I just received the following correspondence. Before I attempt to get this miniseries released on DVD, I need to demonstrate public/consumer interest. If you want to see "The Last Convertible" released, post your comment here. -- Tom
Hi, Tom
We exchanged emails when you were still working hard on your amazing four year quest to bring back the wonderful "Once An Eagle" miniseries.
I am the retired Navy pilot and writer who had corresponded with Anton Myrer for years in the 1970s about his books and the writing life. I was even able to visit Myrer and his wife once at Saugerties. I consider his letters a treasure.
Having considered Myrer's OTHER WWII epic, "The Last Convertible" in the same class as OAE, I wonder if you knew that it was also made into an excellent miniseries in roughly the same timeframe -- and has been similarly "disappeared" since its first showing (though, like OAE, poor quality pirate copies are available, one of which I have). Would you consider starting another project to rescue this gem from the vaults? I ask because, like OAE, the Convertible miniseries is all about the longstanding values that made our country great. When in our long history as a republic have we ever needed our people to be reminded of those values more than today? Also, having succeeded at your OAE project, you now presumedly know the best way to proceed in such an effort. If successful, you also have the website, blog and online selling process already established to sell Convertible.
Tony Myrer strongly encouraged me to write about MY war -- Vietnam -- which I have yet to do but will one day. The time he took to criticize several of my short stories and to clinically describe the challenges he found himself in writing novels incurred a debt I can never repay. But I have written two books as I now approach my third and final retirement in December -- "Seahawk : Confessions of an Old Hockey Goalie (www.ryeseahawks.com) in 2008, set just post-WWII, which has done well in national bookstores and on Amazon -- and "Rye Harbor : Poems of the New Hampshire Seacoast" in 2010, which has sold well locally in northern New England. A third book -- "The Flying Frenchmen : The REAL Hockeytown USA" will be in publication in early 2011. Anton Myrer remains my silent guide in my writing.
Should you decide to pursue "Convertible" as you have "Eagle" -- a goal that I feel would be almost as worthy as OAE -- I believe you will have done an great service to Myrer, grateful movielovers and to your country.
Sincere regards & thanks for your uncommon success with OAE,
Bruce
Bruce Valley
Saturday, August 7, 2010
Friday, August 6, 2010
Interview with Richard Michaels, Director, "Once An Eagle" Miniseries
Interview:
Richard Michaels, Director,
“Once An Eagle” Miniseries
by Tom Hebert, OAE Enterprises
Question: How was it that you came to be selected as a director for the “Once An Eagle” miniseries?
I had been directing only episodes of comedy series (“Bewitched,” “The Brady Bunch,” “Love, American Style,” etc.) I was branded a comedy director – nobody would trust me with a dramatic show. Then one day a producer friend of mine offered me the final episode of Universal’s “Ellery Queen” because it was about to be cancelled and I couldn’t possibly do any damage. That’s when I met Peter Fischer, the co-producer. My episode turned out to be one of the best of the series and led to my directing five episodes the next season on Universal’s “Delvecchio.” William Sackheim was the Executive Producer. Bill Sackheim came to me one day and asked if I thought I could direct a war movie. I said, “Sure. I’ve seen most of John Wayne’s movies!” I got the job.
Question: There were two directors involved with the “Once An Eagle” miniseries. Can you tell us which episodes you directed?
During production the episodes were identified as Part One through Part Nine. Parts One & Two and Parts Eight & Nine were each packaged together as two-hour presentations and Parts Three through Seven were televised as one-hour episodes each week. On the DVD they are identified as Chapters 1 through 7 with 1 and 7 being the two hour versions, 2 through 6 the one hour episodes. I directed Chapters 2, 3 and 7. My friend E. W. Swackhamer directed Chapters 1, 4, 5 and 6.
Question: In your very accomplished career, you directed 54 episodes and was Associate Producer for 161 episodes of the enormously popular television miniseries, “Bewitched,” and more than two dozen made-for-tv movies. Where does your involvement in “Once An Eagle” fit within those accomplishments and your career as a whole?
“Bewitched,” of course, is the show most associated with my name. Just about everyone has seen some episodes of “Bewitched,” it has been in syndication for over thirty years and all eight seasons have been available for years on DVD. “Once An Eagle,” on the other hand, disappeared from sight until you rescued it from obscurity. No one has seen it in all these years and almost no one knows I had anything to do with it. Nevertheless, it vaulted me into long form TV in a huge way. Long form includes TV movies and miniseries, truly the director’s medium in TV. Series television is the producer’s medium – the director can only recreate what has already been established. Long forms are like features, with the director choosing cast, locations and creating the movie. “Once An Eagle” was my first long form and was the beginning of 18 wonderful years directing TV movies and miniseries.
Question: The “Once An Eagle” miniseries was a critical success and it was an enormous hit with viewers who have carried memories of it and a burning desire to see it again for more than 30 years. It is certainly fair to say that, in today’s vernacular, you “got it right”. You must have done your homework. How did you prepare? What resources did you draw on? What do you consider to be your biggest directorial achievements within the miniseries? Finally, why do you think the miniseries was so popular?
It starts with the novel and the script. While a director can certainly screw up good material, it is difficult to create a great film without great material. We have Anton Myrer and Peter Fischer to thank for the absorbing and complex story of “Once An Eagle.”
The one element of preparation that was new to me was getting ready to shoot the complex battle sequences in Chapter 7. We don’t shoot scenes in the order they appear in the movie, but rather we shoot everything that occurs in a similar set together. The battle sequence cuts back and forth between Division HQ, Regimental HQ, the jungle, the beach, and the battlefield. To be certain I didn’t forget anything, I took an extra copy of the script and cut out all the different scenes, then pasted them back together by location instead of in continuity. Now I had all the jungle scenes together, all the beach scenes, etc. In this way, I was able to be sure I didn’t forget something because only the director decides what shots to make. There’s an old saying – you can’t cut to a shot you didn’t shoot.
As for my biggest directorial achievement in the miniseries, I’d say earning the respect and confidence of the cast. They knew this was the biggest show I had ever done and my friend “Swack,” the other director, was far more experienced. In the beginning many of the old pros would tend to stay arms length from the new, young director. It was up to me to gain their trust. I believe I did.
Why was it so popular? Great story, great all-star cast. Our job was to keep it real and prevent it from falling into over-dramatic melodrama. The result speaks for itself.
Question: Did you have the opportunity to meet Anton Myrer? If so, please share that experience with us?
No, unfortunately.
Question: Can you share with us your three most memorable directorial moments while shooting the “Once An Eagle” miniseries?
I’ll tell you one. In Chapter 2, in one of the very first scenes I shot, Glenn Ford confronts Sam with his own experience of having a close friend killed in front of him. The uninterrupted monologue ran almost a whole page of script and Glenn had difficulty getting all the lines correct. He wondered if perhaps it would help to have cue cards held off screen to assist him with the dialogue. I took him off to the side and told him quite privately that I wanted him to recreate and actually experience the scene in Cuba the dialogue was describing. Make it so real he is actually there with his buddy when it happened. Then, describe that experience to Sam. I didn’t care what words came out as long as he stayed with the experience. I think it is Glenn Ford’s best moment in the film.
Question: What was it like to work with a film legend like Glenn Ford?
Humbling.
Question: Which “Once An Eagle” miniseries actor or actors did you enjoy directing the most and why?
Sam Elliott – I believe he is our generation’s Gary Cooper. Glenn Ford – what an honor to direct this acting icon. Amy Irving – unpredictable and always interesting - 100% committed to her work. Darleen Carr – you just want to hug her.
Question: I am sure “Once An Eagle” fans would love to hear any behind-the-scenes, never-before-shared stories about the making of the “Once An Eagle” miniseries. What can you tell us?
When the studio was considering locations for the World War II Pacific theater scenes (Chapter 7), they sent me to Florida to look at places they had found. It was awful. It didn’t look anything like the Pacific islands. I asked to scout Hawaii. They balked because it would be much more expensive but eventually sent me anyway. The Army took me on a tour of Oahu by helicopter. We found exactly what I was looking for in Haliewa on the north shore. What we couldn’t have forseen was an enormous swell the day we were ready to shoot that wiped out our set and our wardrobe truck on the way to the set. We had to shoot other scenes, even not prepared for that day, while the set was rebuilt. The wardrobe was rescued by another truck.
Question: Other than the “Once An Eagle” miniseries, do you have a favorite war movie? Which one and why?
More than one. “Saving Private Ryan” (5 Academy Awards – 1998) Most war movies are sanitized. Spielberg showed the true hell of combat. Also, “All Quiet on the Western Front” (Best Picture, Best Director - 1930), “Paths of Glory” (1957), a classic good vs. evil war story, and “The Best Years of Our Lives” (7 Academy Awards - 1946) “Best Years” is not technically a war movie but, instead, the story of three veterans of WW II coming home and adjusting after the war. More films should deal with the effect war has on veterans.
Question: Are you in touch with any of the key players involved in the “Once An Eagle” miniseries?
I’ve run into Sam once or twice. I directed Clu Gulager and Ralph Bellamy in a western, “Charlie Cobb,” for Peter Fischer, right after finishing “Once An Eagle,” and Cliff Potts the following year, but I have not really been in touch with the actors through the years.
Question: In a country dogged by two wars, plagued by a sour economy, and victimized by a business and political world rife with mismanagement, trickery, deception, and outright fraud, does the “Once An Eagle” story line with its good vs. evil theme, have a role to play?
As they say, “Truth is stranger than fiction.” There are probably a lot of miniseries stories out there in the runup to the worst economic crisis of our lives. But I think it would be a stretch for most people to relate Sam vs. Courtney to what is going on today. That being said, there is always a role for films about the good guys vs. the bad guys.
Question: When did you retire and how are you enjoying your retirement?
I retired in 1994. The golden years of TV movies and miniseries were coming to a close (today there are almost none made anymore.) The networks had become more focused on ratings and pleasing sponsors, less on the quality of the material. What used to be great fun had turned into a job. That’s when I quit. We live in Maui now and I am putting my energy into preserving the wonderful environment here. I’m even producing and directing TV shows about issues of importance to Maui for local public access TV.
Tom Hebert: In closing, Mr. Michaels, thank you for your absolutely outstanding work on the “Once An Eagle”. My involvement in the “Once An Eagle” phenomenon, and my interaction with fans, has convinced me that you have made a film for the ages! Thank you also for your time, your recollections, and your insights.
You are very welcome and thanks again for your successful campaign to bring back “Once An Eagle” on DVD. Well done!
Richard Michaels, Director,
“Once An Eagle” Miniseries
by Tom Hebert, OAE Enterprises
Question: How was it that you came to be selected as a director for the “Once An Eagle” miniseries?
I had been directing only episodes of comedy series (“Bewitched,” “The Brady Bunch,” “Love, American Style,” etc.) I was branded a comedy director – nobody would trust me with a dramatic show. Then one day a producer friend of mine offered me the final episode of Universal’s “Ellery Queen” because it was about to be cancelled and I couldn’t possibly do any damage. That’s when I met Peter Fischer, the co-producer. My episode turned out to be one of the best of the series and led to my directing five episodes the next season on Universal’s “Delvecchio.” William Sackheim was the Executive Producer. Bill Sackheim came to me one day and asked if I thought I could direct a war movie. I said, “Sure. I’ve seen most of John Wayne’s movies!” I got the job.
Question: There were two directors involved with the “Once An Eagle” miniseries. Can you tell us which episodes you directed?
During production the episodes were identified as Part One through Part Nine. Parts One & Two and Parts Eight & Nine were each packaged together as two-hour presentations and Parts Three through Seven were televised as one-hour episodes each week. On the DVD they are identified as Chapters 1 through 7 with 1 and 7 being the two hour versions, 2 through 6 the one hour episodes. I directed Chapters 2, 3 and 7. My friend E. W. Swackhamer directed Chapters 1, 4, 5 and 6.
Question: In your very accomplished career, you directed 54 episodes and was Associate Producer for 161 episodes of the enormously popular television miniseries, “Bewitched,” and more than two dozen made-for-tv movies. Where does your involvement in “Once An Eagle” fit within those accomplishments and your career as a whole?
“Bewitched,” of course, is the show most associated with my name. Just about everyone has seen some episodes of “Bewitched,” it has been in syndication for over thirty years and all eight seasons have been available for years on DVD. “Once An Eagle,” on the other hand, disappeared from sight until you rescued it from obscurity. No one has seen it in all these years and almost no one knows I had anything to do with it. Nevertheless, it vaulted me into long form TV in a huge way. Long form includes TV movies and miniseries, truly the director’s medium in TV. Series television is the producer’s medium – the director can only recreate what has already been established. Long forms are like features, with the director choosing cast, locations and creating the movie. “Once An Eagle” was my first long form and was the beginning of 18 wonderful years directing TV movies and miniseries.
Question: The “Once An Eagle” miniseries was a critical success and it was an enormous hit with viewers who have carried memories of it and a burning desire to see it again for more than 30 years. It is certainly fair to say that, in today’s vernacular, you “got it right”. You must have done your homework. How did you prepare? What resources did you draw on? What do you consider to be your biggest directorial achievements within the miniseries? Finally, why do you think the miniseries was so popular?
It starts with the novel and the script. While a director can certainly screw up good material, it is difficult to create a great film without great material. We have Anton Myrer and Peter Fischer to thank for the absorbing and complex story of “Once An Eagle.”
The one element of preparation that was new to me was getting ready to shoot the complex battle sequences in Chapter 7. We don’t shoot scenes in the order they appear in the movie, but rather we shoot everything that occurs in a similar set together. The battle sequence cuts back and forth between Division HQ, Regimental HQ, the jungle, the beach, and the battlefield. To be certain I didn’t forget anything, I took an extra copy of the script and cut out all the different scenes, then pasted them back together by location instead of in continuity. Now I had all the jungle scenes together, all the beach scenes, etc. In this way, I was able to be sure I didn’t forget something because only the director decides what shots to make. There’s an old saying – you can’t cut to a shot you didn’t shoot.
As for my biggest directorial achievement in the miniseries, I’d say earning the respect and confidence of the cast. They knew this was the biggest show I had ever done and my friend “Swack,” the other director, was far more experienced. In the beginning many of the old pros would tend to stay arms length from the new, young director. It was up to me to gain their trust. I believe I did.
Why was it so popular? Great story, great all-star cast. Our job was to keep it real and prevent it from falling into over-dramatic melodrama. The result speaks for itself.
Question: Did you have the opportunity to meet Anton Myrer? If so, please share that experience with us?
No, unfortunately.
Question: Can you share with us your three most memorable directorial moments while shooting the “Once An Eagle” miniseries?
I’ll tell you one. In Chapter 2, in one of the very first scenes I shot, Glenn Ford confronts Sam with his own experience of having a close friend killed in front of him. The uninterrupted monologue ran almost a whole page of script and Glenn had difficulty getting all the lines correct. He wondered if perhaps it would help to have cue cards held off screen to assist him with the dialogue. I took him off to the side and told him quite privately that I wanted him to recreate and actually experience the scene in Cuba the dialogue was describing. Make it so real he is actually there with his buddy when it happened. Then, describe that experience to Sam. I didn’t care what words came out as long as he stayed with the experience. I think it is Glenn Ford’s best moment in the film.
Question: What was it like to work with a film legend like Glenn Ford?
Humbling.
Question: Which “Once An Eagle” miniseries actor or actors did you enjoy directing the most and why?
Sam Elliott – I believe he is our generation’s Gary Cooper. Glenn Ford – what an honor to direct this acting icon. Amy Irving – unpredictable and always interesting - 100% committed to her work. Darleen Carr – you just want to hug her.
Question: I am sure “Once An Eagle” fans would love to hear any behind-the-scenes, never-before-shared stories about the making of the “Once An Eagle” miniseries. What can you tell us?
When the studio was considering locations for the World War II Pacific theater scenes (Chapter 7), they sent me to Florida to look at places they had found. It was awful. It didn’t look anything like the Pacific islands. I asked to scout Hawaii. They balked because it would be much more expensive but eventually sent me anyway. The Army took me on a tour of Oahu by helicopter. We found exactly what I was looking for in Haliewa on the north shore. What we couldn’t have forseen was an enormous swell the day we were ready to shoot that wiped out our set and our wardrobe truck on the way to the set. We had to shoot other scenes, even not prepared for that day, while the set was rebuilt. The wardrobe was rescued by another truck.
Question: Other than the “Once An Eagle” miniseries, do you have a favorite war movie? Which one and why?
More than one. “Saving Private Ryan” (5 Academy Awards – 1998) Most war movies are sanitized. Spielberg showed the true hell of combat. Also, “All Quiet on the Western Front” (Best Picture, Best Director - 1930), “Paths of Glory” (1957), a classic good vs. evil war story, and “The Best Years of Our Lives” (7 Academy Awards - 1946) “Best Years” is not technically a war movie but, instead, the story of three veterans of WW II coming home and adjusting after the war. More films should deal with the effect war has on veterans.
Question: Are you in touch with any of the key players involved in the “Once An Eagle” miniseries?
I’ve run into Sam once or twice. I directed Clu Gulager and Ralph Bellamy in a western, “Charlie Cobb,” for Peter Fischer, right after finishing “Once An Eagle,” and Cliff Potts the following year, but I have not really been in touch with the actors through the years.
Question: In a country dogged by two wars, plagued by a sour economy, and victimized by a business and political world rife with mismanagement, trickery, deception, and outright fraud, does the “Once An Eagle” story line with its good vs. evil theme, have a role to play?
As they say, “Truth is stranger than fiction.” There are probably a lot of miniseries stories out there in the runup to the worst economic crisis of our lives. But I think it would be a stretch for most people to relate Sam vs. Courtney to what is going on today. That being said, there is always a role for films about the good guys vs. the bad guys.
Question: When did you retire and how are you enjoying your retirement?
I retired in 1994. The golden years of TV movies and miniseries were coming to a close (today there are almost none made anymore.) The networks had become more focused on ratings and pleasing sponsors, less on the quality of the material. What used to be great fun had turned into a job. That’s when I quit. We live in Maui now and I am putting my energy into preserving the wonderful environment here. I’m even producing and directing TV shows about issues of importance to Maui for local public access TV.
Tom Hebert: In closing, Mr. Michaels, thank you for your absolutely outstanding work on the “Once An Eagle”. My involvement in the “Once An Eagle” phenomenon, and my interaction with fans, has convinced me that you have made a film for the ages! Thank you also for your time, your recollections, and your insights.
You are very welcome and thanks again for your successful campaign to bring back “Once An Eagle” on DVD. Well done!
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Interview with Peter S. Fischer, Producer, "Once An Eagle" Miniseries
Interview:
Peter S. Fischer, Producer,
“Once An Eagle” Miniseries
by Tom Hebert, OAE Enterprises
Question: It must have been a difficult decision to truncate Anton Myrer’s novel late in WWII rather than take the story, as the novel did, into the early 1960s and the war in Khotiane (Myrer’s fictional Vietnam). Please tell us about the decision making process?
No, it really wasn't that difficult and I'll explain why. I had nine hours to tell a sprawling story. Sounds like a lot but it isn't. Many classic books have been successfully transferred to the screen but in doing so, left out major portions. Prime example: "A Place in the Sun" which covered only the last third of Dreiser’s book "An American Tragedy" or "East of Eden" which used only a small section of the Steinbeck opus. At the time, Viet Nam was anathema to the public.
In addition, dramatically I always felt that confrontation between Sam and Courtney had to occur in WWII after Ben's death. To include all the material after WWII would have meant truncating all the material that came before and it just couldn't be done artfully. l've never second guessed that decision.
Question: Did you have the opportunity to meet Anton Myrer? If so, please share that experience with us?
I never met Mr. Myrer, never talked to him. My only contact was the letter I received from him which I forwarded to you. (Note: this letter can be found at www.onceaneaglethedvd.com)
Question: Casting can make or break any film. The consensus among “Once An Eagle” fans is that you absolutely nailed the military roles of Sam Damon, Courtney Massengale, and George Caldwell by casting Sam Elliott, Cliff Potts, and Glenn Ford, respectively. Can you tell us about the casting process for “Once An Eagle”? In particular, how did you come to choose Sam Elliott to play Sam Damon?
Casting the mini-series was a collaborative process as it always is in film and television. Sam Elliott had just come off a low budget feature called "Lifeguard" and he was excellent. Strong, soft spoken, all the qualities we were looking for. I'm not sure we seriously considered anyone else. Glenn Ford had a contract with Universal and “OAE” was one of the ways he could fulfill his commitment. He could have refused the part but didn't because I think he liked the material and the notion that he could play father figure/mentor to Sam. I know he enjoyed being in the series very much and we were delighted and honored to have him. As for Cliff Potts, this was the toughest part to cast. We needed someone who could exude strength and intelligence because pitting Sam Damon against an obvious second rater would have been foolhardy. We read an awful lot of actors before Monique James, head of Universal casting, recommended we test Cliff. His resume til then was a lot of westerns and frankly we hadn't given him a thought. But we were very impressed once we got to see and know him and I think we were darned lucky to have found him.
Question: Can you share with us any facts and figures related to the “Once An Eagle” shoot? How big was the budget? How long did it take to film?
Did much of the filming end up on the cutting room floor? How long were the shooting days? Were there days off or did you work through the weekends?
I really don't have any dollar figures to reveal. It's been a long time. But in that era, a quality TV project would usually come in at around $1,000,000 an hour so I would guess that our total was somewhere in the neighborhood of $10,000,000. It might have been more. Shooting schedules averaged about 8 days per hour so I would guess around 10-11 weeks of shooting. In L.A. filming was restricted to 5 days a week; on location we also worked Saturdays (Napa Valley and Hawaii). I don't recall throwing a lot of film away. Movies have that luxury. TV doesn't. Generally we would get a rough cut of 50-52 minutes and we would have to shave it down to about 47-48 minutes to fit NBC airtime. We would tighten by dropping some dialogue, shortening scenes, eliminating some beauty shots but we didn't cut into the muscle. As a rule mini-series demand more care than your average weekly episode so my figures may be a little low. Although I was the producer, most of the nuts and bolts stuff was handled by the line producer, Joe Kramer, and the unit production manager.
Question: Can you share with us your three most memorable moments while shooting the “Once An Eagle” miniseries?
I don't know about "memorable" but I can tell you about a couple of incidents which I won't forget. Sometimes the location people get a little lazy or overworked and "can do" turns into "no can do". I was very vehement about retaining the baseball game in hour three but I was told the site didn't exist in the L.A area. My response to that was unprintable. I had been going to Vegas a couple of times a year by car and passing through a small town called Little Rock. Not only did they have a dusty grimy ball field at the local high school but the background, if you shot it correctly was flat, desert ...perfect for the Texas setting. And nearby was a cluster of small weather-beaten houses that we also filmed for Sam and Tommy's quarters on the post. As you can tell I don't take "no can do" for an answer. The other moment which could have been tragic happened on the last day of shooting in Hawaii. The aftermath of the battlefield was ready for shooting: uprooted palm trees, charred and overturned jeeps, bodies everywhere, fires ready be lit. And at 7 in the morning, a huge wave came ashore and wiped out the entire set. It looked like we might have to stay an extra day, hotel plans up in the air, plane reservations to change ....and then the set guys got to work and within five hours had it all put back together again. That night, we left Hawaii on time. By the way, did you know that palm trees are not indigenous to Hawaii? We went there specifically to recreate the WWII Pacific theater and we had to import our own rubber palm trees to make the set work.
Question: What was it like to work with a film legend like Glenn Ford?
Glenn had always been one of my favorites starting with the westerns with Bill Holden, “Gilda,” “Blackboard Jungle" “Teahouse” ....so many to count. He was approaching 40 years in front of the cameras when I got to work with him and he'd lost none of his talent though the memory was giving him fits. In Hour 3, he has a long scene with Sam about the Army and leadership and patriotism and why Sam should consider the military as a career. Glenn had one very long heartfelt speech and he wanted his cue cards and I told him no. As good as he was, using cue cards was reading and it wouldn't do, not for this scene. I told him: "Glenn, I want you to read that speech over and over and over until its message is burned deep down in your gut. And then when the camera rolls, I want you to deliver it. I don't care if you get words mixed up, sentences bollixed, that isn't important. What's important is conveying the message.” Well, I knew he was nervous about it but hell, if I wasn't worried, why should he be. He did the scene in one take (excluding coverage) and he was masterful. Quiet, thoughtful, determined. I damned near cried watching the dailies the day after we shot it. A wonderful man. A true professional.
Question: The “Once An Eagle” miniseries’ female stars also did great work? What can you tell us about Darlene Carr who played Tommy Damon, Amy Irving who played Emily Massengale, or Melanie Griffith who played Jinny Massengale?
None of us knew Darlene Carr before she came in to read but I knew right away, she was what I wanted. Perky, strong willed, a smile as big as all outdoors, a perfect complement to Sam's taciturnity. Her Golden Globe nomination was well deserved. Amy had a pretty good credit in "Carrie" prior to meeting her for the Emily part. I felt she was a perfect complement to Darlene. Amy's sultry good looks were in sharp contrast to Darlene's corn-fed openness. Amy also exuded sophistication and finishing school breeding. Also, just the type who would fall for Courtney. As for Melanie, we were lucky to catch her at the right time. She was a wonderful actress, could play the age and part to a tee and exuded that wanton sexuality that Courtney couldn't abide.
Question: “Once An Eagle” sat on the shelf for more than 30 years. Do you think the story line and characters have relevance to where America finds itself today?
I don't know how to answer that. In a perfect world I would like to think that America's youth is just as patriotic and self-sacrificing as the "greatest generation" but I'm not sure that's true. Certainly the country's perception of the military during Korea and Viet Nam were markedly different than WWII. We also find ourselves fighting wars that we don't understand. Logically there are reasons why we should be in Iraq and Afghanistan but I see a nationwide uneasiness about what is happening in the Mideast. It certainly isn't as cut and dried as fighting the Axis. It will take better minds than mine to really assess this conundrum.
Question: Are you in touch with any of the key players involved in the “Once An Eagle” miniseries?
I really have lost touch with just about everyone involved with “OAE”. Clu Gulager was a friend who lived doors away from me in the SF Valley. He has since moved back to the Midwest. Obviously I was in touch for many years during “Murder She Wrote” with Bill Windom. Bob Hogan, who played Ben Krisler, was a long time friend who I believe is now doing soap operas in NYC. We originally had signed Don Meredith to play Ben but about four days before we had to start principal photography, I got a phone call from Dandy Don basically backing out and reneging on his contract. A big no-no for an actor. There wasn't much we could do about it except sue but that would have been silly. I called Bob and offered him the job because he was not only right for the part, he was a terrific actor. Turns out he and Sam had been talking for years about doing something together.
Funny how things work out.
Question: In your illustrious career, you have been involved at a very high level in a number of extremely successful television productions, “Columbo” and “Murder, She Wrote,” to name just two. In your mind, where does your involvement in “Once An Eagle” fit in the context of those accomplishments and your career as a whole?
Over my nearly thirty years in the business, I had a lot of successes and a few flops. Some of the things I am most proud of never succeeded in finding an audience. “Once an Eagle” ranks in the top four or five topped by “Murder She Wrote” and “Columbo”. I thought we did a pretty good job of it and that's why it rankled me when NBC and Universal consigned it to the dust bin for so many years. I have a feeling the politics of the people in charge had a lot to do with it, but I could be wrong. “OAE” was certainly a lot different than anything I had tried before and I felt the weight of responsibility. I think Sam Elliott should have been nominated for an EMMY, but again, maybe the academy was turned off by the subject matter.
Question: In recent years, you have gone from television writer and producer to novelist. You currently have two novels on the market: The Blood of Tyrants and The Terror of Tyrants. Tell us about your books. What motivated you to write them? What is the underlying theme? How have they been received?
In 1996 I retired for good or so I thought. I'd had enough of network meetings with fresh faced film school grads half my age. But in the past two years I became so enraged at the direction the country was being taken that I took the dust cover off the typewriter and wrote The Blood of Tyrants. I had never written a novel, had never really tried, but the words flowed out of me like water down a drainpipe in a hurricane. It's a political thriller with lots of political insights into the egregious machinations of the Washington power structure. I wanted those who weren't paying attention to get an education while being entertained at the same time. I think I succeeded. AII of this in advance of November 2010 and our last chance to do the right thing for our country. Shortly thereafter I wrote my second book The Terror of Tyrants. Unlike the first book which took dead on shots at Congress, the second one dealt with the overreaching arrogance of the Socialists in the White House. I published both books myself and they are for sale on line at Amazon and Barnes & Noble and my own website. The subject matter was so volatile that I couldn't wait for the snail's pace way the out of date brick and mortar publishers do business. And yes, both books have been received very well. On my website, autographed copies come with a money-back guarantee, no questions asked and I have yet to make a refund.
Tom Hebert: Thank you very much Mr. Fischer for the interview and for your fine work on the “Once An Eagle” miniseries.
For more on Mr. Fischer and his novels, visit Amazon.com’s Peter S. Fischer page at:
http://www.amazon.com/Peter-S-Fischer/e/B002WV2WEW/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0.
Peter S. Fischer, Producer,
“Once An Eagle” Miniseries
by Tom Hebert, OAE Enterprises
Question: It must have been a difficult decision to truncate Anton Myrer’s novel late in WWII rather than take the story, as the novel did, into the early 1960s and the war in Khotiane (Myrer’s fictional Vietnam). Please tell us about the decision making process?
No, it really wasn't that difficult and I'll explain why. I had nine hours to tell a sprawling story. Sounds like a lot but it isn't. Many classic books have been successfully transferred to the screen but in doing so, left out major portions. Prime example: "A Place in the Sun" which covered only the last third of Dreiser’s book "An American Tragedy" or "East of Eden" which used only a small section of the Steinbeck opus. At the time, Viet Nam was anathema to the public.
In addition, dramatically I always felt that confrontation between Sam and Courtney had to occur in WWII after Ben's death. To include all the material after WWII would have meant truncating all the material that came before and it just couldn't be done artfully. l've never second guessed that decision.
Question: Did you have the opportunity to meet Anton Myrer? If so, please share that experience with us?
I never met Mr. Myrer, never talked to him. My only contact was the letter I received from him which I forwarded to you. (Note: this letter can be found at www.onceaneaglethedvd.com)
Question: Casting can make or break any film. The consensus among “Once An Eagle” fans is that you absolutely nailed the military roles of Sam Damon, Courtney Massengale, and George Caldwell by casting Sam Elliott, Cliff Potts, and Glenn Ford, respectively. Can you tell us about the casting process for “Once An Eagle”? In particular, how did you come to choose Sam Elliott to play Sam Damon?
Casting the mini-series was a collaborative process as it always is in film and television. Sam Elliott had just come off a low budget feature called "Lifeguard" and he was excellent. Strong, soft spoken, all the qualities we were looking for. I'm not sure we seriously considered anyone else. Glenn Ford had a contract with Universal and “OAE” was one of the ways he could fulfill his commitment. He could have refused the part but didn't because I think he liked the material and the notion that he could play father figure/mentor to Sam. I know he enjoyed being in the series very much and we were delighted and honored to have him. As for Cliff Potts, this was the toughest part to cast. We needed someone who could exude strength and intelligence because pitting Sam Damon against an obvious second rater would have been foolhardy. We read an awful lot of actors before Monique James, head of Universal casting, recommended we test Cliff. His resume til then was a lot of westerns and frankly we hadn't given him a thought. But we were very impressed once we got to see and know him and I think we were darned lucky to have found him.
Question: Can you share with us any facts and figures related to the “Once An Eagle” shoot? How big was the budget? How long did it take to film?
Did much of the filming end up on the cutting room floor? How long were the shooting days? Were there days off or did you work through the weekends?
I really don't have any dollar figures to reveal. It's been a long time. But in that era, a quality TV project would usually come in at around $1,000,000 an hour so I would guess that our total was somewhere in the neighborhood of $10,000,000. It might have been more. Shooting schedules averaged about 8 days per hour so I would guess around 10-11 weeks of shooting. In L.A. filming was restricted to 5 days a week; on location we also worked Saturdays (Napa Valley and Hawaii). I don't recall throwing a lot of film away. Movies have that luxury. TV doesn't. Generally we would get a rough cut of 50-52 minutes and we would have to shave it down to about 47-48 minutes to fit NBC airtime. We would tighten by dropping some dialogue, shortening scenes, eliminating some beauty shots but we didn't cut into the muscle. As a rule mini-series demand more care than your average weekly episode so my figures may be a little low. Although I was the producer, most of the nuts and bolts stuff was handled by the line producer, Joe Kramer, and the unit production manager.
Question: Can you share with us your three most memorable moments while shooting the “Once An Eagle” miniseries?
I don't know about "memorable" but I can tell you about a couple of incidents which I won't forget. Sometimes the location people get a little lazy or overworked and "can do" turns into "no can do". I was very vehement about retaining the baseball game in hour three but I was told the site didn't exist in the L.A area. My response to that was unprintable. I had been going to Vegas a couple of times a year by car and passing through a small town called Little Rock. Not only did they have a dusty grimy ball field at the local high school but the background, if you shot it correctly was flat, desert ...perfect for the Texas setting. And nearby was a cluster of small weather-beaten houses that we also filmed for Sam and Tommy's quarters on the post. As you can tell I don't take "no can do" for an answer. The other moment which could have been tragic happened on the last day of shooting in Hawaii. The aftermath of the battlefield was ready for shooting: uprooted palm trees, charred and overturned jeeps, bodies everywhere, fires ready be lit. And at 7 in the morning, a huge wave came ashore and wiped out the entire set. It looked like we might have to stay an extra day, hotel plans up in the air, plane reservations to change ....and then the set guys got to work and within five hours had it all put back together again. That night, we left Hawaii on time. By the way, did you know that palm trees are not indigenous to Hawaii? We went there specifically to recreate the WWII Pacific theater and we had to import our own rubber palm trees to make the set work.
Question: What was it like to work with a film legend like Glenn Ford?
Glenn had always been one of my favorites starting with the westerns with Bill Holden, “Gilda,” “Blackboard Jungle" “Teahouse” ....so many to count. He was approaching 40 years in front of the cameras when I got to work with him and he'd lost none of his talent though the memory was giving him fits. In Hour 3, he has a long scene with Sam about the Army and leadership and patriotism and why Sam should consider the military as a career. Glenn had one very long heartfelt speech and he wanted his cue cards and I told him no. As good as he was, using cue cards was reading and it wouldn't do, not for this scene. I told him: "Glenn, I want you to read that speech over and over and over until its message is burned deep down in your gut. And then when the camera rolls, I want you to deliver it. I don't care if you get words mixed up, sentences bollixed, that isn't important. What's important is conveying the message.” Well, I knew he was nervous about it but hell, if I wasn't worried, why should he be. He did the scene in one take (excluding coverage) and he was masterful. Quiet, thoughtful, determined. I damned near cried watching the dailies the day after we shot it. A wonderful man. A true professional.
Question: The “Once An Eagle” miniseries’ female stars also did great work? What can you tell us about Darlene Carr who played Tommy Damon, Amy Irving who played Emily Massengale, or Melanie Griffith who played Jinny Massengale?
None of us knew Darlene Carr before she came in to read but I knew right away, she was what I wanted. Perky, strong willed, a smile as big as all outdoors, a perfect complement to Sam's taciturnity. Her Golden Globe nomination was well deserved. Amy had a pretty good credit in "Carrie" prior to meeting her for the Emily part. I felt she was a perfect complement to Darlene. Amy's sultry good looks were in sharp contrast to Darlene's corn-fed openness. Amy also exuded sophistication and finishing school breeding. Also, just the type who would fall for Courtney. As for Melanie, we were lucky to catch her at the right time. She was a wonderful actress, could play the age and part to a tee and exuded that wanton sexuality that Courtney couldn't abide.
Question: “Once An Eagle” sat on the shelf for more than 30 years. Do you think the story line and characters have relevance to where America finds itself today?
I don't know how to answer that. In a perfect world I would like to think that America's youth is just as patriotic and self-sacrificing as the "greatest generation" but I'm not sure that's true. Certainly the country's perception of the military during Korea and Viet Nam were markedly different than WWII. We also find ourselves fighting wars that we don't understand. Logically there are reasons why we should be in Iraq and Afghanistan but I see a nationwide uneasiness about what is happening in the Mideast. It certainly isn't as cut and dried as fighting the Axis. It will take better minds than mine to really assess this conundrum.
Question: Are you in touch with any of the key players involved in the “Once An Eagle” miniseries?
I really have lost touch with just about everyone involved with “OAE”. Clu Gulager was a friend who lived doors away from me in the SF Valley. He has since moved back to the Midwest. Obviously I was in touch for many years during “Murder She Wrote” with Bill Windom. Bob Hogan, who played Ben Krisler, was a long time friend who I believe is now doing soap operas in NYC. We originally had signed Don Meredith to play Ben but about four days before we had to start principal photography, I got a phone call from Dandy Don basically backing out and reneging on his contract. A big no-no for an actor. There wasn't much we could do about it except sue but that would have been silly. I called Bob and offered him the job because he was not only right for the part, he was a terrific actor. Turns out he and Sam had been talking for years about doing something together.
Funny how things work out.
Question: In your illustrious career, you have been involved at a very high level in a number of extremely successful television productions, “Columbo” and “Murder, She Wrote,” to name just two. In your mind, where does your involvement in “Once An Eagle” fit in the context of those accomplishments and your career as a whole?
Over my nearly thirty years in the business, I had a lot of successes and a few flops. Some of the things I am most proud of never succeeded in finding an audience. “Once an Eagle” ranks in the top four or five topped by “Murder She Wrote” and “Columbo”. I thought we did a pretty good job of it and that's why it rankled me when NBC and Universal consigned it to the dust bin for so many years. I have a feeling the politics of the people in charge had a lot to do with it, but I could be wrong. “OAE” was certainly a lot different than anything I had tried before and I felt the weight of responsibility. I think Sam Elliott should have been nominated for an EMMY, but again, maybe the academy was turned off by the subject matter.
Question: In recent years, you have gone from television writer and producer to novelist. You currently have two novels on the market: The Blood of Tyrants and The Terror of Tyrants. Tell us about your books. What motivated you to write them? What is the underlying theme? How have they been received?
In 1996 I retired for good or so I thought. I'd had enough of network meetings with fresh faced film school grads half my age. But in the past two years I became so enraged at the direction the country was being taken that I took the dust cover off the typewriter and wrote The Blood of Tyrants. I had never written a novel, had never really tried, but the words flowed out of me like water down a drainpipe in a hurricane. It's a political thriller with lots of political insights into the egregious machinations of the Washington power structure. I wanted those who weren't paying attention to get an education while being entertained at the same time. I think I succeeded. AII of this in advance of November 2010 and our last chance to do the right thing for our country. Shortly thereafter I wrote my second book The Terror of Tyrants. Unlike the first book which took dead on shots at Congress, the second one dealt with the overreaching arrogance of the Socialists in the White House. I published both books myself and they are for sale on line at Amazon and Barnes & Noble and my own website. The subject matter was so volatile that I couldn't wait for the snail's pace way the out of date brick and mortar publishers do business. And yes, both books have been received very well. On my website, autographed copies come with a money-back guarantee, no questions asked and I have yet to make a refund.
Tom Hebert: Thank you very much Mr. Fischer for the interview and for your fine work on the “Once An Eagle” miniseries.
For more on Mr. Fischer and his novels, visit Amazon.com’s Peter S. Fischer page at:
http://www.amazon.com/Peter-S-Fischer/e/B002WV2WEW/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0.
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
"Once An Eagle" Miniseries Producer & Director Agree to Interviews
"Once An Eagle" Miniseries Producer, Peter S. Fischer ("Columbo" & "Murder, She Wrote"), and Director, Richard Michaels (161 episodes of "Bewitched" and numerous TV movies), have both graciously agreed to be interviewed for onceaneaglethedvd.com and onceaneagleguy.blogspot.com.
Don't miss these opportunities for inside information on the making of "Once An Eagle". Stay tuned!
Tom Hebert
"onceaneagleguy"
Don't miss these opportunities for inside information on the making of "Once An Eagle". Stay tuned!
Tom Hebert
"onceaneagleguy"
"Once An Eagle" Miniseries Director Richard Michaels Very Happy with Release of DVD
On the same day that "Once an Eagle" Miniseries Producer, Peter S. Fischer, contacted me, "Once An Eagle" Miniseries Director, Richard Michaels, purchased a DVD and posted a comment on this blog. In a follow-up e-mail, Mr. Michaels had this to say:
You have accomplished what many have tried but few have done! I became aware of your efforts about a year ago but I have seen many such campaigns that burn brightly for a while, then fizzle and die. What a job you've done! Congratulations! I haven't seen OAE since 1976 and, once again, thank you for the opportunity for me, and everyone else, to own it and see it whenever we wish! -- Richard Michaels
Thank you Mr. Michaels!
Tom Hebert
onceaneagleguy
You have accomplished what many have tried but few have done! I became aware of your efforts about a year ago but I have seen many such campaigns that burn brightly for a while, then fizzle and die. What a job you've done! Congratulations! I haven't seen OAE since 1976 and, once again, thank you for the opportunity for me, and everyone else, to own it and see it whenever we wish! -- Richard Michaels
Thank you Mr. Michaels!
Tom Hebert
onceaneagleguy
Sunday, July 25, 2010
"Once An Eagle" Miniseries Producer Weighs In!
I just recently received the following outstanding letter from Peter S. Fischer, the Producer of the "Once An Eagle" miniseries, also of "Columbo" and "Murder, She Wrote" fame. Thanks for writing Peter. And, thanks for your great work on "Once An Eagle"! -- Tom Hebert / onceaneagleguy
Tom Hebert...this is a thank you and a love letter. Thirty five years ago when Universal asked me to adapt "Once an Eagle" and produce the mini-series, I was flattered and very much awed by the responsibility. Anton Myrer had written a wonderful, inspiring and deep work of fiction and even the 9 hours they gave me wasn't going to be enough to do his work justice. Nonetheless I went at it and it turned out pretty well, I think. I have a letter from Tony Myrer to prove it. We got good ratings, good reviews, and despite all that NBC and Universal chose to bury it deep in their vaults after a perfunctory run in syndication. This always bewildered me and it hurt a lot because all of us connected with the project were pretty proud of what we'd done. I retired from the television business in 1996, still hearing from many people about "Murder She Wrote" and "Columbo" but there was still that pit in my gut about "Once an Eagle". Now thanks mainly to you and a few others, it's getting new life on DVD and I couldn't or happier or prouder. Heartfelt thanks. Maybe the studio and the network didn't want to touch it because it was pro-war though if they had any clue at all, they would have known this wasn't true. Pro-America, pro-liberty, pro-freedom...all those things, but not pro war. I am a very patriotic guy and as I said,I retired in 1996 but I uncovered the typewriter last year and have written two novels, thrillers having to do with the mess the Socialists have made of this country from their power base in the Capitol. The Blood of Tyrants and The Terror of Tyrants are both available on Amazon.com and also from my publishing company, The Grove Point Press. If you agree with me that the country is in a tragic mess, I would be delighted to send you complimentary copies of both books, signed by me. Just supply me with a snail mail address. You have done this country a great service in pushing to get this mini-series re-released and available to a whole new generation of Americans. Please feel free to post any part or all of this letter on your website.......Peter S. Fischer
Tom Hebert...this is a thank you and a love letter. Thirty five years ago when Universal asked me to adapt "Once an Eagle" and produce the mini-series, I was flattered and very much awed by the responsibility. Anton Myrer had written a wonderful, inspiring and deep work of fiction and even the 9 hours they gave me wasn't going to be enough to do his work justice. Nonetheless I went at it and it turned out pretty well, I think. I have a letter from Tony Myrer to prove it. We got good ratings, good reviews, and despite all that NBC and Universal chose to bury it deep in their vaults after a perfunctory run in syndication. This always bewildered me and it hurt a lot because all of us connected with the project were pretty proud of what we'd done. I retired from the television business in 1996, still hearing from many people about "Murder She Wrote" and "Columbo" but there was still that pit in my gut about "Once an Eagle". Now thanks mainly to you and a few others, it's getting new life on DVD and I couldn't or happier or prouder. Heartfelt thanks. Maybe the studio and the network didn't want to touch it because it was pro-war though if they had any clue at all, they would have known this wasn't true. Pro-America, pro-liberty, pro-freedom...all those things, but not pro war. I am a very patriotic guy and as I said,I retired in 1996 but I uncovered the typewriter last year and have written two novels, thrillers having to do with the mess the Socialists have made of this country from their power base in the Capitol. The Blood of Tyrants and The Terror of Tyrants are both available on Amazon.com and also from my publishing company, The Grove Point Press. If you agree with me that the country is in a tragic mess, I would be delighted to send you complimentary copies of both books, signed by me. Just supply me with a snail mail address. You have done this country a great service in pushing to get this mini-series re-released and available to a whole new generation of Americans. Please feel free to post any part or all of this letter on your website.......Peter S. Fischer
Sunday, July 18, 2010
It all started for me...
...in 1976, when my wife Ellie was carrying our first son, and when I caught bits and pices of what looked to be a very interesting miniseries on NBC: "Once An Eagle". Busy as I was, I said, "I'll have to catch that on rerun." No reruns run and 30 years later, I could only find only a "pirated" version of "Once An Eagle" on the Internet (in barely viewable condition). At that point I set a goal for myself to get the miniseries released on DVD. I found that NBC simply wasn't aware of the treasure it had sitting on its shelf. I worked hard to help them understand just how valuable the property was, and with the outstanding work of NBC Execs Jed Lackman & Kim Niemi(my sincere thanks to the both of you!), we now have it!
More history to follow...
Tom Hebert
"onceaneagleguy"
More history to follow...
Tom Hebert
"onceaneagleguy"
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