Saturday, April 4, 1964

Description

A diary entry written by Patience Cleveland that discusses her acting career, her book, “The Lion is Busy,” and her personal life. The entry is dated April 4, 1964 and is written on white, lined paper in black ink.

Transcription

Diet

Oh dear-what a day-up about 9:00-coffee + metrecal-Dressed + we drove over to the Advertising Agency of Zimmer, McKlaske (sp?) + Lewis Emory. Lewis is going to produce this film and he’s using the office space for the project. First person in after us was Lyn Caulfield the camera man, next Emory Lewis + then Ed Carter-art director. A very nice bunch of men-who don’t seem to have given this thing too much thought. But they’ll be perfectly [crossed out writing] easy to get along with-the only thing is that I won’t be here when they’re shooting the film. Liza doesn’t seem to understand that a “narration” is totally different + separate from the first outline + shooting a film + that it depends entirely on what comes up in the film itself. Three little boys were brought in-one by one + made to do little improvisations (not really correctly either + I felt for them) Greg Chaney, Kevin Coogan + a funny little boy named Robin who evidently is a handful + they’re anxious not to use. Lin (i? or y?) Caulfield left+ we looked at the film that Kosair Crippled Childrens Hospital already had. Called “The House of dreams” + made in 1951 with a narration by Doctor Mature it’s a little gloomy but I found it very impressive + extremely professional + completely fascinating-and said so. Ed Carter agrees. I’m glad. Liza dislikes it too much + Emory Lewis frankly doesn’t care awfully but wants to do the same thing in a different way. Fair enough. I then said that I felt they could use children who were patients at the hospital instead of children who aren’t even actors. Liza at first in violent disagreement but finally allowed as how it might be possible. Ed Carter (again) in complete agreement. Emory Lewis thought it might be “more politic.” I think obviously it would + you’d have more cooperation all the way around. Besides which as it stands now a well child being used simply for the sake of a four minute dream sequence to which all the rest of the film would be sacrificed. Blah. Blah. I hope I made my point. Liza, Emory, Ed + I had lunch at a place called Cunninghams (I think)-separate rooms-old + dirty + quite marvelous. I had vegetable salad with shrimp-then Liza + I went out to the hospital-Saturday + the manager not there (Mr. Hancock) Met a Mr. Salmon head nurse + explained-she let us go through. Liza left after a while + I spent about 3 hours in the 2 downstairs front wards for the small boys + small girls. Dear children + on the whole remarkably cheerful. Promised to come back tomorrow. Wandered about a little-conversations with Miss Rankin + Miss Verrell the two receptionist-telephone operators. Night Head nurse Miss Binge who told me “But we have a film” + told me also that it cost $15,000. I later learned that she was in it. Met a Miss Miller who was pleasant but very non-committal + a Mrs. Gaines whom I liked enormously + who seemed to think it was a good idea. But the one overwhelming impression I had was how important it will be to get the hospital on their side (Liza, Emory + Lin) otherwise they’ll accomplish nothing. Took cab home + told Liza this several hundred times. Then a young Doctor actually a resident came-John Langston (?) for dinner. He’s a terribly nice guy and of the utmost help the more I talked to him the more I had a glimpse of hope that this whole project will be even possible. Fantasy schmantasy-art schmart-the important thing is the facts first and for the first time thought they might be in reach. He left at 10:45. Will see him again Monday. Bed about 11:30-