Comments on: The Madge Bellamy Acting Workshop

By: Lloyd cfwjy

Lloyd cfwjy — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 21:00:01 +0000

What a nice theme

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By: Bill Brandt

Bill Brandt — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 03:31:38 +0000

Enbrethiliel – It was something to the effect that “acting is the easiest thing there is – just don’t let someone catching you at it” – or something to that effect.

At least I think that was attributable to Tracy

By: JEB

JEB — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 20:24:24 +0000

TCM is repeating their child stars interview on Thursday. Robert Osborne talks with child stars Margaret O’Brien, Jane Withers, Dickie Moore and Darryl Hickman about what it was like being a child star and what their lives have been since. No one as big as Shirley Temple was but interesting insights nonetheless.

By: Carolyn

Carolyn — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 19:56:26 +0000

Well, la di da! TGB1000 says Avrech ‘pollutes’ the discussion by giving a different opinion than TGB – an opinion TGB labels as ‘pointless’.

Is it stating the obvious that TGB FEELS all this but doesn’t think it? But then why should he? After all, thinking is so…so…so conservative.

And TGB wouldn’t want that, would he?

By: Enbrethiliel

Enbrethiliel — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 18:43:28 +0000

+JMJ+

Bill: Are you thinking of the time a young actor asked Tracy for acting advice, and Tracy said, “Learn your lines and show up on time”? =)

(I’m sorry if this turns out to be a double post.)

By: Bill Brandt

Bill Brandt — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 07:20:41 +0000

Robert – I have noticed both on your own blog site and here that you have a talent for bringing to life actors and actresses that have been gone for decades – you should write a book about Hollywood!

Turning down Louie B Mayer – not the smartest career move but then what would Casablanca be like if Ronald Reagan had accepted Humphrey Bogart’s part?

I am trying to remember the quote Spencer Tracy made about acting

By: Michael Hutchison

Michael Hutchison — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 06:42:36 +0000

Actually, the “think” versus “feel” is also a big divide between men and women.

By: maatkare

maatkare — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 05:42:24 +0000

Whiskey–a damn good list, but with the possible exception of Savage and Russell, none of the actors you list had anywhere near the fame or stardom (or worked as profusely at SO young an age) of a Shirley Temple who was part of the zeitgeist well before she was a teenager. The pressures were greater on her I’ll wager, than anyone on your list. Seth Green has said that he ‘worked’ as a kid, but was thankful he wasn’t a star; he refers to Macauley Culkin as having a much rougher time. To bolster my point I might name all the Cosby kids except Malcolm Jamal Warner (who directs now), and the youngest daughters from Roseanne and Family Ties, not to mention Jonathan Taylor Thomas, and all the kids from Family Matters. (although Urkel turned up recently in Dreamgirls) It’s a tough transition from cute kid to viable adult, and we all know fame is teh most cracked-out crapshoot imagineable. (the entire cast of High School Musical?!?!) I just think Temple had the chops to continue…she chose not to, and the public probably couldn’t see her beyond “Curly Top.” (Took me a looong time to accept Ricky Schroeder as a grown man)

By: John Nolte

John Nolte — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 05:15:30 +0000

Robert has forgotten more about this era of filmmaking than most of us, including myself, know. His talent as a writer to both eloquently and forcefully make a case for these films kindled my interest and the reward has been a treasure chest of art unlike anything made since.

What a gift these films are and how lucky we are to have Robert bring them back to life for us.

By: whiskey

whiskey — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 04:48:59 +0000

There’s a LOT of former child stars now working as respected adult actors: Seth Green, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Eliza Dushku, Amber Tamblyn, Michelle Trachtenberg, Fred Savage, Adam Baldwin !! and Amanda Bynes come to mind. So does Kurt Russell for that matter.

All have reps for professionalism, good performances, and stability. Most of the child actors come out of either soaps, Disney, or both, and have to have various approaches/interpretations ready to go. As both Russell and Gellar explained it, in soaps and Disney stuff, you shoot easily 25 pages or more a day. You can’t fool around, you have to be FAST. It’s common for them to learn the other actors lines and prompt them to keep the shoots going.

Method folks seem to come out of film, where the pace allows it. Instead of the sheer volume of soaps and Disney stuff. It’s interesting that most of these actors above are very much NOT method.