Sunday, July 5, 2009

MALDEN: THE LAST HURRAH

Joe Bua featured this clip on his blog "I Am A TV Junkie" the other day, and far be it for me not to steal a good idea! And since this is the Sabbath Day.....

A lot of actors can't be lucky when it comes to their final acting project; no one ever knows when it's Time. I'm sure James Dean would rather have lived, but at least he left us with 'Giant' still to come. It would have been nice if Peter Sellers could rest on 'Being There' as his final project, but instead he's saddled with that 'Fu Manchu' movie.

It's only six minutes long, but I don't think Karl Malden couldn't have asked for a better final showcase of his talents than this short scene from 'The West Wing'. Sometimes it's hard to see the character for the actor, but not this time.



It was only just now as I was putting this piece together and watching the clip once again that I noticed Father Tom called President Bartlet "Jed". I think it all stems from earlier, when Bartlet told him to call him "Mr. President" because it was easier to think of himself as the Office, not the Man when it came to difficult decisions. But no priest is going to hear confession from a job, but only from the man.....

Father Thomas Cavanaugh is one of the best one-shot guest roles seen on 'The West Wing'. And I'm not just saying that because he died; always thought so.

BCnU.....

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