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| April, 2003 |
| From the official Death and Texas (Scheduled for release December 10, 2003) film website: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Wednesday April 23, 2003 Contact Stephen Israel Telephone (323) 822-2927 E-mail: [email protected] LOS ANGELES - Principal photography has been completed on Neofight Film�s Death and Texas, starring Charles Durning (O Brother Where Art Thou, State and Main) and Steve Harris ("The Practice", Minority Report, The Mod Squad). The film is being directed by Slamdance Grand Jury Award winner Kevin DiNovis (Surrender Dorothy) from DiNovis�s original screenplay, and produced by Stephen Israel (Swimming with Sharks). Death and Texas boasts a creative team that includes director of photography Jon Kovel (Keep the River on Your Right, Surrender Dorothy). Casting is by Linda Phillips-Palo (The Virgin Suicides). The dark comedy concerns a former star football player (Harris) now on death row in Texas for a robbery/murder. His lawyer (Durning) gets him furloughed from prison so he can lead his former team to the national championships. Mary Kay Place, Corbin Bernsen, Richard Riehl, Susan Egan, Andy Richter, Jello Biafra, Tiffany, and Billy Ray Cyrus also make appearances in the film, which was shot �faux verit� style at locations around Los Angeles. �This film is unashamedly political. The film satirizes a system that sanitizes and legitimizes the ritual murder of its own citizens,� said Israel. DiNovis adds, �It�s not important for the audience to agree with us. Our intention is to challenge people to think. Indeed many in the cast and crew do not share my views on the death penalty, and that�s OK.� As Israel says, �It�s not just a political movie, it�s a good story and it�s funny too.� Plot Summary for Death and Texas Dateline: Austin, TX. Barefoot Bobby Briggs, the legendary running back for the Austin Steers was today sentenced to die for his role in the armed robbery/murder at a downtown Stop 'n Go convenience store... It's five years later, and Bobby's appeals have all but run out, and the Austin Steers are - once again - on the march to the Superbowl, with a lock on the playoffs, when their wide receiver has a season ending injury. With their playoff hopes in shambles, the Governor of Texas controversially offers Bobby a furlough from death row to help rescue the Steers' post-season hopes, and even play in the Superbowl. Death and Texas chronicles the bizarre story of Bobby Briggs, whose pro-career was cut short when he was sentenced to die. Guided by implacable anti-death-penalty advocate Marshall Ledger, Bobby plays the only card he has left: his undoubted prowess on the football field. The final days of his appeals to the courts and the Governor play out side-by-side with the Steers' Superbowl hopes. With his execution scheduled for the day after the big game, it all comes down to a Hail Mary pass... Satirical, funny and unashamedly political, Death and Texas parodies the legal system that attempts to sanitize and legitimize the killing of its own citizens. Shot "faux verit�" style, the film examines the trial and its fairness, and interviews all the key people in Bobby's life: his lawyers, family, the politicians, judges and prosecutors; the victim's family and many more who determine Bobby's fate. Beyond interviews, Death and Texas looks at life in the Texas correctional system, peaks behind the scenes of pro-football and of course, the man himself: Barefoot Bobby Briggs. Graham Jarvis, Mary Kay Place's co-star from "Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman," died April 16th, 2003. (article added 04/18/03) Graham was, of course, "Charlie Haggers" on "Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman." The rapport of the two actors is nearly impossible to duplicate or describe to those who never have seen the show. If you have seen the show, then you know how rare their onscreen magic was. I find it hard to pinpoint specific favorite Graham moments from "MH2," however I have immense appreciation for the Charlie character. Graham was "old as my pappy" as Mary Kay as Loretta sang on her hit song "Baby Boy." But, that "didn't make [her] unhappy." No one ever questioned why the Loretta character was so devoted to Charlie. His nearly unconditional love and support for her were legendary. I do have a wonderful memory of Graham from his appearance on the panel of the Museum of Television and Radio's "MH2" reunion. Graham spoke about his getting very emotional while taping a scene where Charlie calls Loretta from a phone booth after deciding that he had to leave her since he had accidentally shot off one of his testicles and couldn't be a "real husband" to her any longer. Graham said that he got somewhat overwhelmed playing that scene as he knew that it was killing Charlie to sacrifice this way for Loretta. Graham loved that character and I think that almost everyone who watched "MH2" felt the same way. He was a real class act, and I will surely miss his work. Here is an obituary from the Associated Press: LOS ANGELES, California -- Graham P. Jarvis, a character actor perhaps best known as neighbor Charlie Haggers in the 1970s TV series "Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman," died Wednesday [April 16, 2003]. He was 72. Jarvis, who made dozens of television, theater and movie appearances in a five-decade career, died of multiple myeloma. He had a recurring role as Charles Jackson in more than a dozen episodes of the TV show, "7th Heaven" and had appeared in series as diverse as "The Drew Carey Show" and "Six Feet Under." His film appearances included roles in Alice's Restaurant and Silkwood. Jarvis, who was born in Toronto, began acting at 19 in a production of The Seven Year Itch with a small theater company in Virginia. He attended Williams College before moving to New York City in the early 1950s to pursue a career in theater. Jarvis studied acting at the American Theater Wing and was an original member of the Lincoln Center Repertory Theater. His theater career included roles in productions as wide-ranging as The Best Man, Much Ado About Nothing, and The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Active in community affairs, Jarvis spent time teaching English to youths at Camp Holton, a juvenile rehabilitation and probation center in the San Fernando Valley. He also sang in the choir at his church. Regarding his acting career, Jarvis recently told his wife, "For me, it was the roles that mattered. Sometimes, the more obscure ones satisfied me the most, but they all made me have a lovely time, and I was lucky to be around." He is survived by his wife, JoAnna Rader; two children, Matthew and Alex; and a sister, Kitty Blair. Phi Beta Kappa to Induct New Members The University of Tulsa Beta Chapter of Phi Beta Kappa announces new members who will be installed at the 2003 Spring Initiation, which will take place at 5:30 p.m. on Friday, May 9 in Tyrrell Hall Auditorium. Every year the University of Tulsa chapter of Phi Beta Kappa additionally inducts an honorary and/or an alumni member who has attained scholarly or artistic distinction in his or her field. This year the chapter will induct Mary Kay Place, eminent actress, as alumna member. Phi Beta Kappa is the nation�s oldest and most prestigious undergraduate honors organization. Since its founding in 1776, the Society has pursued its mission of fostering and recognizing excellence in the liberal arts and sciences, and its distinctive emblem, a golden key, is widely recognized as a symbol of academic distinction. In order to gain election, students must have excelled in a broad array of undergraduate courses in the arts and sciences offered at one of the 255 colleges and universities in the United States that are sufficiently rigorous and intellectually challenging to shelter a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa. The University of Tulsa is one of two universities in the state of Oklahoma to have a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa. Citizen Ruth was released on DVD on April 8, 2003 (arlticle added 04/08/03) The edgy 1996 Alexander Payne film starring Laura Dern, Mary Kay Place, Swoosie Kurtz, and Kurtwood Smith finally gets a DVD release with a great audio commentary by co-writer/director Alexander Payne, co-writer Jim Taylor, production designer Jane Ann Stewart, and actress Laura Dern Here's a film review of Citizen Ruth. |
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| Mary Kay Place and Graham Jarvis outside Tootsie's Orchid Lounge in Nashville, TN, right before Mary Kay appeared on the Grand Ole Opry stage, 1976. |
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| "Meet Ruth Stoops... one bad mother." |