Christopher Reeve Stories

By Jo Addie

Christopher Reeve left an indelible impression on all guests present at the '94 Somewhere In Time Weekend at Grand Hotel. Months after the event, I still hear rave comments regarding his awesome ability in fielding questions, his eloquence and pleasant, down-to-earth manner.

Because I worked on Somewhere In Time back in '79, I have had personal experience knowing Chris. I spent three weeks as an extra in all the 1912 scenes which included background people. There were few extras who worked as many days as I did. The days I wasn't needed, I spent watching the filming, and I can personally vouch for the outstanding character of Mr. Reeve. I even had the pleasure of spending an entire day off from filming with Chris and Jane (Seymour), flying to the mainland in Chris' plane and going bowling with them for some needed recreation "off the rock". That was one day in my life I will always treasure. (You can read the story of my extraordinary experience being involved with the film in the July '91 issue of INSITE.)

Then, in November '93, enjoying a "reunion" of sorts with Chris, when I flew to New York to be part of Chris' one evening acting class offered through The Learning Annex, I myself was in awe of how effortlessly he answered questions for two and a half hours.  I doubt the 650 in attendance at the Grand, Saturday night October 29th, expected to come away so very impressed with the star of their favorite love story. He is honest, articulate, witty and bright, and also one of the nicest people I have ever met. If you weren't an attendee, and haven't seen our video of the '94 SIT Weekend, (Christopher Reeve Returns to Mackinac) you are missing one golden opportunity to see for yourself who this man who played Richard Collier really is. Not only is he wonderful on stage answering questions, but there's a revealing impromptu segment with Chris at the shore by the "Is It You?" plaque and then a terrific 17 minute private interview he graciously granted me on the tape as well.

But I have more stories to tell, and I feel it is high time I told them. I would like to relate a few "Chris Reeve stories" that I heard from firsthand participants on the island, during the filming. I've said before that Chris is the kind of guy anyone would want as a friend. I've said that he has an optimistic nature and a wonderful childlike enthusiasm for whatever project or hobby is he involved with, is a person whose genuine zest for life is apparent at all times. And he's also very diplomatic, as the next story will reveal.

Filming on location for this picture afforded little time off, as we worked a six day week, up to 16 hours a day, with Sundays free. One Sunday afternoon very early in the shooting schedule, two college age girls were playing frisbee on the lawn along the road up to the Grand, between "Arthur's cottage" (the tennis pro shop) and the "theatre" building (which is actually the island's school). Chris was riding his bike along the road, and stopped, asking if he could join in the game. Naturally, the girls were only too happy to let him play, and after they had finished and he was about to ride off, one of the girls asked him to autograph the frisbee. He willingly obliged, but then the two girls started to argue over which one of them would own the frisbee. To settle the dispute, Chris broke the frisbee in two, signed the other half and gave a piece to each girl!

Is he really down-to-earth, you ask? Well, how about this story.....The majority of the island's summer workers are college students staying in cottages all over town, dormitory style. On a particularly pleasant day late in the afternoon, a group of guys, living in one cottage near the buildings that were the film's headquarters, decided to cook their dinner on a grill in the backyard. The aroma of barbeque chicken was wafting through the air, when one of the guys noticed a famous stranger standing on the other side of the picket fence that fringed the yard. He greeted the guys with something like, "Sure smells good!", whereby the group promptly invited Chris to join them for the meal. After polishing off the chicken, Chris went into the kitchen and lent a hand with the dishes.

Chris was shooting Somewhere In Time in his break between Superman I and Superman II, and so it was in his honor that the island's only theatre (which was used for the play scene in the film) acquired the picture to show during his stay. I'd become a Christopher Reeve fan because of his wonderful dual portrayal as both Clark Kent and the Man of Steel. So I was on hand for this, of course. There was quite an electric quality to the air in that full theatre, with all of the audience whispering about whether Chris might actually attend. Sure enough, just before the house lights dimmed, Chris came in with a few others and sat down in the third row, just two rows in front of me. The audience signaled their excitement with applause, and the film began. But unfortunately the theatre experienced some technical difficulty for this important showing, and the picture stopped midway into the second reel. A few minutes passed before they got it running again, but then only picture without sound. If you know the film, it was where young Clark and his foster father, played by Glenn Ford, are having a heart-to-heart on the farm about keeping his powers a secret. It's kind of a nice moment, and one of the few which reveals Clark's family life. Imagine our disappointment--with the film interruption happening when the star was present--turn into joy, when Chris calmly stood up and filled in the dialog for us, until the sound came back. This event even made it into the area newspapers. (By the way, in Superman, Chris' voice was dubbed in for the actor playing young Clark because he had a strong southern accent.)

This next story I am a little reticent to tell, as it is a tad embarrassing. It happened before Chris and I were on a first-name basis. You see, as extras, after we visited the wardrobe department and got into our selected costume for the day, we visited the make-up room, where our hair was put up and/or our hats were positioned properly before we left in carriages for the set. It was in this room that the stars had their make-up and hair done as well, as they didn't provide them private dressing rooms or trailers on this picture like they usually do. (So we were able to watch Jane Seymour's hair being expertly coiffed by Greg Mitchell, and her make-up superbly applied by Jack Wilson.) Well, this morning we were preparing to shoot the breakfast scene on the lawn of the hotel. I had been instructed to wear the most unusual costume of the five I wore, the riding outfit. It included a dark green fitted waistcoat over a long black skirt, an ivory silk blouse with an ascot, a top hat with a green chiffon scarf tied in a bow around the back of it, painfully high black boots--which cut into my tendons at the backs of my knees when I walked, and a riding crop to carry. I'd also been given a brooch to put on the ascot.

I was in the room with my friend Susan and her friend, who were standing in one corner waiting for me. Chris had just had his make-up completed. I hadn't noticed he was standing at the all-glass wall, looking out. After my hair and hat were finished, I started struggling with putting that brooch's thick pin through the fine silk, and was having a lot of trouble with it. I turned from the mirror and said, toward my friends, "Will someone please help me with this pin?" Whereupon Chris swung around and came over saying, "I will." So picture this. I'm standing there, with Chris sort of bending down, his face practically in mine, with his large hands trying to get this silly pin through the ascot, while my so-called friends are making all sorts of ridiculous faces and contortions over this, behind him--but in full view of me--like school girls mimicking the thrill I must be having. So to keep from laughing, I am looking up at the ceiling. I didn't know if I could endure this with integrity. The pin wasn't cooperating, and after what seemed like an eternity, he stepped back and said hopefully, "How's that?", then promptly frowned disapprovingly. I turned to look in the mirror, determined to say it was wonderful no matter what it looked like, but finding it was really crooked, and before I could say anything, Chris said, "I'll do it again." Oh, yes, we repeated this memorable moment, until the pin was in its proper place, and I thanked him. He said, "Any time." So you could say, Chris' devotion to making this picture a good one even extended to his helping extras with their costumes!

I thought INSITErs would want to know the circumstances surrounding Chris' arrival on the island for this past Somewhere In Time Weekend. He'd been trying to attend every year since the first one, but was unable, due to his busy schedule. He told me in November '93 in NY that he was going to come next time! I could tell he was really determined.

He reads every INSITE issue, and mentions INSITE at every opportunity in interviews throughout the years we've been in existence. Our organization is very important to him, because SIT, though trounced by the critics, was found by its ardent admirers and put up on a pedestal where it belongs. He's most gratified by the delayed-though-devoted recognition the film has received, primarily through INSITE. (I will not attempt to quote him on this. You can hear and see his feelings yourself on our video.)

In the fall, Chris was working on a John Carpenter film, the remake of a very good sci-fi film, Village of the Damned (British, 1960) in Marin County, California. That Friday of the Weekend, his schedule called for a night shoot--yes, he worked all night long on Friday. He requested for Grand Hotel not to make flight reservations until after noon on Saturday, presumably so he could try to catch a few hours sleep before traveling cross country to Mackinac. After arriving in Chicago via Northwest Airlines, he and his adorable wife, Dana, boarded a chartered plane which landed them right on the island's airstrip. A carriage taxi then brought them to the hotel, about 8:45 pm. They were served a private dinner and then at about 10 pm, Bill Shepard introduced him to the capacity crowd of over 650, he stepped through the curtain and the usually sedate audience went wild with excitement. He answered questions for over an hour, joined toward the end by SIT Director, Jeannot Szwarc. Afterward, he met fans and posed for photos for nearly another hour.

About 8 o'clock the next morning, (Sunday), Chris and Dana enjoyed breakfast in the dining room. As any visitor to Grand Hotel knows, the dining staff (as well as the chambermaid staff) is entirely Jamaican. They all leave their homeland in spring and spend six months on Mackinac, working at Grand Hotel. Most work long hours every single day, with perhaps one or a maximum of two days off a month. When a celebrity is in their midst, they are not allowed to approach them, let alone ask for autographs. They cannot leave the dining room to meet the celebrity elsewhere in the building. Chris must have intuitively known this, for after he finished his breakfast, he called his Jamaican waiter over and said, "Bring your friends over, and I'll take care of you." Chris shook many hands, and even signed Jamaican money for some of the guys, (whatever they had on them) a memorable moment on their last day of the season. I found this particularly touching.

Following this, Chris came out to the Parlor, where a long line had formed, and signed autographs for nearly two and a half hours. I must say that he gave each fan the time they wanted with him, to take a picture and have a short exchange. (Can you imagine how fatiguing it must be to pose for pictures at least a hundred times?) Then we took him (and Dana) down to the lakeshore to see the "Is It You ?" plaque, where he talked candidly with the small group present, and he still saved time for me to have our interview--a major thrill for Jim and me. What a whirlwind visit! After leaving the island by ferry, a limo ride to the Pellston airport, boarding a Pellston flight to Detroit, our star endured a five hour layover in Detroit before flying back to San Francisco, to be able to work Monday morning! How's that for devotion to us fans! Yes, he really wanted to be with us.

Christopher Reeve is known industry-wide for his extensive charity work, and especially of late, as part of his high-profile role in the Creative Coalition, Chris has been making appearances in behalf of the NEA (National Endowment for the Arts) to drum up more support nationally for the arts, since funding has been dwindling. Several weeks ago, he made a speech to a Senate Labor subcommittee for this cause. He makes such a fine spokesperson, Dana said he has been encouraged to run for Congress on the east coast, but Chris is satisfied doing what he can in between his many acting commitments.

So now you know a little more about the man behind the character we all love, from Somewhere In Time. He's genuine, he's caring, and he uses his numerous talents in forward-thinking, positive ways. Chris, your countless fans, both male and female, think you're quite a guy! Thanks so much for sharing your precious time with us--hope to see you again soon.

- Originally published in April 1995 issue of INSITE -