in and that get turned down you
figure there’s got to be a reason.
It didn’t fit what they’re looking
for or they’re looking for a big star
or this person wasn’t right for the
show. That part’s ok; it’s when you
film it and it gets turned down that
it hurts because you put everything
into it. I’ve been happy with
every pilot that we’ve done that
was filmed thinking we did everything
right.
“We always had great casts,” he
continued. “It depends on who’s
running the network at the time
and depends on so many different
things. I always say, ‘No matter
how bad a tv show is that’s on
the air, I have so much respect for
whoever created that show for
jumping through all those hoops
to get it on the air.’ I don’t say what
a terrible show, I say good for you.”
The book starts off in 1977 when
Van Zandt flew to Hollywood to
shoot scenes for Jaws 2, his first
movie as an actor. But it doesn’t
start off with the film, it starts a bit
earlier with the first thing he did
in California - visiting the home of
Lucille Ball. She meant everything
to Van Zandt. He credits her as
the reason he’s in show business.
Everything from Lucy’s comic timing
to her writers serving as his instructors
on how to write a sitcom.
ON HIS BROTHER, STEVEN
In the opening credits he thanks his brother Steven Van Zandt - yes,
the guy from the E Street Band. He says “My brother Steven - you
actually had nothing at all to do with this book, but I’ll thank you
anyway. You’ve kept me laughing my entire life. And an extra thank
you for taking the heat years before I told Dad that I was also going
into show business.”
NJ STAGE - ISSUE 73
INDEX
NEXT ARTICLE
34