Upload
others
View
1
Download
0
Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Joe Marich June 10, 2015 323-‐952-‐7339 Reel History Films presents a Wes Wheadon Film
When Bette Met Mae TWO ICONS OF THE SILVER SCREEN MEET FOR THE FIRST TIME. ONE UNFORGETTABLE COCKTAIL PARTY. YOU ARE CORDIALLY INVITED TO ATTEND. When Bette Met Mae is a ground-‐breaking, historically important film about two legendary film icons meeting for the first time at a private cocktail party in 1973. What begins with the two Silver Screen giants praising each other’s work, soon leads into personal discussions about relationships, the business of making films, and the rise of censorship and the Hays Code. This fascinating off-‐screen look at two of America’s greatest actresses is all the more stunning because the dialogue is actually the real voices of Miss Davis and Miss West as recorded live at the cocktail party over 40 years ago. Along with their other guests, Miss Davis and Miss West do not hold back as they discuss everything from Miss Davis’ four husbands, to Miss West’s brilliant business practices, to the men they dated, to sex, homosexuality, and drag queens, nothing is considered off limits – particularly after generous amounts of alcohol are consumed by all, except for the teetotaling Miss West. “I became friends with Miss Davis while she was staying with my neighbor, Charles Pollock, a West Hollywood designer, while she was filming a television movie,” explains director Wes Wheadon. “Miss Davis asked me to act as bartender for this extraordinary first meeting between these two icons, and I, of course, jumped at the chance.” Wheadon recorded the cocktail party on a portable cassette recorder that he owned. That recording became the actual soundtrack for When Bette Met Mae. The process of blending acting and audio into a seamless marriage took nearly 4 years to complete. After several different techniques failed to create the desired result, a line-‐by-‐line process was successfully used to extraordinary effect. Viewers will feel like they are one of the invited guests at this astonishing event. Additional archival material and interviews help illuminate the personalities and accomplishments of these two brilliant actresses. Nuanced performances by Karen Teliha (Miss Davis), and Victoria Mills (Miss West), along with Tomas Arana (Stan Musgrove), Tim Maculan (Vik Greenfield), Don Yanan (Glenn Shahan), Gary Kemp (Charles Pollock), and Brandon Larcom (Wes Wheadon), breathe remarkable life into each of these characters. When Bette Met Mae is produced by Reel History Films and directed by Wes Wheadon. The film will make its world premiere at the Downtown Film Festival Los Angeles in June 2015. Distribution is by Indie Rights. The film will be available August 2015 via premium VOD platforms. For additional information or to speak with the film makers, please contact Joe Marich at Marich Media Inc. at 323-‐952-‐7339 or via email at JoeMarich (at) MarichMedia.com. # # #
SYNOPSIS Tuesday, November 13, 1973 is a date most people will not remember. However, that date is memorable
for two silver screen giants, Bette Davis and Mae West. That slightly crisp and breezy evening in West
Hollywood, California would mark the first meeting between these two Hollywood legends. Their two
personalities couldn’t be more iconic – and more different. Bette, opinionated, brash, abrupt, and
straight-‐talking is a perfect counter-‐point to Mae’s humorous, sensual, and shrewd businesslike
personality. Bette, nervous to meet Mae, has already had a cocktail or two prior to Mae’s arrival to calm
her nerves. Mae arrives with her two escorts for the evening, Stan Musgrove and Glenn Shahan, joining
Bette and her guests, Chuck Pollock and Vik Greenfield. Bartending for the evening is Wes Wheadon, a
friend and neighbor of Chuck Pollock’s, who was given permission by Bette to tape record the evening for
posterity. This tape recording from 40 years ago is the actual soundtrack for the film. Once seated and
cocktails served to everyone except the teetotaling Mae West, a no-‐holds barred conversation begins.
The two icons discuss their personal romantic relationships, the business of making films, and the rise of
censorship and the Hays Code. As the evening progresses – and the alcohol continues to liberally flow -‐-‐
the actresses discuss sex, drag queens, homosexuality, and female impersonators. Interspersed with
these eye-‐opening and frank revelations is archival footage and interviews with those who knew these
two stars best. This startling, uninhibited, and slightly-‐scandalous, ground-‐breaking film allows viewers
into the very private worlds of two of Hollywood’s most important film stars.
JUST A FEW OF THE SECRETS BETTE AND MAE SHARE WITH EACH OTHER DURING THE COCKTAIL PARTY
• Why Mae West recorded five musical albums
• How and why Bette Davis “suggested” dialogue for Now, Voyager
• How Cary Grant got the male lead in She Done Him Wrong
• Why Mae West wrote her own dialogue, and demanded credit and payment, for all of her films
• The downside of being a studio contract player
• How SAG came to be, and Bette Davis’ and Olivia de Havilland’s roles in its creation
• How Ronald Reagan sold-‐out SAG members
• Why Mae West hated cigar smoke
• The connection between Bette Davis’ first husband and Mae West
• Both women’s thoughts about lesbianism, homosexuality, and drag queens
• Who said, “I wish men had enough balls not to be cut off!” and why?
• Who said, “You can’t have children and a career.” and why?
• How much Warner Bros. sold 65 of Bette Davis’ films to television for
• How Mae West circumvented the Hays Code
• How both women felt about female impersonators
• How a mistake made history with Bette Davis’ dress in All About Eve
• How Mae West became the highest paid woman in Hollywood
THE CAST
KAREN TELIHA as Bette Davis Karen Teliha is a Bette Davis impersonator
who portrayed Miss Davis in the First Day of
Sale Ceremony in Hollywood, California for
the Bette Davis stamp which was issued
September 18, 2008. Karen is also a film and
television veteran, with over 45 credited
appearances.
VICTORIA MILLS as Mae West
Victoria Mills is a Mae West Impersonator
who has gained notoriety due to her striking
resemblance to Ms. West. This is her on
screen debut at Mae West.
TOMAS ARANA as Stan Musgrove Featured in over 40 productions from the US and
Europe, this busy actor appeared in The
Bodyguard, Hunt for Red October, LA
Confidential, The Three-‐Legged Fox, The Last
Temptation of Christ, The Bourne
Supremacy, The Dark Knight
Rises, and Gladiator, to name a few.
TIM MACULAN as Vik Greenfield
Tim Maculan has sustained a career in theatre, film, television, voice overs and commercials for over 20 years. He is best known professionally for his recurring role of the compassionate Father Jack in all five seasons of the Emmy and Golden Globe award-‐winning HBO series Six Feet Under, and the acerbic, riotous Walter on the Emmy and Golden Globe award-‐winning CBS comedy, Cybill. Tim has guest starred in over 30 television shows.
DAN YANAN as Glenn Shahan Don is known for The Muppets, Zarkorr! The Invader, and Caged Heat 3000. He portrays William Randolph Hearst in the IMAX film Hearst Castle: Building the Dream at the National Geographic Theatre at the Visitors Center at Hearst Castle. He portrayed Gary Cooper at the First Day of Issue ceremony held at the Autrey Western Heritage Museum for the “Legends of Hollywood” Gary Cooper stamp.
GARY KEMP as Chuck Pollack Gary Kemp was one of the leading actors in Ice Paen, playing a Russian World Champion skater, and later he was Steve Martin’s skating double in L.A. Story. Gary has performed in over 50 professional ice shows around the world, and was the main feature in the commercial for “Snoopy’s Nutcracker.” He is currently a professional skating coach at Toyota Sport Center in Los Angeles, California.
BRANDON LARCOM as Wes Wheadon Brandon Michael Larcom, is an international and national champion ice skater, having portrayed star skaters in the film, The Comebacks (2007). Brandon is an outstanding all-‐around athlete: swimmer, diver, BMX, and other snow sports. An entrepreneur and creator of home fitness equipment, he currently coaches ice skating in Los Angeles. Brandon had his first break as an actor in the Walt Disney film Iron Will at the age of 9. Now a veteran in the field, he has acted in numerous films and starred in dozens of national and international television and magazine ad campaigns.
THE PRODUCTION TEAM
Director
WES WHEADON
Executive Producer LAURA WORCHEL
REEL HISTORY FILMS
Producer ESTHER RYDELL
Co-‐Producer
WES WHEADON
Director of Photography JACK ANDERSON
Editor
RYAN McKEAGUE
Music & Score GREGORY SCHREINER
Sound Engineer & Design
JOHN E. WALKER
REALITY VS FANTASY
PRODUCTION STILLS
PRODUCTION STILLS
PRODUCTION STILLS