Mr. Steiger had emergency open-heart surgery, and Ben Gazzara was hired in his place.
During the filming of Richie I found that if I starved myself and came to work dehydrated I could spin around and around right before the director called “Action” and be so sick and dizzy that I looked exactly like a drug addict (I also put Tabasco Sauce in my eyes to make them look red and bloodshot). But in one scene Ben Gazzara improvised—and punched me in the face. I felt the entire crew suddenly freeze. I stayed in character and finally the scene was over. The director asked for another take. I went to my mark and began my spinning routine and on “Action” the scene was off to another dynamic beginning. Once again, Mr. Gazzara threw a punch that landed squarely on my chin—this time almost knocking me out—but I stayed in the moment and finished the scene.
When the director asked for Take #3, a member of the crew stepped forward and said, “Mr. Gazarra, if you hit Robby one more time, you’ll have to deal with me.” And then another crew member stepped forward and said, “And me.” “And me.” “And me.”
Valuable Life Lesson: Make friends with the crew. (And don’t put Tabasco Sauce in your eyes.)
Francis Ford Coppola (Part II)
I mention Apocalypse Now not only because it was the second film I didn’t make with Francis Ford Coppola, but because I went through an infamous audition—where the director and a camera operator went around the room filled with stars of all ages and had us improvise on the spot. I have never seen an audition held this way. Although he said he liked my work, Mr. Coppola told us the cast would be announced in a full-page ad in Variety and The Hollywood Reporter . I remember going to the news stand as if I was running to a bulletin board in school to see if I made the basketball team. And there was my name—I was going to be in Apocalypse Now!
For the usual insurance purposes, I was sent to see a doctor who was so concerned with the diseases we might catch in the Philippines that he didn’t even listen to my heart. I did push-ups and sit-ups in his office as he was talking to me. I told him I couldn’t allow even a moment to go by without getting more buff for the part. He looked at me like I was crazy (albeit in shape) and gave me vaccinations and horse pills for every possible disease, and malaria pills the size of Georgia. I spent what I thought was to be my last night in the U.S.A. with the gorgeous and gorgeous and did I say gorgeous Melanie Griffith, but I was so full of meds and anti-anything-Philippine pills that I ‘couldn’t perform’ so we spent the night laughing ourselves to sleep. It was actually quite magical.
The next morning I awoke to the news that there had been a typhoon in the Philippines and all the sets were destroyed. Francis Ford Coppola’s film would be delayed for months.
But this time the weather was on my side...
2. One On One
I was nineteen, living in a 165 dollar a month apartment in Culver City where I sat at my small dining table and hand-wrote the first draft of One On One on a yellow legal pad. It was merely a year after my high school English teacher told me I would never amount to anything as a writer.
Luckily, she was wrong—but I hope every student who is told that they can’t accomplish something by a teacher takes my story to heart. Because the next thing to happen was a phone call from my agent and friend, Rick Nicita, saying “Warner Brothers bought your script! They want to make One On One .” I remember looking down and realizing I was so excited I was standing on the table!
I had to call my father, Jerry Segal, who was my co-writer. After the first few drafts, I realized it needed the help of a pro—and what could be better than to sell a script to Hollywood with your father as your partner? So we worked together, and my ideas coupled with his expertise and writing skills, resulted in a draft that was
During the filming of Richie I found that if I starved myself and came to work dehydrated I could spin around and around right before the director called “Action” and be so sick and dizzy that I looked exactly like a drug addict (I also put Tabasco Sauce in my eyes to make them look red and bloodshot). But in one scene Ben Gazzara improvised—and punched me in the face. I felt the entire crew suddenly freeze. I stayed in character and finally the scene was over. The director asked for another take. I went to my mark and began my spinning routine and on “Action” the scene was off to another dynamic beginning. Once again, Mr. Gazzara threw a punch that landed squarely on my chin—this time almost knocking me out—but I stayed in the moment and finished the scene.
When the director asked for Take #3, a member of the crew stepped forward and said, “Mr. Gazarra, if you hit Robby one more time, you’ll have to deal with me.” And then another crew member stepped forward and said, “And me.” “And me.” “And me.”
Valuable Life Lesson: Make friends with the crew. (And don’t put Tabasco Sauce in your eyes.)
Francis Ford Coppola (Part II)
I mention Apocalypse Now not only because it was the second film I didn’t make with Francis Ford Coppola, but because I went through an infamous audition—where the director and a camera operator went around the room filled with stars of all ages and had us improvise on the spot. I have never seen an audition held this way. Although he said he liked my work, Mr. Coppola told us the cast would be announced in a full-page ad in Variety and The Hollywood Reporter . I remember going to the news stand as if I was running to a bulletin board in school to see if I made the basketball team. And there was my name—I was going to be in Apocalypse Now!
For the usual insurance purposes, I was sent to see a doctor who was so concerned with the diseases we might catch in the Philippines that he didn’t even listen to my heart. I did push-ups and sit-ups in his office as he was talking to me. I told him I couldn’t allow even a moment to go by without getting more buff for the part. He looked at me like I was crazy (albeit in shape) and gave me vaccinations and horse pills for every possible disease, and malaria pills the size of Georgia. I spent what I thought was to be my last night in the U.S.A. with the gorgeous and gorgeous and did I say gorgeous Melanie Griffith, but I was so full of meds and anti-anything-Philippine pills that I ‘couldn’t perform’ so we spent the night laughing ourselves to sleep. It was actually quite magical.
The next morning I awoke to the news that there had been a typhoon in the Philippines and all the sets were destroyed. Francis Ford Coppola’s film would be delayed for months.
But this time the weather was on my side...
2. One On One
I was nineteen, living in a 165 dollar a month apartment in Culver City where I sat at my small dining table and hand-wrote the first draft of One On One on a yellow legal pad. It was merely a year after my high school English teacher told me I would never amount to anything as a writer.
Luckily, she was wrong—but I hope every student who is told that they can’t accomplish something by a teacher takes my story to heart. Because the next thing to happen was a phone call from my agent and friend, Rick Nicita, saying “Warner Brothers bought your script! They want to make One On One .” I remember looking down and realizing I was so excited I was standing on the table!
I had to call my father, Jerry Segal, who was my co-writer. After the first few drafts, I realized it needed the help of a pro—and what could be better than to sell a script to Hollywood with your father as your partner? So we worked together, and my ideas coupled with his expertise and writing skills, resulted in a draft that was
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