Higher Definition

Episode Number: 326

Episode Title: Ward Serrill, Barry Poltermann and Frank Anderson

Description: Pop-culture critic Robert Wilonsky talks with the filmmakers of two new documentaries making rounds on the festival circuit. Director Ward Serrill talks about the seven years he spent making Heart of the Game, a documentary on a girl's high school basketball team, plus, in The Life of Reilly, directors Barry Poltermann and Frank Anderson share stories about Charles Nelson Reilly.

Transcript:

ON THIS EPISODE OF HIGHER DEFINITION WE HAVE TWO DOCUMENTARIES THAT COULD NOT BE MORE DIFFERENT. WE BEGIN WITH HEART OF THE GAME A DOCUMENTARY ABOUT A GIRLS BASKETBALL TEAM IN SEATTLE. THEN WE SEGWAY EVER SO NEATLY INTO THE LIFE OF RILEY, A MOVIE ABOUT WHO ELSE, BUT CHARLES NELSON RILEY.

WELCOME TO HIGHER DEFINITION. I AM AS ALWAYS YOUR UNCOORDINATED HOST ROBERT WILONSKY SO OF COURSE IT ONLY MAKE SENSE THAT WE BEGIN THIS EPISODE OF HIGHER DEFINITION WITH A DOCUMENTARY ABOUT A GIRLS BASKETBALL TEAM SEVEN YEARS AGO WARD SERRILL SET OUT TO MAKE A DOCUMENTARY ABOUT BILL WRESTLER, A TAX PROFESSOR AT THE UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON WHO TOOK OVER THE GIRLS BASKETBALL TEAM AT ROOSEVELT HIGH SCHOOL IN SEATTLE. IT WAS GOING TO BE SIMPLY ABOUT BILL WRESTLER, AN INTERESTING GUY WITH A VERY INTERESTING JOB. BUT OVER THE COURSE OF 7 YEARS, IT TURNED OUT THE DOCUMENTARY WAS A LOT MORE THAN THAT. IT WAS ABOUT DARNELIA RUSSELL THE STAR OF THE TEAM AND THE THINGS THAT SHE WENT THROUGH DURING THE COURSE OF HER TENOR AT ROOSEVELT. IT WAS ABOUT SEXUAL POLITICS, ABOUT GENDER POLITICS, ABOUT HOW YOUNG GIRLS CAN EMPOWER THEMSELVES AND ABOUT SPORTS. THE WINNING, THE LOSING, THE HEARTBREAK, THE TRIUMPH, AND ALL OF THOSE OTHER THINGS THAT MAKE UP DREAMS. THE FILM DEBUTED AT THE TORONTO FILM FESTIVAL LAST YEAR AND WAS A BIG HIT. IT WAS EVENTUALLY PICKED UP BY MIRAMAX AND IT BEGINS OPENING THIS VERY MONTH IN THEATERS NEAR YOU. IT IS A WONDERFUL MOVIE. VERY FUNNY, AND VERY HEARTBREAKING. SO HERE IS WARD SERRILL DIRECTOR OF THAT MOVIE, THE HEART OF THE GAME.

NO ONE GAVE THE ROOSEVELT ROUGH RIDERS A CHANCE. I WAS SITTING THERE THINKING, DO I WANT THIS HEAD COACHING JOB, WHAT HAVE I DONE TO MYSELF. UNTIL A FIRST TIME COACH TOOK A CHANCE ON THEM. AS SOON AS WE GET THE BALL, SCREAM TIME OUT. AND THEN I'LL GIVE YOU INCREDIBLE WORDS OF WISDOM. WHAT WERE THOSE FIRST PUBLIC SCREENINGS LIKE BUT I CAN ONLY IMAGINE. YOU WORK ON SOMETHING IN ISOLATION FOR 7 YEARS AND THEN TO START SHOWING IT TO PEOPLE AND GET THEIR REACTION TO IT. YEAH IT WAS AMAZING. EVEN BEING IN TORONTO WAS YOU KNOW A LITTLE PIXIE DUST EXPERIENCE AND YOU KNOW ROGER EBERT REVIEWED THE MOVIE THE DAY BEFORE GOING IN AND THEN, YOU KNOW SUDDENLY WE WERE BEING INTERVIEWED AT THE THEATER IN THE SHOWINGS PEOPLE WERE LAUGHING AND TALKING TO THE SCREEN AND YOU KNOW CLAPPING AND SO THAT REALLY KNOCKED ME OUT AND I REALLY DIDN'T KNOW WHAT I HAD UNTIL I GOT AN AUDIENCE BEHIND IT YOU KNOW. WELL WHAT IS IT LIKE FOR YOU TO LIVE WITH IT FOR THAT LONG. I MEAN YOU INITIALLY THOUGHT IT WAS ABOUT 1 SEASON AND THEN WRESTLER TOLD YOU THAT YOU NEED TO KEEP SHOOTING, I GOT SOMETHING HERE. IS THAT THE WAY IT WORKED. WELL YEAH I WAS, IT WAS GOING TO BE A SEASON IN THE LIFE OF THIS GIRLS BASKETBALL TEAM AND I WAS THERE, BUT I WASN'T THERE AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR SO YEAR 2 I WAS FILMING SOME OF THE CONDITIONING UH, OF THE PRACTICES AND THIS GIRL DARNELIA RUSSELL WALKED INTO THE GYM AND I SAID, UH I BEEN WAITING FOR YOU. RIGHT. YOU KNOW SHE JUST HAD EDGE AND BRILLIANCE AND SOMETHING THAT I HAD BEEN WAITING FOR. MY THEME THIS YEAR IS PACK OF WOLVES. I'VE NEVER REALLY HAD ANYONE TRY TO MOTIVATE ME BY PRETENDING I'M AN ANIMAL TRYING TO EAT SOMEONE ELSE. WE WORK AS A TEAM. KILL! WE HUNT AS A TEAM KILL! WHAT DO WE DO TONIGHT KILL! HAVE FUN SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH HIM. AT WHAT POINT DID THE STORY BEGIN TO REVEAL ITSELF TO YOU? UM, IN TERMS OF THE REAL THROUGH LINE WHEN IT WAS ABOUT 4 YEARS INTO IT WHEN SOME REALLY DRAMATIC OFF THE COURT STUFF STARTED TO HAPPEN TO DARNELIA AND I REALIZED WE ARE GOING TO START TO HITCH OUR WAGONS TO HER STORY. BUT I WAS YOU KNOW THERE ARE SIX PRACTICES A WEEK, TWO GAMES A WEEK, 12 GIRLS, EVERY YEAR SOME GRADUATING, WHERE'S THE STORY, WHO DO I FOLLOW? I WAS CONFUSED MOST OF THE TIME. SO HOW DO YOU GET THROUGH THAT, THAT FOUR YEARS OF WAITING FOR SOMETHING TO REVEAL ITSELF TO YOU AND YOUR NOT EVEN SURE WILL EVER MAKE ITSELF KNOWN. YEAH I DON'T KNOW. IT REALLY HAPPENED IN EDITING IT, WELL I DON'T KNOW REALLY WHERE THE STORY IS, THERE IS 200 HOURS LETS JUST WADE IN. MY FIRST CUT WAS 3-1/2 HOURS LONG SO, YEAH THAT YOU KNOW STARTED TO PARE DOWN FROM THERE. WE HAD 68 EDITED VERSIONS BEFORE WE GOT TO YOU KNOW WHAT IS NOW THE FINAL. HOW DO YOU EVEN I DON'T KNOW AT THE 53RD HOW DO YOU DECIDE TO KEEP GOING AND WHERE TO CUT EM, AT SOME POINT IT JUST SEEMS LIKE IT JUST YOU LOSE PERSPECTIVE ON IT I WOULD THINK. YEAH WHAT I DID REALLY EARLY ON IS I STARTED TO TAKE IT TO AUDIENCES AND EVEN AT REALLY ROUGH CUTS AND SAID YOU KNOW WHAT DO YOU THINK AND I LEARNED RIGHT AWAY THAT WE LOVED IT, IT'S GREAT BUT YOU KNOW IT WAS A LITTLE LONG AND YOU KNOW JUST CHARACTER DOESN'T DO ANYTHING FOR ME AND SO THE MORE THAT HAPPENED, THE MORE SCREENINGS I DID THE MORE I LEARNED ABOUT WHERE THE STORY WAS. DARNELIA RUSSELL HAS BASKETBALL SKILLS MOST ONLY DREAM ABOUT BUT THEN SHE GOT RULED INELIGIBLE BY THE WIAA. WATCH I'M NOT PLAYING WITH YOU. SHE HAS A MILLION COLLEGES AT HER DOORSTEP. IT IS REALLY SAD. I MADE MY DECISION AND I'M NOT GOING TO COMMENT ON IT.

WHEN DARNELIA SHOWED UP YEAH OBVIOUSLY SHE HAD SKILLS, SHE HAD A BURGEONING REPUTATION AS A GREAT BALL PLAYER IN JR., IN MIDDLE SCHOOL BUT WHEN SHE SHOWS UP, YOU DON'T KNOW HER POTENTIAL, YOU DON'T KNOW THAT SHE IS GOING TO PROVIDE YOU WITH A DRAMATIC STORYLINE. IN YEAR 4 OF THE FILM YEAH, YEAH AND FOREVER ON. YEAH SO, YOU KNOW SHE WAS RELUCTANT I SENSED THIS FROM THE FILM, TO BE PART OF IT. TO BE PART OF THE TEAM, TO BE PART OF THE MOVIE, TO BE PART OF YOUR WORLD. HOW DO YOU GAIN HER TRUST AND HOW DOES WRESTLER DO THAT AS WELL BECAUSE HE IS SO INVOLVED IN THE PROJECT AT THAT POINT AS WELL. YEAH IT IS A GREAT QUESTION BECAUSE IT TOOK ME ABOUT 1000 HOURS TO BREAK DARNELIA DOWN. THE FIRST 5 TIMES I WENT UP TO TALK TO HER, SHE SHUT ME DOWN COMPLETELY LIKE NO RESPONSE, TURN HER BACK, WHATEVER AND SO I LEARNED THAT WE HAD A LITTLE AGREEMENT AND I COULD FILM AROUND HER ANYTIME I WANTED AS LONG AS I DIDN'T TALK TO HER. BUT EVENTUALLY YOU KNOW I WAS AROUND HER AND AROUND HER AND SHE SAW THAT ALL THE OTHER GIRLS WERE YOU KNOW ACCEPTING ME AND EVENTUALLY UM ALLOWED ME YOU KNOW TO GET INTO HER LIFE A LITTLE BIT MORE. SHE IS AN EXTREMELY PRIVATE PERSON AND THAT IS MOSTLY WHAT IT IS. BUT HER CHARISMA IS HUGE. SHE IS BEAUTIFUL, AND JUST AMAZING AND FIERY AND UM, INTIMIDATING AND SHE INTIMIDATED ALL THE OTHER GIRLS ON THE TEAM WRESTLER HIMSELF SAYS IT WAS 2 WEEKS BEFORE HE COULD ACTUALLY BREAK THE ICE WITH HER, THAT SHE WOULD GO TO ANOTHER SIDE OF THE GYM FROM HIM AND JUST WOULD KIND OF KEEP AWAY FROM HIM, SO IT TOOK HIM AWHILE TOO. HOW LONG DID IT TAKE FOR YOU AND WRESTER TO FORM A RELATIONSHIP BECAUSE I CAN ONLY ASSUME THAT YOU KNOW, HERE'S THIS TAX PROFESSOR FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON THAT IS GOING TO GO COACH THIS HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS BASKETBALL TEAM I CAN ONLY ASSUME THAT HE INITIALLY I DON'T KNOW BLANCHED AT THE SUGGESTION THAT YOU WANTED TO MAKE THIS FILM, DID HE HAVE ANY SUSPICION OF YOUR MOTIVES TO MAKE THIS DOCUMENTARY. IT TOOK US ABOUT 5 MINUTES TO HIT IT OFF. REALLY? YEAH IT WAS INSTANT WHY? HE IS AN AMAZING STORY TELLER AND I'M ATTRACTED TO STORY TELLERS AND TO UM, CHARACTERS AND HE WAS CRACKING ME UP. AND HE JUST I KNEW I WAS IN THE PRESENCE OF, OF SOMETHING PRETTY SPECIAL. I WAS ACTUALLY THINKING I WOULD WRITE A BOOK ABOUT HIM BUT AS I LISTEN TO HIM MORE AND MORE I SAID WELL I'LL GO TO A GAME AND SEE WHAT'S UP BUT HE JUST EMBRACED IT RIGHT AWAY. HE LIVES MORE IN THE MOMENT THAN ANYBODY I HAVE EVER KNOWN, REALLY TO THIS I REMEMBER ONCE HE AFTER THE SEASON, TOTAL HEART RENDERED, JUST HEART STOPPING JUST LOSS OF THE SEASON ONE YEAR OR THE IT WAS ALL THE FINAL SHOT AND UM, THIS GIRL IS LYING ON THE COURT AND HE COMES AND CONSOLES HER AND ALL THE GIRLS ARE CRYING AND I WENT UP TO HIM AND HE SAYS TO ME, WELL NEXT SEASON STARTS IN 10 MINUTES. SEE HE IS JUST ONTO THE NEXT MOMENT. SO, TO HIM I DON'T THINK HE EVER REALLY THOUGHT ABOUT THAT IT WAS EVER REALLY GOING TO BECOME A MOVIE. I DON'T THINK HE EVER REALLY THOUGHT I WOULD FINISH IT. I CAN HONESTLY DEEPLY FROM MY HEART SAY THAT I COULD CARE LESS ABOUT WINNING AND LOSING.

WHY ARE THERE 3 ON A TRAP, WHY 3? THINK! WHEN WE SCORE, WHAT ARE WE IN (INDISCERNIBLE) LET'S DO IT ONCE. CAROLINA! GOD!

HOWEVER, WINNING IS MORE FUN.

FOR THE FIRST TIME IN SCHOOL HISTORY THE GIRLS MAKE IT TO STATE IN A TOP HIGH SCHOOL DIVISION AND ARE AMONG THE FAVORITES TO WIN IT ALL. WRESTLER IN HIS FIRST SEASON, IS NAMED COACH OF THE YEAR. HOW DID YOU SETTLE ON LUDICRIS AS THE NARRATOR. IT WAS GREAT. EXECUTIVE PRODUCER LARRY ESTES SUGGESTED HIM AND THEN MIRAMAX WAS ABLE TO MAKE IT HAPPEN AND SO I FLEW DOWN TO HIS PLACE IN ATLANTA, HIS HOME STUDIO AND DID THE WORK WITH HIM. I'D WATCHED HIM ON SCREEN AND HE ACTUALLY PLAYED CHARACTERS THAT YOU KNOW HIS VOICE REALLY WASN'T GOING TO FIT FOR THIS MOVIE BUT I WATCHED HIM IN INTERVIEWS SO WHEN I SAW HIM AT HIS HOUSE, I SAID LOOK, WE'RE NOT REALLY LOOKING FOR LUDICRIS THE RAP STAR OR LUDICRIS THE ACTOR, I SAYS YOU KNOW CRIS BRIDGES TELLING US A STORY AND HE JUST, HE JUST SETTLED RIGHT INTO THAT AND IT'S A VERY SOFT THOUGHTFUL NARRATION. YEAH, YEAH ABSOLUTELY. YEAH HE LOVED IT AND MORE IMPORTANTLY HIS MOM DID YOU KNOW AND SO THEY WERE ALL BEHIND IT. AND WANTED TO BE INVOLVED. WHAT WERE THE GIRLS' REACTIONS TO THE FILM THE FIRST TIME THEY SAW IT. THEY WENT CRAZY. WE SHOWED IT AS A WORK IN PROGRESS IN SEATTLE AND IT REALLY, REALLY LOVED IT. THIS SUMMER I FELT LIKE I HAD LET EVERYBODY DOWN. COMES THE INCREDIBLE TRUE STORY OF STRUGGLE AND SACRIFICE. I ALWAYS HOPED FOR MY KIDS THAT THEY WOULD GO TO COLLEGE AND NOW IT IS GOING TO BE EVEN MORE DIFFICULT. THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY'RE MESSING WITH. ADVERSITY CREATES STRONG PEOPLE, OKAY THAT PROVES SKILL MAKES YOU A PLAYER.

BUT HEART CAN MAKE A DREAM COME TRUE.

THEIR STORY IS ONE FOR THE AGES.

THE FINANCING OF THE FILM I THOUGHT WAS FASCINATING. THE THE SEATTLE SPARKS, THE SEATTLE STORM SEATTLE STORM, THE WNBA TEAM, THEY PUT ON THEIR WEB SITE, I SAW THEIR WEB SITE THE OTHER DAY THAT THEY PUT OUT A CALL FOR PEOPLE TO DONATE TO YOU TO HELP FINISH THIS FILM. YEAH IT WAS MOSTLY FINANCED OUT OF MY YOU KNOW WALLET AND UH, PEOPLE ASKED ME WHAT THE BUDGET IS AND I SAID WELL WHAT'S A BUDGET WHEN YOU DON'T GET PAID FOR 7 YEARS. AND I COULDN'T GET FORMAL FINANCING. I GOT TURNED DOWN IN GRANTS ALL THE TIME AND PEOPLE SAID NOBODY IS GOING TO GO TO A MOVIE ABOUT GIRLS BASKETBALL. IT IS JUST NOT GOING TO HAPPEN, SO I STARTED TO DO FUNDRAISING PARTIES AT PEOPLE'S HOUSES AND PEOPLE STARTED GIVING ME $100 AND $500 AND THE SEATTLE TIMES RAN A NEWSPAPER ARTICLE AND SOMEBODY SAW THAT AND SAID I REALLY BELIEVE IN WHAT YOUR DOING AND I'M GOING TO SEND YOU 5 GRAND AND SO REALLY OVER 200 PEOPLE GAVE ME MONEY JUST CAUSE THEY BELIEVED IN IT. WOW. TO GET THIS DONE. AND THEN EVENTUALLY SOME BIGGER CHUNKS CAME IN, 10,000, 12,000 AND THAT KIND OF THING BUT AGAIN, PEOPLE GIVING IT WITHOUT ANY EXPECTATION IN RETURN. THERE ARE VERY FEW MOVIES I WILL SEE TWO TIMES. THE HEART OF THE GAME IS SOMETHING I HAVE SEEN TWICE THIS YEAR AND I HAVE TO SAY IT PROBABLY MOVED ME MORE THE SECOND TIME THAN THE FIRST. IT REALLY IS AN EXCEPTIONAL DOCUMENTARY. WELL WORTH YOUR TIME, MONEY, AND INTEREST. COMING UP NEXT ON HIGHER DEFINITION, ANOTHER MOVIE THAT I CAN'T BELIEVE I'M RECOMMENDING, BUT A MOVIE THAT I ABSOLUTELY LOVE. IT'S ABOUT CHARLES NELSON RILEY AND IT IS CALLED, WHAT ELSE, BUT THE LIFE OF RILEY.

THAT'S NEXT ON HIGHER DEFINITION.

WELCOME BACK TO HIGHER DEFINITION. NOW ONE OF THE PLEASURES OF DOING THE SHOW IS THAT I GET TO SHOW YOU SOME THINGS AND SHOW YOU SOME PEOPLE THAT YOU MAY NOT KNOW ABOUT JUST YET. TWO OF THOSE BUYS ARE BARRY POULTERMAN AND FRANK ANDERSON WHO HAVE MADE A GREAT DOCUMENTARY ABOUT THE GREAT CHARLES NELSON RILEY AND I SAW THIS FILM AT THE SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST FILM FESTIVAL IN AUSTIN IN MARCH EXPECTING TO HATE IT. AND YET I COULD NOT STOP WATCHING CHARLES NELSON RILEY ON A STAGE TALKING ABOUT HIS LIFE. HIS TRAGIC, TWISTED AND TREMENDOUS LIFE. OF COURSE YOU KNOW HIM FROM MATCH GAME BUT THERE ARE SO MANY MORE THINGS HE HAS TO TALK ABOUT, SO DO THE DIRECTORS OF THE MOVIE BUT LET ME JUST SAY THIS RIGHT NOW, IT DOES NOT YET HAVE DISTRIBUTION AND IF YOU, POWERFUL HOLLYWOOD EXECUTIVE WATCHING THIS AT HOME ON YOU 65 INCH FLAT SCREEN SEE THIS AND GO DAMN IT THAT LOOKS AMAZING, BY ALL MEANS CONTACT ME AND I WILL HOOK YA UP. THE LIFE OF RILEY IS WONDERFUL, THAT IS WHY IT'S HERE ON HIGHER DEFINITION.

I WOULD ASK HER THINGS AND SHE WOULD SAY THE SAME THING EVERY TIME. I WOULD SAY MAAA WHY DOES DADDY SIT WITH HIS BACK TO THE FAUCETS IN THE BATH TUB. SHE SAID SAVE IT FOR THE STAGE. I SAID WHY DOESN'T MRS. CHULINMA, WHY DOESN'T SHE SPEAK TO YOU ANYMORE IN THE HALL. SAVE IT FOR THE STAGE SHE SAID. YOU COULDN'T TALK ABOUT ANYTHING I GUESS. YOU COULDN'T TALK ABOUT ANYTHING IN LIFE AND YOU JUST HAD TO SAVE EVERYTHING FOR THE STAGE AND THEN WHEN SHE WAS REALLY MAD AT ME, WHEN SHE WAS REALLY MAD AT ME SHE SAID I CAN'T SIT DOWN, I CAN'T MOVE MY LEG. BECAUSE EVER SINCE I GAVE BIRTH TO YOU I'VE HAD THIS PRESSURE. AND THEN SHE WAS REALLY PISSED OFF SHE WOULD KNOCK DOWN MY PUPPET SHOW AND SHE WOULD SAY I SHOULD'VE THROWN AWAY THE BABY AND KEPT THE AFTERBIRTH.

WELL IT'S THAT KIND OF SHOW. (LAUGHING)

YOU THINK IT'S ALL A BIG GAME SHOW. (LAUGHING) I'M SURE EVERY INTERVIEW YOU'VE DONE BEGINS WITH THE I WAS REALLY SKEPTICAL BUT (LAUGHS) IS THAT REALLY THE WAY IT GOES BECAUSE I'M GOING TO SAY SOMEONE WHO GOES TO THE LIFE OF CHARLES NELSON RILEY YOUR LIKE A ONE MAN SHOW, REALLY I'M OKAY. TWO SECONDS INTO THAT THING YOU DON'T WANT TO STOP WATCHING IT. RIGHT FROM THE BEGINNING I KIND OF HAD THAT SAME REACTION WHERE I WAS THINKING THERE IS SOMETHING INTERESTING ABOUT THIS. SO THIS WAS WHAT, ABOUT 2000 WHEN HE STARTED DOING THE SHOW. AND BY THE TIME WE ACTUALLY HEARD ABOUT IT, HE WASN'T DOING IT, HE WAS TAKING IT AROUND THE COUNTRY, SO I ACTUALLY DIDN'T SEE IT. I ACTUALLY DIDN'T SEE THE SHOW, IN FACT, WE DIDN'T SEE THE SHOW UNTIL WE FILMED IT. WHAT IS IT LIKE FOR YOU IN THAT MOMENT AS YOU GET HIM TO RECREATE A SHOW THAT HE HAD BASICALLY RETIRED. RIGHT. AND THEN KNOWING YOU GOING TO HAVE THIS PRETTY MUCH THIS ONE OPPORTUNITY. TO SHOOT IT. WHAT WAS THAT EXPERIENCE LIKE AS YOUR FOLLOWING HIM AROUND. WE SHOT AT REHEARSAL. OH YOU DID WE GOT HIM ON STAGE TO UH, YOU KNOW WITH A COUPLE OF CAMERAS AND SHOT AT REHEARSAL AND HE DID NOTHING THAT WE ASKED HIM TO DO AT ALL AND HE HIT NO MARKS THAT WE ASKED HIM AND ANYTHING THAT WE HAD PLANNED OR ANTICIPATED TRYING TO PUT TOGETHER WAS OUT THE WINDOW. SO, FRANK AND I KIND OF HAD A LITTLE BIT OF A DISCUSSION ONE NIGHT OVER SOME COCKTAILS SAID HEY WHAT ABOUT HANDHELD AND JUST MAKE IT COMPLETELY TRY AND FOLLOW, JUST TRY AND FOLLOW. A STANDARD 3, 4, 5, CAMERA SHOOT WITH MARKS AND POINTS FORGET IT. RIGHT. SO EVERYBODY JUST HOISTED HANDHELD AND DID THEIR BEST TO FOLLOW HIM.

AND THIS IS THE ROLL CALL SHE READ 54 YEARS AGO. NATHAN ADAMS PLEASE JACK ALBERTSON BARBARA BARRY ORSON BEAN SHELLY BERMAN PEGGY CASS PLEASE ROBERT CULP CHARLES GRODIN DAVID HEDISON WILLIAM HICKEY HARVEY KORMAN PLEASE FRANK LANGELLA HAL HOLBROOK JACK LEMMON STEVE MCQUEEN ANNE MIRA JULES MUNCHION GERALDINE PAGE PLEASE HI GERRY, GERALDINE PAGE CHARLES NELSON RILEY HERE MISS HAUGEN. (LAUGHTER) CHARLES NELSON RILEY JASON ROBARDS JERRY STILLER JERRY DON'T STAND IN THE BACK, THERE IS A SEAT NEXT TO ANN MIRA IN THE FIRST ROW. JERRY COME DOWN

OKAY, THANK YOU. JERRY STILLER TOM TROUPE AND FRITZ WEAVER.

MISS HAUGEN'S TUESDAY 11 A.M.

THIS WAS MY CLASS. WE HAD 3 THINGS IN COMMON. WE WANTED TO GO ON THE STAGE. WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY MONEY AND ALL OF US THIS ENTIRE LIST OF ACADEMY AWARD AND EMMY AND TONY AWARD WINNING ACTORS. COULDN'T ACT FOR SHIT.

SO WHAT DID YOU GUYS LEARN ABOUT THE GUY OVER THE PROCESS. I MEAN HE DOES GO FROM VERY QUICKLY WITHIN THE COURSE OF WATCHING IT, I CAN ONLY IMAGINE FROM SPENDING TIME WITH HIM HE GOES FROM BEING THIS SORT OF CULT ICON TO BEING SOMETHING FAR MORE HUMAN, FAR MORE REAL. HERE IS THE CHARLES EVERYBODY OR MOST PEOPLE KNOW. MATCH GAME RIGHT HERE, 70S UBIQUITOUS ON T.V. ALL THE TIME. LOVE BOAT, TONIGHT SHOW, SAME SHTICK, ALWAYS YOU KNOW THE CAP THE GLASSES. (MAKES SOUND) YOU KNOW AND THEN BENEATH HERE, INTERNATIONALLY RESPECTED OPERA DIRECTOR, ONE OF THE GREATEST ACTING TEACHERS OF THE LAST 50 YEARS, BROADWAY STAR WITH HIT ALBUMS YOU KNOW IT JUST KEEPS GOING AND GOING. IT WAS FUNNY BECAUSE YOU KNOW ALL OF THESE THINGS WHICH WERE ACTUALLY REALLY AVAILABLE WITH JUST A LITTLE BIT OF INTERNET RESEARCH, UM, I KNEW NOTHING, EVEN AFTER I MET HIM, HE STARTED. I WENT INTO HIS HOUSE AND YOU KNOW YOU SEE ALL OF THESE THINGS UP ON THE WALL AND IT'S LIKE ALL OVER THE WALL, TOP TO BOTTOM. HIS HOUSE IS MEMORABILIA, EVERY YOUR FRIENDS WITH FRANK SINATRA? OH YES. YOU KNOW HE GOES ON AND ON ABOUT FRANK YOU KNOW. DEAN MARTIN WROTE YOU THIS NOTE. OH YEAH, YEAH. WELL YOU KNOW DEAN MARTIN ROAST. LOVE HIM IN THE DEAN MARTIN ROAST, I HAVE THAT ON TAPE AT HOME. JUST LOVE THAT. THAT WAS ALWAYS (ALL TALKING) SOME REALLY GOOD DVD EXTRAS, OUTTAKES FROM THE SHOW BECAUSE HE TALKED A LOT ABOUT DEAN AND WORKING ON DEAN MARTIN AND THAT CELEBRITY ROAST AND HE WAS A REGULAR ON HIS T.V. SHOW

BUT THE SHOW THAT I LOVED THE MOST, THE SHOW

THE TONIGHT SHOW. I WAS ON JOHNNY'S COUCH 106 TIMES BUT THERE IS ONE EVENING AND I WAS ON WITH A WOMAN THAT HAD A SHOW AT THE AFFILIATE NBC STATION IN CHICAGO WHERE THE RATINGS WENT OFF THE WALL. SHE WAS SO IMPORTANT WHEN SHE CAME TO HOLLYWOOD. SHE WAS TALKING ABOUT HER SHOW AND SHE WAS TALKING ABOUT SHAKESPEARE IN THE PARK. OH JOHNNY THERE IS GOING TO BE SHAKESPEARE IN THE PARK FOR CHILDREN. THERE WILL BE THE CHILDREN THERE (SPEAKING TOO FAST TO BE UNDERSTOOD) (LAUGHING) SO I SAID I LOVE SHAKESPEARE TOO. AND SHE SAID WHAT WOULD SOMEONE LIKE YOU KNOW ABOUT SHAKESPEARE. WELL WA-WA-WA. SHOW WHAT KIND OF RELATIONSHIP DO YOU GUYS HAVE WITH HIM BECAUSE WHEN YOU TAKE ON A PROJECT LIKE THIS, IT IS A FUN IDEA AT FIRST, WELL WE'RE GOING TO DO THIS ONE MAN SHOW OF CHARLES NELSON RILEY BUT YOU SORT OF, THIS GUY IN SOME WAY ENTRUSTS HIS LIFE AND LIFE STORY TO YOU WHICH IS KIND OF A BIG RESPONSIBILITY NO MATTER WHO HE IS, NO MATTER HIS STATUS AS AN ICON OR JUST A GUY, I MEAN ANY DOCUMENTARY YOU MAKE ABOUT ANYBODY. SO WHAT WAS YOUR RELATIONSHIP LIKE WITH HIM AND HOW DID IT CHANGE OVER THAT PERIOD OF KNOWING HIM AND FILMING HIM. I THINK IT TOOK AWHILE TO BUILD UP TRUST. THIS WAS A BIG SCARY THING FOR HIM TO SEE THIS ON FILM AND KNOW THAT SOMEBODY ELSE WAS GOING TO BE EDITING IT, SOMEBODY ELSE AND ALSO THAT WE HAD BEEN PRETTY MUCH UP FRONT AT THE BEGINNING THAT WE WANTED IT TO BE ABOUT AN HOUR AND A HALF UM, WE WERE GOING TO DO OTHER THINGS SORT OF VISUAL ELEMENTS TO SORT OF TRY TO YOU KNOW UM, PUT OUR SORT OF TOUCH ONTO IT YOU KNOW NOT JUST FILM A SHOW. RIGHT THE STUFF ABOUT MY MOM WILL BE PLAYED BY SHIRLEY BOOTH AND MY FATHER BY HUGH KRONIN, THAT WASN'T IN THE ORIGINAL. WELL HE IS SAYING IT WAS RIGHT BUT HE DIDN'T HAVE, THERE WASN'T A SCREEN BEHIND HIM WITH THE VISUAL IMAGE. YOU KNOW THERE WAS, YOU KNOW THERE WERE A LOT OF THINGS, WE HAD A DISCUSSION WITH THE ORIGINAL DIRECTOR PAUL LINK WHO HAD WANTED TO DO A LOT OF THAT TYPE OF STUFF LIVE. AND YOU KNOW THEY JUST DIDN'T HAVE THE BUDGET TO REALLY DO THAT. VERY SIMILAR TO CAMBODIA STYLE EXACTLY. AND OUR THOUGHT RIGHT FROM THE BEGINNING WAS ACTUALLY WE REFER TO SWIMMING IN CAMBODIA WHEN WE WERE TELLING CHARLES ABOUT IT AND HE SAID OH, THAT MAN IS SO DEPRESSING. (LAUGHING) I REMEMBER BACK AND FORTH WITH HIM IN HIS LIVING ROOM WHERE HE WOULD SAY, AFTER ALL THIS IS A PLAY. AND THEN I SAID. NO, IT'S A CINEMA MOTION PICTURE MOVIE./ AND THEN HE LOOKED BACK AT ME AND SAID, IT'S A CROSS BETWEEN THE TWO. WELL, WHAT WAS HIS REACTION TO IT WHEN YOU SHOWED IT, NOT, I MEAN YOUR OBVIOUSLY SCARED AND HE'S OBVIOUSLY GOT SOME NERVOUSNESS ABOUT SEEING THE EXTRA ELEMENTS, BUT WHEN HE SEES THE SHORTER VERSION, WHAT DID HE SAY ABOUT IT. HE UNDERSTANDS RIGHT. THAT IT IS A SHORTER VERSION, HE HAS NO PROBLEM WITH THAT. WHAT HE DOES, IS HE TAKES THAT SHORTER VERSION AND STARTS BREAKING IT DOWN CAUSE THAT'S WHAT HE DOES, HE'S A TEACHER, ACTOR, DIRECTOR THAT IS ANOTHER THING BY THE WAY, TONY AWARD NOMINATED DIRECTOR. AND HE STARTS BREAKING IT DOWN, WORKING ON IT SO FROM THAT VERSION HE GOT I BET RIGHT NOW, HE IS STILL WORKING ON IT. CAN WE MOVE THIS HERE. WE GET A LOT OF NOTES FROM CHARLES. (LAUGHING) AND A LOT OF THEM ARE EXTREMELY GOOD. HE HAS ACTUALLY ADDED A LOT OF WHEN IT SAYS AT THE END A FILM BY AND WE INCLUDE CHARLES IN THAT, THAT WAS I WAS GOING TO ASK YOU ABOUT THAT. YOU CANNOT ARGUE WITH HIM BECAUSE USUALLY HE'S RIGHT. THAT WASN'T JUST TO BE NICE, TRULY, HE KNOWS WHAT HE IS DOING. LIKE WHAT KIND OF NOTES WOULD HE GIVE YOU? YOU KNOW I MEAN HE WOULD GIVE VERY SPECIFIC NOTES ABOUT IDEAS. FOR INSTANCE ONCE HE SAW THE VISUAL IMAGERY OF THE TYPE OF STUFF WE WERE DOING WITH THE VISUALS, HE GAVE US NOTES ABOUT THINGS HE THOUGHT WOULD BE GOOD CUT ALWAYS. FOR INSTANCE, THE HARTFORD CIRCUS FIRE. HE KNEW ABOUT THAT FOOTAGE. HE GAVE US THAT FOOTAGE. REALLY? WE HAD NO IDEA THAT ACTUAL FOOTAGE FROM THAT ACTUAL DAY EXISTED. WOW. THAT'S A GIFT FROM CHARLES. AND THIS BEAUTIFUL ACROBAT WITH A HEAD DRESS OF YELLOW FEATHERS WHEN SHE STEPPED ON THE WIRE DONALD SCREAMED FIRE!, FIRE! AND THE VOICE IN MY HEAD SAID JUMP!, JUMP! AND I JUMPED AND WE RAN TO THE OTHER END OF THE TENT AND WE RAN TO THE EDGE OF THE PARKING LOT AND TURNED AROUND AND IT WAS GONE. DONALD! THE TENT IS GONE.

THERE WAS HARDLY ANY SOUND, THE AND WAS PLAYING THE STARS AND STRIPES FOREVER CAUSE THAT'S WHAT THEY DO WHEN THERE IS AN EMERGENCY. THAT LITTLE GIRL WENT PAST ME AND HER FACE HAD BEEN BURNED AWAY. AND SHE KEPT SCREAMING MY MOMMY IS GOING TO KILL ME, MY MOMMY IS GOING TO KILL ME. BUT SHE WAS ALREADY DEAD. HER MOTHER WASN'T GOING TO KILL HER, THE CIRCUS DID THAT.

168 PEOPLE WERE KILLED JULY 6TH 1944 AND THIS IS, THERE'S MY PICTURE WITH ONE OF MY BEAUTIFUL TOUPEES (LAUGHTER) AND I KNOW THANK GOD THAT PERIOD IS OVER (LAUGHTER) DID YOU EVER FEEL LIKE HE WAS EMBELLISHING THESE STORIES NOW AT ALL. I KNOW I MEAN (LAUGHING) EVERY GREAT STORYTELLER EMBELLISHES PERIOD. BUT THE JUST THE, THE, AS HE SAYS EUGENE O'NEILL WOULDN'T TOUCH MY FAMILY. RIGHT, WELL. WE EVEN HELPED MAKE SOME STUFF, LITTLE EMBELLISHMENTS HERE AND THERE. HE DIDN'T BAT AN EYE. (LAUGHING) BECAUSE HE KNEW IT WORKED WONDERFULLY FOR THE STORY. IT GOT THE STORY FROM HERE TO HERE WHATEVER IT TAKES TO GET IT FROM THERE TO THERE IS GREAT. THAT IS STAGE CRAFT. AND GENERALLY AS WE HAVE SORT OF DRILLED DOWN TO SORT OF CAUSE WE'VE ADDED OUR OWN QUESTIONS LIKE DID A TREE REALLY FALL ON HIS CAR? ON SUNSET BLVD. YOU KNOW THE STORIES HAVE BEEN GENERALLY TRUE IN ESSENCE. YOU KNOW (LAUGHING) THEY ARE TRUEESQUE. FOR INSTANCE HE WAS ON THE TONIGHT SHOW 99 TIMES, NOT 104. I DON'T KNOW WHY HE WOULD ADD 5 WHY WOULD HE ADD 5? HE THINKS IT IS A BETTER NUMBER, I DON'T KNOW. EVERY, EVERY TAKE WE HAVE OF HIM SAYING THAT IS 102 TIMES, 107 TIMES, HOW DO YOU MATCH CUT THAT? BUT YOU HAVE TO HAVE 3, THREE NUMBERS 99 JUST SEEMS LIKE WELL YOU WEREN'T GOOD ENOUGH FOR 100 EXACTLY. I THINK THAT. I UNDERSTAND THAT. HE IS A GENIUS, I'M GOING TO JUST GIVE IT TO HIM. 99/107 WHAT'S THE DIFF 8 (LAUGHING) IT'S STILL THE BIGGEST YOU KNOW PILE OF TONIGHT SHOW APPEARANCES EXCEPT FOR BOB HOPE EXCEPT FOR BOB HOPE. BUT THOSE WERE ALL WALK ON THAT'S TRUE. THAT'S TRUE. CHARLES WAS AN ACTUAL ANNOUNCED GUEST.

SERIOUSLY, YOU, INDEPENDENT FILM DISTRIBUTOR WATCHING AT HOME RIGHT NOW, EMAIL ME, HIGHER DEFINITION AT HD.NET I'M WAIVING MY FINDERS FEE, NO COMMISSION, I KNOW YOU WANT TO RELEASE THE LIFE OF REILLY BECAUSE EVERYBODY WATCHING WANTS TO SEE IT. COMING UP NEXT ON HIGHER DEFINITION, I'LL TELL YOU WHAT SPECIAL THING WE HAVE COMING UP NEXT ON HIGHER DEFINITION.

ON OUR NEXT EPISODE OF HIGHER DEFINITION, ONE OF MY FAVORITE GUESTS RETURNS, HIS NAME IS WRITER, DIRECTOR KEVIN SMITH. THAT'S RIGHT, THE MAN WHO SMOKED AND CURSED HIS WAY THROUGH AN INTERVIEW A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO FOR JERSEY GIRL COMES BACK TO TALK ABOUT CLERKS 2, THE SEQUEL TO THE MOVIE THAT MADE HIM WHO HE IS TODAY. NOW IF YOU HAVE ANYTHING YOU WOULD LIKE TO TELL ME, FEEL FREE TO DO THAT, AT HIGHER DEFINITION@HD.NET. TILL NEXT TIME, I'LL BE AT MY HOUSE WATCHING THE LIFE OF REILLY FOR THE 34TH TIME. I'M ROBERT WILONSKY AND THIS HAS BEEN HIGHER DEFINITION. HE WOULDN'T WEAR A LAV FOR INSTANCE. WELL HE WOULDN'T WEAR A LAV BECAUSE HE IS ANGRY. HE IS ANGRY THAT THE MODERN ACTORS CAN'T PROJECT ANYMORE. WHEN HE WEARS A LAV THAT WOULD BE THE DEATH OF THE THEATER. IT'S THE DEATH OF THE THEATER. WOW.