Discover the screenplays

One cold morning at the Apachieland saloon two men walked in and sat at the end of the bar to my right. One was a big fellow with wavy hair down to his shoulders, mustached and bearded—he looked like he’d seen better days. The other man was smaller, also bearded and mustached, and wore a bandanna on his head. I asked the big fella, ”What’s your name?” “Frank Kawaloski,” he smiled. “Are you guys with the film crew?” They nodded. I looked them over and said, “I hear the director is a Little Cesar and when he says jump, you ask how high?” The smaller man asked, “Do you want a shot of brandy in your coffee?” “Yes,” I replied, as it was freezing in the saloon. Frank asked if I was afraid, and I said, “NO! That guy better not try pushing me or…” and I raised my little fist and shook it. Frank looked at the smaller man and said, “Do you see that SAM? You better behave, or this little girl will part your hair!” “Really? I’m Sam Peckinpah.” We stared at each other for a bit then I said, “Gotta Go”, finished my coffee, jumped off the barstool, and skedaddled.

When the film crew started working in town, I was an extra. Every time I turned around, I caught him looking at me. Understand, although people said I looked like Doris Day, I didn’t think so. I always had a weight problem and I didn’t like myself. I didn’t understand what was happening, as all my emotions were going crazy. Why this man? Why did I have these strong feelings for this old grizzly guy? I felt like I’d been hit by a truck, my heart hammered, and my head hurt. I wanted to run but needed the money, so worked and tried to keep my distance.

The following day, Sam worked the crew from 8 AM to 3 AM. There was always tension on the set, but that night electricity was in the dry cold desert air. Sam looked at me and said, ”You walk by with that cowboy over there and be happy and gay.” “No, I’m tired, find somebody else.” Lucian Ballard looked at me pleadingly. “Ok”, I said, and picked a cowboy from our street shows, walked past the camera, turned, looked into the camera, and said, “Ha. Ha, Ha,” and kept walking. Sam softly said, “Cut… you, my dear are a rotten, rotten, Rotten actress!” “Do it again, Goddammit!” The second time I did do it perfectly.

The next morning up at the barn standing near a beautiful black horse, I looked down the street and watched Sam standing in the middle of the road giving orders to the crew. You’ve heard of road rage, well, I had horse rage. Before I knew it, I was up on that black horse leaning down his neck and said, “You see that man? He called me a rotten, rotten, rotten actress. Let’s kill ‘em.” I kicked that horse and we thundered down the road hell-bent for leather. Sam saw us coming, didn’t move a muscle, and just stood there. Luckily the horse was smarter than me, sidestepped at the last instant so that my leg hit Sam’s arm, and twisted him into the direction we were going.

Pulling up the horse, I looked back and saw Sam standing there looking at me with a Mona Lisa smirk on his face.

The story is emotional, funny, and sad…

The film ends with a mini-documentary…

My career in acting and singing started as a young girl in Rhode Island. Education in making movies and television shows began at Apache Land Movie Ranch, Arizona. I was dragged up the street and shot five times a day in live street shows; I also worked as an extra and stunt woman for productions that used the Ranch’s town as a location. In this environment, I worked with many Hollywood Legends including Director Sam Peckinpah, who did “ The Wild Bunch”, Elvis Presley and Audie Murphy.
Universal Studios was my film school and greatest teacher. This is where I studied the many different aspects of the motion picture industry for thirteen years. All the studio departments (titles, film editing, special effects, etc.) opened their doors and invited me into their domains. It was a great experience to be allowed on sets to watch and learn from many of the great actors, actresses, directors and fine crafts people.
I started as a tour guide and worked my way up to middle management. As a tour guide I gave VIP Tours and worked on special events for Mr. and Mrs. Lew Wasserman and other studio executives. At the same time, I was working on my acting and got my first role at Paramount Pictures in “The Day of the Locust” as Ginger Rogers. My studio told me that “…Doris Day’s look was out and so was I.” It was difficult to lose the tour guide image and, being young, I didn’t accept offers from many departments to join them. (Edith Head wanted me to have my head examined.)
I kept up with the Industry by continuing my education. I have studied Independent Producing at UC Berkeley, screen-writing seminars and have been perfecting my directing skills.
Stories help us to learn about life, and with the knowledge that I have both lived and learned, it’s time to write my sagas. I’m turning my movie scripts into books, my animation stories into graphic novels, and will take a private investigator course.

Working at Universal Studios gave me access to so many talented directors, and working with Director Sam Peckinpah was a major event in my life. This is my true story…