Chuck Boyd, a good friend, sent a brief but interesting note about Hal Holbrook's decades long performance as Mark Twain. It is worth passing along as part of the growing renewed interest in the man most consider the greatest American humorist and commentator of the 19th century. I hope you enjoy.
Archie,
Thanks for the "heads up" that (finally) 100 years has passed and it's Twain autobiography release time.
When I was Director of Tourism for the state of Missouri, I quickly realized he was a major "draw." In fact, public awareness of Missouri centered on Twain, Jesse James and Harry S Truman. In that order. In the 1980s, I put together a business travel mission to London and Scotland to help fill seats on the new British Caledonia Airlines direct flights in and out of St. Louis.
We invited 300 travel writers and travel agents to a presentation in the US Embassy in London. I had brought along a young actor to portray Mr. Clemens. He was in costume and we took the hotel elevator on our way to the Embassy. Several older Brits got on the elevator, and without any surprise or reaction stated, "Good to see you again Mr. Twain. It's been a while." My actor drawled "It's good to be back."
In 2001. Hal Holbrook brought his MARK TWAIN TONIGHT presentation to Charleston and, as I worked at the Post & Courier, I was able to secure a backstage visit afterward. Mr. Holbrook was VERY surprised when I showed him two mounted pictures of him I had taken 50 years before at Camp Lejeune, NC when he had just started his TWAIN program.
"I remember that over-stuffed chair we used as a prop!" He also quipped that back then he was in make-up for several hours, aging himself for the role. "Now, I just show up, put on the suit and light a stoggie."
He signed one of the pictures with a Twainism: "Be good and you will be lonesome." On the other he scribbled "Camp Lejeune..so long ago."
Thanks again.
Chuck
(Earlier posts at www.archibaldinsc.blogspot.com)
