For Debbie and Carrie

Mother and daughter passed away.

But brightest stars they’ll always stay.

Debbie and Carrie earned a place

in our hearts and can’t be erased.

Their talent and wit made them great.

Entertainment became their fate.

Lucky are we who’ve seen their glow

which now shines on in TIMELESS flow.

Rest in peace, dear Debbie Reynolds and Carrie Fisher. 

Billy Crudup and Me

I am very happy to see the talented Billy Crudup in two films this month (Jackie and 20th Century Women). My contact with Crudup took place at the first Telluride Film Festival my husband and I attended. Unlike other film festivals, the program is a closely guarded secret until opening day. And we knew nothing about the tradition of standing in line, sometimes for over an hour, to get a good seat for the movies and events we wanted to see. Showing up early for one of those lines turned out to be a stroke of luck for me. On Labor Day morning, Billy Crudup appeared in a special Conversation Session at the Telluride Court House. Because I wanted to interview this rising star after seeing his amazing performance in Jesus’ Son, I researched his background on the Internet. Hoping to catch Crudup before the program, Larry and I arrived shortly after 8:30 a.m. and were the first ones in line for the 10 a.m. session.

After a few minutes, a petite brunette showed up and began asking the program coordinator questions about Crudup. Davia Nelson, from PBS (Lost and Found Sounds), had been recruited to moderate the session at the last minute. Eavesdropping on them, I interrupted and recited everything I knew about Crudup’s films, awards and so on. “Would you introduce him for me?” Nelson pleaded.

Without pausing for even a second, I agreed. Crudup sought me out after the program and thanked me personally. However, I almost spoiled this memorable experience with a flippant response. While I was talking with Crudup, a member of the audience came up to speak with the star. He wanted Crudup’s opinion concerning who was a better actor, Skeet Ulrich or Billy Crudup. Crudup answered with a smile, “Skeet Ulrich, of course.”

I added that Ulrich was “the poor man’s Johnny Depp” – to which the man replied, “Really? I’ll tell him that. I’m his father.”

Mortified, I apologized, calling my husband over to bail me out. “I’m just kidding, sir. I’ve always admired your son’s acting; haven’t I, Larry?” I begged. My helpful spouse came through for me again. “Right. She even gave Skeet Ulrich high marks for his work in Chill Factor,” he declared.

Wonder why I haven’t heard from Crudup since our meeting in Telluride?

         

It Had To Be Christmas!

As a special holiday treat, showbiz stars George and Lizette Amado-Bettinger are featured this month on Movie Addict Headquarters reading the first chapter of IT HAD TO BE US, a romantic memoir co-authored by my husband and me that’s now being adapted for the screen. George and Lizette play Harry and Elizabeth Lawrence (our pen names) in this audio version of Chapter One, which deals with two important Christmases for the estranged Lawrences. How does Christmas help bring these two together after being divorced for almost twenty years? Click on the link below this post to listen in and find out!

The Bettingers are a fun couple with a passion for bringing back the Golden Era of radio on their popular “Mom & Pop Shop Show” which airs on Tune In Radio in Florida each Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 4 p.m. Eastern Time. George is an actor, comedian, producer, writer and director. He’s won acclaim for his uncanny impressions including Groucho Marx, George Burns and the Three Stooges but may be best known as the voice of the red M&M. Lizette is a versatile actress and soprano singer with experience at the Metropolitan Opera. George and Lizette are truly Mr. & Mrs. Showbiz.

IT HAD TO BE US won first place in the Ebook category at the Hollywood Book Festival for its potential to be transferred to other mediums such as film, radio and TV. With the help of BlogTalkRadio listeners during the launch of the Kindle version a few years ago, the memoir hit Number One in the “Divorce” category for Kindle Ebooks. The memoir also caught the interest of filmmaker Misha Zubarev, who reports that the movie is now in pre-production. The screenplay is written, the casting complete and a shooting schedule -- in New York -- has been arranged.

    

Harry and Elizabeth Lawrence donate their author royalties from IT HAD TO BE US (published by the Long Story Short Publishing Company) to the IMAGINATION LIBRARY, a children’s literacy program sponsored by the Dollywood Foundation.

Listen to “It Had To Be Christmas" on BlogTalkRadio by clicking on the link below.

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/movieaddictheadquarters/2016/11/29/it-had-to-be-christmas-again