Words from Mr. Watson

You'd be hard-pressed to find many people who know more about the peerless Lucille Ball than Tom Watson. Longtime president of the We Love Lucy fan club, he's also the co-author of Loving Lucy: An Illustrated Tribute to Lucille Ball. Since Lucy looms large in my newly released book S. Sylvan Simon, Moviemaker: Adventures with Lucy, Red Skelton, and Harry Cohn in the Golden Age of Hollywood, I invited Tom to give it a look.

Here's what he had to say:

The newest book on my Lucy Bookshelf is “S. Sylvan Simon, Moviemaker” (subtitled “Adventures with Lucy, Red Skelton and Harry Cohn in the Golden Age of Hollywood”), by author/historian David C. Tucker. I should emphasize the word “historian,” for not only is Mr. Tucker the author of at least 8 other show biz centered books, but this one (like the rest) is published by McFarland & Company, which tends to take a more erudite approach to things: most of their books tend to eschew the “Lucy ran to the bedroom in tears” anecdotes in favor of “just the facts, ma’am.” But (if I can mix in yet another Hollywood metaphor) there are a few “who shot who in the Embarcadero in August, 1879” stories just for fun -- when they reflect on the person or movie being discussed.

 "Her Husband's Affairs," with
Lucy and Franchot Tone.

The book is divided into two main parts: a names, date, places biography, chronicling Simon’s life and career, and an extensive filmography, that lists all of the pictures on which Simon worked, providing not only the official credits for each of the films, but a synopsis of the story, reviews, and comments.

Tucker has done a wonderful job here, shining some light on a little known writer-director-producer who made a profound contribution to the screen careers of both Lucille Ball and Red Skelton (and countless others). At MGM, he directed Skelton in such comedies as “Whistling in the Dark,” and it’s sequels, “Whistling in Dixie” and "Whistling in Brooklyn,” and directed Lucy in the cameo appearance she made in “Abbott and Costello in Hollywood.” Moving over to Columbia where he became a producer and soon took over as head of production, Simon starred Red in “The Fuller Brush Man,” directed Lucy in “Her Husband’s Affairs” and cast her in “Miss Grant Takes Richmond” and “The Fuller Brush Girl” (a follow-up to the Skelton hit).

As Tucker points out, the films Lucy made with Simon both showcased and helped advance her comedic abilities – setting her in motion for the stellar career in television that soon followed. Sadly, Simon himself did not live to see his star’s greatest success – he died in May of 1951 at the age of 41. Here, at last, is a fine chronicle of his life and career.

Thanks, Tom!

The Jeffersonian Era

Author Jay Moriarty takes us behind the scenes of a long-running sitcom with Honky in the House: Writing & Producing 'The Jeffersons' (Antler Productions). 

I haven't watched The Jeffersons in years, and I can't say I was ever a huge fan, though I certainly saw quite a few episodes. My hazy recollection is of a show that leaned heavily on insult humor, and was generally played to the rafters by its cast in a way I sometimes found off-putting. Moriarty considers the show groundbreaking in several aspects, and he makes a pretty good argument for his case. 

While I enjoyed his behind-the-scenes anecdotes, which also cover other shows for which he wrote, what I liked most about his book were the sections that serve as a how-to manual for aspiring sitcom writers. One of his more interesting comments explained why a newcomer submitting a sample script to producers should not send one for the show you want to write. He breaks down the structure of a traditional sitcom story in easy-to-understand terms, showing us a form almost as rigid as a haiku. Using practical examples from The Jeffersons, he illustrates the multitudinous challenges and choices that producers have to face in order to drop an episode into the can every week.  

Though this is generally a very engaging book, I do question his odd choice to write it in third person, and give himself and his longtime writing partner fictitious names. He explains in the introduction that he thought writing about himself in first-person form "egocentric." For this reader's money, the stylistic quirk was just an irritant that made the book harder to follow.

That quibble aside, Moriarty's book is well worth the read for classic TV buffs and wannabe screenwriters.

It's Here!

It's my ninth published book, but there's still nothing quite like the moment when you receive the first copies of the finished product.

My publisher, McFarland, has done its usual exemplary job of putting my words into a highly professional and attractive format.  Now there's nothing left to do except wait for readers and reviewers to let me know their reactions.

You can order the book from McFarland's website, or any of the usual online vendors.