In the last week of November The Highest Tree The Highest Tree closed after just twenty-seven performances. The cast took up a collection to help fund the Redfords in crisis, and the money was used for a trip to Los Angeles to distance themselves from the tragedy. "It"s what you do," says Redford, "when you face the unsurvivable." In New York little progress was being made with theater offers for Redford, so MCA focused on television. Close to 80 percent of all homes had television now, so production was copious, and there were acting opportunities aplenty that might easily lead to movie work. closed after just twenty-seven performances. The cast took up a collection to help fund the Redfords in crisis, and the money was used for a trip to Los Angeles to distance themselves from the tragedy. "It"s what you do," says Redford, "when you face the unsurvivable." In New York little progress was being made with theater offers for Redford, so MCA focused on television. Close to 80 percent of all homes had television now, so production was copious, and there were acting opportunities aplenty that might easily lead to movie work.
Hesseltine introduced Redford to Monique James, who handled MCA"s West Coast TV operation. James liked him. "It was the era of George Peppard," said James. "All I ever heard from producers was, "Get me George Peppard." When I met Bob, I immediately saw a similarity. A little more sandy or red haired, maybe, but that general look. I also liked his manner, which was very open and direct and unaffected. I saw he was grieving and vulnerable, but he had strength, too. I wanted to help. I told him, "It may work well for you here."" James worked fast, securing him parts in Perry Mason, Rescue 8 Perry Mason, Rescue 8 and and Maverick. Maverick. When the new year arrived, to their own surprise, the Redfords were still in Los Angeles. When the new year arrived, to their own surprise, the Redfords were still in Los Angeles.
Michael Ritchie, the director who would partner Redford"s independent movie breakout in the late sixties, became aware of Redford"s screen presence in these first hesitant efforts. "But he meant nothing," said Ritchie, "because television was hemorrhaging product and you couldn"t keep up. It was just wall-to-wall entertainment and, even then, through overproduction, the standards were starting to slip." Two years later, Kennedy"s Federal Communications Commission would characterize TV as "a vast wasteland." "It was all Madison Avenue cowboys," said Ritchie, "and that was the world Bob risked sliding into."
But Redford saw West Coast television as a learning lab. "From a technical point of view, it was great," he says. "Television moved very quickly from live transmissions to tape, then film. My timing was good from that point of view. Because, the truth is, there is no difference between, say, a filmed episode of Maverick Maverick and a big Hollywood movie, other than the obvious: budget. The geography of the set is the same. A gaffer is a gaffer, and a grip is a grip." and a big Hollywood movie, other than the obvious: budget. The geography of the set is the same. A gaffer is a gaffer, and a grip is a grip."
The Redfords rented a two-room apartment on the pier at Malibu as soon as the television earnings allowed it. Life became calm again.
Within MCA, however, Redford was seen as an increasingly attractive property. "Stark rather selfishly wanted Bob back in New York, in theater," said Monique James. "That was his fantasy. I challenged that, and I wanted to prove him in television. Bob could be a funny guy, a cutup, but he was also very, very tough. He was impervious to the humiliations of the business. He had the tenacity for the casting trail. Because of all that, I knew he"d never get stuck in Rescue 8. Rescue 8. So I pushed for better roles for him." So I pushed for better roles for him."
NBC offered Redford a part in "Captain Bra.s.sbound"s Conversion," an adaptation of George Bernard Shaw"s play for the estimable Hallmark Hall of Fame. Hallmark Hall of Fame. The role was small but, significantly, alongside two great Hollywood players, Christopher Plummer and Greer Garson. Redford saw irony in this. Since childhood he had fancied Greer Garson and, while working as a janitor at the ANTA Theatre, had often watched while Plummer rehea.r.s.ed. He was thrilled to be sharing a soundstage with acting legends. "It"s not always the size of a part, but the connections involved that are important," said Monique James. "Neither of us wanted to bed down in The role was small but, significantly, alongside two great Hollywood players, Christopher Plummer and Greer Garson. Redford saw irony in this. Since childhood he had fancied Greer Garson and, while working as a janitor at the ANTA Theatre, had often watched while Plummer rehea.r.s.ed. He was thrilled to be sharing a soundstage with acting legends. "It"s not always the size of a part, but the connections involved that are important," said Monique James. "Neither of us wanted to bed down in Maverick, Maverick, and this was a turning point." and this was a turning point."
In the Shaw play, Redford"s part was just six lines as a soldier called Blue Jacket, who shows Greer Garson into a cabin. "Somehow I impressed her," says Redford, "probably because I so obviously relished every second of being around her. She took to me like I was her little puppy. Finally I got her to myself in her dressing room and told her how much I admired her. She was sitting regally in a flowing, frothy pink gown, looking like all I"d romantically dreamed her to be. She responded with such grace: "My dear, dear, dear, dear Blue Jacket... dear Blue Jacket...!" Her kindness made me weak at the knees. Now, I thought to myself, if only I could play opposite Maureen O"Hara."
In May, as Redford was rehearsing "Captain Bra.s.sbound"s Conversion," Lola discovered she was pregnant again. That seemed like the cue to leave Los Angeles. "I didn"t want the baby to be born there, and I"d had enough of shows like Maverick. Maverick. So when the Shaw play was done, I was done." The Redfords were literally filling the trunk of their Chrysler when another call came from Monique James. Redford remembers, "She told me, "You simply cannot miss this one, Bob. This is So when the Shaw play was done, I was done." The Redfords were literally filling the trunk of their Chrysler when another call came from Monique James. Redford remembers, "She told me, "You simply cannot miss this one, Bob. This is Playhouse 90. Playhouse 90. This is gold."" This is gold.""
James had fought to keep Redford in L.A. She recalled: "Ethel Winant, the casting director for Playhouse 90, Playhouse 90, told me emphatically she didn"t want a newcomer for this particular big role because this was a historically important show. It was a n.a.z.i war story, said Ethel, and it called for George [Peppard] because he had the best Aryan look. She also wanted a heavyweight actor, not some have-a-go fellow. I lied to her, telling her George didn"t want the part. All I was doing was trying to create an opportunity for Bob. I gave Ethel no choice: she had to check out Redford." told me emphatically she didn"t want a newcomer for this particular big role because this was a historically important show. It was a n.a.z.i war story, said Ethel, and it called for George [Peppard] because he had the best Aryan look. She also wanted a heavyweight actor, not some have-a-go fellow. I lied to her, telling her George didn"t want the part. All I was doing was trying to create an opportunity for Bob. I gave Ethel no choice: she had to check out Redford."
Playhouse 90, which had been running on CBS since 1948, was regarded as the apogee of TV drama. In the mid-fifties, producer Hubbell Robinson refined its format to provide a kind of social debate forum for America"s leading television writers. Although it was among the most Emmy-awarded shows, CBS announced its end in the summer of 1960. Rod Serling"s "In the Presence of Mine Enemies," about the uprising in the Warsaw ghetto during n.a.z.i occupation, would be its grand finale. which had been running on CBS since 1948, was regarded as the apogee of TV drama. In the mid-fifties, producer Hubbell Robinson refined its format to provide a kind of social debate forum for America"s leading television writers. Although it was among the most Emmy-awarded shows, CBS announced its end in the summer of 1960. Rod Serling"s "In the Presence of Mine Enemies," about the uprising in the Warsaw ghetto during n.a.z.i occupation, would be its grand finale.
Redford read twice for the role of a young Bavarian n.a.z.i, Sergeant Lott. The part was big, interwoven throughout the script. Fielder Cook, the director, stopped him in midsentence during the second audition and told him the part was his. He also mentioned that Redford would be playing alongside Charles Laughton, who was to portray the terrorized rabbi of the ghetto. Arthur Kennedy was also in the cast.
Redford found Serling"s script the most thought-provoking of any he had worked on since The Seagull. The Seagull. As a decent young "soldier of the soil," Redford"s George Lott vacillates between detachment and concern for the five hundred thousand Jews trapped in the ghetto. He becomes attached to the rabbi and tries to defend him when the rabbi avenges a rape. Bit by bit, the rabbi gently tries to convert and transform Lott. As a decent young "soldier of the soil," Redford"s George Lott vacillates between detachment and concern for the five hundred thousand Jews trapped in the ghetto. He becomes attached to the rabbi and tries to defend him when the rabbi avenges a rape. Bit by bit, the rabbi gently tries to convert and transform Lott.
"It was among my most nerve-racking experiences because of Laughton," says Redford. "Part of it was his sheer physicality, which was as commanding as his legend. He was also intense and introspective. I had to make the emotional adjustment to play a co-lead with this legend." At one point, as the rabbi insults the n.a.z.i commander, Lott is instructed to strike him. In rehearsals, Cook insisted Redford mime the a.s.sault. Redford felt increased apprehension as the broadcast night, May 18, approached. "Just a few minutes before we went on air, Laughton came up to me," says Redford. "He announced, very authoritatively, "Do not under any circ.u.mstances. .h.i.t me. I cannot tolerate it. Fake it, do something, anything...just do not, I mean do not, not, I mean do not, touch me."" Redford tried to consult Cook, but with seconds till air, Cook couldn"t be bothered. When the moment came, Redford smacked Laughton hard across the face. "He looked absolutely horrified, and I felt terrible. When the show was over, I went to him and apologized. You did what you had to do, he said. And he was right. Dramatically it worked. It was honest. That scene reminded me that it was only authenticity that counted." touch me."" Redford tried to consult Cook, but with seconds till air, Cook couldn"t be bothered. When the moment came, Redford smacked Laughton hard across the face. "He looked absolutely horrified, and I felt terrible. When the show was over, I went to him and apologized. You did what you had to do, he said. And he was right. Dramatically it worked. It was honest. That scene reminded me that it was only authenticity that counted."
"In the Presence of Mine Enemies" was Redford"s first unmitigated success, finally winning him the attention of the media. He "stole the show," wrote the Hollywood Reporter. Hollywood Reporter. Jack Gould in Jack Gould in The New York Times The New York Times praised "an exceptional contribution in his depiction of a man trying to reconcile a personal code with military brutality." The play was controversial because it acknowledged the humanity of n.a.z.is like Lott who empathized with the Jews. But thousands of callers clogged the switchboard at CBS, demanding apologies. Leon Uris publicly condemned Serling. But Redford felt it was "a courageous work" and he was privileged to be a.s.sociated with it. praised "an exceptional contribution in his depiction of a man trying to reconcile a personal code with military brutality." The play was controversial because it acknowledged the humanity of n.a.z.is like Lott who empathized with the Jews. But thousands of callers clogged the switchboard at CBS, demanding apologies. Leon Uris publicly condemned Serling. But Redford felt it was "a courageous work" and he was privileged to be a.s.sociated with it.
In June the Redfords returned to New York, apprehensive about the second pregnancy, but excited by the renewed enthusiasm of MCA. The success of Playhouse 90 Playhouse 90 had hiked theatrical interest, and Hesseltine was already dangling a carrot. It seemed as if the days of sideline performances were over. In the offing was a major role in an important television version of a play by the matchless Eugene O"Neill. had hiked theatrical interest, and Hesseltine was already dangling a carrot. It seemed as if the days of sideline performances were over. In the offing was a major role in an important television version of a play by the matchless Eugene O"Neill.
8.
The New Frontier.
New York was electric. This was the run-up to the Kennedy era, the year of the election, with a breeze of newness in the streets. It was also, for Redford, a bounteous time-he had scored ten roles on television in just eight months, including, in his last days in L.A., a good part in NBC"s first coast-to-coast color broadcast, an episode of the thriller series Moment of Fear, Moment of Fear, called "The Golden Deed, called "The Golden Deed," opposite Macdonald Carey. The excitement of significant progress had gone some way toward a.s.suaging the pain of Scott"s loss, and Redford was feeling serene. opposite Macdonald Carey. The excitement of significant progress had gone some way toward a.s.suaging the pain of Scott"s loss, and Redford was feeling serene.
He was also looking good. Too good. He had a golden tan after spending long days at Malibu, clearly evident as he played a slick psychopath opposite Carey. The problem was that Sidney Lumet, in the midst of casting his television production of The Iceman Cometh The Iceman Cometh for the National Network, a precursor of PBS, could not abide the notion of Parritt, a neurotic and thin character in the play, as a surf dude. Lumet liked what he"d seen of Redford in for the National Network, a precursor of PBS, could not abide the notion of Parritt, a neurotic and thin character in the play, as a surf dude. Lumet liked what he"d seen of Redford in Playhouse 90 Playhouse 90 but disliked the tan. Lumet"s casting director, Marion Dougherty, met with Redford nonetheless. "I can do it," Redford said to her. "I will bring myself to the requirement." She was won over: "I knew the text, and but disliked the tan. Lumet"s casting director, Marion Dougherty, met with Redford nonetheless. "I can do it," Redford said to her. "I will bring myself to the requirement." She was won over: "I knew the text, and The Iceman Cometh The Iceman Cometh is all about subsurface," says Dougherty. "Appreciating Bob"s looks was easy. But listening to what was underneath is what convinced me. He had a lot to say for himself. He was sensitive and probing and intelligent. I called Sidney and asked him to rethink. He finally said okay." is all about subsurface," says Dougherty. "Appreciating Bob"s looks was easy. But listening to what was underneath is what convinced me. He had a lot to say for himself. He was sensitive and probing and intelligent. I called Sidney and asked him to rethink. He finally said okay."
An O"Neill role was, for Redford, a walk into Tiger"s past. Once, in a casual conversation, Tiger had told him that Doc Gainey"s, O"Neill"s favorite pub, was also one of his. "Did you know him?" Redford asked. Tiger chewed his cigar, scratched his head and said, "His brother was a b.u.m." Redford"s frequent visits with Tiger in the cramped, dark rooms of New London would now serve the young actor well.
Sidney Lumet, Redford well knew, was the ultimate actors" director, having started in the Yiddish Art Theatre at the age of four and having appeared on Broadway often since the 1930s. In 1947 he"d set up a rival acting group with disaffected members of the Actors Studio (among them Eli Wallach and Yul Brynner) and had ten years" experience directing more than 150 episodes of crime series for CBS television. The regard in which he was held was evidenced by Henry Fonda"s insistence that Lumet direct Twelve Angry Men, Twelve Angry Men, which became Lumet"s movie debut in 1957 and garnered three Oscar nominations. "I was more anxious to please him than any director I"d encountered," said Redford. which became Lumet"s movie debut in 1957 and garnered three Oscar nominations. "I was more anxious to please him than any director I"d encountered," said Redford.
The four-hour, four-act production of Iceman Iceman was to be an exact re-creation of the 1956 Circle in the Square stage production, directed by Jose Quintero, which was regarded as the definitive version and consecrated Jason Robards as O"Neill"s signature actor. Robards was back in the lead role of Hickey, the bar b.u.m philosopher, as were several members of the 1956 cast. The play was to be taped over several days in October, for transmission in November. was to be an exact re-creation of the 1956 Circle in the Square stage production, directed by Jose Quintero, which was regarded as the definitive version and consecrated Jason Robards as O"Neill"s signature actor. Robards was back in the lead role of Hickey, the bar b.u.m philosopher, as were several members of the 1956 cast. The play was to be taped over several days in October, for transmission in November.
Set in 1912, Iceman Iceman deals with salesman Hickey"s arrival at his regular haunt to harangue his old drinking friends about their habitual despair. His apparent conversion throws the gathering into turmoil, but his posturing covers up the fact that he is traumatized because he cannot come to terms with the fact that he has murdered his wife. Essentially a work that posits a dark confusion in the center of the American psyche, deals with salesman Hickey"s arrival at his regular haunt to harangue his old drinking friends about their habitual despair. His apparent conversion throws the gathering into turmoil, but his posturing covers up the fact that he is traumatized because he cannot come to terms with the fact that he has murdered his wife. Essentially a work that posits a dark confusion in the center of the American psyche, The Iceman Cometh The Iceman Cometh is often described as O"Neill"s most autobiographical work. O"Neill himself insisted to his friend, the writer Dudley Nichols, that it was not pessimistic. "[O"Neill] did not feel that the fact that we live by illusion is sad," said Nichols. "The important thing, he felt, is to [recognize] that we do." is often described as O"Neill"s most autobiographical work. O"Neill himself insisted to his friend, the writer Dudley Nichols, that it was not pessimistic. "[O"Neill] did not feel that the fact that we live by illusion is sad," said Nichols. "The important thing, he felt, is to [recognize] that we do."
Redford"s Parritt urges Hickey to abandon delusion by choosing suicide. Redford understood the centrality of the role and wrestled for weeks with text and subtext. "My Parritt came from a place of intuition, accessed from my own contradictions. What was marvelous about Sidney was that he allowed intuition. He had a Method reputation, but he didn"t do the Stanislavski thing. There was no heavy a.n.a.lysis. Instead, it was organic development. Drawing on the actor"s instinct made absolute sense to me."
Jason Robards coached Redford more than Lumet did. "We got on right off the bat," Redford would write in his eulogy for Time Time after Robards"s death in January 2001. "He was extremely generous to me. In the play, when his character meets mine, he says, "We"re members of the same lodge in some way." Because of our personal connection he invested that moment pretty heavily, and I"ll never forget that line." Redford was aware of Robards"s reputation as the peerless O"Neill interpreter. "So it was critical for me to pay attention to him. He wasn"t preachy about acting, but he was an encyclopedia. I learned more watching his nuances than I did from any stage actor." after Robards"s death in January 2001. "He was extremely generous to me. In the play, when his character meets mine, he says, "We"re members of the same lodge in some way." Because of our personal connection he invested that moment pretty heavily, and I"ll never forget that line." Redford was aware of Robards"s reputation as the peerless O"Neill interpreter. "So it was critical for me to pay attention to him. He wasn"t preachy about acting, but he was an encyclopedia. I learned more watching his nuances than I did from any stage actor."
The insights of the play left a mark on Redford. In his diary he jotted down a few of Hickey"s searing lines: "The history of the world proves that truth has no bearing on anything" and "Men don"t want to be saved from themselves because then they"d have to give up greed...and they don"t want to pay that price for liberty." Redford underlined the last speech. "It summarized what I felt about American life as I knew it growing up. We were all looking for the good life, but we didn"t want to probe too deeply. It was a life of illusions and noncommunication, and that had always felt wrong. O"Neill was about reaching for understanding, and working that text made me comfortable for the first time about this life I"d found myself in. I wasn"t yet an actor, but I was in a state of becoming."
Before Iceman Iceman aired, Hesseltine finally found Redford work in theater again, in another Hibernian drama, James Costigan"s stage version of his Emmy-winning television play, aired, Hesseltine finally found Redford work in theater again, in another Hibernian drama, James Costigan"s stage version of his Emmy-winning television play, Little Moon of Alban. Little Moon of Alban. Harryetta Peterka, a friend from AADA, remembered Herman Shumlin, the director of Harryetta Peterka, a friend from AADA, remembered Herman Shumlin, the director of Little Moon, Little Moon, who had also directed Redford"s walk-on in who had also directed Redford"s walk-on in Tall Story, Tall Story, voicing uncertainty about his own decision to cast Redford. "He"d seen Bob in an episode of voicing uncertainty about his own decision to cast Redford. "He"d seen Bob in an episode of The Deputy The Deputy and was unimpressed. He said, "Frances Fuller keeps saying he"s shaping up like Spencer Tracy. I can"t see it. He"s too glib." But then he liked the and was unimpressed. He said, "Frances Fuller keeps saying he"s shaping up like Spencer Tracy. I can"t see it. He"s too glib." But then he liked the Playhouse 90 Playhouse 90 and Hesseltine convinced him to take a chance with him in the Costigan play." and Hesseltine convinced him to take a chance with him in the Costigan play."
Redford had seen the NBC version of Little Moon of Alban Little Moon of Alban and loved Costigan"s dark musicality. It reminded him of all Lena"s old Fenian stories. The play is set in Ireland at the time of the 1916 rebellion and revolves around the conflict of an Irish nurse from a Republican family, Brigid Mary, forced to tend to a British army lieutenant, Kenneth Boyd, who is responsible for the death of her lover, the IRA gunman Dennis Walsh. Brigid Mary, despite herself, falls for Boyd as she urges him to fight for life in the face of death. Redford would have preferred the Boyd role but happily took on Walsh. "Walsh"s last big speech, just before he"s killed, is spectacular," says Redford. "He walks onto a Liffey bridge and recites a lament about Irish martyrdom. I knew I could knock that down so well. I only had to tune back in to Lena." and loved Costigan"s dark musicality. It reminded him of all Lena"s old Fenian stories. The play is set in Ireland at the time of the 1916 rebellion and revolves around the conflict of an Irish nurse from a Republican family, Brigid Mary, forced to tend to a British army lieutenant, Kenneth Boyd, who is responsible for the death of her lover, the IRA gunman Dennis Walsh. Brigid Mary, despite herself, falls for Boyd as she urges him to fight for life in the face of death. Redford would have preferred the Boyd role but happily took on Walsh. "Walsh"s last big speech, just before he"s killed, is spectacular," says Redford. "He walks onto a Liffey bridge and recites a lament about Irish martyrdom. I knew I could knock that down so well. I only had to tune back in to Lena."
Experienced actors-John Justin as Boyd and Julie Harris as Brigid Mary-surrounded Redford. But Shumlin"s direction, Redford now feels, weakened the production. "He was no Sidney Lumet, though he did try to expand the historical content of the play, which was a plus. But he was from the old school, like Jehlinger, bossy, rigid and backward-looking, and he succ.u.mbed to the temptation to simply re-create what had been done before in the television version.
"It absolutely killed me to see what Shumlin allowed Justin and Julie to do with those sensitive scenes Costigan wrote. Brigid Mary resolves her problem by deciding to become a nun. I remember sitting at the read-throughs watching this beautiful finale Costigan had written where Boyd accepts his personal concession to faith faith and walks away, kissing Brigid Mary one last time with the words, "I shan"t say goodbye, it seems mundane. I shall simply say this: that I kiss your mouth, and walks away, kissing Brigid Mary one last time with the words, "I shan"t say goodbye, it seems mundane. I shall simply say this: that I kiss your mouth, most humbly and gratefully. most humbly and gratefully." I would have sold my soul to deliver those lines. But they played them sentimentally and threw it away."
Among those filling the IRA roles in the play were the Clancy brothers, on the brink of an international career as a folk group. "Redford was one of the lads," said Liam Clancy, "and as comfortable in his Irishness as I am in mine. But there was a problem. We drank together, and he told me all his concerns about the play, and all he wished it to be. He had all the focus of a serious stage actor, but I sensed he was being pulled away. Most of the young actors like me among the cast were struggling. Redford was around my age, but he was different already. He had big, important champions in his corner: MCA, casting people that brought fear to young thespians. I felt he was fighting to keep focus and not get lured into the falsehood of stardom. I also felt he was at his best talking about the character in the text, not show business."
During the previews of Little Moon of Alban Little Moon of Alban in Washington, D.C., in Washington, D.C., The Iceman Cometh The Iceman Cometh aired on the National Network on November 14. It was just a week after the election of John F. Kennedy as president, and the air was charged with excitement. As Redford was preparing makeup, the call came from New York that Lola had gone into premature labor. He left the theater and took the night train, arriving just in time for the birth of a daughter, Shauna. "The death of a child can destroy a couple," says Provo friend Stan Collins. "In their case, I believe it did put a distance between them. But Shauna"s arrival reversed the damage. They were no longer absorbed in what might have been. They finally had a family to pull together for." aired on the National Network on November 14. It was just a week after the election of John F. Kennedy as president, and the air was charged with excitement. As Redford was preparing makeup, the call came from New York that Lola had gone into premature labor. He left the theater and took the night train, arriving just in time for the birth of a daughter, Shauna. "The death of a child can destroy a couple," says Provo friend Stan Collins. "In their case, I believe it did put a distance between them. But Shauna"s arrival reversed the damage. They were no longer absorbed in what might have been. They finally had a family to pull together for."
Little Moon of Alban opened at the Longacre in December. The opened at the Longacre in December. The New York Post, Variety, Newsday New York Post, Variety, Newsday and other periodicals praised Redford"s performance, but the play closed, to Redford"s dismay, after just twenty performances. and other periodicals praised Redford"s performance, but the play closed, to Redford"s dismay, after just twenty performances.
The compensation was a sudden influx of TV parts. "For the rest of us struggling thesps," said Liam Clancy, "a failed play means poverty. But, in that regard, Bob was way ahead of us all." In a Reginald Rose Play of the Week Play of the Week he was the murderous son of a senator. Memorably for all who saw it, he then played a psychotic neo-n.a.z.i in a particularly nasty episode of ABC"s he was the murderous son of a senator. Memorably for all who saw it, he then played a psychotic neo-n.a.z.i in a particularly nasty episode of ABC"s Naked City. Naked City. "I"m not sure what made Bob happier," says Stan Collins, "the acting or his home life. But it seemed very critical to him to measure himself in acting progress." Redford concurs: "I felt acutely compelled to prove my worth. But that should not detract from the fact that Shauna and family life were hugely satisfying then." "I"m not sure what made Bob happier," says Stan Collins, "the acting or his home life. But it seemed very critical to him to measure himself in acting progress." Redford concurs: "I felt acutely compelled to prove my worth. But that should not detract from the fact that Shauna and family life were hugely satisfying then."
In a bravura gesture Redford decided to rent a Cadillac and visit Tiger to show off the new baby. Tiger was now a resident at a nursing home in New London. Charlie had once told his son that when Tiger was informed of Redford"s artistic ambitions, he"d said, "Tell the kid he can"t eat art." During the visit with Lola and the baby, it was clear Tiger"s opinion had changed. "I was sitting drinking coffee," says Redford, "and he shuffled across the floor in his big wool overcoat and threw down a copy of TV Guide. TV Guide. I looked, and there was the listing for I looked, and there was the listing for Perry Mason, Perry Mason, costarring me. It was his silent way of acknowledging what I was doing." costarring me. It was his silent way of acknowledging what I was doing."
At Christmas, Redford and Lola decided to return to Los Angeles in part to introduce Shauna to Charlie and Helen and in part to reconnect with Monique James since, clearly, television was the meal ticket. "The Shumlin experience left a lousy feeling about New York theater," says Redford. "An incident during Little Moon Little Moon summed up my problem. It was my central scene, where I"m shot by the Black and Tans and dragged into Brigid Mary"s kitchen. I lie dying in her arms. This was hard for me, because I was finding it difficult to connect with Julie Harris. Just as I hit my stride, Shumlin grabbed my wrist, saying, "Don"t cover the face, dear boy. Hold your hand this high, not that high. No, lower, lower, lower." I could not handle that mechanical way. I thought, There"s no art in this. If this is acting, I cannot be an actor." Redford now found himself brooding, wondering if his altered domestic setup and the trip west were not some terminus. summed up my problem. It was my central scene, where I"m shot by the Black and Tans and dragged into Brigid Mary"s kitchen. I lie dying in her arms. This was hard for me, because I was finding it difficult to connect with Julie Harris. Just as I hit my stride, Shumlin grabbed my wrist, saying, "Don"t cover the face, dear boy. Hold your hand this high, not that high. No, lower, lower, lower." I could not handle that mechanical way. I thought, There"s no art in this. If this is acting, I cannot be an actor." Redford now found himself brooding, wondering if his altered domestic setup and the trip west were not some terminus.
Lola flew on with Shauna, while Redford took the train, wanting time alone to contemplate his future. The train stopped to take on water in Gallup, New Mexico. "Since Florence when I was depressed, I"d perfected a kind of meditation, a self-hypnosis that tuned out the world and reoriented me. At Gallup, while meditating, something bizarre happened. I was locked inside myself, and suddenly there was an Indian face at the window. This apparition cut in and whipped me to some other consciousness. You can rationalize this however you want: the urban guy, jaded with the buzz of Manhattan, suddenly blasted into the bleakness of the desert world, whatever. But for me, in the way it happened, it was a transcendent experience. In simple terms, it yanked me backward, to the forties, to driving with my mother and encountering this native culture, upon which modern Americans are parasites. But it was not memory or nostalgia. It was a feeling of being sucked into timelessness. I was bogged down in the business of a career, asking myself, Should I choose this, or decide that? And that face at the window just pushed me into a feeling of, Just be. Just be. It was an unexpected Zen moment that alters you in some way." It was an unexpected Zen moment that alters you in some way."
Transformed-hardened, he says-Redford arrived in L.A. determined to press Monique James for parts akin to the one in Iceman. Iceman. She complied, finding him roles in an episode of the series She complied, finding him roles in an episode of the series Bus Stop, Bus Stop, directed by Robert Altman, an directed by Robert Altman, an Alfred Hitchc.o.c.k Presents Alfred Hitchc.o.c.k Presents and a showcase and a showcase Twilight Zone Twilight Zone with Gladys Cooper, in which he played Death in the guise of a friendly neighborhood policeman knocking on the door of a smart old-timer. "He suddenly drove me hard," said James. "My specialization wasn"t movies, but I had a soft spot for Bob. There were lots of pretty boys around, but not so many who made you think twice the way he did. He was driven. He was also the kind of guy, when he left the room, you looked after him and said, I wonder what"s really going on inside that lovely head? What"s the dark secret that makes him so determined?" with Gladys Cooper, in which he played Death in the guise of a friendly neighborhood policeman knocking on the door of a smart old-timer. "He suddenly drove me hard," said James. "My specialization wasn"t movies, but I had a soft spot for Bob. There were lots of pretty boys around, but not so many who made you think twice the way he did. He was driven. He was also the kind of guy, when he left the room, you looked after him and said, I wonder what"s really going on inside that lovely head? What"s the dark secret that makes him so determined?"
"I was not into shared soul-searching," says Redford. "In that regard I was, and remain, a loner. I like to face the issues alone. Similarly, in deciding the direction I wanted to go in as an actor, I mostly engaged that dialogue with myself. Why did I want to persevere? Vanity is the easy explanation, but I now knew it was more than that. The nearest I can come to explaining the drive is something Jack Kerouac said about the problem facing the American artist. There are many voices in America, he said, so the best solution is to write one story in the b.u.m dialect, another in the Indian dialect and so on. I liked that. I had a very broad sense of America, or the parallel Americas, and I knew I wanted to study the differences. I wanted the power of witness. Then I wanted to turn it into some performance truth. You have to be careful of overstatement, but I suppose I had some intuition or observation about America or Americans that I wanted to essay."
James stretched, getting him tryouts for a few movies, but he consistently failed. "That taught me a lot about the business," says Redford. "Slowly this tapestry unfolded: that show business-even art-was gladiatorial. gladiatorial. I had to work harder." I had to work harder."
With new ant.i.trust laws, MCA, which was ever expanding into movie production and had now acquired a record label, was under pressure to restructure. James urged Redford to retain a Beverly Hills lawyer, Alexander Tucker, and he signed a new movie agent contract with Citron and Park, the high-profile MCA spin-off. But he refused to sever contact with Stark Hesseltine. "I saw how one could become soulless in the pursuit of success, and I would not allow that to start happening. Stark had been loyal to me, and I felt I should reciprocate. He knew nothing about movies, but he was a decent human being, so I decided I would stick with him as my overall agent and adviser as long as I could."
The fidelity facilitated the most productive and long-lasting friendship of Redford"s life. Sydney Pollack, a young actor from South Bend, Indiana, was also an MCA client, and met Redford during readings for a small-time movie called War Hunt. War Hunt. "It was Stark Hesseltine who got me interested in Redford," Pollack recalled. "All I ever heard from Stark were stories about this young blond surf G.o.d who was such a great guy. That got me interested to know Bob." Pollack had left home at seventeen, abandoning "the usual bourgeois expectations" of his shopkeeper father, first to join the army, then to study acting at the Neighborhood Playhouse under Sandy Meisner. Resistant, like Meisner, to the literal Method, he made his Broadway debut at twenty-one in 1955; he also became Meisner"s paid a.s.sistant. John Frankenheimer, one of television"s most prolific young directors, introduced Pollack to Burt Lancaster, Frankenheimer"s production partner on "It was Stark Hesseltine who got me interested in Redford," Pollack recalled. "All I ever heard from Stark were stories about this young blond surf G.o.d who was such a great guy. That got me interested to know Bob." Pollack had left home at seventeen, abandoning "the usual bourgeois expectations" of his shopkeeper father, first to join the army, then to study acting at the Neighborhood Playhouse under Sandy Meisner. Resistant, like Meisner, to the literal Method, he made his Broadway debut at twenty-one in 1955; he also became Meisner"s paid a.s.sistant. John Frankenheimer, one of television"s most prolific young directors, introduced Pollack to Burt Lancaster, Frankenheimer"s production partner on The Young Savages. The Young Savages. Pollack became dialogue coach to the street punks in the movie, and his work so impressed Lancaster that he convinced MCA"s Lew Wa.s.serman to represent him. Under the patronage of Lancaster, Pollack headed west in 1960, first to coach actors for Frankenheimer, then to direct episodes of CBS"s courtroom drama series Pollack became dialogue coach to the street punks in the movie, and his work so impressed Lancaster that he convinced MCA"s Lew Wa.s.serman to represent him. Under the patronage of Lancaster, Pollack headed west in 1960, first to coach actors for Frankenheimer, then to direct episodes of CBS"s courtroom drama series The Defenders The Defenders and ABC"s medical series and ABC"s medical series Ben Casey. Ben Casey. When he met Redford, he was recently married to the actress Claire Griswold and taking time out from When he met Redford, he was recently married to the actress Claire Griswold and taking time out from Ben Casey Ben Casey to return to his first love, acting. to return to his first love, acting.
Pollack remembered being struck by Redford"s "command" when they met in an audition room. Much of this, Pollack admitted, was superficial accoutrements. With his recent good television earnings, Redford was living at the Hotel Bel-Air; he had also acquired a Porsche 350 series speedster, the first of twenty he would own over the years. "I understood these markers," said Pollack. "This is a business where appearance and reality vie with each other. But you quickly get the knack of looking beyond. And what I saw in Bob, as Stark said, was a man of quality."
Very shortly, the two actors were hanging out, drinking vodka and talking long into the nights. "We were very different physically," said Pollack. "Bob was Mr. Sports. I was never into the jock thing; I never held a tennis racket in my life. But Bob"s compet.i.tiveness was infectious. And though he was always into sports, always checking the sports results, the compet.i.tiveness was much broader and healthier than that. It came from his gut and it came from the spirit of the times, the Kennedy spirit. Even if you weren"t political, and Bob was only marginally then, it was impossible not to be revved up by all the changes that were going down in 1961. Bob was hot-wired, and that made him a very attractive guy to be with."
Redford "loved Sydney from the get-go" and concedes his own political soft-focus. Still, he says, it was impossible to remain indifferent to Camelot: to Kennedy"s brain trust, the exhortations to young people, the fact that the White House itself was now a culture and arts center. "I wasn"t paying close attention, but it seeped in," says Redford. "Later, looking back from the stance of supporting liberal politics, I saw that the fifties-sixties changeover was the pivot of everything that redefined America as a global force. I wasn"t a contributor, but I was lucky to be alive at a time when the notion of America as a concept as a concept came back into question, and people looked objectively, without the pressure of a world war, at the capacity of our role in world affairs. It was a time of open questioning, which I cherished and enjoyed discussing with Sydney." came back into question, and people looked objectively, without the pressure of a world war, at the capacity of our role in world affairs. It was a time of open questioning, which I cherished and enjoyed discussing with Sydney."
Redford and Pollack"s friendship took off during War Hunt, War Hunt, Redford"s first-albeit small-scale-movie, which he still regards affectionately. During Redford"s first-albeit small-scale-movie, which he still regards affectionately. During Little Moon of Alban, Little Moon of Alban, two young film enthusiasts, Terry and Denis Sanders, had come backstage with a script they"d developed with Stanford Whitmore about the Korean War. Redford liked them before he read the script: "They were of Turkish extraction, very quirky and cutting-edge." The brothers were UCLA film school graduates whose cinema verite short about the Civil War, two young film enthusiasts, Terry and Denis Sanders, had come backstage with a script they"d developed with Stanford Whitmore about the Korean War. Redford liked them before he read the script: "They were of Turkish extraction, very quirky and cutting-edge." The brothers were UCLA film school graduates whose cinema verite short about the Civil War, A Time Out of War, A Time Out of War, had won an Academy Award. Because of that success, Universal had given them $250,000 to make their first feature, this modest had won an Academy Award. Because of that success, Universal had given them $250,000 to make their first feature, this modest War Hunt. War Hunt.
The script dealt with the spiritual abyss of war, examined in the erosion of sanity on the battlefield, where Private Raymond Endore, an exhausted reconnaissance man desensitized to slaughter, attempts to abduct his young ward, a Korean child called Charlie, and take him from the killing fields to the freedom in the hills. Other major roles were those of Private Roy Loomis, a man of reason and conscience, and the straight-ahead, unquestioning Sergeant Owen Van Dorn.
When Redford read the script, the role of Endore jumped out at him. "I thought, Oh, I get it. They"ve seen me do the psychos on TV, and now I"m going to be this neurotic wild guy." Terry Sanders, the producer, told Redford that John Saxon, the longtime Universal contract player, would be his main costar. "Given John"s status, I a.s.sumed he"d play the heroic Roy Loomis. But I was wrong. I could not believe it when Denis, who was directing, told me to learn Loomis"s lines. Saxon would be playing Endore! I could not believe that these guys saw me as a friendly face. I thought, Finally! Finally! I told Monique: "What a relief! I was beginning to be typecast as a loony. Now these Sanders guys are opening it up. They see I told Monique: "What a relief! I was beginning to be typecast as a loony. Now these Sanders guys are opening it up. They see the actor. the actor.""
When shooting began in Topanga Canyon, Redford encountered a crew top-heavy with talent. Apart from Saxon and Pollack (cast as Owen Van Dorn), there was John Houseman as UA"s creative adviser, Francis Ford Coppola as gofer, Dean Stockwell in charge of the still photography and Ted McCord as the cameraman. "These guys were the second generation out of UCLA film school, following the so-called breakthrough guys like Stanley Kubrick, who"d just hit internationally with The Killing, The Killing," says Redford. "They were the American New Wave and people had high expectations for them. I was elated. Sydney and I thought, Whoa, this could be really inventive and great!"
Redford"s fee for three weeks" work was to be $500, somewhat less than a comparable television fee. But Redford and Pollack were quickly concerned about the immaturity of the producers. "I looked around and saw great actors on the set," said Pollack. "There was no question about that. But there was a studenty feel about the Sanders boys, a feeling that they had many unresolved creative issues as we went along. I was experienced enough to know you simply have to have your plot worked out before you shoot a foot of film. You can"t risk boardroom debates in the field, and that"s what they were doing."
"Sydney and I were the kind of actors who avoided seeing the big productions like Cleopatra Cleopatra in favor of the new stuff the Europeans were doing," Redford recalls. "So we were supporting all the edgy stuff. But Denis seemed less sure every day of where we were going. In my opinion, he opened a door that allowed John [Saxon] to take over the movie. John was experienced. They were not. And that might have been a mistake." in favor of the new stuff the Europeans were doing," Redford recalls. "So we were supporting all the edgy stuff. But Denis seemed less sure every day of where we were going. In my opinion, he opened a door that allowed John [Saxon] to take over the movie. John was experienced. They were not. And that might have been a mistake."
Saxon disputes that he took over the movie but believed War Hunt War Hunt was a cla.s.sic in concept and execution. "In the context of the times, it was an original gem," he says. "It was a transition film, because the studio system had just shut down, Europe was happening and no one at the executive level knew where to go next. No decisions were being made in Hollywood, and this was the first moment that the independents stood out. In later life Bob would become the patron saint of the independents with Sundance, and I choose to believe this was his baptism. Had he come to movies at any other time, in any other way, he might not have found the inspiration. The Sanders brothers helped bring in the new era. We all benefited. And I believe Bob intuited the significance of what we"d all done even if he failed to process it at the time." was a cla.s.sic in concept and execution. "In the context of the times, it was an original gem," he says. "It was a transition film, because the studio system had just shut down, Europe was happening and no one at the executive level knew where to go next. No decisions were being made in Hollywood, and this was the first moment that the independents stood out. In later life Bob would become the patron saint of the independents with Sundance, and I choose to believe this was his baptism. Had he come to movies at any other time, in any other way, he might not have found the inspiration. The Sanders brothers helped bring in the new era. We all benefited. And I believe Bob intuited the significance of what we"d all done even if he failed to process it at the time."
Saxon admits that he angled to "supervise" the postproduction, working closely with Denis Sanders. But when UA saw their version in the spring of 1962, a recut was ordered and effected. Saxon objected, personally confronting the senior UA executive in charge, David Picker. "I told him, "You have to reinstate all the original Sanderses" footage, please. These guys have a vision of something very deep and meaningful about war and human nature, and you need to show it that way-the intimate, disturbing way."" Picker wouldn"t allow it. "UA had no time for metaphysics," says Saxon. "They cut it again and dumped War Hunt War Hunt onto the market, where it was just another low-budget black-and-white war picture." onto the market, where it was just another low-budget black-and-white war picture."
That may have seemed the case to Saxon, but the reviews didn"t bear him out. Howard Thompson in The New York Times The New York Times praised "one of the most honest and haunting war movies in years," in which Redford was "excellent." Bosley Crowther declared it "a stunning achievement, a kind of poetry," while the praised "one of the most honest and haunting war movies in years," in which Redford was "excellent." Bosley Crowther declared it "a stunning achievement, a kind of poetry," while the New York Herald Tribune New York Herald Tribune and the and the Hollywood Reporter Hollywood Reporter both singled out Redford"s noteworthy movie debut. "We got away with it," said Pollack. "It was a combination effort: the Sanders brothers, UA-and some great acting chops. We didn"t deserve it, none of us, but it turned into a nice little film." both singled out Redford"s noteworthy movie debut. "We got away with it," said Pollack. "It was a combination effort: the Sanders brothers, UA-and some great acting chops. We didn"t deserve it, none of us, but it turned into a nice little film."
After War Hunt War Hunt had been completed, on a boozy night at Saxon"s home in the Santa Monica hills, he and Redford discussed the future of the movie business: "My life within the studio system was over," says Saxon. "I was on my way to join Otto Preminger for a movie in Europe. I told Bob that all that remained in L.A. was television. I said the movie market was dead. He wouldn"t have any of it. He was still a relative unknown, had no real power, but he was emphatic. "There"s plenty left to do," he told me. I said, "But the movies are finished out here," and he just looked at me and shook his head. He was a stubborn critter." had been completed, on a boozy night at Saxon"s home in the Santa Monica hills, he and Redford discussed the future of the movie business: "My life within the studio system was over," says Saxon. "I was on my way to join Otto Preminger for a movie in Europe. I told Bob that all that remained in L.A. was television. I said the movie market was dead. He wouldn"t have any of it. He was still a relative unknown, had no real power, but he was emphatic. "There"s plenty left to do," he told me. I said, "But the movies are finished out here," and he just looked at me and shook his head. He was a stubborn critter."
This stubbornness now focused on his theater failures. "I suddenly thought, Wait a minute, I"m missing something here. Forget drama. Laughter has always been my truth. It"s my personal sanity preserve. I decided I wanted to try comedy, and theater was rich in comedies at that time." Tom Skerritt, whom Redford had also befriended when he too acted on War Hunt, War Hunt, remembers Redford outlining this decision: "It made absolute sense, once you knew him. He was never a straight-line guy. He"s an absurdist. He was also bizarrely ambitious. You could speculate forever on Freudian theories of alienation, of the artist"s inability to reconcile or overcome his childhood needs, and how that void opens the path to creation. You could say Bob"s alienation brought him to the higher ground. But however it happened, it happened. remembers Redford outlining this decision: "It made absolute sense, once you knew him. He was never a straight-line guy. He"s an absurdist. He was also bizarrely ambitious. You could speculate forever on Freudian theories of alienation, of the artist"s inability to reconcile or overcome his childhood needs, and how that void opens the path to creation. You could say Bob"s alienation brought him to the higher ground. But however it happened, it happened. War Hunt War Hunt was one piece of the mosaic. Comedy was the next piece." was one piece of the mosaic. Comedy was the next piece."
Hesseltine was appalled. "He said I was foolish," says Redford. "He said I was already on my way in solid drama, that there was a momentum going since Iceman. Iceman. He would not support me. He was, he said, grooming me for the cla.s.sics. That, I felt, was his blind spot. He maintained some romantic vision of me as Paris in a skirt in He would not support me. He was, he said, grooming me for the cla.s.sics. That, I felt, was his blind spot. He maintained some romantic vision of me as Paris in a skirt in Antigone. Antigone. But that just wasn"t me. I put my foot down. I told him I"d rather rot than be remembered for But that just wasn"t me. I put my foot down. I told him I"d rather rot than be remembered for Route 66. Route 66. If I failed trying, at least I tried." If I failed trying, at least I tried."
In the middle of this debate, on an afternoon when he was visiting Monique James, Redford found a script on her desk whose author"s name caught his eye: Norman Krasna. Krasna, recipient of an Academy Award for Princess O"Rourke, Princess O"Rourke, had a marathon career dating back to the thirties, when he"d collaborated with Groucho Marx. Krasna"s wit was cornball and his style light-fingered. The script on James"s desk was had a marathon career dating back to the thirties, when he"d collaborated with Groucho Marx. Krasna"s wit was cornball and his style light-fingered. The script on James"s desk was Sunday in New York, Sunday in New York, and Redford became excited when he saw the name of Garson Kanin, a literary giant in his view, appended as director. "To me, Garson represented the ultimate Hollywood comedy sophistication, because of all the great Hepburn-Tracy movies he"d written with his wife, Ruth Gordon. I thought, This is my navigator!" and Redford became excited when he saw the name of Garson Kanin, a literary giant in his view, appended as director. "To me, Garson represented the ultimate Hollywood comedy sophistication, because of all the great Hepburn-Tracy movies he"d written with his wife, Ruth Gordon. I thought, This is my navigator!"
Redford insisted Hesseltine approach the producer, David Merrick, a leviathan of Broadway, for a role in the play. But at first, Merrick refused to even audition him. Redford continued to pressure Hesseltine with hourly phone calls. Finally Hesseltine broke through with Mike Shurtleff, Merrick and Kanin"s casting director, who had seen The Iceman Cometh The Iceman Cometh and been impressed. On Shurtleff"s recommendation, Merrick conceded to test Redford, provided the actor paid his own fare to New York to meet Kanin. Redford was told he would be reimbursed if he got the part. "So I took the red-eye to New York, and I read for Kanin and landed the part. But Merrick, the cheap b.a.s.t.a.r.d, never reimbursed me." and been impressed. On Shurtleff"s recommendation, Merrick conceded to test Redford, provided the actor paid his own fare to New York to meet Kanin. Redford was told he would be reimbursed if he got the part. "So I took the red-eye to New York, and I read for Kanin and landed the part. But Merrick, the cheap b.a.s.t.a.r.d, never reimbursed me."
Crossbred from a wealth of George Cukor and Billy Wilder comedies, Sunday in New York Sunday in New York benefited greatly from the partic.i.p.ation of Kanin, who had directed a Krasna-written movie, benefited greatly from the partic.i.p.ation of Kanin, who had directed a Krasna-written movie, Bachelor Mother, Bachelor Mother, for RKO in 1939 but was, more importantly, Cukor"s magical collaborator on the cla.s.sics for RKO in 1939 but was, more importantly, Cukor"s magical collaborator on the cla.s.sics Adam"s Rib Adam"s Rib and and Pat and Mike. Pat and Mike. Having cut his teeth on RKO comedies, Kanin had, by his account, "fine-tuned a revolutionary comedy directing style" of his own. "I knew what worked and what didn"t by trial and error over thirty years with some of the greatest light comedians and writers America has ever known." Admiring as he was of Krasna, however, something about Having cut his teeth on RKO comedies, Kanin had, by his account, "fine-tuned a revolutionary comedy directing style" of his own. "I knew what worked and what didn"t by trial and error over thirty years with some of the greatest light comedians and writers America has ever known." Admiring as he was of Krasna, however, something about Sunday in New York Sunday in New York sat uneasily with Kanin. Perhaps, as the actress Sondra Lee, cast in a prominent role, observed, it was the "acrobatic, in-your-face s.e.xuality of a plot on the brink of the Swingin" Sixties"-a will-she-or-won"t-she-yield-her-virginity romp that bordered on the p.o.r.nographic compared with Tracy-Hepburn-that stalled Kanin. Or perhaps, as Redford believed, it was the fault of the writing. The story line, to be sure, was familiar. Eileen Taylor, an ingenue from Albany, visits her airline pilot brother in his New York apartment, argues the principles of modern morality, goes out to see a movie, meets Mike Mitch.e.l.l, a part-time art critic on the make, catches her brooch on his suit, agrees to meet for tea at Longchamps restaurant to discuss the $2 repair and, over the next six comedic scenes, falls for him. They end up gamboling in bed, "laughing hysterically," says the script, "which is an ideal way to begin a marriage." Redford liked the jokes, but "let"s face it, this was not up to the standard of a Kanin-Gordon script." sat uneasily with Kanin. Perhaps, as the actress Sondra Lee, cast in a prominent role, observed, it was the "acrobatic, in-your-face s.e.xuality of a plot on the brink of the Swingin" Sixties"-a will-she-or-won"t-she-yield-her-virginity romp that bordered on the p.o.r.nographic compared with Tracy-Hepburn-that stalled Kanin. Or perhaps, as Redford believed, it was the fault of the writing. The story line, to be sure, was familiar. Eileen Taylor, an ingenue from Albany, visits her airline pilot brother in his New York apartment, argues the principles of modern morality, goes out to see a movie, meets Mike Mitch.e.l.l, a part-time art critic on the make, catches her brooch on his suit, agrees to meet for tea at Longchamps restaurant to discuss the $2 repair and, over the next six comedic scenes, falls for him. They end up gamboling in bed, "laughing hysterically," says the script, "which is an ideal way to begin a marriage." Redford liked the jokes, but "let"s face it, this was not up to the standard of a Kanin-Gordon script."
Whatever its weaknesses, the play was transformed, said Kanin, by Redford"s arrival. "I didn"t intend to cast him in a lead role. We already had a major New York actor signed and sealed and in the wings. But then Bob came in to read for a lesser part, and I thought immediately that he looked looked like Spencer Tracy. He did his small piece and Merrick and I thanked him, but he said, very politely, that he would like to read for the lead. We were a little shocked, but we said go ahead. There was nothing to lose. He walked into the wings and reappeared in a few moments, in the same clothes, and proceeded to give a subtle, funny, original performance as Mike Mitch.e.l.l, the main character. He was canny. He"d been holding back on the first reading, which wasn"t terrific, because he believed he like Spencer Tracy. He did his small piece and Merrick and I thanked him, but he said, very politely, that he would like to read for the lead. We were a little shocked, but we said go ahead. There was nothing to lose. He walked into the wings and reappeared in a few moments, in the same clothes, and proceeded to give a subtle, funny, original performance as Mike Mitch.e.l.l, the main character. He was canny. He"d been holding back on the first reading, which wasn"t terrific, because he believed he was was the lead, and he was correct." the lead, and he was correct."
Redford stressed the edginess in Sunday in New York Sunday in New York and, according to Kanin, brought the trendy s.e.xuality to the fore. "We jumped forward with Bob, and that was his contribution, not ours." David Merrick avoided rehearsals, leaving Kanin in uncontested control. Kanin duly attacked Krasna"s script, replacing pedestrian lines with his own witticisms. For Sondra Lee, the rehearsals took fire when Redford and Pat Stanley, playing the virginal Eileen, "hit their stride within two days." The entire play was dependent, says Lee, on sparks from that romantic chemistry. "And Bob and Pat delivered, big-time. They flirted. It was powerful. They were smooth as silk, and they made something from nothing very much." and, according to Kanin, brought the trendy s.e.xuality to the fore. "We jumped forward with Bob, and that was his contribution, not ours." David Merrick avoided rehearsals, leaving Kanin in uncontested control. Kanin duly attacked Krasna"s script, replacing pedestrian lines with his own witticisms. For Sondra Lee, the rehearsals took fire when Redford and Pat Stanley, playing the virginal Eileen, "hit their stride within two days." The entire play was dependent, says Lee, on sparks from that romantic chemistry. "And Bob and Pat delivered, big-time. They flirted. It was powerful. They were smooth as silk, and they made something from nothing very much."
The play opened at the Cort on Broadway on November 29 to mixed reviews, but the critics had only good things to say about Redford. Walter Kerr of the New York Herald Tribune New York Herald Tribune said Redford "is really first-rate no matter what the evening is doing." And Richard Coe of said Redford "is really first-rate no matter what the evening is doing." And Richard Coe of The Washington Post The Washington Post deemed him "a marvelously skilled farceur." Redford was pleased. "But I knew it was a hairsbreadth success," he says. "And the truth was that just one review turned it around for all of us." Howard Taubman in deemed him "a marvelously skilled farceur." Redford was pleased. "But I knew it was a hairsbreadth success," he says. "And the truth was that just one review turned it around for all of us." Howard Taubman in The New York Times The New York Times commended a play that "is inventive and chic [and] sparkles with freshness and humor." That review alone, says Redford, secured the play"s survival and his first significant stage success. commended a play that "is inventive and chic [and] sparkles with freshness and humor." That review alone, says Redford, secured the play"s survival and his first significant stage success.
Christmas of 1961 was heightened by Lola"s new pregnancy, steady income and, for the first time, late-night appreciative crowds at the stage door. Redford felt validated, and Sondra Lee remembers him blissfully happy, even crossing Manhattan on foot in a snowstorm to deliver her holiday gift. "Of all of us, he came best out of that play," says Lee. "People were talking about him, not the play."
The ebullience was short-lived and the play closed in April. On May 5, Lola gave birth to a baby son, David James, seven weeks prematurely. The horrors of maternity crises of the past-of his mother"s illnesses and the loss of his son-came crashing down. Mother and son fought to survive. The baby had the kind of extreme hyaline membrane disease that, says Redford, was life threatening. "The doctors gave Jamie just a 40-60 chance, but he hung in. Over a month his condition improved, and then he stabilized. It was a colossal relief for us."
Pollack knew the near loss of the baby had deeply unsettled Redford. Pollack was still in Los Angeles, directing Gunsmoke, Gunsmoke, and urged his friend to come west, so that he and Lola could recover. Monique James also called, telling him about the many exciting offers for television work. "You almost lose a child, you reevaluate," says Redford. "So I sat down and restrategized my career." He told Hesseltine he wanted a break from theater. Simultaneously he instructed Monique James and the new movie agent she had recommended, Arthur Park, to concentrate p