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by Jonathan W. Hickman
"Oh, you would make a great teacher," I said to
Joanna Cassidy quickly trying to sound authoritative.
"Really, why do you say that?" She asks, there
is a wry smile.
I don't get enough sleep, drink too much coffee,
need to eat more fruit and fresh dark green leafy spinach--there is something
about fish as well, a special type of oil. You see, I had spoken without
thinking, it was meant rhetorically; I barely knew Ms. Cassidy.
"Because," it came as a studder, then all at once, "you know, teaching is all about
acting, I spend two hours a night giving a monologue to sixty-five college students each
week. Its all about selling the material, you have to make
them believe it to teach them anything. If they fall asleep or don't want
to come, you have failed as a teacher. I think you are a good actor.
You could connect with your students." 
There was a smile.
Joanna Cassidy looks better in
real life than on the screen. She has fiber and sincerity. She made
Rusty White and I feel important while sitting with her during a slow moment at
her autograph table at the Chicago Fantastic Film Festival on June 1,
2002. The festival is small and personal. Hats off to Cory Glaberson, the festival director, and a special thanks goes
out to Deborah Schonfeld from Lion's Gate for setting Rusty and I up
with press credentials. Rusty and I will return next year and, I hope, that
some of our readers will show up as well.
This weekend was busy for
Entertainment Insiders. Ken Miyamoto was covering the press junket in Los Angeles for MGM's upcoming "Windtalkers,"
Jean Wyant was in Atlanta at the Atlanta Film Festival talking to folks
about "Tadpole," and Rusty and I took a much needed road trip to Chicago
for the first annual Chicago Fantastic Film Festival (CF3).
On day one, child actor Billy
Gray introduced a very nice print of "The Day the Earth Stood Still," and
a tall, tough Joanna Cassidy spoke to an audience prior to a screening of "Who
Framed Roger Rabbit." Classic writer/producer/director Stuart Gordon
showed up unassumingly by telling the festival organizers at the ticket booth,
"Hi, I'm Stuart Gordon, I'm here for the festival." Mr. Gordon was very giving of
his time, speaking to us about his new H.P. Lovecraft adaptation "Dagon" and
informing us that inventive camera angles were at work in shooting critical scenes in
his famous "Reanimator." Full length interviews are to follow.
Our Chicago readers need to take
note of this very personal festival that provides one unfettered access to wonderful talent such as "Famous Monsters of Filmland" artist
Basil Gogos. Rusty kept kicking himself for not bringing an old copy of
the magazine for Mr. Gogos to autograph. Still, vendors conveniently posted in the lobby
were more than happy to sell Rusty a copy.
The beautifully restored Gateway
Theater with its ornate theater and inviting lobby provided a terrific staging area for the event. EI
wishes Mr. Glaberson and his knowledgable, helpful staff well with a festival that
should have many years ahead of it. Look for more coverage of the festival
through our interviews to be posted throughout the week.
Festival information is
available by going to the festival website: http://www.cf3fest.com/
Interview with Ingrid Pitt here: http://einsiders.com/features/interviews/pitt.php
Jonathan W. Hickman
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