January 12, 2013: The Golden Age

Song: “The Golden Age” by The Asteroids Galaxy Tour from the self made MaxMix

Listen to it here

 

(Picture from http://www.last.fm/group/Golden+Age+of+Hollywood)

TODD walks out of a door on to the stage. The door has a sign on it saying, “Auditions Inside”.

 

TODD (angry)

 

Well that sucked!

 

He balls up his sides and throws it across the stage. He kicks fruitlessly at nothing in particular.

 

I should be clearer.

 

He points over his shoulder to the closed door.

 

They sucked.

 

Points to himself

 

I was quite good.

 

They just don’t know what to do with me. They’re looking for…oh who the fuck knows. They aren’t looking for classic though, I can tell you that.

 

Shoves hands in pockets and begins to walk in place on stage, slumped over and tight. The set pulls back away from TODD and offstage, giving the impression he’s walking away.

 

I know it’s dumb to complain about the vapidness of Hollywood, but can I help what’s true? This whole town is hollow and stupid…they’re just pissing away their legacy. Things used to make sense here. People who deserved to be stars were. Paul. Marilyn. Bogie. Welles. Mansfield. Hepburn. Tracy.  Other Hepburn. Maybe the studio system sucked but…is this really any better?

 

I go in there, I knock them dead. I could tell. The casting director nearly gasped! I crushed it. But I’m not getting the job. Why? “We want the character to be a bit more punk.” Punk? Not “We want a talented actor to play this.” Not “Gosh, we love the intensity.” No…just punk. Look a certain way. Fit a demographic. Trick the moviegoer to buy a ticket, don’t worry about the final product.

 

I’m good. I know I’m good. They know I’m good. In the 50’s, the early 60’s? I’m in films two, three a year. I’m a featured player. Solid. Reliable. I’m drinking scotch with the movers and shakers, the real deal stars, at night. And I’m acting, for real, none of this method nonsense or model memorizing lines and speaking them with a pout and little else stupidity. Real, true acting by day.

 

That’s where I belonged. Back then. Which things made sense. Not here where the idiots have seized control and movies are about the lowest common denominator. Here, guys like me don’t stand a chance.

 

I should’ve been born 70 years ago.

 

Instead I book commercials, drink cheap beer, and live with three roommates in a shitty hotel in Pasadena.

 

Shakes his head.

 

Fuck the present! We lost our way. Give me the past any day.

 

A phone rings and Todd turns his back to the audience while answering it, holding up a “please be quiet finger to the audience. He mumbles barely audibly. He turns back to the audience, smiling wide.

 

Ha ha! Nailed it! Got the part. My first big gig. Network TV. Two episode guest star role. Lines. Lots of lines! YES!

 

He dances around the stage a bit in celebration.

 

So…I guess Hollywood’s got a little Golden Age renaissance going on.