Jazz up your party and give it a Hollywood theme. You could choose to “Have a Night at the Oscars” or go for the glam with “Old Hollywood.” Either one has a host of options when choosing decorations and party favors.

Either Hollywood theme can use a slice of movie tape, a round movie reel or statue for invitations. They can be bought at any party planning store. Use red plastic table roll and place it leading up to your front door. For kicks, pay a neighbor kid to stand their and take pictures as guests walk in.

Celebrations which work with the Hollywood theme can include a Golden Anniversary (to match the gold statues), a get together to have fun watching the awards show or any party needing a theme. Make it a requirement on the invitation that everyone dress up in their Hollywood fashion, whether new or old.

Using the Oscar Awards as a theme, get bronze statue favors resembling the award, or even get them personalized with each guest’s name. Use them as place settings, or a way to make introductions to a crowd. Have each person act out a skit or come up with a line from their favorite Oscar winning movie. Everyone gets an Oscar favor as their reward.

If you prefer Old Hollywood, decorations made with film edges and movie reels can be purchased. Decorations to match include wall hangings, plates, cups and napkins. Old movie posters can be bought to add to the theme.

Games to play would include bobbing for Oscar’s and pin the movie reel on the camera. Trivia games can be made up about movies and actors. Give each guest an actor’s name that they have to portray all night. Make it a guessing game and who gets the most – wins!

Breakfast at Tiffany’s – 3 Stars (Good)

Was there ever an actress who combined these four timeless qualities-beauty, fashion, grace and humility-better than Audrey Hepburn? I think not, especially when I see her again in Breakfast at Tiffany’s.

Even an actress who could come close (and I can think of none) would in no way match the humility of Audrey Hepburn. We shall not see another like her in our lifetime and by then the film industry may be on the way out when some newer, better technology unknown to us today arrives.

All the more reason to purchase her five most memorable movies in DVD now while they are still available.

First would be her Oscar winning Best Actress performance in Roman Holiday opposite Gregory Peck, which was also her first starring role in an American film.

The next four would be her Best Actress Oscar nominations for Sabrina, The Nun’s Story, Wait Until Dark (one of the two scariest movies I have ever seen) and Breakfast at Tiffany’s (the Oscar went to Sophia Loren for Two Women).

Breakfast at Tiffany’s had two great assets, Audrey Hepburn as Holly Golightly, the young New York socialite (we say socialite because this movie was released in 1961, 45 years ago), and Director Blake Edwards, whose deft, sensitive handling of Hepburn’s character (a high-priced prostitute) could not have been done better.

Holly Golightly’s beauty, sense of fashion and pure innocence prohibit me from thinking of her as a woman of the night. She is so inherently stylish. God has not made a woman that could wear clothes better than Audrey Hepburn. She has Holly Golightly floating around in Givenchy gowns with matchless grace and glamour.

Breakfast at Tiffany’s is based on Truman Capote’s novel with the screenplay by George Axelrod, who also garnered an Oscar nomination. Henry Mancini (music) and Johnny Mercer (lyrics) teamed up to win an Oscar for the Original Song “Moon River” while Mancini earned another Oscar as well as a Grammy for Best Musical Score.

The story line has the two romantic interests dependent upon others for financial support, Holly as a lady of the night and Paul Varjak (George Peppard), a wannabe writer who is kept by the married and wealthy Mrs. Failenson (Patricia Neal). Eventually Holly and Paul experience some personal growth and find love together.

There are matchless moments in this film that find places forever in your heart. One is Hepburn sitting on the fire escape plaintively singing “Moon River,” especially when you remember that the theme of your high school senior prom was Moon River, and that you were with the girl you wanted to spend the rest of your life with. It is a rare opportunity to hear Hepburn sing in the movie.

She recorded singing vocals for her role as Eliza Doolittle in My Fair Lady only to discover that professional “singing double” Marni Nixon had overdubbed all of her songs. Hepburn was not nominated for a Best Actress Oscar in this film, but her love interest Rex Harrison won the Best Actor Oscar for his role as Professor Henry Higgins.

The “little black dress” worn by Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany’s was designed by Givenchy and sold at Christie’s auction this year (2006) for $920,000 with the proceeds going to aid underprivileged children in India. It was not the one worn by Hepburn in the movie. The only two dresses she wore are now in the Givenchy archives and the Museum of Costume in Madrid, Spain.

In Audrey Hepburn’s performance there are times when we are delighted by sweet innocence in a woman. You cannot imagine how difficult this is to find in today’s world.

Audrey Hepburn became a beauty and fashion icon, and although she did enjoy fashion, she placed little importance on it, preferring casual and comfortable clothes away from the bright lights and cameras.

I do want to give Breakfast at Tiffany’s an Excellent rating but cannot because of too many flaws in the film. I can easily give Audrey Hepburn an Excellent rating for her performance as Holly Golightly.

After 15 years as a highly successful actress Audrey Hepburn chose to lead a quieter life far away from Hollywood. She was married twice, first to actor Mel Ferrer and then to Italian doctor Andrea Dotti and had a son with each.

Hepburn was Belgian by birth and would grow up with her mother in The Netherlands, nearly starving to death during the Nazi occupation in World War II when the Dutch food and fuel supplies were cut off. Tragically, she suffered through watching her uncle and cousin being shot to death for being part of the Resistance movement.

She rose from the horrific atrocities of her youth to find fame and fortune in America and in the last four years of her life (1988 to 1992) became a goodwill ambassador for UNICEF (the United Nations Children’s Fund).

Only four months before her death from abdominal cancer she went on a mission to Somalia and was devastated to see the nightmare of famine and carnage.

Audrey Hepburn was the picture of beauty, fashion and grace but never for a minute let her success go to her head, and most certainly never led a Hollywood lifestyle of overblown debauchery so much in evidence in moviemaking and Tinseltown today.

See Breakfast at Tiffany’s because Audrey Hepburn became an important contributor to our time and culture. She not only represented the best in professional growth but made her life a legacy with her personal growth. She was a model of grace and humility in a world with little of either.

Copyright

It’s no secret: Asian-Americans have talent. Hollywood knows it, too, and fans of these celebrities who share part of their cultural identity, upon seeing and hearing that one of their own is making it BIG in the world of entertainment develop a sense of pride for their culture.

Here’s a list of several Asian-Americans to watch out for.

1. Gina Hiraizumi – Is there anything this Asian-American actress/model/singer can’t do? Having been able to carry her own in terms of acting, Gina Hiraizumi has film credits that includes work from Academy Award-winning director, Chris Tashima. Her next release will be an international feature, by renowned Cambodian director, Sam Lorn. She has recently released her first single for Japan, “Unmei No Ai,” which stars a celebrity cameo appearance by Jason Scott Lee. This, coupled with her passion for children’s charities can only mean that her growing fanbase that spans Japan, Hawaii and the Asian-American market in the states are signs that she’s someone to watch out for.

2. John Cho – Starting off as a print model for Korean magazines, Asian-American actor John Cho quickly gained our attention by his small role in the movie American Pie. From there he went on to appear in several other movies until he hit his most successful starring role as Harold Lee in the Harold and Kumar films. He has just finished shooting his role as helmsman Hikaru Sulu in the upcoming Star Trek movie, which should guarantee a greater degree of exposure for this talented young actor.

3. Vanessa Hudgens – Best known for her roles in the High School musical movies, half-American/half-Filipino actress and singer is proving that she’ll be able to become bigger than her Disney mold. Having made her big-screen debut 3 years before the High School Musical movies, she now has several film offers and a blossoming music career to look forward to.

4. Maggie Q – A former fashion model, this Hawaii-raised Asian-American actress has a lot of big projects to appear in. Initially gaining fame in Hong Kong, she has been hand-picked to appear in the last Mission: Impossible movie to big praise. While in some of her films, she has portrayed the “tough” girl appeal, she has also shown her fans her versatility by appearing in the comedy, Balls of Fury and as Cao Ying, in Three Kingdoms: Resurrection of the Dragon, her first ancient Chinese costume performance.

5. Cassie – At age nineteen, Cassandra Ventura made a splash debut as a model, represented by Wilhelmina Models. At age twenty, she has captured several top positions in the musical hit charts because of her song, “Me & U.” Fresh out of high school, this Asian-American singer/model still has a long way to go. But looking at her credentials, it’s easy to see the raw potential of greatness. She is currently working on her sophomore album, to be released February this year.

Don’t be surprised that in the near future, these Asian-American celebrities will be the talk of the Entertainment industry.

You are desperate. You have looked for a job for months and found nothing. You called all your friends and family, searched job sites, applied at the unemployment office and still…nothing. You pray. You pray hard. “God please.” The baby suddenly cries and you realize you are out of milk. At the grocery store, you run into an old friend you have not seen in years. You chat about old times and life and mention your job situation and he tells you that he recently just spoke to someone who told him of a job that is perfect for you. It is exactly what you love to do. It is in your field and you are qualified. Furthermore, it pays more than you have ever earned and has benefits twice as good as your previous job. You can hardly believe it. If the baby had not cried right then, you would have missed this connection. Wow.

You are overjoyed. You call the contact. It turns out to be a guy you know from school. You shoot the breeze and he invites you in for an interview. The interview goes swell. The second interview happens to be with a woman you met the previous year at a convention. The coincidence is mind bogglingly. She loves you. “You’ll be great in this position. I’ll call you in three days.”

Three days pass. Nothing. You call. They decided to eliminate the position to save money. Or worse, they decided to hire someone else. You are in the exact same situation as you were before, but now there is a tinge of pain.

“Serendipity,” noun-a chance meeting that leads to something good. “Errendipity,” noun-a chance meeting, occurrence or coincidence, thought to be something good, positive or lucky, that leads… to nothing.” Serendipity is based on an old Persian word for Sri Lanka: Sarendip. Perhaps its slight antithesis should be some unreal or imaginary place-like a mirage. Maybe the word should be “Mirageny” or “Miragenous”-when something you want appears suddenly and unexpectedly in your hand, then vanishes.

The home team is down by one point. Two seconds remain in the game. The press is on. The crowd screams. Your teammate snatches the in-bound ball and passes quickly to you at mid-court. You pivot. You jump. You shoot in milliseconds. Just before the buzzer. The ball arcs in slow-motion straight for the basket. The crowd holds its breath. It looks good. Your heart wants out of your body. The ball hits the rim. Bangs the board. Then the rim again…loops around…and around… and around…and… falls… out. Yes, out, not in. You lose! It was close though. So close. But you lose.

That situation calls for another word we need to create. It is not the same as “Errendipity” or “Mirageny.” Answers to prayers are called miracles. What is the opposite of a miracle? The definition of miracle is “a wonderful occurrence oft attributed to supernatural powers.” What would be an occurrence that appears miraculous, but turns out to be nothing? How about a “Nearacle” -almost a miracle? Or maybe “Miracal”-it looks like a miracle at first glace, but is not. Nearacles produce situations in which people sigh in disappointment. “Sighful” situations. Or maybe something like the opposite of awesome…”Naahsome.”

Life, of course, is full of such Naahsome, Errendipitous, Miragenous Nearacles. When you are trying to make it in Hollywood, exponentially so-the producer that was wild over your screenplay gets fired. The exec that green-lighted your film changes her mind. The label says you cannot do your favorite song. The star you were banking on becomes unavailable. A film similar to yours does bad boxoffice. The star who turned down the role you later booked decides she will do the part after all. Test audiences go boo-no release. Your script sticks in development. Turnaround. They do not renew the option. The suits do not like your rewrite. The label promotes another artist ahead of you again. The financing falls through. It rains in Spain on the plain and the price of rice in China goes through the roof.

The motivational speaker Les Brown says this: “A dream can be nurtured over years and years and then flourish rapidly. Be patient. It will happen for you. Sooner or later, life will get weary of beating on you and holding the door shut on you, and then it will let you in and throw you a real party.”

Les is probably right. But in the meantime, why not learn to thank God for our Nearacles and accept that they too are all part of the gift of life. They are certainly fixtures on the road to your dreams-especially if those dreams include making it in Hollywood.

An Interview with Bjorn Munson, Founder of Stongehenge

Q: What is Stonehenge and when did it start?

A: Stonehenge is a one-day casting event held several times throughout the year in various cities. Actors will perform a 90-second monologue for participating production companies. The first Stonehenge was in Washington, D.C., in April 2005 and has since grown exponentially in terms of participation by and popularity with actors, production companies and casting agents. Stonehenge III was held on April 2006, prior to the 48 Hour Film Project. Over 100 actors auditioned and over 20 production companies attended — about 45 filmmakers total.

Q: Do only DC-based actors and production companies attend?

A: Actually, no. We’ve had Richmond- and Baltimore-based production companies and actors. That’s one of the nice things about this “mid-Atlantic” area: if you’re willing to travel a bit, there’s a lot more acting opportunities.

Q: How does Stonehenge differ from other mass auditions?

A: Stonehenge is not a substitute for the Lottery, the Leagues, or any other mass audition in this area. I hope it’s a valuable supplement to other auditions and a good way for filmmakers to get the ball rolling on that essential preproduction task of casting. For actors, it’s another opportunity to audition. The one main difference from the other mass auditions is that, at Stonehenge, we’re looking for monologues performed in a TV or film style. It’s a distinct style, as different as Shakespeare is from Neil Simon. The actors that have really wowed the auditors in the past delivered a small, subtle performance told mainly with their eyes. We have some other tips, including do’s and don’ts, on the website.

Q: Did actors get work from participating in previous Stonehenge auditions, and what kinds of work did they get?

A: One Stonehenge survey showed that 87% of the actors got calls and/or other auditions. That is phenomenal! 100%, yes 100%, of the companies responded that they have used or planned to use actors they saw at Stonehenge. Not only that, since we started, Stonehenge has helped to cast over 30 projects and something around 90 or more roles — and that’s just the projects I’ve been told about!

Odds are that, unless an actor has super phenomenal metamorphic capabilities, that actor will not going to be used for everything a company does. If Jane the actor tells Joe’s Production Company that Stonehenge offers them the chance to see over 100 actors perform, Joe will probably remember Jane all the more for future gigs. Karma works.

At the same time, I’m willing to bet most actors didn’t become actors longing to make a training film about lab safety. As much as I want to make sure actors get paying gigs, at market rates, union or nonunion, I never want aspiring filmmakers and/or student filmmakers to feel unwelcome. The industry recognizes aspiring filmmakers with various SAG low budget agreements. I know Noel Coward’s quote about an actor’s motivation being his pay packet, but rewarding work isn’t simply a matter of money.

Q: What should actors know about registering and auditioning at Stonehenge?

A: For the actors, read the site, follow the directions, and realize this is a mass audition: we’re moving a lot of people in and out in short order. The plane boards every fifteen minutes and everyone needs to be at the boarding gate on time. If you’re not at the registration desk fifteen minutes before your scheduled audition time when we call your name, we need to put someone else in your slot. It may seem like a merciless schedule, but it’s the mass audition beast. It’ll also help prepare you for the oftentimes more hectic world of film sets. We’ll do what we can to make things run smoothly, but you need to help us help you.

Also, understand that this is a job interview and the interview starts with the first email. Everyone you deal with from the check-in on is Team Jabberwocky and/or involved in filmmaking. In the past, a few actors were high maintenance or treated the staff poorly. This tells me, as a director, that you’re not worth casting, regardless of talent. It’s not just about being nice to those people sitting in the audience, because the people sitting in the audience have called me and asked about this actor or that actor. People do remember, so be considerate to everyone. Remember that karma thing?

Q: What prompted you to start the Stonehenge mass audition?

A: I grew up in Arlington, Virginia, seeing performances at Arena Stage, the Folger, and elsewhere. When I came back after college, I worked as a technician at Shakespeare, Studio, Signature, and others. I really got a good sense of how vibrant and self-supporting the theatre community is here. In 2003, I got involved more into film and video, which I had done in the 1990s. I learned that a lot of the filmmakers didn’t know as many actors as they needed. I was amazed because I knew that hundreds of actors are out there to support all these theatres. Many people don’t know about DC theatre nationally because we’re in the shadow of New York. At the same time, we’re also the third largest market for film and video because of Discovery, National Geographic, and others. We’re tiny compared to Los Angeles and small compared to New York, but we are a presence.

I started Stonehenge because I really want to help in the growth of the film community here. We’ve got this established film/video community and we have this established theatre community here with lots of very good actors. Let’s get these groups together. I can’t tell you how many filmmakers come up to me at the end of Stonehenge and tell me they had no idea that there were so many actors around. I tell them there were 300 more that wanted to attend but there were no more slots. Every Stonehenge, I see at least 20 actors that are so good I wish I had a script just to cast them. That leads me to believe that what I write in the future will either consciously or subconsciously be inspired by these actors. Seeing good actors helps filmmakers know they can write the stories they’ve wanted to for years: there are actors to perform them and to perform them well.

Stonehenge is about helping to build the independent film community. Right now we’re an archipelago of unconnected filmmakers instead of a more unified island and we need to work more to be an island and not worry about being a continent. In building our independent film community, we need to play to our strengths: we have a very good theatre community, many actors with excellent training who can provide good character driven stories. We also have a lot of technical expertise in that we are the third largest film and video industry in the United States. Naturally, a lot of that is not narrative-based, they are not doing fictional work, but I suspect if you asked people at production houses why they got interested in film, they will say it wasn’t necessarily because of a desire to produce industrial videos. Many of these people would like to do, would love to do, something completely creative.

Q: What do you want to see happen with the film community here and how does Stonehenge fit in?

A: The DC area is a great place for indies because of the demographics of the region, which is, on the whole, fairly well to do, well educated, and older. We don’t need to worry about producing the next Michael Bay, but if we go for a rattling good story, our possibilities are limitless. I’d like for Stonehenge to help contribute to the creation of these types of films, more ambitious shorts and eventually indie feature films. Since Stonehenge is meant to be a broad mass audition, it will never be all things to all people. However, if you’re going to go into production in the next six months it’s a great way to see who’s out there.

Bjorn is an actor, writer, and filmmaker who grew up in Arlington, Virginia. He studied theatre at Beloit College and the National Theater Institute at the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center. He is the team lead of his production company, Team Jabberwocky, LLC; founder of the Stonehenge mass auditions; and works with the DC Film Alliance.

For information on Stonehenge mass auditions visit http://www.teamjabberwocky.com/stonehenge.html

Cruise, Hatcher, McConaughey, Pitt, Jolie… Movie and TV stars have to get their start somewhere. This is a list of the first time these actors and actresses appeared on the either the big or small screen.

Tom Cruise – Endless Love (1981) – Played a boy named “Billy” in this high-school romance movie starring Brooke Shields. Teri Hatcher – The Love Boat (1977) – Played “Amy,” a loveboat mermaid, in this romantic comedy TV series. Matthew McConaughey – Unsolved Mysteries (1992) – Played “Larry Dickens” in this reenactment TV mystery series. Brad Pitt – No Man’s Land (1987) – Played a waiter in this crime drama movie starring Charlie Sheen. Charlie Sheen – The Execution of Private Slovik (1974) – Played a kid at a wedding in this TV movie starring his father, Martin. Angelina Jolie – Lookin’ to Get Out (1982) – Played “Tosh” in this comedy movie starring her dad, Jon Voight. Matt Damon – Mystic Pizza (1988) – Played “Steamer” in this romantic comedy movie starring Julia Roberts. Julia Roberts – Firehouse (1987) – Played “Babs” in a movie about sexy women in fire fighting school. Denzel Washington – Wilma (1977) – Played “Robert” in this TV movie about Olympic athletes. George Clooney – Centennial (1978) – Played a village extra in this western TV mini-series. Charlize Theron – Children of the Corn III (1995) – Played a young woman in this Stephen King-based film. Kirsten Dunst – New York Stories (1989) – Played a small role in this film by directed by Coppola, Scorsese and Woody. Tom Hanks – He Knows You’re Alone (1980) – Played “Elliot” in this horror thriller movie. Harrison Ford – Dead Heat on a Merry-Go-Round (1966) – Played a bellhop in the crime film about robbing an airport bank. Halle Berry – Living Dolls (1989) – Played “Emily” in this TV series spin off of “Who’s the Boss.” Kiefer Sutherland – Max Dugan Returns (1983) – Played “Bill” in this comedy movie with his father, Donald, and Matthew Broderick. Matthew Broderick – Max Dugan Returns (1983) – Played “Michael” in this comedy with both Kiefer and Donald Sutherland. Courtney Cox – As the World Turns (1984) – Played “Bunny” in this TV soap opera. Jennifer Aniston – Camp Cucamonga (1990) – Played “Ava” in this TV family movie. Drew Barrymore – Suddenly, Love (1978) – Played “Bobbi” in this TV movie-of-the-week. Leonardo DiCaprio – Parenthood (1990) – Played “Garry” in the this TV series based on the theater movie. Al Pacino – N.Y.P.D. (1968) – Played “John James” in one episode of this crime drama TV series. Marlon Brando – The Men (1950) – Starring role named “Bud” in this black-and-white film. Robert Deniro – Trois chambres

Football players are extremely popular among fans of the game. After their playing days are done, many go onto coaching, announcing, or other careers that keep them in the public eye. Many also go on into the field of acting.

Here is a look at the top 20 football players turned actors

#20 Bill Romanowski – Bill Romanowski played football for 16 years for the 49ers, Eagles, Broncos, and Raiders. Following his career he has appeared in movies such as The Longest Yard and Benchwarmers.

#19 Bill Goldberg – Though his football career was not much to speak of, Bill Goldberg made quite a splash in the acting world. He first became famous in the world of professional wrestling, but would go on to appear in Universal Soldier: The Return, The Longest Yard, and a number of television shows

#18 Brett Favre – Brett Favre is sure to go down as one of the best quarterbacks of all time. While he doesn’t have an extensive film career, it is impossible to ignore the large role he played in the hit comedy film There’s Something About Mary, starring Cameron Diaz and Ben Stiller. The dance scenes at the end are worth seeing agains and again.

#17 Bo Jackson – One of the greatest running back careers was cut short when Bo Jackson suffered a career ending hip injury. He would go on to appear in a number of television shows and movies including Diagnosis Murder, Married with Children, The Chamber, and Moesha.

#16 Mike Ditka – Famous for being both a great tight end and a great head coach, Mike Ditka would go on to also make quite a few acting appearances including in Third Rock From The Sun, Kicking & Screaming, L.A. Law, Coach, and Cheers.

#15 Ed Marinaro – Ed Marinaro appeared in two Super Bowls for the Minnesota Vikings and also played running back for the New York Jets and Seattle Seahawks during his pro career. He would go on to appear in a number of hit television series including Laverne & Shirley, Hill Street Blues, and Sisters.

#14 O.J. Simpson – O.J. Simpson won the Heisman Trophy and then was the first person to rush for more than 2,000 yards in a season in the NFL. He went on to appear as a guest star in a number of television shows and also appeared in a wide variety of commercials. His most famous role though was probably as Nordberg in the Naked Gun movies.

#13 Merlin Olsen – Merlin Olsen was a Hall of Fame defensive lineman for the Los Angeles Rams, and was one of the players that quarterbacks during the 1970s feared the most. After his playing days were finished, he appeared on Little House on the Prairie and then his own show, Father Murphy.

#12 Joe Namath – Broadway Joe Namath was the face of the American Football League in the 1960s and hero to New York Jets fans every where. He appeared in a number of movies and television shows including the A-Team, Brady Bunch, C.C. and Company, and he even guest hosted an episode of the Tonight Show.

#11 Lawrence Taylor – One of the greatest linebackers of all time, Lawrence Taylor is another of the famous football players who have gone on to have a credible acting career. He has appeared numerous times as himself on both television and in film. His other roles include The Waterboy, Shaft, and Any Given Sunday.

#10 Bubba Smith – Bubba Smith was a great defensive lineman for the Colts, Raiders, and Oilers. He achieved more fame after his career by appearing in a large number of very popular series of beer commercials for Miller Lite. He is also known for playing officer Moses Hightower in the Police Academy movies.

#9 Alex Karras – Alex Karras was a legendary defensive lineman for the Detroit Lions. After his career he went on to appear in Blazing Saddles and was Emmanuel Lewis’ dad in the television show Webster.
#8 Howie Long – Howie Long played 13 seasons with the Oakland and Los Angeles Raiders. Since then he has appeared in television commercials and movies like Firestorm and Broken Arrow.

#7 Dick Butkus – One of the most feared linebackers in football during his playing days, Dick Butkus would go on to have a decent acting career. He played in the films Any Given Sunday and Blue Thunder, as well as the television series My Two Dads.

#6 Terry Bradshaw – Many fans don’t know it, but Terry Bradshaw has not only been honored with a bust in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, but also with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. His film roles include Cannonball Run, Hooper, and Failure to Launch.

#5 Carl Weathers – Carl Weathers played linebacker in both the National Football League and the Canadian Football League. He has one of the most famous roles of any former football player, having played Apollo Creed in a number of the Rocky movies starring Sylvester Stallone.

#4 Fred Dryer – Fred Dryer played 13 seasons in the National Football League and was one of the most respected defensive ends of his era. He had one of the bigger hit television series of any football player, starring in the lead role of Hunter eight seasons in the 1980s and early 1990s.

#3 Fred Williamson – Fred Williamson played defensive back during the 1960s and upon his retirement he moved into acting almost immediately. He has had roles in Starsky & Hutch, Original Gangstas, and From Dusk Till Dawn in recent years, but is probably even more famous for the many films he made in the 1970s that were part of the blaxploitation genre.

#2 Woody Strode – Woody Strode is not a name recognized by most football fans. He played collegiately at UCLA, on the same team as Jackie Robinson, and then went on to play just one season in the NFL with the Los Angeles Rams in 1946. He was one of the first African American athletes to appear in the National Football League, and he would later play professional football in Canada too. He had a long and impressive film career, even being nominated for a Golden Globe award for his performance in Spartacus. Other movies and television shows he appeared in include Stagecoach, The Ten Commandments, The buccaneer, Pork Chop Hill, Rawhide, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, Daniel Boone, How The West Was Won, The Dukes Of Hazzard, and The Quick And The Dead.

#1 Jim Brown – Jim Brown is a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame and is widely considered the best running back ever. He had a very successful acting career following his retirement from the NFL. He appeared in The Dirty Dozen, The Running Man, Original Gangstas, Mars Attacks, and a number of 1970s films that were part of the blaxploitation genre. He also appeared quite a few television series including T.J. Hooker, Knight Rider, Highway to Heaven, Police Story, The A-Team, ChiPS, and I Spy.

Successful Hollywood actor Ewan McGregor and his best friend and fellow actor Charley Boorman simply love having adventures on their motorbikes. However, it’s just not a case of travelling a few leisurely miles on Sundays; these boys are serious, long distance bikers. On their last two trips the intrepid pair, plus their cameraman Claudio Von Planta – along to record their travels for documentary broadcast – have managed to clock up a staggering 34,000 miles on their odometers.

In 2004, the pair decided to take a trip between London and New York. But, rather than take the easy option of flying or cruising the Atlantic, they decided to ride their motorbikes the opposite way around the globe; taking ‘The Long Way Round’. Their 19,000 mile circuitous route involved travelling across Europe and Asia, before crossing the Bering Strait by air, then back on the road to travel the final leg from Alaska to New York. With the exception of their flight, a 600 mile train journey through Siberia, and an impassable short section of their trip through Russia, the entire route was completed on two wheels and took three and a half months.

Although the pair were accompanied only by cameraman Von Planta on bikes, they did have a support and security team following behind in two off-road vehicles, otherwise they would have been unable to complete their arduous trip. But, the whole expedition wasn’t just a jolly for the two thespians, it was undertaken to help highlight the work done by UNICEF, and during their journey McGregor and Boorman saw some of the projects done by the international relief agency at first-hand in Ukraine, Kazakhstan and Mongolia.

Three years later the pair decided to dust off their bike leathers, and this time travel the ‘Long Way Down’ from John O’Groats in Scotland to Cape Town in South Africa, another gruelling 15,000 miles. The journey took just under three months to complete. Starting out on May 12th they reached Cape Town on 4th August 2007, the entire ride and their sometimes hairy adventures again all captured on film by Von Planta. Again, the trip was used to highlight UNICEF’s relief efforts and the two actively encouraged viewers of their documentary broadcast to contribute to the charitable effort.

Although both trips were overwhelming successful, there were some serious incidents, and the extensive damage done to the bikes on their travels made it clear to see why they were unable to get motorbike insurance, and why their life insurance premiums were almost prohibitive. They were held up at gunpoint, suffered horrendous swelling following insect bites, were victims of theft and endured numerous mechanical failures, including water in the engines; certainly not adventures for the faint-hearted, and also why both trips made such compelling TV.

Despite their joint declaration that they won’t consider doing it again in the near future, keep your eyes peeled for the pair’s next two-wheeled adventure, as they are sure to get the bug again soon.

Due to the overwhelming response from my first Hollywood Muscle article, I’ve decided to continue with the Hollywood Muscle series.

I received quite a few comments, but one comment really stood out.
One person brought up a number of Hollywood Stars who have built impressive physiques.
Previously, I mainly focused on rapid transformations for movie rolls. In this article, we’ll take a look at a few actors and celebrities who have transformed their physiques, albeit at a slightly slower pace.

More importantly and unlike some of the “young gun actors,” many of these actors and celebrities have maintained a high level of fitness over the years.
So here we go with yet another Hollywood Muscle list…
IMPORTANT NOTE: This article contains “before and after” pictures. To view this article with the pictures, simply click on the link at the end of this article.

Honorable Mention: Kevin Eubanks

Years ago, I used to watch the tonight show with Jay Leno on a regular basis. Jay’s band leader is Kevin Eubanks.
For whatever reason, I stopped watching the show for a while. And when I tuned back in… I discovered that Kevin Eubanks had packed on some serious muscle.
As an additional note of interest, Kevin is vegan and apparently built his muscle without eating meat or chicken.

Hollywood Physique Transformation #5: Danny Bonaduce

I’m not really a big fan of this cat (ok, that’s putting it mildly. Truth is he gets on my nerves.
Plus, if memory serves correct he was openly using steroids.
But he did go from the scrawny kid on the Partridge Family to a pretty buff dude. An overall transformation that has attracted some attention… but not my favorite character.

Hollywood Physique Transformation #4: Carrot Top

This next one is just weird.
The prop comic Carrot Top went from weird looking and skinny… to weird looking and buff.
Again, not one of my favorites (never even thought he was funny in the first place) but another physique transformation that caused a buzz.
Let’s quickly move on to…

Hollywood Physique Transformation #3: Chris Knight

Another child star hits the weights.
This time, it’s Chris Knight, a.k.a Peter Brady.
Remember him?
He looks different now. I couldn’t really find a good picture that accurately demonstrates the transformation he’s made (rumors put him at 5% body fat.)
He did land a super-model (albeit, a crazy one). So he must be doing something right.
How about we very quickly move on?

Hollywood Physique Transformation #2: LL Cool J
To be honest, I don’t really remember if LL Cool J was every skinny or fat.
However, I do know that he’s bigger and more ripped than ever:
Plus, he’s just about 40 years old so that’s a big motivator for many 40-somethings.
Finally, we’ve got our…

Number One Hollywood Physique Transformation: Mark Wahlberg
This dude has always been known for his six-pack.
But he’s made a number of physique transformations that warrant giving him the top spot.

First, he lost a large amount of weight (rumors indicated about 40lbs) to play Dirk Diggler in Boogie Nights.
Then he ballooned up for his role in The Pride And The Glory… which was later shelved.
Here’s what he had to say about getting fat for the role…

“Putting on the weight was fun for the first two weeks but then you have to wake up at 2 in the morning and eat two burgers and go back to bed. And at 7 in the morning — eating a stack of pancakes. You still haven’t even swallowed your last meal, and you’re having to sit down for another one. So that wasn’t fun.”

- Mark Wahlberg on the many miseries of having to gain weight for a role (in “Pride and Glory,” which was later canceled), in an interview on the Britain’s Radio 1.

And then he lost a whopping 42 lbs for his role in The Italian Job and followed up with a number of physique-displaying films such as Invincible and Shooter.

All in all, these Hollywood celebrities should serve as “motivational fuel” for the rest of us to build bodies worth of the silver screen.

If you want to be a successful actor, or want your children in the business, this is a team member you must know and understand.

There are agents, and then there are AGENTS!

You can’t lump together high powered agents such as Creative Artists Agency (CAA), William Morris Agency (WMA), International Creative Management (ICM), Don Buchwald and Associates, and The Gersh Agency with the struggling one person outfits that are out there.

Most deals at the higher levels are negotiated by agents.

One key difference between agents and almost all other players, except for lawyers, is that they are regulated by state law.

Big Agencies vs. Small Agencies

The big three – CAA, William Morris, and ICM. These companies have at least 50 agents each working for them. There are a few mid-level agencies that are respected (mostly made up of big agency veterans). They are the focal point of power brokering in Hollywood and New York. The same is true for the rest of the world for that matter.

High powered agents represent their clients in all aspects of Motion Picture and Television, including commercials, print, and live appearances. This is what is known as ‘Across the board representation’. Fees for this service are regulated by the Unions. An agent receives no more than 10% of each talent deal.

Smaller agencies will specialize in their areas. In the beginning of their careers, many actors will have different agents for different fields. They will have a Theatrical Agent (Motion Pictures and Television), a Commercial Agent (Commercials only), Voice-Over Agent, Live Appearance Agent (singers, comedians, etc.).

What do Agents do?

An agent does not work for the actor. An agent works for the casting director and the production company.

What!?

An agent provides actors to the casting director when the need arises. An agent’s first loyalty is to his customer (the casting director or production company). That’s who keeps him/her in business.

An agent will look an actor in the eye and say, “I’ll work very hard for you!” What he/she really means is that they think you might be successful in auditions and that the agency would like to include you as another product available to their customer.

An agent will try and negotiate the best possible price for you because that price directly influences their commission. They will also look for the small details that an actor doesn’t think about, such as billing and screen credit, trailer, transportation, etc.

Producers and casting directors are also more confident in hiring an actor with agency representation than someone without.

Just like you are more comfortable buying jewelry from a reputable jewelry store and not off of someone on the street. Again, common sense tells you that an actor with representation is more professional.

Having an agent will enhance your credibility as a professional.

The top agents in the top agencies are some of the MAJOR players in the business. Their calls get answered. Their demands get met. They are just as important in the process as ANY person in Hollywood. Their power is based on the desirability of their clients.

In addition to doing deals on an individual basis, agents ‘package’ their clients so that a studio is forced to take a number of their clients for a particular project.

For example, if a studio wants a particular actor for a television series, they will also have to take a producer and team of writers handled by the same agent.

Why are agents such an important part of the business?

Fundamentally, most creative talent are not necessarily business people. The studio is much more comfortable doing business with an agent because they want business done efficiently and with as little ego damage as possible to the creative talent.

No studio executive wants to tell an actor that he/she is only worth X amount of dollars and that there is no way that they will get above the title billing. They leave those tasks to the better equipped agent.

A good agent knows what the market will bear and can generally get his/her client most of what the studio will give.

Do Agents get their clients work?

Only the most powerful agents can make suggestions to the studios. A good agent will submit a client and have the clout to get them a meeting or audition.

Most agents have to go the typical way of submitting to casting directors and hoping for a call back.

Most people get their own work. This is true especially in the beginning of their careers.

Remember the agent gets 10% of your paycheck. Count on them to only do 10% of the work. You are responsible for the other 90%.

Almost everyone needs an agent to play the game. It still stands that studios will not deal directly with the talent. They want the buffer.

In Los Angeles and New York (and a few more places) agents are exclusive. Meaning you can only have one agent represent you in each field. You may have one agent for theatrical (film and television), one agent for commercials, and one agent for personal appearances. Or, if offered, you may choose to have the same agent represent you across the board.

In Florida, and many other right to work states, you may be listed with as many agents as you want as long as they will have you.

There is a problem with listing with all of the agents in a right to work state. You may get called by all of them for the same audition. You must then decide which one you will list as your representative. This is a no-win situation. It will make some of them mad and they will not submit you the next time.

Just like in Hollywood and New York, you must learn to choose an agent. Getting them to effectively represent you is a fine art that must be learned.

Getting your first Agent.

If you are new to LA, or anywhere for that matter, you might find yourself having what is called a “Golden Period” where everyone will want to get a look at you. You are the new kid in town. You can use this to your advantage.

This is especially true if you are young. Not necessarily your age, but how young you look.

Some of you will have agents and managers competing with each other to sign you. Don’t be fooled. This novelty wears off fast.

Make it your plan to work hard at establishing your career. Think long term.

The best way to find your agent is by word of mouth. This is where your networking skills come into play. Everyone you meet is a resource. Always ask, “Do you know any good agents?” Keep a list.

One of the keys to ANY business is the quantity and quality of contacts that you make.

Effective networking means remembering people’s names. THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT. People are impressed and flattered when their name is remembered.

Courting an Agent

Don’t try the endless silly schemes some actors invent to get an agents attention. Handing out toilet seat covers with your picture embossed on it, scratch and sniff headshots, jigsaw puzzles that make up your resume, are only good for encouraging agents to treat you like you are treating yourself, like a joke.

What you must do to attract an agent is what people in all businesses do, send out calling cards. In this case, your calling card is your headshot and resume.

Make calls.

Set up appointments.

Get friends to make referrals.

Follow up.

Become involved in clubs and organizations relating to your field.

Continue to develop your skills to become more and more qualified.

Always keep in mind that luck happens when preparation meets opportunity. Be prepared or opportunity will pass you by.

If any agent tries to charge you a fee of any kind to sign with them, RUN, don’t walk away. Many scam artists are out there. This is a sure fire way of spotting a crook. A legitimate agent will only charge you their deserved commission when and after they have gotten you work.

Getting Agents to work for you

Here is where the real work begins. Many actors think that once they sign with an agent, they can sit back and wait for the phone to ring.

Since agents make their money from commissions, they will concentrate on clients who are already working.

Makes sense doesn’t it? Go with what works and you can count on your income. An agent who has clients who consistently land jobs from auditions is going to concentrate on those clients. New people are going to have to prove themselves to get the agents attention.

Sure they may have signed you because they believe you will get work, but you are going to have to prove yourself to them.

Things an Agent will want to know

Are you continuing to develop your craft?
Are you doing plays or student films?

Are you enrolled in acting classes?

Are you keeping up on what’s being produced?

Are you reading the Trade Papers?

Are you preparing fully for auditions?

Are you systematically expanding your network?

The truth of the matter is that most of the work you get will be due to your own efforts. This impresses an agent!

Make sure you communicate your efforts to your agent. Birthday cards and Christmas cards are warm and fuzzy, but you will fire up the agent’s enthusiasm when he/she receives the flyer about the play you are in, or a note about the casting director you met.

If you take charge of your career, communicate your efforts to your agent, and enlist your agent in a team effort, you stand a good chance of getting him/her to take an active roll on your behalf.