March 5, 2008
Happy birthday to ...
Born on this day, in 1936.
Here's a big post I wrote about him for House Next Door. I go into his background and his development as an actor in that post - as well as point out 5 performances (out of so many good performances!) that I think capture Stockwell's impressive versatility, and also his plain old staying power.
In the comments section to one of my many posts on Dean Stockwell, a great conversation came up about fantasy, and what fantasies can provide us in real life. And how if you judge the side of yourself that yearns for a fantasy life, or if you think that that's just "kids stuff" - you can miss so much. I explain myself - and the whole celebrity crush thing here. What I have learned is that often - a crush like that - comes up as a harbinger of other things in my life. It's a message ... from my subconscious (which I normally try to ignore) ... telling me: "Something's going on. You need to pay attention." And then - like with my Ralph Macchio crush (post about it here) ... it seems to exist solely as a kind of emotional armor. Something that I can hang onto when the going gets tough ... and it helps keep the best part of me alive. Because, you know, often the world - and other people - want to kill that part of you. They want to crush that which is soft and open and hopeful - because it implicates them. Hope is suspect in many circles. It's seen as threatening and it either produces a rolling-eyed response of condescension, or a calculated effort to smash that hope. I experienced it in junior high and I experience it now as an adult.
I said in the comments to one of my Stockwell posts:
I think that reality is all well and good - you know, I have to deal with it every day ... but I thank God that even in my adulthood I have carved out that space of fantasy for myself - still. Very much like that one stupid episode in Eight is Enough years and years ago - my "fantasies" about some of these people have kept vital things in me alive ... it's almost like I was able to save things up, for when I would need them later. Life was a howling wilderness, all was cruel - but the dreams that came alive in me when I saw that stupid 8 is enough episode - helped save that bit of my soul, that I would need for later ... It WASN'T killed. It survived.I think the word I am looking for is "soft". These things help keep me "soft" (and I mean that in the best way Not as in 'weak' but as in 'open'). So much of life and reality seems designed to harden us. It's such a temptation to get bitter. And those who pride themselves on being "realistic" are often just dickheads. I won't go TOO much into my personal life - but 2007 has been a rough year for me. It's been a struggle sometimes to just get thru the day. And Dean Stockwell, bless his heart, helped keep me 'soft' - and receptive - and open ... still able to be hurt, and hope for things, and dream dreams.
I don't expect to be understood by those who have not had such an experience, but that's my experience.
I am happy to report that when I recently met Dean Stockwell, he totally lived up to my expectations. Even to the sexy little comment he made when my friend Stevie was fiddling with my camera - trying to take a picture of us - and Stockwell said to Stevie, "Push the button easy ..." and he had his arm around me, his cigar in his hand ... and he's saying something like "Push the button easy???" Have I died? Can someone kill me right now?
He was just as I had pictured. And that's always awesome, too.
Here are some selected posts I have written about Dean Stockwell. Hope you enjoy.
The incredible length of his career
Three stories about Errol Flynn
Post about Compulsion - Mitchell and I watched it last night.
Stockwell in Compulsion on Broadway
Stockwell in The Werewolf of Washington - a camp favorite of mine
Stockwell in The Dunwich Horror - I mean, come ON.
Stockwell taking a bow. sniff, sniff.
So happy birthday, Mr. Stockwell. Glad I decided to re-discover you. Your work has meant more to me over this past year than I can even express.
Posted by sheila | TrackBack72 years old and acting since he was a little boy. Incredible.
I enjoyed Quantum Leap a lot and he was one of the reasons. He could be goofy and clownish and then turn around and be emotional and moving without missing a beat. I loved him in the Oswald/Kennedy episode where I felt he did this particularly well (although mainly the serious dramatic stuff). At the end when Sam thinks he's failed and Al tells him he didn't, that the first time around Jackie was killed too, was very powerful. It has stayed with me since it aired just because of how he did it.
Happy Birthday Dean.
Posted by: Jonathan Lapper at March 5, 2008 12:37 PMJonathan - I know just the moment you mean in that Quantum Leap episode. Totally powerful - he has this way of under-playing such moments, he has a weird gravitas - so not self-congratulatory - it's the mark of a really good actor, I think.
Posted by: red at March 5, 2008 1:16 PMYay, I knew there would be a post like this.
Reading your comments about being "soft", I think I know what you mean now. I think he gives you that because he has that openness himself. He has a great deal of vulnerability before the camera, even though he's fearless. Something we could all aspire to.
Posted by: Karen at March 5, 2008 3:29 PMTCM is honoring him by playing a few of his movies this afternoon. I wondered why they were doing it and figured it was his birthday. So, I went to the one site on the Internet that I knew would confirm it for me.
Posted by: Mark at March 5, 2008 4:35 PM"Because, you know, often the world - and other people - want to kill that part of you. They want to crush that which is soft and open and hopeful - because it implicates them. Hope is suspect in many circles. It's seen as threatening and it either produces a rolling-eyed response of condescension, or a calculated effort to smash that hope." Yes! I hate rainers (?) on parades.
Posted by: Kristen at March 5, 2008 5:25 PMGreat post, Sheila.
"And those who pride themselves on being 'realistic' are often just dickheads."
Exactly. They are usually not creative people, they don't understand creativity or people that are driven by it, so they turn it into an object of scorn. I don't have anything against people that tend to be more literal and realistic. Whatever. The world needs all kinds. But there's a line some people cross, where they expect only the things they deem "important" to be taken seriously.
Posted by: Emily at March 5, 2008 6:57 PMGreat point about staying soft, sheila, which you're right, has nothing it all to do with weakness.
I think realism and cynicism are their own refuge, maybe for people who are too beaten up to be anything but.
Posted by: bill at March 6, 2008 11:55 PM"Realism" is a false front and cynicism is real weakness. Life is too short to be negative.
I found this post just recently, I think it's somewhat related.
Posted by: dorkafork at March 7, 2008 11:57 PM