When I Was Very Young

When I was very young I drew a picture with crayons on off-white construction paper. It was John Wayne standing on a stage in full cowboy regalia. He was never one of my heroes, but I recognized him for the cinematic icon that he was and still is. He was indisputably a member of Hollywood royalty, a culture all its own by which I was totally captivated. I still remember seeing his face along with those of Marilyn Monroe and Charlie Chaplin in the pre-show intro that was run before many films projected at AMC Theaters.


I wanted in. I wanted to be an actor.

My feelings about acting haven't changed in these last 35 years. I'm still captivated. There is no substitute for the sublime tingle I get when I'm cast in a role, go to an audition, or merely study my lines for acting class. It's never boring for me. Never monotonous. It's always magic, every part of it. It took me a while to recognize this as an important clue in my decision to pursue acting as a real career choice and to respect it as more than just a hobby or pipe dream. As my good friend and fellow actor Lee Burns put it, "I think that being an artist is one of the most challenging and yet most rewarding ventures one can embark on. None of us should ever feel like we have to apologize for what we do. It's a needed and noble position. The artist is the one who inspires change and hope in cultures. And I think our planet could use a little of both."

Lee, I couldn't agree more.