Maybe it's a sign of getting older, but now and then I slip into the past, and reflect on personalities I've crossed paths with.
Well, Tom Hanks was sure a piece of work!
Around the time he garnered rave reviews for "BIG", I struck up a relationship with a production company in my capacity as a Literary Agent.
My contact got in touch one day and noted that Tom was striving to change his image - find projects that would allow him to "stretch" his acting muscles - and show another facet of his talent to the industry besides the comedic bill of fare he was known for.
The task at hand was simple.
I was invited to submit a handful of one-line ideas, with the specific aim of developing seven potential film projects for the rising star.
I put the word out to my roster of talented writers - at which point - original pitches for full-length features began to pour in.
The top-notch ones were summarily forwarded on to the production company for Mr. Hank's consideration.
In spite of the width and breadth of the great ideas, my gal at the production office continued to return them marked "reject".
Heck, I could probably fair better than my gang of talented scriptwriters, I thought to myself one calm day.
Around that time frame, the AIDS crisis was just starting to unfold around the Nation.
Suddenly, it dawned on me that a touching script on the subject - featuring a name star - was ripe for the American market.
So, I keyed in my story idea on a piece of the Agency Stationary, and fired it off to the production company.
I waited excitedly for a response, but none was forthcoming.
That struck me as odd.
Normally, proposals were gleaned over and returned within a couple of days.
When a week passed, I picked up the phone to determine the status of the submission.
"I'll get back to you," the young exec responded.
Again, a strange turn of events, in view of my past dealings with Tom's "people".
Finally, I got a call that Tom "didn't want to do an AIDS story."
Curiously, the material was never returned.
Shortly thereafter, it was announced that Tom - in fact - was interested in sinking his acting chops into a drama about a lawyer afflicted with AIDS.
Yes, if you recall, Hanks signed on for "Philadelphia" and went on to win an Oscar for his performance - in a role - I developed!
When I turned on the television Oscar Night and witnessed the big phony at the podium, tearfully making heartfelt comments about "Angels", I was inclined to throw up!
I yelled at the screen.
"Tom, you thief!"
Yeah, what a piece of ka-ka.
Today, if I flick the dial on the television - and his smug face appears on the screen - I change the channel pronto.
In my books, Tom Hanks is boycott box office bum No. 1.
If life is a box of chocolates, he's the one that's hollow, that leaves a bad taste in the mouth.
http://www.julianayrs.com