40

       On this day, forty years ago, this person entered my life. Thirty seven years later, our friendship parted ways. That's me directly behind Karl-Heinz Teuber with the chalk and film slate in hand. Dan Gleich on sound, and Georgia Packard, assisting Emiko Omori (not seen) at the camera, are the other two crew members visible in the photo.

     The reason why I am intently watching the performance is to keep an eye on the Canon NF1 Karl holds in his hand. It belongs to me. Karl is using the motor drive which deliberately stops after firing thirty six shots and has to be reset.When it does, that's when I step into the shot. Mine was the only "dummy" professional grade camera on set, available for prop use. 

    The film is director Issam B. Makdissy's independent feature entitled 'A Hard Act to Follow' (screenplay by Terry Eubanks-Makdissy) released six years later in 1990. Karl has a bit part in the film playing a studio portrait photographer. His was the very first scene of the production shoot, though the above photo is of the retake, filmed half a year later, in January of 1985. The character of a publicist was dropped, requiring a reshoot of all the scenes formerly involving them.

    As for Karl, he was at the height of his career, his last role playing the wig salesperson in the memorable, “three heads” scene opposite Tom Hulce in ‘Amadeus’ (1984)! We would remain friends for almost four decades until our lives eventually went their separate ways.