----- Original Message -----

From: robertnelson02476

To: faywray@yahoogroups.com

Sent: Sunday, May 05, 2002 9:27 PM

Subject: [FayWray] Re: NYC Artist's take on Kong, Lange, Wray, McKay...& The Great White Way

I agree with Jose- an interesting article. The photos of the WTC
buildings are heart-wrenching.
I must say I'm allergic to the 1976 KK remake and Jessica Lange's
performance as "Dwan." To me Fay Wray as Ann Darrow is the only woman
for Kong. But that's just me.
I especially enjoyed the 2 pics of Ms. Wray and her feline friend!







--- In faywray@y..., "ooshowho" <ooshowho@y...> wrote:
>
> HI KONG/FAY FANS... CHECK OUT THE 'ARTIST'S TAKE' FOLDER IN THE
PICS
> GALLERY FOR A MORE IN-DEPTH LOOK AT THE FOLLOWING STORY.
>
>
> NYC ARTIST'S TAKE ON KONG, LANGE, WRAY, MCKAY… 
>        and the GREAT WHITE WAY
>                  
>
> Fay Wray looks down at the huge, poster-sized publicity still and a
> look of amusement falls over her amazing face. The still itself is
a
> classic black and white shot from the original 1933 King Kong,
> showing Fay haplessly in the clutch of the giant ape as he battles
a
> huge winged dinosaur.
> "Having been one of my favorites, that was the one I chose to have
> her sign." Stever recalls.
> "It's been framed and up on my wall for nearly a year now and I
still
> have to pinch myself."
>
> Having worked as unit Production Manager for the last year and a
half
> on the upcoming epic documentary film Broadway; The Golden Age,
> Michael Stever has been pinching himself on a regular basis.
>
> The eagerly anticipated documentary is the brainchild of esteemed
> Director/Producer Rick McKay, who's been steeped in the film since
> it's inception nearly 4 years ago. McKay has taken on the
exhaustive
> task of documenting an era that has seen an enormous amount of
change
> over the last 40 years or so.
> In the film, McKay interviews a staggering number of New York
> Theatre's biggest names.
> Many argue that while theatre continues to evolve and profit, it's
> gradually loosing some of what made it special in the first place.
> One woman who's literally seen it all is Fay Wray.  Few people
> actually know that years ago in the early 30's, Fay herself starred
> in several short lived Broadway plays. One of them even co-starred
a
> then unknown Archibald Leach, who would later burn his own
impression
> into celluloid history as Cary Grant.
> In her interview with McKay, Fay talks candidly about the
connection
> between Hollywood and Broadway. "There was a sort of unspoken
> language or feeling, that the theatre was the place where acting
was
> understood. It couldn't really come from anywhere else. It couldn't
> be alive, a person couldn't be an actor or and actress unless they
> had come from the theatre, or were on their way back to the theatre
> again. The whole point about the theatre, was that it had a
> mesmerizing feeling for me, but ultimately I didn't feel
comfortable
> there."
>
> Having worked extensively in the theatre himself for over 15 years,
> Stever strongly believes it's the best training ground for actors. 
> He harbors concerns however for it's future.
>
> "Many in this film argue that the Corporate presence in New York
> theatre is slowly chipping away at some of its more fundamental
> principles." (One being that theatre has always been intended for
> everyone.)
> "How can that mentality exist when you're paying nearly 100 bucks a
> ticket? It's way too rare nowadays that you find a quality new show
> that unearths new theatrical ground, while still adhering to more
> traditional theatre values.  Fortunately hit shows like Urinetown;
> The Musical and it's primary producer The Araca Group are proving
> that it's still possible."
>
> Long before Broadway tickets became so costly, Stever was in his
> hometown of Sacramento California living and breathing anything
King
> Kong. "My 1st experience with Fay, her amazing scream, and that
> behemoth Gorilla came as I'm sure it did for many, on TV. I was
> literally hypnotized watching her being lashed to that altar. Then,
> watching her screaming and thrashing violently as Kong carries her
> off into the jungle was simply icing on the cake. Finally, seeing
> Kong brutally shot from atop the Empire State Building triggered
> something in me at that moment, and I've never been the same since."
>
> Stever's first response was to somehow recreate this amazing
> cinematic moment himself.
> "I grabbed my parents 16mm movie camera and went to town. I
stripped
> my Planet Of The Apes doll of it's clothes and generously bulked
him
> up with plenty of brown Play Dough, suddenly I had my Kong. Next, I
> needed a skyscraper, and had one after simply painting some windows
> on a round, plastic garbage can. The plane was easy enough with a
> small plastic plane and some string. I was off and running, a
budding
> filmmaker in training at 8 years old.  My Kong fetish only
increased
> after that."
>
> "For years I'd snatch up anything on Kong and Fay Wray I could get
my
> hands on. But it wasn't until 1976 that a newcomer to the world of
> King Kong ignited my imagination. A certain unknown blond named
> Jessica Lange burst onto the scene, and at 13, came during a time
of
> budding sexual intrigue and discovery.  I was smitten with Jessica
> Lange from the first moment I laid eyes on her, and can't tell you
> how amazing it's been to watch her blossom as an actor. I truly
> believe she's one of the finest actors of this generation."
>
> College years found Michael pursuing studies in writing,
> communications, and media production.
> Since then, he has come to officially call New York City his home
and
> has racked up some pretty impressive theatrical and TV credits of
his
> own.  Past credits include the role of Joe Hardy in NETwork's
> National Tour of Damn Yankees, Diesel in a Berlin-based Broadway
> production of West Side Story, Mortimer Brewster in Arsenic And Old
> Lace opposite theatre legends Betty Garrett and Carole Cook, shows
at
> the prestigious Papermill Playhouse, The Radio City Christmas
> Spectacular, not to mention a hilarious fight scene opposite the
> notorious Traci Lords in an episode of the Sci-Fi series Super
> Force.  Along with performing, Stever has also been sharpening his
> writing skills on several feature length screenplays, 2 of which
are
> collaborations with actress Morgan Brittany whom many remember as
the
> villainous Katherine Wentworth on the hit TV series Dallas.
Currently
> he is finishing his first play, a dark tale of Vampirism in 16th
> Century Romania.
>
> "To this day the women of King Kong continue to ignite something
> unexplainable within me.  I've yet to meet Jessica Lange, but have
> faith it's only a matter of time. Since September 11th, I often
> wonder how she and the crew of the 1976 King Kong remake have fared
> since the twin towers and so many innocent lives disappeared."
Stever
> recalls making it to the top of the twin towers only once, during
his
> 1st week in Manhattan nearly 8 years ago. "I never actually made it
> to the roof, but did make it to the indoor observation deck of
tower
> 2, where low and behold sat a huge mural of Jessica sitting in
Kong's
> paw.
> I remember vividly looking at it for the longest time, and feeling
> the most horrible sensation in the pit of my stomach, like
something
> in me knew I'd never make it up there again. Sure enough, I never
> went back up there, and now it's gone.  Even now, more than 6
months
> later I can hardly explain the ache I feel at the loss, especially
> for the surviving family members and loved ones.  Never in my
wildest
> dreams did I ever foresee something so horrible happening here
while
> living in this great city.  But then again, I never thought I'd
have
> the good fortune to actually get to know Fay Wray." As of this
> writing, Fay is still alive and kicking at 95 and shows no signs of
> stopping. "Us New Yorker's are damn lucky to still have her and the
> Empire State Building, let's hope they both stay with us for a long
> time to come."
>
> MICHAEL STEVER


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