2017 Scarecrow and Mrs. King Reunion
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Saturday, April 29, 2017 - Bonus Stories (A.K.A. Stuff I Forgot)
I remembered some other stories that happened on Saturday that I had forgotten until now. So, here are some bonus stories from Saturday . . .
When I brought my SMK binder over to Martha to have her sign a few of my photos and poster, Mike Pingel was telling her how much Kate appreciated Martha’s email. He then gave Martha Kate’s number and she asked if she could text her and Mike said yes. I also had Martha sign a couple of my original scripts I brought with me and she was excited to see them and asked where I got them and how much I had paid for them. I told her eBay and that I had no idea how much I had paid – since I had another 25 of them at home (hard to keep track). She said that she was planning on selling her personal scripts from the show. I rushed, “I’ll take them!” She laughed and said that Jeanette (Fling) told her the same thing and had already bought four of them. She took my card and scribbled “scripts” on the back. I’m still waiting for her to contact me – as I would buy them all! 😊
When I brought my SMK binder over to Martha to have her sign a few of my photos and poster, Mike Pingel was telling her how much Kate appreciated Martha’s email. He then gave Martha Kate’s number and she asked if she could text her and Mike said yes. I also had Martha sign a couple of my original scripts I brought with me and she was excited to see them and asked where I got them and how much I had paid for them. I told her eBay and that I had no idea how much I had paid – since I had another 25 of them at home (hard to keep track). She said that she was planning on selling her personal scripts from the show. I rushed, “I’ll take them!” She laughed and said that Jeanette (Fling) told her the same thing and had already bought four of them. She took my card and scribbled “scripts” on the back. I’m still waiting for her to contact me – as I would buy them all! 😊
I was holding down the fort while the cast was doing their photos with their fans, when I realized, “Hey! I paid for a cast photo and a photo with Bruce too!” So, I rushed to get in the long line and realized I didn’t have my ticket for the cast photo. I ran out to the main lobby and stood in line to get my ticket and the woman told me that I needed my receipt. UGH! I had to go up to my room for that. I ran back down and got back in line at the table in the lobby. There were a few people ahead of me but I patiently waited. That is until the guy in front of me turned around and whispered, “What perfume are you wearing?” I told him and then he said, “you’re a breath of fresh air!” Then stared at me. I thanked him and decided I would take my chances and just get in line for my Bruce photo and do the cast photo the next day. By the time I got in there, they were just finishing up the full cast photos. There were only a few people getting an individual shot with Bruce, so I didn’t have to wait long. I walked over to him and he put his arm around me and I him and we waited for the photographer, who was warning his assistant to be very careful around the cables/cords because she could get hurt. Well, he wasn’t ready, so I just kept my arm around Bruce, I mean, I wanted to be ready, right? Finally, he was set and snapped the camera a few times. Then as Bruce and I walked away, we heard a crash and turned to find that the photographer had tripped on the very cables he had just warned his assistant about and brought a very large and heavy light down upon himself. Poor guy. He was down for quite a while and when he finally got up, he was limping something awful.
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Verena and I were goofing around while Bruce was doing an interview for a Argentinian fan's webcast. I was able to capture Verena having fun for a couple of seconds. Enjoy the video to the right!
Several times throughout the weekend, vendors would just stop by and bring Bruce 8x10 photos of him. They didn’t want anything from him, they just wanted him to have the photos. One even showed up without any of us seeing who dropped it off. It was one Bruce didn’t have so he was happy to see it. |
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Greg signed one of each of his photos for me and one of his books and then somehow we got on the subject of his books and he told me about a poetry book he’d written and published and I asked why he didn’t have it for sale. He said that he only had a few left and only brought one. He pulled it out and showed me and let me buy it, but not before signing it “Taya- Keep your shit off my table!” I’ll treasure it always. 😊
Sunday, April 30, 2017
The morning came awfully quick after a full day/night of fun. Even the cast seemed to be a little less perky on Sunday than they were starting the show the day before. After seeing some of the “enthusiastic” fans first hand, I’m not surprised the celebrities were worn down a little. At one point on Saturday, a woman, who appeared to be homeless, approached Bruce and asked him to help her get into an apartment by providing her a reference letter. What?! He handled it like a trooper! Later, at dinner we saw the same woman walk into the restaurant and sit down with two gentlemen. Strange.
Other fans asked for discounts on the cost of an autograph because it was their birthday or gave a sad story. An older man and a younger foreign man walked up to the table and the older man asked me if Bruce gave discounts for birthday boys. I politely replied, “Um, no sorry. Otherwise we’d have to give them to everyone.” He tried several times to get a free photo. They finally decided on just getting a photo next to Bruce. After they left, Verena came over to me and told Bruce and I that the older man had pulled her to the side and said “Bruce’s agent said no, but since you’re his wife, can you give us a birthday discount?” For real, Dude? She told him no too. Bruce’s agent! LOL! One gentleman asked for an armed forces discount and this got Bruce’s attention. He inquired where the sailor was stationed and thanked him for his service – and gave him a 50% discount. Bruce really took his time with him and genuinely seemed interested.
Right before lunch, they came and got us for the cast photos and this time I was ready. Good thing too, since I was the only one who was getting an SMK cast photo. They had a super glittery backdrop this time instead of the plain black one from the day before. Yay! I asked Sandra, Greg’s wife to record us as we got our photos taken, hoping that she’d catch some fun chit chat and horseplay. The photographer, now making his way around the room in a wheelchair – guess that tumble he took on Saturday really messed him up, set us up and we were all cozy together ready for our close-ups! 😊 Bruce and I both groaned when we watched the photographer get out of his wheelchair and climb a step ladder to take our photos. He’d already proven he wasn’t the most coordinated guy, why press his luck? He snapped a couple shots and then told me I was casting a shadow on Stephen. I made a joke about stealing his light and we shifted around a bit until the photographer was happy and then he took our photos. They turned out great! After I was done, they took several of the cast together. They seemed like they were loving being together.
While Bruce was at lunch, I went over to talk to Myron Natwik and asked for his autograph and to have a photo taken with him. He was very sweet and seemed tickled that he had fans.
Toward the end of the day, I noticed that Stephen Macht was packing up to leave so I stopped by and talked with him for a few minutes. I thanked him for coming and told him how much we all appreciated him being there. I can’t emphasize enough how very genuine and sweet this man was. You could just tell he was so happy to be there and really appreciated everyone that came to see him. After a few minutes he gave me a big hug and I went back to work. He stopped by on his way out and shook hands with Bruce and thanked him for including him in the event. He again mentioned how much he enjoyed it.
Toward the end of the day, I noticed that Stephen Macht was packing up to leave so I stopped by and talked with him for a few minutes. I thanked him for coming and told him how much we all appreciated him being there. I can’t emphasize enough how very genuine and sweet this man was. You could just tell he was so happy to be there and really appreciated everyone that came to see him. After a few minutes he gave me a big hug and I went back to work. He stopped by on his way out and shook hands with Bruce and thanked him for including him in the event. He again mentioned how much he enjoyed it.
The table fighting continued into Sunday with Greg. J Since we had already gone through the first tin of mints the day before, I made sure to pick up another tin before arriving at the table that morning. We took turns offering each other mints and teasing that the other REALLY needed them. Whenever I would take a sip of my Dr. Pepper and put it back on the corner of his table he would move it behind the other items. I finally just moved it to the floor and then he insisted that I put it back on the table. Only then did he tell me that he had OCD (undiagnosed) and needed to have the items line up. I told him it was no wonder we got along so well, because I too struggled with having to line things up. And here I just thought he was being territorial. 😊
A fan stopped by to talk to Greg and have him sign a photo. As he walked up, I leaned over to Greg and said, “This guy is from Switzerland,” and he just looked at me quizzically and then I added “His name is Toni with an i.” When the guy came up he introduced himself as Toni from Switzerland and Greg turned to look at me and asked, “How did you know that?” I laughed and said, “He stopped by to see Bruce yesterday.” Sandra leaned behind her husband as he conversed with ‘Toni,’ and started telling me a story—so here we were both leaning behind Greg to meet in the middle. She started talking but I just happened to hear good ol’ Toni ask Greg how it was to work with Sam Melville, who played his father on the show. Well, I knew that if I didn’t commit every word that Greg said on this subject to memory, I might as well just turn in my Best Friend card to Sheila, as she would never forgive me. So, I very politely told Sandra that I wanted to hear the rest of her story, but that if I didn’t hear what Greg said I’d be in serious trouble. Greg said that Sam was super nice and was his favorite guest star on the show, as he and Kate were like having a second set of parents on the set. Okay, so it wasn’t much, but I assure you it made Sheila’s day. Don’t worry, I got to hear the rest of Sandra’s story. 😉
Greg and Sandra decided to pack up and head home toward the end of the afternoon when things slowed down. He whispered to me that before he left he wanted to chat with me. So, once he was packed up and we took some photos, he pulled me out from behind the table and gave me a big hug and thanked me for making the weekend extra special for him and Sandra. I made it special for HIM? Oh man did he have that wrong! I knew that he was said to be a really nice guy but I could never have hoped that he’d be as funny, and down to earth as he was. It was like talking to an old friend all weekend. I handed him the mints and told him to take them because he needed them more, and gave him a wink. Then he handed them back and said “Are you sure? You REALLY need them!” Then he gave that adorable “Jamie” smile we all know and love. He took the mints. 😉
Around 3 o’clock in the afternoon Bruce’s fans congregated around his table and he started telling us stories about the show and we were all ears. He spoke fondly of their time in Europe and teased Martha about her dating habits while in Europe (Hanz and Franz). He told us how he spent more time with Kate than he did his own wife and that like married couples, they fought but when it was time to be “Lee” and “Amanda” they moved right into it. He described Kate as tough, but smart and very perceptive. He was impressed with her knowledge of camera angles as well.
He went on to explain how they had to take shots from every angle and how they would avoid doing closeups when the chemistry was flowing, not wanting to stop the magic between he and Kate. Which, he said, most actors prefer. He felt his Season 2 wardrobe was the best since he went to Saville Row and had a dozen suits made by the best tailors. He told us that they spent a week filming in Washington D.C. filming bits and pieces of scenes – most that had nothing to do with any scripts. For instance, the filming of them running down the steps of the monument. He drove a 1963 Speedster in the pilot. “I might as well have gotten out and ran faster than that car would go.” |
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According to Bruce, Kate hated the Corvette since she had to show too much leg in order to get out of it and Bruce had a hard time unfolding his tall frame. They had two cars in LA and one in Washington D.C. which was used to film going to and from the beltway and such. Bruce was practically giddy talking about how he would floor the car and come screeching into the scene all smiles. “Kate would yell, you’re going too fast!”
Bruce told us about how during a filming of one of the episodes, there were crates that were to be shot at, and he noticed they were moved slightly which seemed off (they were all on high alert since earlier in the day they had been told about the shooting death of Jon-Erik Hexum on the set of Cover Up), which was a good thing since it would have been a disaster because it would have splintered into his face. He also mentioned the time when he tackled a guy in a scene and he went over top of the guy and hit the back of his head on the ground. He thought he was okay and jumped up quickly. He hid the fact that he wasn’t okay. He sat down in his set chair and asked for his stunt double, who was on Bring ‘Em Back Alive, not Scarecrow and Mrs. King – he was totally out of sorts and forgot where he was. |
Someone asked about the scene in Life of the Party when he and Mel Stewart were hanging from the meat hooks and he explained they were wired, so they weren’t hanging by only their hands.
Mel Stewart kept them all laughing. The night before they were leaving Germany, Mel left his rental car on the street but forgot the same of it. He told them, “I left it on something called Strasse.” Strasse means street in German. “That would be Street Street, Mel!” he exclaimed laughing. Unfortunately, Mel also left his passport in the car. Luckily, they found the car and it still had Mel’s passport in it.
Bruce got food poisoning in Tegernsee where they were filming ‘Our Man in Tegernsee’. He said it was beautiful and that they got to do some sightseeing while they were there. He spoke fondly of Jean Stapleton, suggesting that she had the energy of three kids. “She hiked all over those mountains. Come on! We’re off to see this or that!” he mimicked.
Mel Stewart kept them all laughing. The night before they were leaving Germany, Mel left his rental car on the street but forgot the same of it. He told them, “I left it on something called Strasse.” Strasse means street in German. “That would be Street Street, Mel!” he exclaimed laughing. Unfortunately, Mel also left his passport in the car. Luckily, they found the car and it still had Mel’s passport in it.
Bruce got food poisoning in Tegernsee where they were filming ‘Our Man in Tegernsee’. He said it was beautiful and that they got to do some sightseeing while they were there. He spoke fondly of Jean Stapleton, suggesting that she had the energy of three kids. “She hiked all over those mountains. Come on! We’re off to see this or that!” he mimicked.
He spoke of the end of the show and Kate’s illness. The times dictated that it be kept secret and the rest of the cast and crew was not told that Kate was going through chemotherapy. He mentioned that he hadn’t seen her since the last day of filming but that she called him out of the blue about 6 or 7 years ago and called him Big Fella, because that was his name according to her. “We laughed and talked about things. Talked about our kids.”
After Bruce finished telling us his stories, I packed up all his photos and he gave me a big bear hug and thanked me for my help over the weekend. Then he gave hugs to all the ladies that had come to see him. He’s a really great guy and seems to really appreciate his loyal fans. While a lot, if not most of the other celebrities had already cleared out, Bruce stayed past the 4 p.m. scheduled time. Talk about a ‘Class Act.’
I want to once again thank David Johnson for not only putting this event together for all of us Scarecrow and Mrs. King fans, but for including me in the event the way he did. It was nothing I could have ever imagined. I hope my recaps helped those of you that weren’t able to attend get an idea of how magical the entire weekend was. I know I’ll never forget it. To all the ladies that I finally got to meet after getting to know you online over the last 15 years, it’s nice to know there are others out there like me that just can’t forget this wonderful show. And finally, to my friends in the white Land Cruiser who lived through the crazy driving and constant singing to get to the Ranch in time (mostly), I want to thank each and every one of you for making my weekend EXTRA special. I love you all!
-Tjsmklvr
-Tjsmklvr