sixties

LOOK OUT DARK KNIGHT, THE CATWOMAN IS LURKING

Miss Julie Newmar is in the news today. She is my favorite Catwoman and in my humble opinion by far the best of all the actresses to don the catsuit to play Batman’s purrfectly feline nemisis. Miss Newmar is touting Angelina Jolie for the role in the next sequel and states matter-of-factly, “Angelina would own the part.” This may be moot as the writers of the upcoming sequel have gone on record that they are not yet inclined to introduce Catwoman.

Miss Julie Newmar, who just turned 75, also revealed that she is suffering from an incurable neuromuscular disease called Charcot-Marie-Tooth, which slowly robs a person of the ability to walk. She walks “very s-l-o-w-l-y” and is still able to so with the aid of a gentleman’s arm when needed but without a cane.

MORE WITH MARLYN

I interviewed actress Marlyn Mason about her new short, Model Rules. The movie came from an idea Marlyn had after researching what it took to become a real life artist’s model back in 2004. She shelved the proposal but when a friend suggested she enter a Fiction Writing contest, a former writing partner, comedian Vince Valenzuela, reminded her about becoming an artist’s model and thought that would make a better story.

How long did it take you to write Model Rules?
When I finished our conversation [with Vince Valenzuela], I turned on the computer, stared at it and forty-five minutes later had written a 488 word piece that I titled Model Rules. Had it not been for Vince’s reminding me of my idea it would not exist today and I would not be enjoying a surge in my otherwise slumbering career. Not bad at 68!

So how did it go from short story to short film?
My neighbor Janet Jamieson loved it, which encouraged me to send it to a local film maker, Ray Robison. He called and said “I want to do this”. “Me, too”, I replied. And so began the life of Model Rules. Ray brought together twenty-one volunteers to act as artists and crew.

So you never actually worked as an artist’s model while in Oregon?
No, so I found artist Robert M. Paulmenn who suggested I do a posing session before filming. Afterwards he said, “I can’t teach you anything. You’re a natural”! That was an enormous ego feed for this old broad!

Needing several real artists for visual purposes Robert was delighted to be cast along with artist Greeley Welles and sculptor Michael Isaacson.

How long did it take to shoot?
It took us two days and one evening to film. The Rogue Gallery in Medford, Oregon gave us the space and art equipment to use, which saved us a good amount. Half of the movie is shot in my own little hut, also in Medford.

Did the movie turn out as you envisioned?
When I put Model Rules into the hands of Ray Robison (pictured above on the set with Marlyn) I told him it was his to do with as he wished. I would not interfere. He welcomed suggestions and mine were less than few. I became the actress, doing as I was asked, never looking at the monitor. Weeks later when Ray showed me the rough cut I was stunned. With Director of Photography, Kenn Christenson, Ray put together exactly what I had pictured when I created the story. Ray also found exquisite pieces by composers Kevin MacLeod and Justin R. Durban. It was just good luck that Ray and I were on the same wave length visually and that Kenn was able to translate what we wanted, a French art film, of sorts.

And wouldn’t you know, my “natural” talents are now put to good use; on occasion I’m asked to pose for nude workshops!

MARLYN RULES

Drive-in Dream Girl Marlyn Mason has come of out of a 10-year retirement to star in Model Rules (2008) a short film that she also produced and wrote. In it, she plays an aging artist’s model who fantasizes about one of the men sketching her. Living in Oregon for the past decade, the movie was filmed on location.

Click here to access the Model Rules web site chock full of production stills. Warmly received, Model Rules was accepted into The Rhode Island Int’l Film Festival (Aug. 5 – 10) and the Los Angeles Int’l Short Festival (Aug. 15 – 21). If you live in any of those cities go see it!

Marlyn Mason is an extremely versatile performer and was a much sought after TV actress playing a variety of roles on all the top series including My Three Sons, Burke’s Law, Ben Casey, Dr. Kildare, Bonanza, The Man from U.N.C.L.E., Gomer Pyle, USMC, Hogan’s Heroes, Mannix, Love, American Style, etc. during the Sixties and Seventies. Mason also proved to be a wonderful singer and dancer on two TV variety spectaculars with Robert Goulet (Brigadoon and Carousel) and on Broadway in How Now Dow Jones. Her musical talent was finally put to good use on the big screen when she won a lead role opposite Elvis Presley in The Trouble with Girls (1969).

Marlyn remained extremely active in the Seventies, Eighties, and Nineties and is best remembered for playing a sexy older woman who seduces one of her husband’s students in the youth-oriented comedy, Making It (1971); the helpful assisant to blind detective James Franciscus in the TV series Longstreet and the neighbor who falls for Hal Holbrook unaware that he is gay in the groundbreaking TV movie That Certain Summer (1972). Her last credit prior to Model Rules was playing a grandmother in the TV movie Fifteen and Pregnant (1998).