Tuesday, August 26, 2008

Another star


In Dublin Google is a place on Barrow St.

Queues again at the American embassy.

Today I had my day off. Off I use loosely. I work most mornings then I had to do the shopping. I have most of the school books, now I am on to clothes and later shoes.
Expensive times we live in for sure.

I had a lucky break,I picked up a fare going to the IFSC then I got a fare straight at Connelly station. Connelly station is being all uprooted as they change the line.
Now if you or I or a child of 6 was designing a station and we knew that we would be extending the line soon you would (I hope) put in the junction to be used at a later time. Not our city planners. The line is hardly 2 years down and its all ripped up again.
Traffic all a mess.
When I dropped her off I headed off from Ballsbridge only to spot a few people outside Bewleys hotel, quick turn and out again with a handy one to Vincents private hospital. Just as we were driving through the barrier the lady said its the wrong hospital, it should be the public one.
I didn't start the meter again, (must be slipping) as we pulled up at the main door a girl with dark glasses jumped in as they jumped out.
Taxis to the left.Taxis to the right.
But this was not a taxi rank !!!!!!!!!!

An actress from New York no less going to Rathmenes.
That's 2 Stars in 4 days.
I never ask "Whats your name ?" If they say it that's OK if not that's all right too.
Stars(I use the word loosely) have a tough time. They need to have the public adore them, but they want to be treated as ordinary, though very special people.
A casting director told me once that he would know 30 at least actors who could do a part, easily. He would pitch them all knowing that only one would get the job.
The other 29 would be left "resting" until the next casting session.

Take care of yourself miss, whoever you were.
And please remember that it is the custom to tip taxi drivers and waiters in Ireland, after all you will never know who might be bringing you your next script,he might just loose it.
Look after the little people on the way up and they will be kind to you on the way back down, thats a basic lesson in life..
There is a story of Julia Roberts and a Dublin taxi driver, they met when she filmed Micheal Collins in Dublin. He was her driver and they got on well. She brought his family to Hollywood later and she wanted them to stay. His life was in Dublin but they remained friends. Later when she married( they were there) and divorced Lyle Lovett she fled to Dublin pursued by the media.
He brought her from the hotel dressed in overalls with a tool box and she lived in his corporation house with his wife and kids, going shopping like an ordinary person, until she got her head together.
You can be sure they still phone each other.
Two worlds so different that they attract.
I once was called to a house about a burglar alarm problem, when I had finished I stuck my head around the door to say good bye, the cast of the film "Dancing at Luisa" were around the table, Meryl Streep and Mia Farrow and a few of other stars were there, I recognised none of them, after a few brief words and a joke about the last supper I departed.
Their host told me later on that they were genuinely disappointed that I didn't stay for coffee.
He told them some of my stories, but even from a storyteller (which he is )they are not as good second hand.

I would not like to be famous and known by sight.
You would find it hard to strike a balance in your head.

I hope no one recognizes me.

Why don't these people stop looking at me.

Why do they not recognize me? After all I am so famous.

And the paparazzi ?

All this from working with a casting company for a summer long ago....so many stars... so little light. Not my words.

I used to meet Freddy White on a weekly basis, on Mondays in Quinnsworth in Castleknock. A great singer who has yet to reach his potential, after a while we spoke a bit every time we met, guess we both moved on.Hope this is him.

I am winding down to do my tax return, getting papers in order. Buying tires for the winter...That sort of thing.
I am also going to Eastbourne in the south of England to a magic convention from the 24Th Sept. Hope to meet this guy again

WE had our photo taken before when neither of us were handsome, but we have both had a lot of fun in our own way since then.

7 comments:

  1. Anonymous11:42 PM

    The movie you are referring to is called Dancing at Lughnasa and Mia Farrow is certainly not in it.

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  2. So she could not have been invited to a pre production party right?
    I see,I didn't know that.

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  3. Anonymous12:18 AM

    Here is the cast.
    I didn't recognise any of the others.
    But it was a private party,so anyone who was invited could come.
    Writing credits
    Brian Friel (play)

    Frank McGuinness (screenplay)

    William Butler Yeats (poem "Down by the Salley Gardens") (as W.B. Yeats)

    Cast (in credits order) complete, awaiting verification
    Gerard McSorley ... Narrator (voice)

    Meryl Streep ... Kate 'Kit' Mundy

    Michael Gambon ... Father Jack Mundy

    Catherine McCormack ... Christina 'Chrissy' Mundy
    Kathy Burke ... Margaret 'Maggie' Mundy
    Sophie Thompson ... Rose 'Rosie' Mundy
    Brid Brennan ... Agnes 'Aggie' Mundy

    Rhys Ifans ... Gerry Evans
    Darrell Johnston ... Michael 'Mike' Mundy
    Lorcan Cranitch ... Danny Bradley
    John Kavanagh ... Father Carlin
    Marie Mullen ... Vera McLoughlin
    Dawn Bradfield ... Sophie McLoughlin
    Peter Gowen ... Austin Morgan

    Kate O'Toole ... Chemist
    rest of cast listed alphabetically:
    Patrick McGahern ... Blacksmith's assistant (scenes deleted)

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  4. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  5. for shame, that american actor better shape up, or she ain't gonna stay in the biz

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  6. Anonymous1:46 PM

    who was the actress? gis a clue, john!

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  7. Anonymous5:25 PM

    The story about Julia Roberts is true but you have it all wrong. The drivers name is Mick Devine, and he lives in Palmerstown. He`s looked after Julia Roberts since the early 90`s when she came her during the split up with Keifer Sutherland.
    Mick was charged with keeping the paparrzi away from her, so he took her home to the wife. She stayed in Micks house for nearly a month. She invited Mick and his wife to LA, and made sure all knew he wwas her driver in Dublin. Since then, Mick has driven ALL the big names that come here, inc Sinatra,Jackson, Diana Ross,Price, Streisand etc etc. Oh, he still drives Julia when she`s here ina 7 series BMW Julia bought him. She doesnt like Mercs.

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