SOMETHING WICKED THAT WAY WENT

Front row: Minerva McGonogall, Nymphadora Tonks. Second row: Ginny Weasley, Hermione Granger, Harry Potter (himself). Third row: Severus Snape, Sybil Trelawney, Rita Skeeter, Gilderoy Lockhart, the Dementor. Thanks to everyone who played a part. It was a big success.

SECRETS REVEALED

The inspirations for my characterization of Gilderoy Lockhart are as follows:

As much as I enjoy playing that egotistical buffoon for Potter functions, and entertaining kids, I almost did not go through with it at first. I am glad now that I did, obviously (and that people urged me to), but it's true that I came close to passing on it, because - get this! - I just was not as big a fan of Harry Potter at the time of the first extravagant release party at Barnes and Noble. I liked the books and enjoyed the films, but never enough to put on a costume and act a fool in front of a crowd.

In the week or so before Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix came out (circa June 2003) - the first time I was asked to play Gilderoy - I became increasingly nervous. Having little or no acting experience, I worried that I wouldn't know what to say or how to act. It got so bad, I actually took my name off the list, but others (notably Lisa and Dani - then called David) talked me into doing the part anyway. So I watched Chamber of Secrets, the movie, and reread the book, until I got some of Lockhart's mannerisms and quotable lines memorized. Thus, the first (and obvious) influence was the great Irish actor Kenneth Brannagh who did such a fine and funny job with the part in the film.

I conjured up memories of flamboyant, outrageous, and ridiculous characters from my past. Believe it or not, the major inspiration for Gilderoy's physical stance and presentation (hands on hips, legs splayed, grand & over-the-top, blond hair flowing) was, of all people, Led Zeppelin's lead singer, the legendary Robert Plant. Anyone who has ever seen any of the films or photos of that old group in action, knows that Mr. Plant was quite the strutting peacock in his day.

For the sinister, but equally foolish and funny part of Gilderoy's personality, I found a more obscure influence. It comes from the Dustin Hoffman movie Little Big Man and the role of General Custer as played by the late character actor, Richard Mulligan. He was the first person to play Custer as something other than a hero. His portrayl is of a man whose barbaric egomania lies just beneath his facade of dashing self-confidence. Like Gilderoy, he too, is blond and a dandy. In the end, the crazy part takes over, completely, and (as you know) he leads his entire command into tragedy at Little Bighorn; karmic payback, one might say, for the havoc he wreaked on Native Americans during his career.


Finally, on a personal level, I used the grand, larger-than-life role model of my good friend, Fred. I have known him since I was three years old. He is locquacious, he is bald, he is gay. He likes to wear a kilt. He impersonates nuns and boyscouts and log cabin Republicans. He is such a grand character that even Enormous John Junkill, himself, was forced to admit, "If I didn't know him, I would have had to create him." He exhibits the audacity of a pirate, the romantic chutzpah of a Roosevelt, the dignity of a King, and the flamboyance of a ... well .. of a queen. And he inhabits my Gilderoy as if I were channeling him. It's a strange and uneasy experience - being posessed by Fred - believe me. And yet, it is ultimately enjoyable. Fred is pictured here in the 1980's ... with hair.

Note: Fred is neither as wicked nor as foolish as Lockhart. What they share, however, is grand and enviable style.

So the magician (or wizard, as it were) has revealed his secrets. Here's hoping that this weekend's Harry Potter performance will not suffer as a result.

Hope to see you there.

On Saturday.

Sometimes betwen 3 PM and sunset.

At the Borders in Plano.

972-713-9857.

THEY DIDN'T HAVE A GILDEROY ...

As Viktor you are brave, daring and have a thirst for adventure, with a particular fondness for all things sporting.

http://www.theharrypotterquiz.com/

SYD BARRETT, FOUNDER OF PINK FLOYD, DIES

By JILL LAWLESS (Associated Press Writer)
From Associated Press July 11, 2006 9:26 AM EDT

LONDON - Syd Barrett, the troubled genius who co-founded Pink Floyd but spent his last years in reclusive anonymity, has died, a spokeswoman for the band said Tuesday. He was 60.
The spokeswoman - who declined to give her name until the band made an official announcement - confirmed media reports that he had died. She said Barrett died several days ago, but she did not disclose the cause of death. Barrett had suffered from diabetes for many years.
Barrett co-founded Pink Floyd in 1965 with David Gilmour, Nick Mason and Rick Wright, and wrote many of the band's early songs. The group's jazz-infused rock made them darlings of the London psychedelic scene, and the 1967 album "The Piper at the Gates of Dawn" - largely written by Barrett, who also played guitar - was a commercial and critical hit.

However, Barrett suffered from mental instability, exacerbated by his use of LSD. His behavior grew increasingly erratic, and he left the group in 1968 - five years before the release of Pink Floyd's most popular album, "Dark Side of the Moon." He was replaced by David Gilmour.
Barrett released two solo albums - "The Madcap Laughs" and "Barrett" - but soon withdrew from the music business altogether.
He spent much of the rest of his life living quietly in his hometown of Cambridge, England, where he was a familiar figure, often seen cycling or walking to the corner store.
Despite his brief career, Barrett's fragile, wistful songs influenced many musicians, from David Bowie - who covered the Barrett track "See Emily Play" - to the other members of Pink Floyd, who recorded the album "Wish You Were Here" as a tribute to their troubled bandmate.
The band spokeswoman said a small, private funeral would be held.
____________________________________________________________________
Copyright 2005 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

DAY TRIPPERS

Yesterday, Lisa and I took a day trip to Denton, Texas.

This meant loading up Excalibur (my car) and heading north across the wide plains, cedar-y woods and huge, man-made lakes of North Texas.

Denton, for anyone who doesn't know, is a college town, some thirty to forty miles north of Plano. It is home to the University of North Texas (or UNT), formerly
called North Texas State University. Legend has it that the old college radio station, KNTSU, went through a minor upheaval when the university changed its name to UNT, thus casting doubt upon what the new broadcast letters should become: KUNT didn't seem like a viable option.
It boasts such alumni as NFL hall of famer "Mean" Joe Greene (for whom their otherwise anonymous and hapless football squad, the Mean Green, is named), Sandy Duncan (of Peter Pan fame), Thomas Haden Church (Oscar nominee for Sideways), such musical luminaries as Norah Jones, hellbent heavy metal maniac Pat Boone, Don Henley, Sarah Hickman, Roy Orbison, David Letterman's bandleader and foil Paul Schaeffer (UNT is renowned for its music school), that famous crackpot Dr. Phil McGraw, and the very wonderful Bill Moyers.
Like a lot of towns its size, Denton has a charming town square. Found here are the Old Opera House Book Store where the stairwells, closets, basements, and floors upon floors (like a maze) are crammed with used books -- we spent hours there; Beth Ann's traditional 1950's ice cream parlor and soda jerk (where Lisa and I feasted on cobbler - being that she is lactose intolerant -- which drives her insane when surrounded by ice cream);
various and sundry antique shoppes; a classic hamburger joint where you get to build your own burger and shovel your own fries (in whatever quantity you like); and a gothic courthouse (built 1890's) that looks like Disney's haunted mansion.

But, maybe most importantly, Denton is neither Dallas nor Plano nor any of the other surrounding suburbs. Nor could it be described as a sundrenched slab of concrete pockmarked by mini-malls and MacMansions.

Denton is someplace else.


And, though the escape was short-lived, it was well worth it. And we both had a lovely time.

On the drive home, Lisa tried on my Harry Potter & the Order of the Phoenix hat. She modeled it in a variety of quirky poses and made a number of equally absurd faces while I clicked pics and tried not to wreck the car...