1 00:00:44,23 --> 00:00:47,40 Hello and welcome to Whiskers here and now 2 00:00:47,71 --> 00:00:52,36 a program the present people that have leftist signature on the city of whiskers 3 00:00:53,53 --> 00:00:58,76 I'm John Thomas today's guest host and today we are going to present 4 00:00:59,11 --> 00:01:04,50 a very unusual person that you see here all the time as the host of the show Ms 5 00:01:04,54 --> 00:01:10,46 civil fastened that's certainly as well as having made her signature on the city of 6 00:01:10,47 --> 00:01:17,13 West or has left her byline on the local scene of journalism here several 7 00:01:18,20 --> 00:01:22,88 you were of the one of the first reviewers and certainly the first columnist with 8 00:01:22,89 --> 00:01:26,05 there was a Telegram and Gazette and you indeed were 9 00:01:26,06 --> 00:01:31,88 a pioneer in woman in journalism here in the city when did you start your career 10 00:01:31,89 --> 00:01:38,48 with that well I started at the newspaper in nineteen sixty five I had 11 00:01:38,92 --> 00:01:45,67 been working for. The Blue Cross and Blue Shield and I had the typical woman's job 12 00:01:45,67 --> 00:01:52,31 at that time which was mainly paperwork not creative paperwork and I got 13 00:01:52,32 --> 00:01:55,76 tired of that because I had worked for the I.G.A. 14 00:01:55,77 --> 00:02:02,17 Out in California and I had written the. Company newspaper 15 00:02:02,53 --> 00:02:07,59 and. I had put it all together and I had run it off 16 00:02:07,60 --> 00:02:11,79 a missed young man who was supposed to have helped me collect the sheets he got 17 00:02:11,80 --> 00:02:15,60 a raise and I didn't and I was told well simple he has 18 00:02:15,61 --> 00:02:20,29 a family to support when I said I'm doing all the work and he got the rate and I 19 00:02:20,30 --> 00:02:25,20 said well so why and he looked at me with ice cold blue eyes and said well that's 20 00:02:25,21 --> 00:02:28,91 was your fault you shouldn't got a divorce it would be looking at one 21 00:02:28,92 --> 00:02:34,01 a very wealthy woman today if that had happened just the nineties junk lawsuits 22 00:02:34,02 --> 00:02:35,86 Absolutely you find being 23 00:02:35,87 --> 00:02:39,92 a one of the first women involved in this sort of journalism puts you in the 24 00:02:39,93 --> 00:02:45,87 position where you had to be subservient I'm observing and I was told what to do 25 00:02:45,91 --> 00:02:52,54 when to do it and even how to do it fortunately I had with the exception of one or 26 00:02:52,55 --> 00:02:59,08 two I had editors who. Are like put it they weren't that 27 00:02:59,81 --> 00:03:05,96 they weren't that creative as far as language went so they more or less left what I 28 00:03:06,34 --> 00:03:13,09 wrote alone and. I started out as what was called the 29 00:03:13,13 --> 00:03:17,70 assistant to the gather turf for the Sunday section then known as house and home. 30 00:03:18,72 --> 00:03:24,89 And and mainly what I did was he asked me to write a story 31 00:03:24,93 --> 00:03:29,32 a story for the something section usually on people's houses people in the 32 00:03:29,33 --> 00:03:35,76 community who are well known and their homes and such other stories 33 00:03:36,13 --> 00:03:42,13 and then he would he would look it over he would do the editing and sometimes he 34 00:03:42,14 --> 00:03:46,98 would give me other stories that I would have to correct and edit and then I would 35 00:03:46,99 --> 00:03:50,94 take everything up to the composing room every nothing was high tech then we worked 36 00:03:50,95 --> 00:03:55,99 on the typewriters I'm not even sure we had electric typewriters and I think we had 37 00:03:56,00 --> 00:03:56,66 a manual 38 00:03:56,70 --> 00:04:01,25 a while and then it came I do remember the well then I thought oh we've made 39 00:04:01,26 --> 00:04:05,17 progress we've got an electric typewriter and that was before the computers came in 40 00:04:05,18 --> 00:04:05,62 which made 41 00:04:05,63 --> 00:04:12,17 a big big difference so I I went up there to the composing room and I'd stand there 42 00:04:12,18 --> 00:04:18,75 and make sure all the corrections were made and so forth and then pretty soon I was 43 00:04:18,76 --> 00:04:25,72 given my. I was given my own stories to write then I was 44 00:04:25,73 --> 00:04:31,46 shifted to what was known as the women's page just because. Something happened to 45 00:04:31,47 --> 00:04:38,38 house and home it's melded into something else and. But before than 46 00:04:38,74 --> 00:04:44,71 now I remember how I had forgotten I think in the back of my mind the editor the 47 00:04:44,72 --> 00:04:50,75 editor came to me and wanted when they had moved my editor someplace else they 48 00:04:50,76 --> 00:04:52,73 wanted he wanted 49 00:04:52,74 --> 00:04:58,62 a friend of his who worked in the city room to be in charge of me and I was that 50 00:04:59,43 --> 00:05:00,10 had I been 51 00:05:00,11 --> 00:05:05,97 a man and then the system for ten years that job would have been mine and when I 52 00:05:06,31 --> 00:05:10,36 objected to what they told me I could go out work in the county I'm not going out 53 00:05:10,37 --> 00:05:15,14 Why did you work in the county for many many years I didn't even drive the 54 00:05:15,15 --> 00:05:20,92 photographer with me everywhere and had to take me and about it's often been said 55 00:05:21,53 --> 00:05:25,74 for women that have been in journalism not only has Did they have to do things as 56 00:05:25,75 --> 00:05:31,68 well as men in their counterpoint roles but they had to do the much better and much 57 00:05:31,69 --> 00:05:35,66 better all the time would you comment on that how do you feel about that is that 58 00:05:35,67 --> 00:05:40,46 applicable to the situation when you were doing the subject line Well let me put it 59 00:05:40,47 --> 00:05:41,14 this way. 60 00:05:48,28 --> 00:05:50,02 OK it's it's 61 00:05:50,03 --> 00:05:56,77 a time bomb so I can say it's. Let me say but I don't think that this 62 00:05:56,81 --> 00:06:01,99 exists today but back then let me say that a man could get away with things that 63 00:06:01,100 --> 00:06:06,100 a woman couldn't affect kind of summit. And there are lots of times that 64 00:06:07,23 --> 00:06:10,74 a man could write something it would just go right through whereas 65 00:06:10,75 --> 00:06:15,87 a woman would write something it was very carefully edited and but when that when 66 00:06:16,14 --> 00:06:21,36 when they were going to ship me out to the county. Because they want he wanted to 67 00:06:21,37 --> 00:06:27,73 put his body in there. They put me into what was known Thank God the name has 68 00:06:27,74 --> 00:06:33,07 changed and what was then known as the women's pages. I never did figure out what 69 00:06:33,11 --> 00:06:36,82 the men spaces were made sports maybe I don't know what tell us what were the 70 00:06:36,83 --> 00:06:42,52 women's pages what you think or what women were the only the only project that 71 00:06:42,53 --> 00:06:48,98 women were supposed to be concerned about baby's clothes cooking society pages as 72 00:06:48,99 --> 00:06:54,03 well yes society and who got married who got to know all bad that were Don't 73 00:06:54,04 --> 00:06:55,28 whoring at whatever T.V. 74 00:06:55,29 --> 00:06:59,65 There was certainly now that is what gradually you could see 75 00:06:59,66 --> 00:07:05,42 a change more and more there might be a that might be a story about 76 00:07:05,46 --> 00:07:12,42 a rebellious woman who went somewhere and did something and. Maybe I 77 00:07:12,43 --> 00:07:18,87 shouldn't tell the story but I think I will I when we weren't being paid very much 78 00:07:18,87 --> 00:07:24,55 . Trust me I think when I worked with work for the newspaper in one thousand nine 79 00:07:24,59 --> 00:07:31,26 hundred sixty five. I think I was being paid to was hyping page fifty 80 00:07:31,31 --> 00:07:36,03 fifty five of the fifty I think it was fifty dollars or maybe it was fifty five it 81 00:07:36,04 --> 00:07:40,34 was five dollars more than I was being paid to the Cross and Blue Shield and I got 82 00:07:40,35 --> 00:07:41,93 a raise of five dollars after 83 00:07:41,94 --> 00:07:48,20 a few months but I still I mean I I had kids you know and I was paying my own rent 84 00:07:48,21 --> 00:07:54,57 and so forth so anyway I was sent up when. We're in the 85 00:07:54,58 --> 00:08:01,20 Kennedy. Her her husband was running for for 86 00:08:01,21 --> 00:08:07,72 office what was his name gone out of my head not Jack Kennedy No no no the sister 87 00:08:07,76 --> 00:08:12,75 her husband was running for office here so Shriver described in your driver but 88 00:08:13,25 --> 00:08:18,58 Sargent Shriver was running and I was sent up to the airport to interview her so 89 00:08:18,59 --> 00:08:21,01 that was when the airport was running and had 90 00:08:21,02 --> 00:08:27,06 a restaurant and she landed and I were not there to talk with her and she wanted 91 00:08:27,07 --> 00:08:29,53 something to eat I met her at the Q. 92 00:08:29,54 --> 00:08:35,33 Man did and she wanted to call me to look into the restaurant and eat so 93 00:08:36,47 --> 00:08:40,99 I mean I guess don't you want to eat you'd pay for it. I just had 94 00:08:41,00 --> 00:08:46,31 a cup of coffee or whatever she got up and walked away and expected me to pay for 95 00:08:46,31 --> 00:08:49,67 it OK Well it wasn't very much but it was probably 96 00:08:49,68 --> 00:08:53,50 a good portion of my weekly salary at that point was that something you could 97 00:08:53,51 --> 00:08:53,86 submit 98 00:08:53,88 --> 00:08:58,15 a bill for to the paper we were never we never submitted bills for anything cause I 99 00:08:58,15 --> 00:09:04,43 didn't do things like that but I thought oh my God So when I went back to when I 100 00:09:04,44 --> 00:09:11,27 went back to. And I told her I told the editor and her lover in 101 00:09:11,28 --> 00:09:17,17 swinging she said to me simple never embarrass the newspaper and I thought to 102 00:09:17,18 --> 00:09:23,12 myself you know in other words pay for it. And I thought to myself What about if I 103 00:09:23,13 --> 00:09:27,14 didn't have the money for this what the newspaper pays me I'd be embarrassed but 104 00:09:27,18 --> 00:09:33,78 fortunately I had the money and they did reimburse me but. I think I was also 105 00:09:33,79 --> 00:09:34,26 doing 106 00:09:34,33 --> 00:09:38,14 a similar review asked me once would you like to do theater readings that was when 107 00:09:38,15 --> 00:09:43,12 the Marcello was in there and I said yes and I used to have to drive sometimes 108 00:09:43,13 --> 00:09:47,06 after working all day at the Fitchburg or some other place and review community 109 00:09:47,07 --> 00:09:52,37 theater if you and I got I got ten dollars I got five dollars for 110 00:09:52,38 --> 00:09:58,11 a review and five dollars for the gas was out of going rate of the time well it was 111 00:09:58,12 --> 00:10:03,92 going great for me I assume that I don't want to think that men got ten dollars 112 00:10:04,07 --> 00:10:08,73 instead of them but I mean we back then they also had regional offices and that I 113 00:10:08,74 --> 00:10:14,42 was revealing something like the merry go round together and. Sturbridge. 114 00:10:15,80 --> 00:10:21,85 In Southbridge I would go to the office. And write and send in the review now 115 00:10:21,89 --> 00:10:27,59 everybody faxes things and sure. Segue in yourself and just the concept of 116 00:10:27,60 --> 00:10:33,17 reviewing for community theater we had groups that I'm sure you referred to such as 117 00:10:33,18 --> 00:10:38,80 the on tractors guild was running around opera Holden playing Shrewsbury to play as 118 00:10:39,16 --> 00:10:45,18 many groups in the today defunct and others like I was writing sure 119 00:10:46,13 --> 00:10:50,37 I remember in those old days having participated in some of those organizations 120 00:10:50,38 --> 00:10:54,63 myself so one of the things we used to do is we would go to the old on the rock 121 00:10:54,64 --> 00:11:00,41 a restaurant place and we would stay there and celebrate until four in the morning 122 00:11:00,42 --> 00:11:05,50 and then someone would drive out to get the review that was put into the was to 123 00:11:05,51 --> 00:11:10,26 telegraph. Of course some of our viewers will remember that at one point in time 124 00:11:10,27 --> 00:11:16,87 was had two newspapers that were local. Actually three but the two large 125 00:11:16,88 --> 00:11:21,02 ones as the time of the seventy's and eighty's would have been there was 126 00:11:21,03 --> 00:11:27,50 a Telegram and Gazette which were later joined into one paper so you actually had 127 00:11:27,54 --> 00:11:30,94 two reviews that you would get for each show that you write in the morning one in 128 00:11:30,95 --> 00:11:36,59 the evening but someone would dash out to go and to grab the review to come back in 129 00:11:36,60 --> 00:11:41,97 to read it for everybody and that I have your moment of silence of not being 130 00:11:41,98 --> 00:11:46,29 terribly happy about what the reviewer had to say or of course there would be 131 00:11:46,30 --> 00:11:52,57 a great job well done and the job that was recognized as being well. How did you 132 00:11:52,58 --> 00:11:59,12 find that idea of reviewing in those days simple Did you have many people that 133 00:11:59,13 --> 00:12:03,53 would write in and disagree with any of the things that you would I can't recall. 134 00:12:05,24 --> 00:12:10,70 At review No I can't I can't recall that they did I do know that when you say that 135 00:12:10,74 --> 00:12:17,65 to read the review It was probably mine because. That would. 136 00:12:18,86 --> 00:12:23,13 BE I would have to write it right after the show so it came out in the morning 137 00:12:23,14 --> 00:12:29,65 paper where as the reviewer for The Gazette frankly Gerald was usually he 138 00:12:30,39 --> 00:12:34,02 didn't have to write the review to when he came in the next morning because that 139 00:12:34,03 --> 00:12:40,26 would go in the afternoon paper so first one would always telegrams that was the 140 00:12:40,27 --> 00:12:47,22 rush and that was the rush However I used to. I used to say to Frank I said 141 00:12:48,15 --> 00:12:53,02 I really envy you being able to wait until tomorrow morning to write your review 142 00:12:53,30 --> 00:12:57,85 and saying actually. That you didn't have to get up so. 143 00:13:01,09 --> 00:13:06,00 Simple I remember having also been in the performing arts and singing that Ray 144 00:13:06,01 --> 00:13:12,87 Martin who was very famous reviewer for Eric was to telegraph. Plashing 145 00:13:12,88 --> 00:13:18,17 actually. He will often be dashing out and I do remember every year there would be 146 00:13:18,61 --> 00:13:23,23 performances of Handel's Messiah and at the point of the hollow chorus he would be 147 00:13:23,24 --> 00:13:28,62 dashing out of the story and so that he could be the deadline and I always used to 148 00:13:28,63 --> 00:13:35,43 say to myself when he did. The trumpet child and had never heard the performance 149 00:13:36,37 --> 00:13:41,56 just think well was he there wasn't there and this is interesting that he can 150 00:13:41,57 --> 00:13:42,23 critique 151 00:13:42,42 --> 00:13:47,30 a performance and he really had not seen but I guess at that particular point in 152 00:13:47,31 --> 00:13:52,60 time those were the things that you just had to be. At the deadline I think that's 153 00:13:52,61 --> 00:13:58,39 why he backed off and we were still working together but we were it was selective I 154 00:13:58,40 --> 00:14:03,83 would do certain things and he would do more of that type because he was into that 155 00:14:03,84 --> 00:14:08,76 and he must have seen more than one performance of it not necessarily the same cast 156 00:14:08,85 --> 00:14:13,77 but some route because he was very knowledgeable in that area particularly with the 157 00:14:13,78 --> 00:14:19,18 Messiah he probably had reviewed over fifty. So he had 158 00:14:19,19 --> 00:14:24,49 a general idea but you know you always wonder about those last few performing 159 00:14:24,50 --> 00:14:30,21 moments not having been Could something have risen to the occasion that perhaps 160 00:14:30,79 --> 00:14:34,91 have been necessarily looked upon by the reviewer as the most glorious thing that. 161 00:14:36,35 --> 00:14:43,22 You have to wonder sometimes of something. I told you when we were going over this 162 00:14:43,23 --> 00:14:48,48 before what happened you want me to repeat it for the audio ahead an interesting 163 00:14:48,49 --> 00:14:50,23 story well I was 164 00:14:50,48 --> 00:14:56,65 a very upsetting story at the time. I of course I've always loved theater I've 165 00:14:56,66 --> 00:15:01,89 always loved him and I would read all the reviews so when they asked me to start 166 00:15:01,90 --> 00:15:07,08 reviewing I started my reviews I didn't do movie reviews until later I started with 167 00:15:07,09 --> 00:15:10,44 theater local theater and communities than 168 00:15:10,45 --> 00:15:17,24 a regional theater and then some theater involved and Boston. Tore. And 169 00:15:17,37 --> 00:15:22,62 I always felt that because I guess it was because I started out as 170 00:15:22,63 --> 00:15:27,19 a fiction writer and I love and I'm not mysteries and I love to build suspense and 171 00:15:27,20 --> 00:15:31,01 I think you build build build build you can start out with a with 172 00:15:31,02 --> 00:15:36,11 a great lead which captures the reader's attention however you build build build 173 00:15:36,12 --> 00:15:41,35 and you save the old cliche you save the best for the last so what I used to like 174 00:15:41,36 --> 00:15:46,15 to do I would I would praise if they were worthy of the praise the supporting cast 175 00:15:47,01 --> 00:15:52,99 all of that after doing the lead paragraph and praise the whole production and then 176 00:15:52,100 --> 00:15:57,48 I did. Well now that was probably different but if it was 177 00:15:57,52 --> 00:16:03,48 a good thing to say I would say as I say the best for the last couple saving the 178 00:16:03,49 --> 00:16:05,54 best for the last I once had 179 00:16:05,55 --> 00:16:09,86 a conversation with someone that had worked in one of the printing rooms at the 180 00:16:09,87 --> 00:16:14,27 worst of them and I asked sometimes I have 181 00:16:14,82 --> 00:16:21,61 a problem with the way. They have been shortened by someone that 182 00:16:21,62 --> 00:16:27,81 didn't necessarily have any participation in journalism and he laughed and. The 183 00:16:27,82 --> 00:16:32,26 people setting the idea and they cut out what they cut out now simple if you've 184 00:16:32,27 --> 00:16:37,90 left the leads of the praised the supporting actors how does that leave you with 185 00:16:38,60 --> 00:16:39,86 sentiment from 186 00:16:39,87 --> 00:16:46,62 a cast that obviously. Extremely frustrated and I mean I was I had the right 187 00:16:47,12 --> 00:16:52,54 to call and explain what happened and I would send I always made well we made 188 00:16:52,55 --> 00:16:58,61 carbon copies back in the typewriter days but I would have Mike I would leave my 189 00:16:58,62 --> 00:17:02,38 reviews on the computer and I would send them 190 00:17:02,39 --> 00:17:08,85 a copy of what I said because at one time they did that. And they chopped off. 191 00:17:11,72 --> 00:17:18,70 And because it was so. I had. I was late getting 192 00:17:18,71 --> 00:17:23,88 the review in because of where I was and where I could write it and so I raced back 193 00:17:23,89 --> 00:17:29,76 and they and I got it in but they felt it was too long and they just cut off the 194 00:17:29,77 --> 00:17:36,58 whole part which I praised leads and also I like to I love I 195 00:17:36,59 --> 00:17:42,85 love a great lead off line and I love posing mine and it's like walking through 196 00:17:42,86 --> 00:17:49,46 a door and see two somebody for the first time and then some but and then somebody 197 00:17:49,47 --> 00:17:52,42 is leaving and saying goodbye had 198 00:17:52,43 --> 00:17:56,58 a wonderful time will see you again that is the way I write you have 199 00:17:56,59 --> 00:18:01,96 a wonderful beginning that grabs people and then you have the ending especially in 200 00:18:01,97 --> 00:18:08,04 a review where you want people to come again or new people to visit which is going 201 00:18:08,05 --> 00:18:12,73 to see the play and when they cut that off right in the middle when you say 202 00:18:12,74 --> 00:18:18,75 something right. He was very believable in the supporting role period that was 203 00:18:18,76 --> 00:18:24,40 again of the. They don't even say who the reporting role was they may have put the 204 00:18:24,41 --> 00:18:30,11 period after role. As as the handsome guard there who did this and got that that 205 00:18:30,12 --> 00:18:33,94 that that the cutbacks are dropped Well of course you had other sources and you 206 00:18:33,95 --> 00:18:39,03 have to wonder why it would be left to just someone that's in the print shop that's 207 00:18:39,04 --> 00:18:40,25 going to be changed so they have 208 00:18:40,26 --> 00:18:46,62 a search warrant also the editors weren't around oh my goodness. But of course the 209 00:18:46,63 --> 00:18:50,12 national press in reading the paper wasn't going to know anything like that they 210 00:18:50,13 --> 00:18:54,71 just say well this person wasn't mentioned and therefore they couldn't have done 211 00:18:54,72 --> 00:18:55,23 all that good 212 00:18:55,24 --> 00:19:02,01 a job maybe she's being fine by not mentioning them perform. A little bit during 213 00:19:02,02 --> 00:19:08,86 the production. At this point in time shall I just briefly. Go over 214 00:19:08,87 --> 00:19:12,52 that time when I told you about my editor all Natalie that's a that's a that's 215 00:19:12,53 --> 00:19:17,91 a very interesting. We're going to be talking about this later but I had years 216 00:19:17,92 --> 00:19:24,91 later when I got into the. Show business and filming in my own green column 217 00:19:24,92 --> 00:19:31,68 and etc. The friend of mine. We interviewed James Baker who. 218 00:19:32,91 --> 00:19:37,11 Very famous as an interviewer of the stars right now he's written books and so 219 00:19:37,12 --> 00:19:39,78 forth and right now at least on my notes he was 220 00:19:39,79 --> 00:19:46,65 a column in the paper. He made in the past from I don't know but anyway we were not 221 00:19:46,94 --> 00:19:47,59 what to 222 00:19:47,60 --> 00:19:52,94 a place that already has passed which is the cafe restaurant upstairs at the Ritz 223 00:19:52,95 --> 00:19:59,68 Carlton and we sat there and had white wine and we had the most wonderful interview 224 00:20:00,04 --> 00:20:04,51 on for about three hours he would not have dinner with them but we had to get back 225 00:20:04,55 --> 00:20:08,63 as usual we had deadlines because he worked for the middle what's known as the 226 00:20:08,64 --> 00:20:14,78 Middlesex news in this non-metro West. So anyway he went on and on all these 227 00:20:14,79 --> 00:20:21,17 wonderful stories about all the stars and so forth and I always I 228 00:20:21,70 --> 00:20:24,24 I always always just to protect myself worked with 229 00:20:24,25 --> 00:20:29,01 a tape paper quarter so that nobody could face I didn't say that or she didn't say 230 00:20:29,02 --> 00:20:34,87 that or whatever it was they are like took it home and I looked at it that and then 231 00:20:34,88 --> 00:20:39,05 I went back the next day and I wrote the story I had pictures of the game and the 232 00:20:39,23 --> 00:20:45,44 whole big spread I still wrap it. And my and I was working late late late because 233 00:20:45,45 --> 00:20:45,72 we had 234 00:20:45,73 --> 00:20:51,44 a deadline and I was had to come out with some of the paper and I was when I was 235 00:20:51,45 --> 00:20:55,59 working with loving o'clock at night trying to get this all done in my is was there 236 00:20:55,60 --> 00:21:01,71 and she went up and she took it up to the composing room she read it and she went 237 00:21:01,72 --> 00:21:08,27 up and she came back and she looked at me she was so furious she was very 238 00:21:08,66 --> 00:21:12,68 very wrote she didn't she didn't blow up she didn't do anything she just looked at 239 00:21:12,72 --> 00:21:15,39 me and she said I wish you weren't such 240 00:21:15,40 --> 00:21:21,93 a good writer what she meant was she couldn't find any place to cuss she was not 241 00:21:21,94 --> 00:21:25,20 she would go I've got to cut in a compliment that is it was 242 00:21:25,21 --> 00:21:27,56 a compliment but you know what chic of 243 00:21:27,60 --> 00:21:32,63 a compliment because when they had what they called the gossiper and it was 244 00:21:32,64 --> 00:21:37,64 a company newspaper that came out every month and they had editors orchids the 245 00:21:37,65 --> 00:21:43,55 editor said Mickey and he praised Hertz of this guy's You said finally an editor 246 00:21:43,69 --> 00:21:50,64 who knows where not to cut. Great but of course in all of your reviews the way she 247 00:21:50,65 --> 00:21:54,47 did she must have had to go through other articles on the page and short she had 248 00:21:54,64 --> 00:21:59,42 she had to cut paste That's right and that's what upset her because she had to 249 00:21:59,43 --> 00:22:01,58 eliminate other things and maybe find 250 00:22:01,59 --> 00:22:05,58 a place for them later but every time she looked for she could cut it she couldn't 251 00:22:05,59 --> 00:22:11,77 find because she was an excellent editor we had our differences but she was 252 00:22:12,06 --> 00:22:18,75 probably the best editor I ever worked with because she never ever ever cut what 253 00:22:18,79 --> 00:22:25,61 I if I had been the editor and were doing her story I wouldn't have cut her with C 254 00:22:25,88 --> 00:22:26,17 Being 255 00:22:26,18 --> 00:22:32,09 a good reported to have to know what you can put in what you call it sometimes there 256 00:22:32,10 --> 00:22:32,12 are 257 00:22:32,13 --> 00:22:36,90 a lot of things I wanted to put together that I could not put in so much of that just 258 00:22:36,91 --> 00:22:43,53 basically just cited not to exactly what she. Technology and what would you say 259 00:22:43,71 --> 00:22:50,45 today it's an easier thing for a reviewer to deal with the process or perhaps is 260 00:22:50,46 --> 00:22:54,74 a little bit more difficult than of course you had either your manual typewriter 261 00:22:54,75 --> 00:22:59,27 which I remember I'm probably one of the last line of people that remembers the 262 00:22:59,28 --> 00:23:05,70 feel of that happening. In that review we had to read it. All yeah there was no way 263 00:23:05,71 --> 00:23:10,07 of sending in the review after you rode in on the typewriter you picked it up 264 00:23:10,08 --> 00:23:14,25 sometimes you could scribble but you had to get that review and then you called the 265 00:23:14,26 --> 00:23:19,97 paper and read it over the phone there was no fax what should you do is plug in the 266 00:23:20,25 --> 00:23:23,61 the. Computer or whatever type of 267 00:23:23,62 --> 00:23:27,24 a process so that your union back at all that's right that's all they do they can 268 00:23:27,25 --> 00:23:31,99 go and you know and they don't even more worry about getting And then the next day 269 00:23:32,03 --> 00:23:34,61 there are lots of times because they have 270 00:23:34,62 --> 00:23:40,34 a lot of reviewers today probably in all papers who are not. 271 00:23:41,59 --> 00:23:47,12 Daytime reporting. That's just their specialty that's all they do and they don't 272 00:23:47,13 --> 00:23:52,54 have to work all day and then drive fifty miles. To see your show and then drive 273 00:23:52,55 --> 00:23:58,56 another twenty miles the phone and then somewhere. Very interesting point talking 274 00:23:58,57 --> 00:24:05,56 of reviewing for here for professional theatre or theater towards Boston I'm sure 275 00:24:05,57 --> 00:24:10,27 that you were reviewing at the time the foothills theatre began which was our first 276 00:24:10,57 --> 00:24:17,06 full on how I met Mark and our first full professional theatre company in 277 00:24:17,55 --> 00:24:23,23 which they were using percentage of equity on actors Chatham back into their very 278 00:24:23,24 --> 00:24:26,00 little theater on Chatham Street I think it was called 279 00:24:26,01 --> 00:24:32,57 a Class A theater in which it was the smallest of the black box or. How would you 280 00:24:32,58 --> 00:24:39,47 rate that the new compared to what was available at the time at the 281 00:24:39,48 --> 00:24:45,75 time you had on tractors killed and then you had probably its rival would have been 282 00:24:45,76 --> 00:24:50,97 for the hills how would you estimate the true would you consider the fact that they 283 00:24:50,98 --> 00:24:55,65 were on par with one another all would you say that for the sake of equity 284 00:24:55,66 --> 00:25:02,53 participation that one was better. That's hard to say because 285 00:25:02,54 --> 00:25:09,46 there are there are mediocre actors I'm sorry to say. Who 286 00:25:09,47 --> 00:25:13,99 are equity actors there it may be that they're mediocre because of the parts of 287 00:25:14,00 --> 00:25:20,16 their cast it is but I found that. I always felt. 288 00:25:21,41 --> 00:25:25,08 I felt as though I'm Voss in our New York going to the theater when I went to the 289 00:25:25,09 --> 00:25:27,86 Newport Hills somehow I felt I was in 290 00:25:27,90 --> 00:25:32,97 a very professional theatre I like that but I also because I was 291 00:25:32,98 --> 00:25:34,39 a reporter for what was 292 00:25:34,44 --> 00:25:39,91 a small city newspaper whatever I also appreciated the talent. 293 00:25:41,38 --> 00:25:47,83 That I would discover in different roles in community theater. 294 00:25:49,66 --> 00:25:55,18 Number of very gifted people who went on to become equity actors and to play 295 00:25:55,19 --> 00:26:01,55 professionally and someday I'd like to talk about all the 296 00:26:01,56 --> 00:26:06,98 remarkable people who became. Very. 297 00:26:08,28 --> 00:26:14,72 Very well known people in different fields not only in acting but in writing and 298 00:26:14,73 --> 00:26:19,49 politics and so forth OK From was fair you and some of our local giants in theater 299 00:26:19,50 --> 00:26:22,51 that we had such as bills to give us an Ameri shave 300 00:26:22,52 --> 00:26:29,33 a good marriage Oh yes. Bill Taylor Judith Blake Morris returned 301 00:26:29,58 --> 00:26:34,21 all the people that were working in other fields but would come together into 302 00:26:34,22 --> 00:26:38,22 a guild that was going to present productions of 303 00:26:38,23 --> 00:26:42,97 a very high quality and in some instances did you feel yourself doing 304 00:26:43,01 --> 00:26:48,40 a different type of thing when you reviewed one and then the other No I try to use 305 00:26:48,58 --> 00:26:54,77 the same standards absolutely Well I wouldn't. I would. 306 00:26:56,34 --> 00:27:00,68 Let's put it this way My question is this if you look at Fort Hills you look at on 307 00:27:00,69 --> 00:27:06,02 track to build where you saying well there are not necessarily equities so I'm 308 00:27:06,03 --> 00:27:06,40 going to be 309 00:27:06,41 --> 00:27:12,29 a bit more gentle or did you hold them to the same standard I know that's an 310 00:27:12,30 --> 00:27:16,94 interesting question that I'm not sure I could answer correctly but I think I 311 00:27:16,95 --> 00:27:23,57 became I didn't think about. What type of the other it was as 312 00:27:23,61 --> 00:27:28,18 far as the price of the tickets all the standing of whatever I looked at the 313 00:27:28,19 --> 00:27:34,62 performance and if the performance grabbed me and I believed in that character and 314 00:27:34,73 --> 00:27:41,27 it served the playwright Well that's that's how I judged it and well we'll probably 315 00:27:41,28 --> 00:27:47,45 have him or her because after all he or she is an equity they haven't ever appeared 316 00:27:47,46 --> 00:27:52,71 off Broadway or what I don't look at as well needless to say also some of these 317 00:27:52,72 --> 00:27:57,36 giants particularly someone like and she didn't need to be looked at with any type 318 00:27:57,37 --> 00:28:01,36 of and big absolute She would stand up to a major actress and and 319 00:28:01,37 --> 00:28:06,22 a film just because she decided to use her challenge to teach at Wellesley and 320 00:28:06,23 --> 00:28:12,35 bills and some of them you know like Phil Taylor had appeared professionally. And 321 00:28:12,53 --> 00:28:17,33 they and they just settled in this area and community do better and it was 322 00:28:17,34 --> 00:28:24,34 a leader for so many but for right now. He and his and three other young 323 00:28:24,35 --> 00:28:30,83 people Bob Parker and and Kelly. They are there doing cabaret that's wonderful and 324 00:28:30,84 --> 00:28:32,97 they were at the man they did 325 00:28:32,98 --> 00:28:39,61 a show down there that was absolutely. It was sensational Well said it was only 326 00:28:39,62 --> 00:28:40,70 touched on by upon 327 00:28:40,71 --> 00:28:45,64 a small portion of what we had hoped to talk about and I think that the swans the 328 00:28:45,65 --> 00:28:49,94 second show what do you think absolutely and you know what I would like to have 329 00:28:49,95 --> 00:28:53,64 a couple of the people that we're talking about on this show that they know well 330 00:28:53,65 --> 00:28:54,13 that would be 331 00:28:54,14 --> 00:28:58,01 a wonderful thing to do I would like well I'm just speak about some of your other 332 00:28:58,02 --> 00:29:02,38 interviews that you did when you founded your columns Well we're going to have to 333 00:29:02,39 --> 00:29:08,27 wrap this up today I'm John Palmer guest host of he wants to hear and now 334 00:29:08,31 --> 00:29:14,90 interviewing our host. Fast some and we will come back with another show to talk 335 00:29:14,91 --> 00:29:17,17 about some other topics that we have. 336 00:31:13,12 --> 00:31:14,31 And I think you might.