanuts moments since (a reaction when someone you meet discovers you had a role in it, Halloween costume, etc.)?
It’s a topic at school randomly. Kids will find out and ask if it’s true.
Did you do any non-Peanuts voice work/acting after this?
Yes, I did some TV shows and a couple of Disney movies and TV. I did a lot of dancing and ballet as well.
What are you doing these days?
I am a high school librarian. I’ve also taught and coached drama for many years. I find I prefer directing to acting—especially live theatre.
What has been your career highlight so far?
I have loved working with students. I’ve directed plays with students from kindergarten through 12th grade, and some productions were with all grade levels in one show. I’ve also directed community theatre with adults/students, and that was a lot of fun. I love being in the library, as it’s a job that requires constant learning to keep up with the changing technology. I love collaborating with staff and my students to help them be creative and prep for college. But honestly, my family is the best part of my life. I have two fantastic daughters, two wonderful son-in-laws, two grandsons who are so fun, smart, and creative, and we even have two “grand-doggers.” :)
Where do you live?
Washington State, up near the Canadian border.
Tracy (left) and her sisters
If you’re married, what was your future husband’s reaction when he learned you were part of this cultural institution?
He knew me when we were in middle school, so it was common knowledge and no big deal.
What do your kids think of your Peanuts connection?
My girls take it in stride—we never made it a big deal, as I did it when I was little. But they think it’s cool. When I told my oldest daughter (who was three at the time) that the voice of Lucy was me, she said “It is not.” And that was that. So it’s never been a big deal at our house.
What did you think when you first heard from me?
“Uh-oh.”
Has anyone else ever interviewed about this? If so, when and for what publication?
Nope, not really. [NOTE: See next answer.] I’m sure it’s come up, and it’s come up when we were doing radio interviews with my drama kids for the upcoming productions when I lived in Leavenworth (WA). It’s more of a novelty thing, but not a big deal.
Do you still have any ongoing connection (professionally or personally) to Peanuts?
No, not really. They did a big thing in 2001 so I went to San Francisco and then L.A. with the whole Peanuts team, as well as all the kids who’d ever been in the shows. That was the first time I’d met some of the people—like Sally Dryer, who was Lucy after me. She lived in San Francisco at the time I was Lucy, and she was Sally. [NOTE: In the Christmas show, Cathy Steinberg played Sally. Confusing with the names!]
The Making of A Charlie Brown Christmas (2001)
Have you appeared at any fan conventions to sign autographs? If not, would you?
No and no!
How do you look back on the experience?
It was a unique experience growing up—it had its own set of challenges, but I always enjoyed the actual work. I learned so much from all the people I worked with over the years. I learned much about the craft of acting itself, about the work, about directing. But my friends kept me (or at least tried!) to keep me grounded. I had horses, did ballet, sports at school, and had lots of other things I did and was involved in at school and with friends. And there were a lot of kids in Southern California who either acted or wanted to act. Some let it go to their heads, some didn’t; I tried to be one who didn’t—and in large part that was due to my friends. Hollywood is a very easy place to become full of yourself or “ungrounded” so I am so grateful to my friends for helping me stay real.
Anything you’d like to add?
When I was working as a kid, I met lots of kids who were out-of-control snobs; I replaced a little girl on The New Loretta Young Show because of that. My family and friends did a pretty good job [reminding me that] “I am a kid who happens to act” as opposed to “I’m an Acting Kid.”
It’s easy to become egotistical when while you are working you are constantly told how “great” you are. I’ve known many actors (kids and adults) who’ve lost themselves in drugs, alcohol, or living in the past—i.e. dressing up as your character and renting yourself out at parties, which doesn’t suit my temperament or personality. I am way too shy for that kind of thing, which is sort of why it took me so long to respond and then even agree to do this.
I am truly flattered and humbled to be a part of A Charlie Brown Christmas—Lee Mendelson and Bill Melendez were so kind to all of us; it really was a unique experience that very few kids get to have. I’m assuming they thought I had the talent and brattiness for Lucy (who was terrifically fun to be), and it’s a part of who I am—but just a part. I don’t really remember jumping through hoops in order to be a part of that show—I just remember the doing of it, which was nothing but fun.
When I interviewed for the drama coaching position in Leavenworth, the principal became ecstatic over a photo I brought: me working with Walter Brennan in a Disney movie. I think that’s why I got the job! So my acting experiences have opened some doors for me. But for me, as a child, it was just a “normal” part of my growing up. And sometimes I would have rather stayed home to play than going on interviews!
I feel thankful and blessed as to where I am now as a result of my experiences. Many other actors have not been as fortunate. I feel like almost every day of my adulthood has been a joy.
So it’s always with a bit of trepidation that I answer personal questions about my acting as a child. While I had some great experiences, I, too, suffered through some depression when I was no longer little, when they could hire an 18-year-old who looked 13 so they wouldn’t have to abide by the child labor laws. All of a sudden there’s a void—and that can be a big trap for some. Luckily, for me, it was short-lived and I found other outlets, venues, and activities.
Next: Cathy Steinberg—Sally (Christmas, Halloween).
How old were you (then known as Tracy Stratford) when you portrayed Lucy in A Charlie Brown Christmas?
10.
Where were you living at the time?
We lived in the San Fernando Valley—Woodland Hills, CA.
Were you a Peanuts fan?
Perhaps—I read the comics, but I don’t think that was my favorite. I liked Broom-Hilda the witch.
How were you hired?
I assume I went on an interview, but don’t recall. I don’t remember that interview, so perhaps it was a direct hire.
What other shows had you appeared in?
A couple of
Any funny stories from the experience?
Just Bill Melendez’s (Spanish) accent affecting how lines were said—particularly Linus’s when responding to Lucy’s fist giving him five good reasons to get rid of his blanket!
Was anything hard about the process?
Nope. It was fun.
Did you record in the same room at the same time as the other actors?
Chris Shea, Peter Robbins, and I were together around the mic with Bill Melendez directing and coaching us.
If you got to meet Charles Schulz, how was that?
I never met Mr. Schulz. He was in San Francisco and we were in L.A.
What did you think of the finished show?
I liked the music the best. The show was fun, but I never took it too seriously.
What did your parents think?
My parents loved it—they were very proud—but I don’t think anyone had any idea of how iconic the show would become.
What did your friends think?
My friends were ambivalent. They may have liked the show, but it’s never anything we talked about, really. I just worked, and that was it.
What were you paid?
I have no idea.
Why was that the only Peanuts special you worked on?
We did voiceovers for commercials for a couple of years for a variety of companies, but no other specials for me. At 12, my voice had gotten “too old.”
Did you or your family stay in touch with anyone else from the cast?
No, we/I did not.
Have you had any fun Peanuts moments since (a reaction when someone you meet discovers you had a role in it, Halloween costume, etc.)?
It’s a topic at school randomly. Kids will find out and ask if it’s true.
Did you do any non-Peanuts voice work/acting after this?
Yes, I did some TV shows and a couple of Disney movies and TV. I did a lot of dancing and ballet as well.
What are you doing these days?
I am a high school librarian. I’ve also taught and coached drama for many years. I find I prefer directing to acting—especially live theatre.
What has been your career highlight so far?
I have loved working with students. I’ve directed plays with students from kindergarten through 12th grade, and some productions were with all grade levels in one show. I’ve also directed community theatre with adults/students, and that was a lot of fun. I love being in the library, as it’s a job that requires constant learning to keep up with the changing technology. I love collaborating with staff and my students to help them be creative and prep for college. But honestly, my family is the best part of my life. I have two fantastic daughters, two wonderful son-in-laws, two grandsons who are so fun, smart, and creative, and we even have two “grand-doggers.” :)
Where do you live?
Washington State, up near the Canadian border.
+and+sisters.JPG)
Tracy (left) and her sistersIf you’re married, what was your future husband’s reaction when he learned you were part of this cultural institution?
He knew me when we were in middle school, so it was common knowledge and no big deal.
What do your kids think of your Peanuts connection?
My girls take it in stride—we never made it a big deal, as I did it when I was little. But they think it’s cool. When I told my oldest daughter (who was three at the time) that the voice of Lucy was me, she said “It is not.” And that was that. So it’s never been a big deal at our house.
What did you think when you first heard from me?
“Uh-oh.”
Has anyone else ever interviewed about this? If so, when and for what publication?
Nope, not really. [NOTE: See next answer.] I’m sure it’s come up, and it’s come up when we were doing radio interviews with my drama kids for the upcoming productions when I lived in Leavenworth (WA). It’s more of a novelty thing, but not a big deal.
Do you still have any ongoing connection (professionally or personally) to Peanuts?
No, not really. They did a big thing in 2001 so I went to San Francisco and then L.A. with the whole Peanuts team, as well as all the kids who’d ever been in the shows. That was the first time I’d met some of the people—like Sally Dryer, who was Lucy after me. She lived in San Francisco at the time I was Lucy, and she was Sally. [NOTE: In the Christmas show, Cathy Steinberg played Sally. Confusing with the names!]
The Making of A Charlie Brown Christmas (2001)Have you appeared at any fan conventions to sign autographs? If not, would you?
No and no!
How do you look back on the experience?
It was a unique experience growing up—it had its own set of challenges, but I always enjoyed the actual work. I learned so much from all the people I worked with over the years. I learned much about the craft of acting itself, about the work, about directing. But my friends kept me (or at least tried!) to keep me grounded. I had horses, did ballet, sports at school, and had lots of other things I did and was involved in at school and with friends. And there were a lot of kids in Southern California who either acted or wanted to act. Some let it go to their heads, some didn’t; I tried to be one who didn’t—and in large part that was due to my friends. Hollywood is a very easy place to become full of yourself or “ungrounded” so I am so grateful to my friends for helping me stay real.
Anything you’d like to add?
When I was working as a kid, I met lots of kids who were out-of-control snobs; I replaced a little girl on The New Loretta Young Show because of that. My family and friends did a pretty good job [reminding me that] “I am a kid who happens to act” as opposed to “I’m an Acting Kid.”
It’s easy to become egotistical when while you are working you are constantly told how “great” you are. I’ve known many actors (kids and adults) who’ve lost themselves in drugs, alcohol, or living in the past—i.e. dressing up as your character and renting yourself out at parties, which doesn’t suit my temperament or personality. I am way too shy for that kind of thing, which is sort of why it took me so long to respond and then even agree to do this.
I am truly flattered and humbled to be a part of A Charlie Brown Christmas—Lee Mendelson and Bill Melendez were so kind to all of us; it really was a unique experience that very few kids get to have. I’m assuming they thought I had the talent and brattiness for Lucy (who was terrifically fun to be), and it’s a part of who I am—but just a part. I don’t really remember jumping through hoops in order to be a part of that show—I just remember the doing of it, which was nothing but fun.
When I interviewed for the drama coaching position in Leavenworth, the principal became ecstatic over a photo I brought: me working with Walter Brennan in a Disney movie. I think that’s why I got the job! So my acting experiences have opened some doors for me. But for me, as a child, it was just a “normal” part of my growing up. And sometimes I would have rather stayed home to play than going on interviews!
I feel thankful and blessed as to where I am now as a result of my experiences. Many other actors have not been as fortunate. I feel like almost every day of my adulthood has been a joy.
So it’s always with a bit of trepidation that I answer personal questions about my acting as a child. While I had some great experiences, I, too, suffered through some depression when I was no longer little, when they could hire an 18-year-old who looked 13 so they wouldn’t have to abide by the child labor laws. All of a sudden there’s a void—and that can be a big trap for some. Luckily, for me, it was short-lived and I found other outlets, venues, and activities.
Next: Cathy Steinberg—Sally (Christmas, Halloween).
June 21, 2014
“Peanuts” voice actor interviews: introduction
“If it seems too complicated, make it easy on yourself: just send money. How about tens and twenties?” (Sally)
“That stupid blockhead of a brother of mine is out in the pumpkin patch making his yearly fool of himself.” (Lucy)
“All I can make is cold cereal and maybe toast.” (Charlie Brown)
No matter your age, no matter your location, no matter your religion...if you grew up with a TV, you know these lines. You know the holy trinity of Peanuts holiday specials. You can maybe still hear the voices of some of the characters. You can definitely still see them dancing on stage in A Charlie Brown Christmas.
Let’s get to know the kids who brought them to life. Though some are now parents and grandparents, culturally, they will always be Peanuts.
Here’s who I tracked down and interviewed. [NOTE: Links become active one per day till all interviews post.]
By special:
A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965; 1st special to air)
Tracy Shaw—LucyCathy Steinberg—SallySally Dryer—Violet
It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown (1966; 3rd special)
Sally Dryer—LucyCathy Steinberg—Sally
A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving (1973; 10th special)
Todd Barbee—Charlie BrownRobin Kohn Glazer—LucyStephen Shea—LinusHilary Momberger—SallyChristopher deFaria—Peppermint Patty
Unfortunately, Jim Ahrens, who portrayed Marcie, declined to participate.
By character:
Charlie Brown—Todd Barbee (Thanksgiving)Lucy—Tracy Shaw (Christmas), Sally Dryer (Halloween), Robin Kohn Glazer (Thanksgiving)Linus—Stephen Shea (Thanksgiving)Sally—Cathy Steinberg (Christmas, Halloween), Hilary Momberger (Thanksgiving)Peppermint Patty—Christopher deFaria (Thanksgiving)Violet—Sally Dryer (Christmas)
By performer:
Tracy Shaw—Lucy (Christmas)Cathy Steinberg—Sally (Christmas, Halloween)Sally Dryer—Violet (Christmas), Lucy (Halloween)Todd Barbee—Charlie Brown (Thanksgiving)Robin Kohn Glazer—Lucy (Thanksgiving)Stephen Shea—Linus (Thanksgiving)Hilary Momberger—Sally (Thanksgiving)Christopher deFaria—Peppermint Patty (Thanksgiving)
“I got a rock.”
We got a childhood.
First: Tracy Shaw—Lucy (Christmas).
“That stupid blockhead of a brother of mine is out in the pumpkin patch making his yearly fool of himself.” (Lucy)
“All I can make is cold cereal and maybe toast.” (Charlie Brown)
No matter your age, no matter your location, no matter your religion...if you grew up with a TV, you know these lines. You know the holy trinity of Peanuts holiday specials. You can maybe still hear the voices of some of the characters. You can definitely still see them dancing on stage in A Charlie Brown Christmas.
Let’s get to know the kids who brought them to life. Though some are now parents and grandparents, culturally, they will always be Peanuts.
Here’s who I tracked down and interviewed. [NOTE: Links become active one per day till all interviews post.]
By special:
A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965; 1st special to air)
Tracy Shaw—LucyCathy Steinberg—SallySally Dryer—Violet
It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown (1966; 3rd special)
Sally Dryer—LucyCathy Steinberg—Sally
A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving (1973; 10th special)
Todd Barbee—Charlie BrownRobin Kohn Glazer—LucyStephen Shea—LinusHilary Momberger—SallyChristopher deFaria—Peppermint Patty
Unfortunately, Jim Ahrens, who portrayed Marcie, declined to participate.
By character:
Charlie Brown—Todd Barbee (Thanksgiving)Lucy—Tracy Shaw (Christmas), Sally Dryer (Halloween), Robin Kohn Glazer (Thanksgiving)Linus—Stephen Shea (Thanksgiving)Sally—Cathy Steinberg (Christmas, Halloween), Hilary Momberger (Thanksgiving)Peppermint Patty—Christopher deFaria (Thanksgiving)Violet—Sally Dryer (Christmas)
By performer:
Tracy Shaw—Lucy (Christmas)Cathy Steinberg—Sally (Christmas, Halloween)Sally Dryer—Violet (Christmas), Lucy (Halloween)Todd Barbee—Charlie Brown (Thanksgiving)Robin Kohn Glazer—Lucy (Thanksgiving)Stephen Shea—Linus (Thanksgiving)Hilary Momberger—Sally (Thanksgiving)Christopher deFaria—Peppermint Patty (Thanksgiving)
“I got a rock.”
We got a childhood.
First: Tracy Shaw—Lucy (Christmas).
June 20, 2014
Bob Kane’s widow nominated him for a Hollywood Walk of Fame star...
...and like any good Batman story, it holds a secret:
Comic Book Resources asked me for comment about the $30,000 investment:
My initial tweet about this was a bit snarkier:
Comic Book Resources asked me for comment about the $30,000 investment:
The Dark Knight—the title of which is a nickname coined by Bill Finger, the main villain of which debuted in a story written by Bill Finger, the legacy of which is that it is one of the highest-grossing and most critically praised films of all time—has many hundreds of names in its credits, but none are Bill Finger. None of those people would have had that job if not for Bill Finger. This Walk of Fame star is yet another instance of Kane receiving recognition I don't feel he deserves...unless Finger gets the same.
My initial tweet about this was a bit snarkier:
Bob Kane getting star on Hollywood Walk of Fame. Now people can step on him as he stepped on Bill Finger.
June 18, 2014
Early Finger fighter: Mike W. Barr
More than a decade before I learned who Bill Finger was, which was about a decade after Finger died, I was a fan of someone who was already going to bat for Bill: writer and editor Mike W. Barr, who was also creator of Batman and the Outsiders, which just happened to be the only comic book in which I ever had a letter printed:
Batman and the Outsiders #24 (1985); I was 13
(Oh, note who wrote the letter above mine. Wild coincidence. Lot to digest. Take a moment.)
Mike W. Barr in 1988
In this case, unsung begets unsung: Mike is an unsung hero in the crusade to see Bill officially credited as co-creator, and I’ve known since I interviewed him in 2006.
When I asked him to articulate the most important point a book on Bill could emphasize, he said “Without him, there would have been no Batman. The character would not have lasted 67 years, if it had been published at all. And: Of all the important Golden Age creators, Finger probably received the least amount of financial compensation of any of them, and deserved far more than most of them.”
Recently, comic historian and all-around nice guy Sean Howe sent me this, from Dick Giordano: Changing Comics One Day At a Time:
I knew that Mike had stood by his principles on behalf of a guy who would never know, but didn’t know details; getting this glimpse of the fuller story was both inspiring and infuriating. It also made me realize how overdue I’ve been in acknowledging Mike here; however, another nod from me to him was set in motion months ago and will go public at San Diego Comic-Con, meaning it will be seen by a lot more people than this post.
In early 2014, Mike sent me this account of what happened:
Standing ovation for MWB.
Among the times Mike spread the word about Bill in print:
“The First Fifty Years of the Batman” (San Diego Comic-Con program, 1989)“Bill Finger: The Man Way Behind the Batman” (Amazing Heroes #167, 1989)“The Madames and the Girls: The DC Writers Purge of 1968” (Comic Book Artist Collection Volume 2, 2002)“Pro2Pro” (Back Issue #73, 7/2014)
Thank you, Mike, for helping pave the way for Bill the Boy Wonder: The Secret Co-Creator of Batman. The road is not yet complete, but it’s no longer a skeleton crew trying to see it through.
Mike today
Batman and the Outsiders #24 (1985); I was 13
(Oh, note who wrote the letter above mine. Wild coincidence. Lot to digest. Take a moment.)
Mike W. Barr in 1988In this case, unsung begets unsung: Mike is an unsung hero in the crusade to see Bill officially credited as co-creator, and I’ve known since I interviewed him in 2006.
When I asked him to articulate the most important point a book on Bill could emphasize, he said “Without him, there would have been no Batman. The character would not have lasted 67 years, if it had been published at all. And: Of all the important Golden Age creators, Finger probably received the least amount of financial compensation of any of them, and deserved far more than most of them.”
Recently, comic historian and all-around nice guy Sean Howe sent me this, from Dick Giordano: Changing Comics One Day At a Time:
I knew that Mike had stood by his principles on behalf of a guy who would never know, but didn’t know details; getting this glimpse of the fuller story was both inspiring and infuriating. It also made me realize how overdue I’ve been in acknowledging Mike here; however, another nod from me to him was set in motion months ago and will go public at San Diego Comic-Con, meaning it will be seen by a lot more people than this post.
In early 2014, Mike sent me this account of what happened:
My admiration for Bill Finger and my dismay at his lack of credit for his co-creation of Batman are both very nearly boundless. Unfortunately, not everyone in the comic book business feels that way.
In 1986, I was freelance-editing The Outsiders, a spin-off of the DC title Batman and the Outsiders. I wrote a letter to The Comics Journal stating that Finger deserved credit as the co-creator of Batman. The next time I was in the DC offices, Vice President Dick Giordano told me he considered that letter “your resignation as a DC editor” because I had “spoken out against the company,” conduct which (in Giordano’s eyes) was a firing offense for a DC staffer.
I replied to Giordano that I was not on staff. All payments I received for writing and editing were as a freelancer. I received no paid vacation time nor sick leave, and all medical coverage I received was paid for by my own pocket. I had no office on the DC premises; I did all my work at home.
None of this made any difference to Giordano, who said I had resigned. I said I would not resign and he would have to publicly fire me, which he did.
Giordano, despite a long history as a freelancer, never had any sympathy for Finger’s plight. In a last attempt to reason with him, I asked him if he had no empathy for Finger’s lack of credit on Batman. Giordano simply shrugged coldly and said “Finger should have stood up for himself.”
“Sure,” I said. “And we’re seeing how well that’s working out for me.”
Standing ovation for MWB.
Among the times Mike spread the word about Bill in print:
“The First Fifty Years of the Batman” (San Diego Comic-Con program, 1989)“Bill Finger: The Man Way Behind the Batman” (Amazing Heroes #167, 1989)“The Madames and the Girls: The DC Writers Purge of 1968” (Comic Book Artist Collection Volume 2, 2002)“Pro2Pro” (Back Issue #73, 7/2014)
Thank you, Mike, for helping pave the way for Bill the Boy Wonder: The Secret Co-Creator of Batman. The road is not yet complete, but it’s no longer a skeleton crew trying to see it through.
Mike today
June 16, 2014
Super (Boys) comment on “Bill the Boy Wonder”
After sharing thoughts on friend/colleague Brad Ricca’s Siegel and Shuster biography Super Boys, he said nice things about me. I guess it’s a draw (and a write).
June 14, 2014
“Addicted to Love” women: first reunion since 1986 shoot!
Last year, I became the first person to track down and interview all five women from the iconic Robert Palmer “Addicted to Love” video.
Last night, all five reunited for the first time since the 1986 shoot. (One came in from the U.S. and one from Thailand; the other three are in the UK, where they met up.)
Julie, Patty, Kathy, Julia, Mak, wine
Gonna have to face it...that is totally cool.
Last night, all five reunited for the first time since the 1986 shoot. (One came in from the U.S. and one from Thailand; the other three are in the UK, where they met up.)
Julie, Patty, Kathy, Julia, Mak, wineGonna have to face it...that is totally cool.
