Daily BirthdaysJeff Daniels Forum
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| by jennifer jeff daniels is one hell of a hilarious actor in BLOODWORK and ARACHNAPHOBIA! he had me cracking up nonstop! he is so damn funny and not to mention quite SEXY!!! Comment on this... |
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| by Robert J. Campbell, M.A. and M.ED. Working Title: Family Secrets – Act 1 of a 3 Act Play. Act 1 - Scene 1: Robert. Robert Monologue (Lights come up on Robert. He is sitting on a stool stage left; moving closer to c. stage. Stage right there is 3 stationary characters motionless and standing in the dark. The actors never interact with each other directly, but maintain their focus front over the audience, while gesturing and conversing in their scenes. Their names are Ray (Step-Dad), Aunt Vivian, and Cousin Jeff). Robert: It's been said, that one cannot go home. The fact is one can, and often does, whether on the therapist couch, in dreamtime, a holiday, or literally. For whatever reason, I had always had the fear of homelessness for as long as I could remember. Ironically, I had worked with the homeless for a time. In my case, I would go back to my family of origin, literally, to stay after 30 years. As a lesson, one needs to keep their expectations low and not expect too much, but I did not follow that advice although I had been warned. For me, this was to be a fresh start. I had had many a success, even if some would consider it relative, I had traveled the world, gathered an extensive education - but a few months after 9/11 - I was emotionally exhausted, broken-hearted, funds depleted, and now economically driven. The east coast is expensive with a 3500 dollar a month overhead - in rent and living expenses - and I was on the verge of becoming a frustrated alcoholic liquidating retirement funds to keep things going. Upon reflection - just to hear that click - go unconscious- to sleep, to sleep, and wake up again - I had started drinking late in life- I fell in love with fine wines like a mistress - and believed I deserved it - 'working hard and playing hard’, especially at my own dinner parties - but drinking had become no longer enjoyable; instead it had become an avoidance to making solid decisions regarding my circumstance or an attempt to block out the choices and mistakes already made. I had come to realize that if I did not use my creativity, that creativity would kill me…I had sworn to myself to live life with no regrets – to wear white gloves – that there was no greater sin than wasted talent – to seize the day – if you feel the need than fill the need – These were some of the principals I had lived my life by, but I was learning that life was far bigger and mysterious, how idealistic a ‘hero’ on a mission is... So, I had had my share of giving births to Ishmaels - laying down marbles to slip upon - as an old friend and teacher had once said - You'll meet Ron later - I had had an adventurous life compared to most - accomplished more than most - and at least had done most of what I wanted to do - I couldn't wait to get out of the house at 17, to escape, the day after I graduated high school. In fact I couldn't wait to leave for the Marines, and then NSA, then theatre in NYC and Boston, 10 years of academia as a professor, psychologist, and even a television producer - hundreds of people had been helped. I had become a credential file reflecting it, a hero of sorts - a "King of Wands" - but now empty handed. The only revenge I had ever known was success and notoriety, against those who tried to kill me off, especially if they were of my own blood…yet, in the space of a year and a half everything was gone; at least all the money was gone… I had been married, widowed, close again and slash - divorced…pretty pedestrian these days … so with no wife, no children, and no viable prospects, something still seemed elusive in middle age - always seemingly out of reach - and it wasn't for lack of seeking - or - a self-willed effort… What had happened? … I needed the Blessing of Jacob… Thus, is the beginning of the tale - Family Secrets. Scene 2: Robert, Jeff, Aunt Viv, Ray (Dad) - Opening in Boston. (Light fades up on Jeff; Robert remains center stage looking forward at the audience. The dialogue is connected between all of the actors, but they never look at each other, and instead look directly over the audience on a focused spot, while gesturing and dialoguing, etc. Robert's been drinking a bottle of Cabinet, buzzed, but still alert. Lights come up on Jeff.) Jeff: Hello. Robert? Robert: Jeff? J: Hey cuz! How ya doin? R: Not good. I'm thinking of moving out there. J: Back to Michigan? That's great! We'll have a ball! It's lonely being an evangelical with all of the Mormons. It would be good to have you out here. R: How's Dad? J: Haven't seen him, other than when he's working at the grocery. R: I've attempted to call him, but he doesn't answer, nor does he return my telephone calls. J: Best to call Ray at work; call him at Myer's... enough about him - how about you? R: Not good - Work is down to nothing. I haven't received a paycheck since July and we've been trying to keep the doors open. GTN is done and the doors are closed as of today. We had a production meeting this afternoon. There may still be some royalty's coming in and James Barisono and his sons are going to attempt to keep some work going… J: What about your money? R: It's gone - trying to keep things going over the last year, year and a half… I've wanted to come back, ever since I was there last summer for a month… I-want- to-get- to -know-my-family; and the reasons for remaining in Boston after 10 years are fewer…Deb and I had moved to Cambridge, so she could go to Harvard, and I became a workaholic attempting to make sense out of a situation that really didn't make any, after she was gone…How is work? J: I'm working a lot. My boss has me driving down to Ohio for a new bank that we're installing alarms into. It's kept me away from home a couple of times. R: Right now, I don't think that I would miss that. Well, be glad that you’re in the security business given these days. J: We're in the end times. And Babylon has been struck down. R: I don't think of what happened in New York and to friends in that way… Jeff, I wanted to ask you, do you think I could stay with you guys during the transition, until I get a job and find a place? J: I'll talk to Janet. R: After 9/11 most of what has kept me here - is gone - except a few friends - and many have relocated to other states for work. My best friend Chris has moved his Family to Florida - his wife's family is down there; or others are now living off the equity of their homes, and trying to keep things going here because they have family in the area. J: That bad? R: People are being laid off left and right; a third of our church is unemployed -- Security alerts in Boston with F-16s flying overhead…its killing business. J: It’s pretty quiet here. R: There are no more reasons to stay here any longer, other than my friend Sheryl… J: …I'll talk to Janet. R: Hello, Aunt Viv? (Lights come up on Aunt Vivian - lights remain on Jeff - a different day and time.) V: Oh, Hi. R: I've tried to call dad several times, but he doesn't return my telephone calls. V: I told your Dad that you're coming out and that - HE - IS- GOING - TO- HELP, as we helped him. He still has his dog Precious out here at the farm. And we've not seen him in a few months. How are you holding up? R: Aunt Viv, I'm still broken up. V: What happened? R: I fell and fractured my left elbow falling down. V: How did you do that? R: I was on top of the kitchen cabinet pulling some things down and packing when I fell backwards and caught myself. J. …You can't stay here. Janet says, 'she doesn't really know you…' V: …We made arrangements for you to stay at the cottage, where your dad stayed, when he came out. We paid for a week, so you have a week to get things together. R: Aunt Viv, I feel like crying… V: Why? R: Everything is gone. V: Go ahead…(through Robert's tears) …Cousin Trudy and Janet put some food together, some job applications, and directions for the area… all the family is within a 10 mile radius of each other… R: (through tears) that’s good…I want to get to know my family. I've wanted that ever since I was there last summer… and then 9/11… I'll have some unemployment coming in from Mass, and possibly some royalty checks…but it's not even close to covering house holding expenses here… V: How much rent are you paying? R: 1500, not including utilities. It's a luxury 1-bedroom apartment at Jefferson on the Park in Andover. V: You could buy two homes out here for that … R: It would be good to have a home. How is everyone? V: Oh, fine. (Calling out into the dark) R: Dad? (Lights come up on Ray) I've tried to call you several times… (Lights remain on all 3 of these characters as they listen to the conversations, but their eyes remain focused front over the audience - connected to the dialogue, but never directly, physically responding to each other - a different day and time) Dad: How are you doing? I hear you're moving out here and that you broke your leg. R: No, I fractured my arm… I'm pretty broken up… I don't have another 9 thousand dollars to pay bills and see me through winter. D: Oh, my. R: The production company has closed the doors and I haven't received a paycheck since July. D: How have you been living? R: I've liquidated retirement funds over the past several months to keep things going - the margin is gone- All that is left is enough money to close out Boston responsibly and not owe anybody anything. D: Well that’s good. R: I'll have some unemployment coming in, but it will be too low to stay here considering last quarter's earnings. D: Maybe we can put some money together, split expenses equally, and get a place together… I like cable television, especially the History Channel… R: … Where are you staying now? D: Friends from work, Cindy and Chris. R: How long have you been there? D: Ah, about 7, no, 8 months now. R: How did you meet them? D: At Meyers, I'm sorta their dad now. We go out to country music concerts and out to eat… We go to a movie and to the Country Buffet, where you can eat all ya want every Sunday… We have a good time together, especially at the Palace. R: Reinventing your self, since mom died? D: Yeah…yeah. (Pause) Don't worry. It will be all right. R: Aunt Viv! Dad is telling me that it's going 'to be alright' - not to worry… V: He's lying to you - He's glossing over things. He avoids confrontation. Ray can’t be straightforward with anyone. You have a week to get a job and we'll see how it goes from there… We'll see you when you get here. J: - Robert, I'm sure you'll pull it off financially - R: …I've started a job search there over the computer and made contact with the Dean of Faculty at Oakland University… J: (Interrupts) Don't expect it's going to be easy here - if you're expecting close family ties, I'm warning you, Janet says ' she doesn't know you', your following your dad out here - everybody thinks your now destitute and coming out here to use family, everybody is comparing you to your dad, and the Patty mess- R: The Patty mess? J: Yes - the Patty mess… Ray used Viv and the rest of the family… R: I know that Patty was calling me in Boston, in crisis, back in September about Dad, but basically I said I didn't have it to give … and ultimately said that it was just too soon for my dad to get involved with anyone… V: You don’t know your dad. R: I don’t know the details and Dad and I haven't spoken about it… J: And he’s not likely to. R: I liked her when I saw her last, but I asked her not to call me anymore… V: You’ve been gone a long time. J: It’s not going to be easy here…people are suspicious, even jealous - there are feelings of resentment here… R: Why? I haven't done anything wrong… J: I know. Just remember it. Okay? V: Okay? D: Okay. R: … okay. Scene 3: Aunt Viv, Robert – Arrival to Ortonville Michigan – The Farm. (Lights come up. There's a simple table and two chairs. Robert's arrival to Michigan, Robert has an arm sling on, Aunt Viv has some sandwich stuff prepared on the table and pleased to see him.) R: (Reaches out to hug) Aunt Viv! Good to see you. (They hug). V: Well, take your coat off and have a seat. Is Molly, your dog, out in the car? R: Yeah. V: It’s warm enough; you can bring her in later. R: Okay. It's so good to see you. V: Well sit down - have a sandwich; I thought you might be hungry. How many miles did you drive? R: It’s a little over 1200 hundred miles, I drove straight here through Canada, other than crashing out in upstate New York for a few hours… I wanted to beat the snow… V: Was security tight at the border? R: I didn't have to wait that long – I told them I was returning home and I had my passport. V: The cabin is ready and your cousin Trudy and Janet got it all set up. R: Wow. V: You can spend the night in the back bedroom and follow me over in the morning. (Aunt Viv and Robert begin to eat). V: … I pulled some pictures out - you said you wanted to find out about the history of the family - this is your grandfather Willsie… He loved the church. Here he is in his uniform, at the age of 19. He was in the Canadian Army … R: When was that? WW I? V: Yes. The girl next to him is not your grandmother – (She laughs enjoying the moment) --- He was such a charmer, open and loving to everyone, especially when he became a minister, as an elder he was always open to others, he would travel for miles to provide communion to a shut-away, and would give the shirt off his back, his last nickel - back in those days a nickel could buy a loaf of bread - to help someone else… R: Was he like some ministers, serving their congregations - Was his service at the expense of Grandma and the kids? V: …We always made it… During the Depression your Grandfather was unemployed for 3 years, we lived with 2 other families in the house - each family lived on a floor - we lived in the attic… R: Like Anne Frank? V: (laughs) … Not quite…. as kids, we used to walk along the railroad tracks to collect coal for heat and cooking… there were times when all we had was a can of beans that we heated, by placing it on top of a shovel, and sitting it in the coals…My dad would wait for hours in a bread line… R: (Interrupting) Mom was 10 and with Aunt Betty, when she saw him killed by a train in Lamonia, she was eating liquorices, coming out of the drug store, when she saw his car hit by the train, she said she could never eat or smell licorice again… V: We all saw it. R: Oh… V: I was 19 and I took care of your mom. R: I didn’t know that. V: My mom, your grandma Willsie, always had something against your mom, your mom was pretty self-willed, when she was little I used to take your mom out of the house caus' – She took an iron after your mom once – I used to take Mary out of the house for a walk, so she wouldn’t get into trouble – R: Why? V: I think it was because my dad's mom was also named Mary - Your grandma and my dad's mom never got along… I think your mom carried that over to your sister Rhonda… R: Mom hated Rhonda at times. V: Your mom banged Rhonda’s head against the wall, I heard. R: She would be in jail for that one today - I must have been 8 or 10 when I saw it happen and attempted to pull mom off of Rhonda to get her to stop. V: What do you think that was about? R: I have no idea. V: There must have been more to it ... Your grandma Willsie wasn’t too keen on you either, I think you reminder her of you Dad, Bob… R: I know… V: I heard she kicked you behind the television set one time, for supposedly not watching your brother Ron and he got hurt somehow. R: I guess, although I didn’t know why at the time. V: Ron was always your grandma’s favorite. R: I know… so mom grew up the scapegoat… (Long pause) like generational sin being carried down… V: Ah. I hope you’re not going to be like your cousin Jeff? R: (laughs) No, I hope I’m going to be like Robert… V: This is your grandma Willsie in her uniform. She was 16; she would deliver telegrams, during the big war to end all wars, in the neighborhood of dead soldiers… R: So grandma was 3 years younger than grandpa – V: Yeah - Houses that had lost sons or husbands would hang black bows in their windows… more than half our block had black bows hanging… R: Wow. I'm just thinking of how young grandma was to have such a job… V: Things like that were just matters of fact, you did what you had to do - there was a different view of death… R: What do you mean? V: People have a different view of death today than we did back then, women often died in childbirth; the nearest doctor was miles away, so it was not uncommon for men to have 2 or even 3 wives in a life time, to raise the remaining kids. R: - no need for a divorce there. V: Nobody believed in divorce - but an average marriage might be 10 - 15 years…Church was the center of our lives, that's where we had fun – that was our social life - nobody had any money, and when people didn't have a car, they would walk to church…when Dad’s car was down, we walked 3 miles to church, so my dad could preach. Your grandma typed out his sermons... I wish I knew where they were, at. R: Did you know my dad? V: Bob? R: Yeah. V: I knew your dad when he met your mom. Bob was 16, a street kid really, from Detroit. R: So young, Cheez, I didn’t get married to Deb until I was 33. V: At first they ran away together, my mom called the police on them, (laughs) shortly after they got married. R: How long were they married? V: All in all about 10 years. R: Oh… I had the impression it was shorter than that, for whatever reason I have very little memory of ever seeing him. V: He was in the Air Force and in Greenland for a time… that’s when things really got bad… He started drinking and your mom was always lonely and needed to be the center of attention… R: The military is hard on families – the saying in the marines – is - if they wanted you to have a wife, the USMC would issue you one…how did you know my dad? V: He liked to be called 'Bobby Jack'. His dad had been a beer drinking, guitar playing, hillbilly coal miner that left the family to go to Kentucky - much like what your dad did to your mom – abandoning you 3 kids – R: Why? V: I think your Dad's mom, Lois, put Bob in an orphanage off and on from the time he was 12, so she could get married again. He was pretty much on his own by 14. R: I didn’t know that. V: Your mom and dad met at work at Katz department store in downtown Detroit, she waitresses, she always liked that job, and he was a stock boy… R: Really? V: I don't think Grandma Lois was ever a good mom to your dad… She got married a few times. Her second husband was a homosexual. Lois married him for his money, but he left and went to California…She came back to Detroit and got married again… R: Married 3 times? V: Married 3 or 4 times - I think - I’m not sure. R: High maintenance... I remember taking a train from NYC when she died, I got the telephone call at the clinic where I was working - Gramercy Park Medical M Group - on 17th and 3rd avenue; I wanted to take a train vs. flying so as to take the time to assimilate it… I bought myself a sleeper on the train some broiled chicken, good bread, and a bottle of Cabinet... I remember wanting to treat myself well. V: Why didn’t you stop by...? R: Good question... I don’t remember knowing where you lived...I don’t know why. Perhaps I didn’t think that I could... V: Why? R: I don’t know... At any rate, travel wasn’t expensive in those days – It was cheaper to get a round trip ticket to Paris out of New York - than it was to fly to the Midwest – V: That’s nice... R: Mom never really understood that...why, I enjoyed traveling so much – to see the world - in my twenties - or she wanted to be with me and out of Missouri... I remember her calling me once in NYC and wanting to stay with me - she was frantic – hysterical - desperate over the phone because of something Ray had done... I could never take it – I grew up in that – that - rescuing... I don’t remember now exactly what had happened...I don’t think she told me other than she wanted to get out...Just hearing her voice over the phone was draining, like a big black hole...I could feel the energy leaving my body… V: Your mom was like that…Your Uncle John called her ‘the Drama Queen’ ... Bob and your mom were both pretty wild at 16 and ran away to Florida - I think that's when he joined the Air Force - My mom called the police on them… (She laughs) So they got married... R: I don’t remember anything about those early years – the stories were never told – and when I finally met Bob what mom had to say and what Dad had say were so far apart that it was irreconcilable – I just realized how they could fall in love, while not being able to live together. V: I think your Dad truly loved your Mom, she just couldn’t keep from spending any money that came into the house… your mom was a manic depressive, who never got help…even back then, before she had her breakdowns and was rushed to the hospital. R: A lot of that stuff had to do with what Ray was pulling at the time V: That’s true. R: Did you know that Ray grew up part of the time in a foster home - after his mom had left his 6 brothers and sisters. Ray left us on a binder and tried to find her one time... (Pause) -- Mom married two alcoholic orphans. V: You grew up with drinking all around you, your dad and his family, my brothers Uncle John and Lee, although we were never raised that way – It’s plagued this family - I think if you raise kids too strict they rebel…like your mom and dad did. I tried raising my 8 kids differently... (Lights fade). Scene 4: Jeff, Robert – Cabin in Lake Orion. (Lights come up with a knock at the door). R: Jeff! Come in. J: I thought I'd drop by on my way from work. How you doing? R: Other than having a drunken couple screwing on the top of my car last night in the middle of the night, I guess I'm okay - 'Lake Orion where every day is a vacation'. J: Are you serious? R: Quite serious… It really happened. Haven’t seen you in a few weeks - How's the security business? J: I know, sorry, I’ve been working long hours - At least I get paid the over-time. R: How's Janet and Lexis? Do you want some juice or something? Comment on this... |
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| by Chris Jeff Daniels is one of the most talented actor I've ever seen. So bad he did not get an oscar for "Gettysburg". He was an excellent Chamberlain. His other roles were excellent too. Comment on this... |
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| by emily Dear Mr. Daniels, I've heard from many of my friends and family that you have a company for making movies. I just wondered if there is any possible way i could audition for any movie you may be making that envolves teens. I also wondered if you have any camps that I could get involved in. I really respect that your from Michigan and that you did so much in your job as an actor. You are an insperation for me that i can make it out in the " real world" even if I live in Michigan. I've takin acting classes and been in school plays but can't get enough of what I love so much, to act for me is soooooo much fun  i've loved it since i was 3! Well i would love to hear from you and your point of view of what I could do to furthur my "career". Thank You!,An actress to be at age 14!, emily Comment on this... |
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| by Dave I am auditioning for the "father" in Escanaba. What aproach should I take for the motivatiion for this part? How is he view his family? Comment on this... |
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| by Cindy He did a great job portraying Col. Chamberlain. I think he's a talented actor. Comment on this... |