The Rookie, submitted by Susi
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forgot him. I lost my 46-year-old wife Cecily to
cancer last month. From this particularly painful
vantage point, my heart goes out to Gordon's family.
Here's what I sent to some friends who told me of
Gordon's death:
Damn, damn, and double-damn. Gordo was one of the
best first a.d.'s I've ever worked with. There's
probably no harder job in movie making, and an awful
lot of firsts are less than pleasant, due in no small
part, I'm sure, to the massive concentration the job
requires and the fact that virtually everything that
happens on a set is their responsibility. Gordo was
excellent at his job, but he was also warm and
friendly and in my experience never even abrupt--a
major accomplishment for a first a.d. on a major
studio production! He was the first a.d. on IN
COUNTRY, which was my first major role in a big
picture. Norman Jewison was a dream to work with,
but
I'm sure that only made Gordo's job slightly easier.
I can't imagine how difficult it must have been on a
picture like PLATOON. Although we only saw
each other once or twice after IN COUNTRY, I always
remembered him fondly--again, quite an
accomplishment
for a first a.d.
Traffic cop in a city with no street signs or signals,
school teacher for rowdy five year olds, manager of
the complaint department in Baghdad, Enron
accountant the day before the audit, and referee at a
demolition derby--that's being a first a.d. Gordo was
the best.
RIP
Michael] but with all my feelings it's hard to put
anything down....thank you soooo much for including
me in this circle for my dearest sweet Gordon ...who
brought us all together and was such a kind and giving
friend. I hope he knew how much I loved him because I
really did. More than any person I ever worked with in
this artificial business Gordon, was a true friend and
treated me like an equal and with love and respect and
I can't say the value of that in words....for me he was
an unusual unique creature...almost an angel already
in his spirit long before he became ill........ and the work
he left behind is filled with honor and vision which is his
signature on how he lived his life.
I miss him and I always will think deep loving thoughts
when he crosses my mind.......like right now ...and I
know I'm not alone.
Thanks for all your beautiful words and your effort
putting all this together for his Boy ...I am collecting the
few photos I have from "Tin Cup" and will contact you
on how to send them and where.
That's all for now, Love and Peace for all he left behind.
My life is so much richer having known him.
Love Baba and Lenny
I am "wrecked"--(better than " Shattered ").
We wrote a song together---I helped him get a local
radio job, He was such a Cuty !! and had intelligence. I
typed a few of his term papers. I was in love. He stayed
with me in SF CA. Sigh.........
We were born on the Same Day at the Same Hospital
4/27/58
p.s.--If there is a heaven, I'll get to love and meet him
again. p.p.s.--He hooked me up with alot of good people
p.p.p.s.--I LOVE YOU GHB !!!!! Sorry to write you such a
wimpy tearfull
letter.
Wish we could have had more of a collaboration
together.
peace and love from SF CA
was not well and about Greg's plans to visit. I gave
him a message to give to Gordon from me.
I had not seen Gordon since last June or July. We
played at my house with Keegan and talked about
teaching as a career possibility. Since September I
have meant to call him or send a postcard to let him
know about the move and so on.
The stories about Gordon began the first night I met
Greg. On one of our first dates I helped Greg put
together a care package to send to Gordon and KC in
Italy. I imagined them as some kind of super hero duo.
A few months later I met them in person and
remember being a little surprised to learn they were
mere mortals.
When Greg and I moved to LA, Gordon was our
support system in so many ways. He made it easier for
me to call L.A. my home.
(excerpted from an email)
and Phil Ranstrom.
In our living room we decided to create an improv
group. Gordon immediately became our director,mentor,
and friend but most of all he was an hysterically gifted
comedian. He was the most giving and supportive friend
and fellow performer anyone could ask for. We did
shows in shopping malls, empty classrooms, any venue
Gordon could obtain. He would make cardboard signs
inviting people to come and see us and make up the
names of whomever we were to be that evening.
There are so many funny Gordon stories I can think of
from that time but one I'll always cherish and remember
is when Gordon got a gig (nonpaying of course) for us
to do an improv radio show on the popular station that
was played on in the area. The gig started at 7 a.m.
Saturday mornings. After a very late Friday night of
partying Gordon and Roger (another cast member)
couldn't rouse me from sleep. So they crawled into my
bedroom window and dragged me to the car. In a
complete stupor I said "guys I can't do this cause I'm
too overhung" Gordon stopped moving, put his finger in
my face and said "Robin one can never be too
overhung" must say it woke me up!
I'm so sorry I have to remember Gordon after he is
gone but the times I had with him so many years ago
will remain etched in my memory as one of the most
"magic" times of life.
Comedia guerrilla forever!
as a Production assistant on the rehearsals for
Godafther III. My first impression of Gordon was one of
a cool, calm, yet authoritative personality with a flair for
the dramatic. I did not get a chance to work with him
closer till the film Bogus. Gordon's 2nd AD Tom Snyder
brought me aboard as a Key set PA for the work in
Vegas and New York. Gordon and I hit it off with a
mutual love for Single Malt Wiskey. I brought this flask
which I would have ready for Gordon at the end of
every day. I attribute our friendship to this basic yet
subtle caring of the highland malts. I went on to work
with Gordon on Tin cup where the pressure was much
greater and some times made things strained, but at
the end of it all Gordon gave me a couple of words to
remember " Sometimes you have to break a few eggs
to make mayonnaise".
I was very troubled when I learned of Gordon's cancer.
I knew that if anybody could beat it he could. I wish I
would of had the opportunity to work with Gordon as a
director or known him better socially. I saw him
recently driving in old town Pasadena with Keegan
while I was out with my wife children, and had a
chance to briefly say Hi.
I will miss Gordon if for nothing else to know that his
presence will not be amongst the film community and
knowing as a parent what it must be like for his family.
My sincere condolences go out to everyone who was
touched by Gordon's life.
tributes page one.
radio/ television. We kept running into each other in the halls and my initial impression of him was that he was just
another egotistical, wannabe, actor. When we finally met, later in a poetry class, I discovered that he was actually very
thoughtful, voluble, young artist and not the feckless fop I originally estimated. Poetry grabbed us both by the throats
and a small coterie began to evolve -- budding writers who took their words, and the reading of them, earnestly. A
friendship emerged between us and we began hanging out. Around the same time, I was able to acquire access to
University PBS television studio through a student group called TelPro. Along with a novice crew, I was given one
evening to produce whatever I wanted, as long as it required only 3 cameras, a switcher, an audio board and 4 hours
of engineer’s time. Most of my peers wanted to produce a mock newscast, or a talk show, or a live band performance.
But Gordon and I had wilder game to capture. From our poetry class, Gordon and I formed a writer’s group and
developed a script called The 80’s in retrospect. It was an hour-long variety show “looking back” at the TV shows of
the 1980’s, though it was produced in 1978.
Like most English-slash-radio-television majors, I hadn’t the slightest idea how to begin enlisting student actors, most
of whom viewed TV production people as contemptible heathens. I could produce and direct the taping, but I wasn’t
about to wander into rehearsals of ‘Oklahoma’ to convince a bunch of artistes that they should join our Timothy Leary-
inspired, futuristic, video extravaganza. But Gordon would.
It became clear early on that Gordon and I were an effective team. He was the actors’ guy and I was the production
guy and, together, we churned out some funky, inspired, work. We finished The 80’s... with about 25 speaking parts --
all of which Gordon directed -- and, then went on to produce Burned Out in Carbondale, a parody of a seething article
written about our school.
In the process of these and other video adventures, as he learned about the production process, Gordon introduced
myself and others to improvisational acting and formed a comedy troupe called Commedia Guerrilla. Gordon had
studied at The Second City theater in Chicago and, after showing us some of their techniques and concepts, in no time
he had created a group of pathological, improv savants, in an era long before the improv craze reached it’s current
state of overkill.
We were absolutely agog and devoted ourselves fully to this gonzo experiment, all under Gordon’s direction. We
performed in shopping malls, on street corners and in bars. We even created an improvised, call-in, radio show on THE
local premiere rock station, WTAO, called “Good Morning Carbondale”. It was a magical time and these restless
memories still glimmer in my mind’s eye. None of us, however, came close to the stinging wit and shoe-shine brilliance
Gordon possessed. He was a class by himself.
After college, when his father died, he headed to Hollywood. Everyone who knew him assumed he would make it as an
actor -- he was really that good. But, Gordon was extremely adaptable. He could instantly assess a situation and know
how to deal with it. Being the quick study he was, he successfully pursued a career path behind the camera, rather
than in front of it.
Gordon wrote me letters, beckoning me to come to Hollywood. He had landed a job on Valley Girls and was forging an
exciting, new life making pictures and was eager to share his experiences with me.
Unfortunately, I had already enjoyed a modicum of early success in television with my documentary work and an Emmy
nomination which kept me glued to the grind of Chicago. Still, Gordon kept me appraised of his progress throughout
the years via phone calls and letters. He wrote me from Thailand when he was working on Platoon; from the set of
Tucker and In- Country; from Rome while shooting The Godfather: Part III; through Tin Cup and many more. Thanks to
Gordon’s introduction to improvisational comedy, my sister, Melodie, and I performed in workshops for 2 years at The
Second City with the late improv genius, Del Close, an experience that continues to expand our lives beyond the mere
realm of theater and performance. I’ve applied some of the improv principles in my video work and even in the unlikely
arena of kickboxing, winning 9 championship belts.
Once while visiting him, Gordo asked me to take him through one of my martial arts workouts in his backyard. Anyone
who knows Gordon knows that he’s not a particularly athletic person. But he wanted to try it out, anyway, and kept up
quite well, despite almost having a coronary in his driveway. He wanted to see what I was capable of and was willing
to step outside of his comfort zone to meet me on my own terms. Gordon was an open-minded, generous soul.
Whenever he was in Chicago, Gordon would always stay at my apartment. We’d hit the best restaurants and night
clubs, check out The Second City, make the rounds to old stomping grounds. He had, indeed, made his life in
Hollywood, but he was still a Chicago boy. He loved Italian beef sandwiches with peppers, dipped in their juices, or a
Polish with extra onions and a Budweiser. And, of course, Da Cubs!
Gordon was a cool cat on velveteen who knew how to play his cards. He could be a hustler and a smooth salesman,
but he always made you feel good. Gordon was a natural improviser and had a razor sharp wit. When he was on,
there was no one funnier or quicker on their feet.
His chicken scratch handwriting was like hieroglyphics -- you literally, had to decode it! But, like any exotic scripture, his
words were worth the wait. Gordon was an imaginative writer and a charismatic leader. He read everything from
Allister Crowly to T.S. Elliot, and his musical tastes ranged from The Who, to Black Flag, to Frank, The Chairman of the
Board. But what I’ll remember the most about him was that for better or worse, when he was healthy and when he
was not, Gordon was there for me when I needed him the most. We are all a blend of our biology, our thoughts, our
environment and the people we surround ourselves with, and Gordon helped make me a better person by being in my
world. Apart from his killer sense of humor and winsome nature, Gordon was a true-blue friend, a rare bird.
Gordon, I’ll always remember you, my soul brother. Wherever you are, I love you.
