ShowBoat Youtheatre

Mr.Gallions School

was our Senior Play at 'dear old' Fillmore High. Mr. Charles Mozley (my Social Studies teacher) was Directing/ Casting and decided I might be a prospect because of my penchant for reading aloud. He had two roles in mind; either the crusty Sheriff, or the lead, a retired High School Principal who returns to the hallowed halls championing student character. That role was my ultimate choice and in 1970, I began what was to become this strange career. As I matriculated to Moorpark Community College, I met most of the people who were to influence my life's direction. Dick Studebaker who ran theBroadcast Curriculum, had to pull my reins a little bit to be able to show me something. I opted also for an acting class where I met a man I consider to be one of the finest at the craft thatI've ever seen. Dr. Robert Reynolds (or "Doc" as we called him) had done a little bit of everything including radio and stage and when I watched him perform, I was literally unable to see anything but the character. To me, Doc embodies what every actor should be. Plus, while I was in'Creative Writing',

I met a lady who told me of a community theater group in Simi (not far from school) who wereauditioning for a show. I ended up at one end of an extensivewarehouse that Larwin Lumber Co. had (rented/donated?? I never really found out) to a seasoned theater troupe called the HorizonPlayers. Although I did not make the cut (auditioning for Bogart in "Play It Again, Sam") a spritely fellow with a pixie grin walked up and asked if I might be willing to fill a small role in their upcoming musical production "Here's Love". I quickly joined in and there I stayed, gleaning much experience off this fellow and his incredible wife.