A Salute, Long Overdue

Every actor, in fact most people in most professions, have a person or two who helped guide them to whatever level of success they occupy, and I'm certainly no different in that regard.

In this blog I have written much about my acting coach in Hollywood and what he has meant, and continues to mean to my acting career and aspirations. This is all true, and I owe him a great deal.

However, in my thirteen plus years of acting there is one other person, whom without their guidance and help, I would have never reached the point of even thinking about trying the LA acting market. I am careful in this blog not to mention many names, as I feel that protecting the privacy of the people in my professional life is important. However, in this one case, I am going to suspend that rule because this person deserves to be named and given the credit she deserves.

It all began one weekend morning, years ago, in Seattle, as I was reading the Sunday paper. In the entertainment section was a small notice, about a three hour introduction to voice-over class which was being offered that same afternoon, downtown. It sounded interesting, so I drove downtown, paid the course fee (not all that much, as I remember), and attended the class. I didn't realize it at the time, but that afternoon was to have a profound influence on the direction of my life.

At the end of the class, the instructor said there was a more advanced introduction to voice-over class the following weekend. I attended that as well. next, I asked the lady teaching the two classes if she had other classes. It turned out she was a full time acting coach who taught classes for actors of all levels. I quickly enrolled in her course for beginning actors, and thereby began a relationship with not only a fine acting coach, but a wonderful human being, as well.

That coach's name is Pat French, an institution among Seattle acting coaches. Pat is a fine actor, with many credits over her distinguished career. She has taught a number students over the years who have gone on to do some outstanding work in the theater, films, television, and voice-over.

I have taken a number of classes from Pat, as well as private lessons. Also, through her contacts in the business, I have attended workshops conducted by such renowned people as acting coach Tony Barr (his book, Acting For The Camera, is a must for all actors), and such highly regarded LA casting directors as Mark Malis and Paul Weber.

Pat, like my current acting coach, is no pushover, gushing with compliments every time you do a scene in her class or in a private lesson. If you did well, she will tell you, and if you didn't she will also tell you that, plus why and what to do to correct it. She makes you work, she makes you stretch your abilities, and best of all she constantly challenges you as an actor.

Here is an absolute fact. Without the guidance, the pushing, the influence of Pat French, I would never have been prepared to study with my current acting coach, and make the move to Southern California. In fact, if she had not entered my life, I wouldn't be an actor at all.

Pat is not only an influential acting coach, but she is also my friend. Both she and her husband (Jim, an extremely talented man in his own right) took me under their wing (Pat for acting, and Jim for writing) and for that I will be forever grateful

So to both Pat and Jim, I say thank you for your kindness, your friendship, and for all you have done for me.

More to come..........