But I knew that at any time they would realise that I wasn't there and send a search party out to find me.
But I couldn't go back, not yet... I knew it was just a matter of time, but this paranoia wasn't helping my enjoyment of my new, if transitory freedom... I needed a distraction... A good one...
Then, as if someone up there heard my plea, the greatest distraction I could have hoped for walked into the cafe, ordered a drink and sat down at the next table to mine...
I couldn't help but stare, for a while I thought I was imagining it, was this just some kind of psychotic delusion! Oh God, waas this just one of my episodes? Last week I swore Liza Minnelli had pushed passed me in the queue for dinner...
I leant over and, although I had enough already, asked if I could borrow her sugar... And he spoke... She was real... She was here... She was Mews Small...
Born in Pasadena in 1942, Mews is best known for her role of Candy, opposite Jack Nicholson, in the Academy Award-winning film “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest,” she is an acclaimed actress and singer and an utterly lovely person.
I thanked her and poured some extra sugar into my drink... It was now far too sweet for me, but it was worth it... I sat there fidgiting for a while before I spoke again, my nervous twitch had been acting up again lately and it was going off like an electrified frog at the moment... But I had to talk more and I only had a matter of time before they found me... Seize the day, I thought... You only live once.
So, taking a very deep breath, mustering up all the strength I could to hide my twitches and tics, I turned and asked her if she was free for a chat, she smiled such a sweet, caring smile and without hesitation agreed... Something I wasn't expecting! Call me paranoid, but I really expected her to take one look at me and run! I checked the clock, it was nearly two, they would have defintely realised I gone by now, I figured I had an hour... an hour and a half... That would be plenty....
So, Mews, how did it all start for you?
“Ha! Well actually as a teenager I wasn’t particularly happy, I was much more interested in sports… I didn’t do well at school and then I tried to go to college and that wasn’t really a great experience either... I had a wonderful music teacher at city college, but all the kids were mean, so I decided I would move to New York. I worked it all out… I actually managed to get a friend of my brothers apartment while he was going on vacation! I told my parents the night before, I said ‘I’ve got this all worked out and I’m going to be staying at Ira’s apartment for a month, and that’ll give me enough time to get a job and find and apartment.' Ha ha!
Poor things, they were in a state of shock because they had no idea about this! But I had my one way ticket and they took me to the train station the next morning... so I went... I felt so exhilarated and I really didn’t know what I was going to do, but… Let me back track here just a little bit…”
Poor things, they were in a state of shock because they had no idea about this! But I had my one way ticket and they took me to the train station the next morning... so I went... I felt so exhilarated and I really didn’t know what I was going to do, but… Let me back track here just a little bit…”
Be my guest…
“I went to New York… I’d been there three times before; I went
when I was a little girl when my dad took me to Radio city... Then I was there on a political trip, where you go to the east coast and go to senate and all the historical sites… all that…
Anyway we went to New York and then later I went by myself and I lived there… I took a train across the United States, with peanut butter sandwiches… Took 3 days… I stayed at the Martha Washington hotel for girls, which was $5 a night then or something… It was very cheap! And I had saved up enough money from working… I didn’t take any buses or any subways or any rides from anyone… I really didn’t know anyone there at this point…
Two years earlier when I was 17… I walked the city every day, from one end to the other… I don’t know why I did this, but I did... I was really very young and innocent, didn’t want to get in any trouble and I had long blond hair, so I didn’t go out at night… I would just look out my fire escape and eat my peanut butter sandwich... Then I would get up the next morning walk the city again… At the end of this time I thought 'Well I’ll go visit my brothers good friend' who was a New York resident and he invited me to dinner... So I went to dinner and Dustin Hoffman was sleeping on his couch at that time.”
Anyway we went to New York and then later I went by myself and I lived there… I took a train across the United States, with peanut butter sandwiches… Took 3 days… I stayed at the Martha Washington hotel for girls, which was $5 a night then or something… It was very cheap! And I had saved up enough money from working… I didn’t take any buses or any subways or any rides from anyone… I really didn’t know anyone there at this point…
Two years earlier when I was 17… I walked the city every day, from one end to the other… I don’t know why I did this, but I did... I was really very young and innocent, didn’t want to get in any trouble and I had long blond hair, so I didn’t go out at night… I would just look out my fire escape and eat my peanut butter sandwich... Then I would get up the next morning walk the city again… At the end of this time I thought 'Well I’ll go visit my brothers good friend' who was a New York resident and he invited me to dinner... So I went to dinner and Dustin Hoffman was sleeping on his couch at that time.”
Dustin Hoffman?! "He was working as an orderly at New York hospital...
He was very fun and interesting. He said to me at the end of the night “Well I have a little Vespa motor scooter, how would you like to see the city on wheels?”… As I had told him I had walked every day…
And so after dinner I got on the Vespa and off we went, we were over on the East side, right near the New York hospital, and we went all the way down to the very end... And then we came aaaall the way beck the west side and up to Harlem! We stayed out all night long…
It was the most fun thing ever… I have never forgotten it! Then we just got back to where he was staying, got our bathing suits and we got back on the Vespa and went off to Coney Island... Tt which point the Vespa broke down…
Oh Lord! What did you do?!
Anyway we stayed friends, so when I did get to New York two years later and had my brothers friend’s apartment for one month, I called him up! He said well, I have some friends looking for a room-mate... They had this little, one bedroom apartment on the worst block in New York at the time.... Over on Wesy 84th Street, which is now nice...So I moved in for $35 dollars a month…
There was a bedroom with four bunk beds and then one that my friend Marlene, was a dancer actress… You know triple threat… She was one of those dancers with long legs, [who] sprawled out on her double bed, while everybody else was in their bunk beds... But it was a great time! I actually knew nothing about the theatre and was extremely shy, I tried to sing a little bit in high school which was a miserable experience… [I was] Just too shy to do that... So, the other girl was an actress - a classical actress - then there was a ballet dancer and a set designer... These were all Dustin's friends, [they] called him Dusty in those days. His two best friends were Gene Hackman and
There were other actors that come around, so I was surrounded by actors and theatre, which was kind of interesting since I had no experience in that area and they were very fun and interesting people ….”
I bet they were!
“And then later Dusty asked me to do a play… 'A play?! I don’t know how to do a play!' I said... Anyway I didn’t really wanna' do it, but he was very persuasive… He took me to Central Park, we took this long walk and by the end he'd convinced me that all I had to do was just be myself… Just be myself and it would be a piece of cake… So I said OK, I’ll try it…
Anyway, so we rehearsed down at Avenue A at 10th street in the village… The lower each village… Way, way down there…
It was quite interesting and fun and I’d never been in a play before. He was fascinating as a director, he’d say a few things to me and I’d feel sort of comfortable and I would watch him working with Carmine Cariti, who was a very slick and well experienced actor, but I wasn’t sure I believed anything he said.
Anyway, so we rehearsed down at Avenue A at 10th street in the village… The lower each village… Way, way down there…
It was quite interesting and fun and I’d never been in a play before. He was fascinating as a director, he’d say a few things to me and I’d feel sort of comfortable and I would watch him working with Carmine Cariti, who was a very slick and well experienced actor, but I wasn’t sure I believed anything he said.
Then
he’d [Dustin] go and whisper something in his ear and it would make Camine more
real and fascinating...
and I just thought the whole process was fascinating and interesting...
And so I did the play, it was a Gertrude Stine play called ‘Brucey McWilly’ and I entered from the back singing “Johnny comes marching home”... I was supposed to be the girlfriend from home.
and I just thought the whole process was fascinating and interesting...
And so I did the play, it was a Gertrude Stine play called ‘Brucey McWilly’ and I entered from the back singing “Johnny comes marching home”... I was supposed to be the girlfriend from home.
Cool...
"... And not too long after that -May be a year? - he did the play
‘It’, which Mike Nichols came to see him in... and then he became very famous. By that time I was already working and because we were such good friends I
would come over to his house all the time - he had a little 'below the garden'
basement apartment down on the lower west side - Bobby Duval and Gene
Hackman would be there and I would hear them talking and they were just so
interesting to be around and I went to see plays that they were in…”
And this was before their film careers?
“Yes! It was! It’s way back… They’d all been there about 10 years, so they were all ready to break in, but I had just gotten there, I didn’t know anything and basically I kind of fell into it.
I was looking for something interesting to do and the reason I went to New York was because I thought 'Well, there will be great teachers there and surely I’d be able to find something to do!' Because I wasn’t very well educated - but I came from an educated family and I’m a good listener - but I always had a terrible time reading...
I’m not a good student at all! But anyway it turned out wonderfully… I did have [other] great teachers, but he (Hoffman) was my favourite. He also showed me the unemployment office, which turned out to be very useful."
Ha!
I was looking for something interesting to do and the reason I went to New York was because I thought 'Well, there will be great teachers there and surely I’d be able to find something to do!' Because I wasn’t very well educated - but I came from an educated family and I’m a good listener - but I always had a terrible time reading...
I’m not a good student at all! But anyway it turned out wonderfully… I did have [other] great teachers, but he (Hoffman) was my favourite. He also showed me the unemployment office, which turned out to be very useful."
Ha!
"And so, I went looking for a great teacher and I found one…
We used to ride in the subway and he would point to people and say ‘Why do you think that person moves that way? What do you think makes him do what he is doing?’ And so I began to look way deeper into every human being… Anyway, if I'd had to learn all this stuff out of a book I would've ended up doing something else in life ha!”
We used to ride in the subway and he would point to people and say ‘Why do you think that person moves that way? What do you think makes him do what he is doing?’ And so I began to look way deeper into every human being… Anyway, if I'd had to learn all this stuff out of a book I would've ended up doing something else in life ha!”
I think we're all glad you didn't...
“Yeah, So anyway I got the hang of acting and I started auditioning for things. I did lots of summer stock... 9 years of it! And then I finally decided, 'Boy! 9 years! Well I can do this for the rest of my life!', It was wonderful, I went to all these great
little places and… You know I did 'The Sound of Music', [playing] Maria in Vermont?
That was wonderful, a really major highlight in my life. It was one of those parts where I got the job and I just knew how to play the part… I don’t know why? I had a simpatico with her [Maria VonTrapp].
She came to inspect me, came over to see how I was and began coaching me on the part, we talked a little bit, I said to her ‘You don’t have to coach me on the part, I think I’ve got it, I’ll be ok’ or something…
Anyway, she went away and came back on opening night and at the end of it she stood up and she said
That was wonderful, a really major highlight in my life. It was one of those parts where I got the job and I just knew how to play the part… I don’t know why? I had a simpatico with her [Maria VonTrapp].
She came to inspect me, came over to see how I was and began coaching me on the part, we talked a little bit, I said to her ‘You don’t have to coach me on the part, I think I’ve got it, I’ll be ok’ or something…
Anyway, she went away and came back on opening night and at the end of it she stood up and she said
‘I’ve seen many Maria’s, but tonight it was I’”
Wow!
“That wasn’t the good English, but that is what she said, I
know she felt that way because she really loved me and after that she told me I had free reign!
I had a motor scooter then, it wasn’t safe to drive in NY city anymore, so I moved up to Vermont and she let me ride it through her tomato patches… And I could have as many tomatoes as I want… And the one thing she said to me, she said “You can call me, or come and see me anytime… But don’t come unless it’s important”… She had things to do and didn’t want me to come up and chit chat, but she liked what I did. As a matter of fact she asked me to come to the world's fair the next year in Montreal and I represented the family, with the family and sang there to 10 thousand people…”
I had a motor scooter then, it wasn’t safe to drive in NY city anymore, so I moved up to Vermont and she let me ride it through her tomato patches… And I could have as many tomatoes as I want… And the one thing she said to me, she said “You can call me, or come and see me anytime… But don’t come unless it’s important”… She had things to do and didn’t want me to come up and chit chat, but she liked what I did. As a matter of fact she asked me to come to the world's fair the next year in Montreal and I represented the family, with the family and sang there to 10 thousand people…”
Wow again...
“Anyway later I decided I gotta' go back and see if I can get a Broadway show, so I went and moved back…
Well I never really moved out of town, but I was working out of town pretty much all the year; Summer stock, winter stock - and then I didn’t have any actor jobs in town, so I took a job as a taxi cab driver, but I thought ‘that’s not very safe’, so I decided ‘Well I’ll become a limousine driver’… and there weren’t any women limousine drivers then – except for the playboy bunnies – so I went to about 10 places, and after getting turned down a bunch of times, I finally said ‘It’s the law, you don’t have a right to say no to me just because I’m a woman!’… And I finally got it and it was a wonderful job! I really liked it because you have a lot of time as a chauffuer.
Then I worked as a hat check girl and met some wonderful people…
Then I got a play, it was an award winning play, to me it was fascinating, but it was way, way, way down on the docks, in the Bowery and there was the theatre down there, it was a sort scary place…
Well I never really moved out of town, but I was working out of town pretty much all the year; Summer stock, winter stock - and then I didn’t have any actor jobs in town, so I took a job as a taxi cab driver, but I thought ‘that’s not very safe’, so I decided ‘Well I’ll become a limousine driver’… and there weren’t any women limousine drivers then – except for the playboy bunnies – so I went to about 10 places, and after getting turned down a bunch of times, I finally said ‘It’s the law, you don’t have a right to say no to me just because I’m a woman!’… And I finally got it and it was a wonderful job! I really liked it because you have a lot of time as a chauffuer.
Then I worked as a hat check girl and met some wonderful people…
Then I got a play, it was an award winning play, to me it was fascinating, but it was way, way, way down on the docks, in the Bowery and there was the theatre down there, it was a sort scary place…
Anyway I got this job and I was an equity actress, but I wanted to work in town and this one you practically donate your time to and you get $5 a week.
I did it because I wanted to work in town, so anyway the producers of Grease came into see that play… It was called “Boy on the straight-back chair”… and I was killed early on in the play… My poor mother came to see me [once] and had to watch me die, I was dead on the stage for an act and a half! Anyway, that turned my life around!”
I did it because I wanted to work in town, so anyway the producers of Grease came into see that play… It was called “Boy on the straight-back chair”… and I was killed early on in the play… My poor mother came to see me [once] and had to watch me die, I was dead on the stage for an act and a half! Anyway, that turned my life around!”
And so the producers of Grease liked you and asked you to auditiion?
“I auditioned like 7 seven times… They went through people like you wouldn’t believe!
There were so many people there and we all had to audition, many, many times… I found out later that the producers and the director had actually made up [their minds] early on that I was going to be in the show. But they discovered I was going to be Frenchy after I auditioned for all these other parts!
There were so many people there and we all had to audition, many, many times… I found out later that the producers and the director had actually made up [their minds] early on that I was going to be in the show. But they discovered I was going to be Frenchy after I auditioned for all these other parts!
The most interesting thing about that was the people there… I was awestruck at their abilities and their creativity, because this was a difficult audition, it wasn’t just standard stuff… I’m really good at standard stuff, but it was a lot of improvisation and I’m not too good at learning dance steps too quickly either… But I got through it and I got the part… That was a huge turning point in my life because I was already living in Hell’s Kitchen and it was just a few blocks from the theatre.
So, could you even imagine how successful it would be?
We didn’t know it was going to be a hit show… We actually thought it was a turkey, but it ran…”
And ran!
Then Marvin Hamlisch came
to see my and he introduced himself… He was very nice to me and said
‘Maybe you should go off to Hollywood sometime and maybe you’ll have a career
out there’, but I didn’t really think much of it…
“…It was a wonderful time in my life and actually from doing that
play the band became my band! When it was over I booked a concert at the Newark College of engineering and asked the
band to play, they said yes and I had the band for many years and I got to
play all the night clubs in New York… Especially The Continental Baths…
It was a huge gay place and they were mostly all in towels. They paid us $500… I had a four piece band and so everybody made a hundred bucks, plus I had my job on Broadway… So, it was just an absolutely great time.
It was a huge gay place and they were mostly all in towels. They paid us $500… I had a four piece band and so everybody made a hundred bucks, plus I had my job on Broadway… So, it was just an absolutely great time.
Anyway after I’d been with the show for a year I got a weeks’ vacation
and went to see my parents. My sister and more than half of my family live in
California and so I came out here. While I was out here I called my
agent up and he set up all these appointments… You would not believe it, he set
up appointments with people all over Hollywood and one of them was Woody
Alan! That’s how I got Sleeper”
Ah yes, Dr Nero…
"He said at first ‘You know I don’t really have any parts for women… The movie is all cast, but I’ll meet with you anyway’, and he did.He then decided the part of Dr Nero - that was supposed to be a man - could be me! But I didn’t know that at the time and I had dumped my picture in the waste paper basket and gone back to New York... I’d been back there about 3 or 4 days when I got a call to tell me that they did want to use me in the film and that was pretty thrilling… A legitimate movie!"
“He’s very business-like, not fun like Gene Wilder…
Gene Wilder is good at business too, but he’s fun.
But of course I was really nervous because I had only done one movie and [it was] a long time before that! And that was a miniscule part! So I really didn’t know anything about what I was doing or anything, so I was a bit nervous….
If he had been fun I don’t know if I would have picked up on it, but he was fairly serious and he was always doing something in between… A tennis ball, or something, going back and forth… I liked him and enjoyed him. But fun?…. Hmmm… ha ha ha ha!”
Gene Wilder is good at business too, but he’s fun.
But of course I was really nervous because I had only done one movie and [it was] a long time before that! And that was a miniscule part! So I really didn’t know anything about what I was doing or anything, so I was a bit nervous….
If he had been fun I don’t know if I would have picked up on it, but he was fairly serious and he was always doing something in between… A tennis ball, or something, going back and forth… I liked him and enjoyed him. But fun?…. Hmmm… ha ha ha ha!”
So was this a stepping stone in your career?
“Oh no, I did lots of auditions… Ha! But no, that was great though because then what happened was another kind of amazing thing happened… It began with Grease and then the producers of Grease, Ken Weissman and Maxine Fox.
They didn’t have to let me out of my contract to do the movie - and if I’d been working with Hal Prince they may not have let me!
But they did and then the girl who had been on the road with the company, well she wanted to go to New York… And I wanted to get the reviews for opening at the Shubert Theatre in Los Angeles, so the producers let us switch parts… So she could go back to New York and I could play the show out here…
And that was when I played opposite John Travolta.
They didn’t have to let me out of my contract to do the movie - and if I’d been working with Hal Prince they may not have let me!
But they did and then the girl who had been on the road with the company, well she wanted to go to New York… And I wanted to get the reviews for opening at the Shubert Theatre in Los Angeles, so the producers let us switch parts… So she could go back to New York and I could play the show out here…
And that was when I played opposite John Travolta.
They agreed to open the show in Chicago and John Travolta, myself and Barry Boswick all came back to California and began careers in television and movies…
Anyway, that was a lucky break, because I played almost 3 months at the Schubert theatre (LA) and a lots of people came in…
I then got a record contract and a good agent and began my music career… But we had to send the band home because it was too expensive to keep them out here!!”
Did you audition for Frenchy?
“I did.. But I ended up doing ‘Thank god it’s Friday’ while they were doing Grease… But yes I did, Allan Carr brought me in but they didn’t choose me!"
But you were Frenchy?!
“They probably thought I was too old or something… I don’t know what they thought…Then I did this other film and it wasn't so successful film and then… Oh actually I had Cuckoo's nest before that... Um... I did James Ivory’s first Hollywood movie, it was called ‘The Wild Party’ (1975) and it was Perry king, Raquel Welch and James Coco… It was all about fatty Arbuckle…”
Oh yes... The infamous murder party!
“Yeah right… The Wild Party”
And did you have a good time on the shoot?
“Yes, they were the most lovely people to work for! We shot at the Mission of the Bells, Riverside… and, oh! Shooting that film there was just fantastic! Ismail Merchant would make sure we’d have these beautiful dinners out at night… Out on the patio of the Mission… Ha ha ha! They were just so nice and anyway they had a hard time on that film…
I think Raquel was difficult.
I think Raquel was difficult.
She had her own director… ha!”
She had two directors?!
“Yes, she had two directors! She had someone else to direct her too…
… And then not too long after that I did get cuckoo's nest.”
“It was filmed in the Oregon State mental hospital…”
And so you auditioned?
“I did audition for that and It was about a year after [that] I knew I had the part... They auditioned 900 girls for that part! And then I had another audition with him when my band was in town, we rehearsing on over on Santa Monica Boulevard in some rehearsal studios over there and
he [Milos Forman] came! He came to hear me and my band!”
he [Milos Forman] came! He came to hear me and my band!”
Wow!
Ha!
He was wonderful, he didn't really give me much direction... He had his eye on everything, but [it] seemed like he spent a long time casting the film and then trusted people to do what they were going to do… And I think that worked out pretty well.”
So was it fully scripted or were you allowed to improvise?
How do you make a script out of his book?! I think Bo Goldman did Lawrence Hauburn did as good as anybody could possibly do because it's a long book… it's complicated… and of course the Indian the real sense in part, you can
Well, you can actually see that in him, and even if you don't know the book, his presence as a human being is profound.
And he was profound to work with but he was also a lot of fun!”
And we have to talk about Jack Nicholson...
“He was terribly kind and wonderful, and such an excellent actor! I was a young actor and there were a lot of things I didn't know... Like when he brought me in from the window... In that scene he knew exactly how fast to carry me, which way to turn for the
camera and put me down in just the right place... I mean these are things I just didn't know... He knew how to do all those things so well and was so kind and he was sort of like an older brother... You know?”
I've heard a rumour that Jack got electric shock therapy to prepare for the role?
“I never heard he did that and I can't imagine that he would! No, I know that Milos did sort of… well… not lock them up, but they stayed in the institution for a period of time... Just the men… and Milos waited to bring us in... the fun girls... Ha ha!
They had suffered for quite a while, so when we arrived on the set we were very welcomed! He put them through something that, as actors they were willing to do it... But I think they did spent a few nights in there… But I can't actually say because it was before I arrived on the set…
It's hearsay but, you know Jack's a very intelligent guy, I can't imagine that he would put himself
through that.”
They had suffered for quite a while, so when we arrived on the set we were very welcomed! He put them through something that, as actors they were willing to do it... But I think they did spent a few nights in there… But I can't actually say because it was before I arrived on the set…
It's hearsay but, you know Jack's a very intelligent guy, I can't imagine that he would put himself
So, as you came into the film later than the others, did you feel like an outsider at any point?
“Well that was part of the thing... In the book Murphy and Candy were childhood sweethearts, she wasn't necessarily a prostitute… she was a sweetheart and when he says go and sleep with Billy she says ‘Well okay if you want me to’…
But as a prostitute? I never played it that way, I thought it was kind of stupid, but I didn't think of that and it wasn't part of my characters make-up and how I played the part or approached it.”
But as a prostitute? I never played it that way, I thought it was kind of stupid, but I didn't think of that and it wasn't part of my characters make-up and how I played the part or approached it.”
And you obviously acted very closely... Very closely beside Brad Dourif...
“Oh Brad Dourif, of one of the most lovely human beings I've ever met in my whole life.”
“You know there are a lot of real patients and cuckoo’s nest... 150 were on the payroll, which actually made a huge difference in a lot of their lives to actually have a paycheque!”
Sorry to go off tangent... But I always wondered, where does the name Mews come from?
“My real name is Mary Edith Willard Small. When I first went to New York I worked under Mary Small and then one day I got a telephone call from I woman who said ‘You're using my name and you're going to have to stop that! I'm the real Mary Small, the Mary Small with a big voice and you can't use my name!” I went 'Oh dear, okay', so I had to find a new name.
I didn't really didn't know how to get one… and then someone told me there was a lady who was in her 90s and lived on the top of Carnegie Hall, she was a numerologist and she could help you find a new name.
So I went to see her, she was a beautiful, lovely
person and she told me all these interesting things…
So I said I'd really like a new name, but like my old name because I like my name, so we finally came up with Merrya, which I thought was a lovely name and pretty - although most people didn't pronounce it right…
Then I was studying healing because my parents were sick and I spent a lot of time in hospital - so I thought ‘Well I already meditate so I should learn a few things’ – anyway it was one of these people that I studied with that suggested that maybe I should try new name…
So I was referred to her and she was very nice and very perceptive… I paint and I sign my paintings M.E.W.S and I was looking at one of my paintings and I what well what about Mews? She looked at the numbers and she went oh that's good... But before she even said that I had a funny little feeling… it was a little spark of something… otherwise I would never change my name... Because I was probably 50 years old and already had a career... It was probably a stupid thing to do but I did it anyway. The idea was if I had a slightly different vibration to my name I might get a little more support... And I actually did, so I don't know...
It's shorter and easier and many people like it.
So what do your family call you?
Sometimes my family call me Mary, people from my husband's side of the family call me Mary... I like Mary, but I just can't use it for show business…”
I didn't really didn't know how to get one… and then someone told me there was a lady who was in her 90s and lived on the top of Carnegie Hall, she was a numerologist and she could help you find a new name.
So I went to see her, she was a beautiful, lovely
So I said I'd really like a new name, but like my old name because I like my name, so we finally came up with Merrya, which I thought was a lovely name and pretty - although most people didn't pronounce it right…
Then I was studying healing because my parents were sick and I spent a lot of time in hospital - so I thought ‘Well I already meditate so I should learn a few things’ – anyway it was one of these people that I studied with that suggested that maybe I should try new name…
So I was referred to her and she was very nice and very perceptive… I paint and I sign my paintings M.E.W.S and I was looking at one of my paintings and I what well what about Mews? She looked at the numbers and she went oh that's good... But before she even said that I had a funny little feeling… it was a little spark of something… otherwise I would never change my name... Because I was probably 50 years old and already had a career... It was probably a stupid thing to do but I did it anyway. The idea was if I had a slightly different vibration to my name I might get a little more support... And I actually did, so I don't know...
It's shorter and easier and many people like it.
So what do your family call you?
Sometimes my family call me Mary, people from my husband's side of the family call me Mary... I like Mary, but I just can't use it for show business…”
A sudden realisation came over me... For the first time in years my tics had subsided... This distraction was better than I imagined...
A couple walked in, I thought I recognised them, but I couldn't be sure... But they sure recognised me, taking a swift U turn and retreating from the cafe. Now that would usually get me, make me paranoid... But not now... No! now was Mews time...
Now you've worked with so many people during your career, who stands out?
“Susan Sarandon was one of my favourite people in the world to work with! We used to spend every single day together, Shirlee Fonda was there to, she was just a lovely person. Actually Susan Sarandon hired me for this movie & I wish I'd known about her politics then, because she is a great politician… and I like my politics too, so I wish I'd known that.
Anyway that film was a really good experience because for six weeks I got to
A couple walked in, I thought I recognised them, but I couldn't be sure... But they sure recognised me, taking a swift U turn and retreating from the cafe. Now that would usually get me, make me paranoid... But not now... No! now was Mews time...
“Susan Sarandon was one of my favourite people in the world to work with! We used to spend every single day together, Shirlee Fonda was there to, she was just a lovely person. Actually Susan Sarandon hired me for this movie & I wish I'd known about her politics then, because she is a great politician… and I like my politics too, so I wish I'd known that.
Anyway that film was a really good experience because for six weeks I got to
fruit trees, had a little farm up in Bel-Air.
He wanted to give me apple trees - I had a little piece of property at that time but I had no water on it and I couldn't afford to get the water on it! I don't have the property anymore and I never planted to do Henry Fonda apple trees…
Then years after that I went to New York and he invited me to come and see him in ‘The First Monday of October’ in Washington DC. So I flew there with my agent - at the time - and we went to see him in this magnificent play, then afterwards I had to pee! But I couldn’t find a restroom! So I ended up going all the way down to the basement and so I was late to come backstage and he goes “Where were you? I wanted to do introduce you to the Vice President!”.
Well, we went out to dinner with Henry afterwards and had a wonderful evening, but he was a little pissed at me that I was late and I've missed the Vice President….
Ha!
You know, we were friends and I'd get a little note from him from time to time and would go and visit him up at his home… Just a wonderful, wonderful person… and that was fun because my mother loved Henry Fonda and I got to introduce her to him and I took her to see the play...
She had pretty good at politics too.”
She had pretty good at politics too.”
Oh yes, talking of politics? Did you ever consider being a full-time politician instead of an actress?
“I certainly would have if I had been a better student and got a real college education, I did run for office twice… I ran for the state assembly of California 1996, and in 2000 I ran for Congress… but only got about 1% or something like that...
I had lots of wonderful ideas and people liked me, I got to
debate, which was actually really hard! Probably the hardest thing I've ever done, because you have to learn how to express yourself, how to say what you have to say coherently...
I lost 20lbs because I would spend six hours a day on the news - which actually I still do! Six hours a day trying to see what's going on in the world, what's improved and what hasn't and what's going on. I love to do that, but it's such a cutthroat business with this stupid Citizens United and money and everything...
I Could do a better job than Sarah Payne and I can tell you that!”
I had lots of wonderful ideas and people liked me, I got to
I lost 20lbs because I would spend six hours a day on the news - which actually I still do! Six hours a day trying to see what's going on in the world, what's improved and what hasn't and what's going on. I love to do that, but it's such a cutthroat business with this stupid Citizens United and money and everything...
I Could do a better job than Sarah Payne and I can tell you that!”
I believe you could!
“… I don't know, I have to do my political contribution in other ways it's not something I be up to do in this life time. I'd love to release an album of my peace songs though... So we'll see about that.”
It seems a lot of American actors that go into politics are right wing… From a British perspective anyway…
“Well there are loads that aren't Martin Sheen and
Dustin Hoffman, George Clooney and Matt Damon… Leonardo Decaprio, Susan Sarandon...
I mean, we do have some wonderful voices from Hollywood. Lots of the upper echelons of the corporate Hollywood business are Republicans and they do not have the interest of the actors, in many ways they are trying to break the unions… and in some ways they have and - unless you're pretty famous.
A lot of actors are going on financial aid because they got families to feed and there's not enough work. So it's an iffy business.”
I mean, we do have some wonderful voices from Hollywood. Lots of the upper echelons of the corporate Hollywood business are Republicans and they do not have the interest of the actors, in many ways they are trying to break the unions… and in some ways they have and - unless you're pretty famous.
A lot of actors are going on financial aid because they got families to feed and there's not enough work. So it's an iffy business.”
I checked the clock... 3 already?! They would be here soon... But I had still so much to ask...
And Liz Taylor... I have to ask you about Liz...
And Liz Taylor... I have to ask you about Liz...
“I worked with Elizabeth Taylor for quite a while, we did this movie called ‘Poker Alice’.
Oh my god that was amazing experience, because it's like working with the last of American film royalty! Every time she would come on the set everything would stop and there would be a present for her and one day, on her birthday they flew in the Statler Brother's to sing her happy birthday!
She was as nice as she can be! Absolutely perfect… She was a consummate actress, she never made an error and everything she did was perfect. The only thing she had trouble with was that she could not walk up more than three stairs and so there was another girl that did all them.
But Elizabeth was just a wonderful person I loved working with her.
My brother-in-law did ‘Little Foxes’ with her in New York and they went to Washington DC... They were very good friends and on the way back from Washington DC she had a good portion of the train and ordered a dinner for the cast. It started as they pulled out of the station with hors d'oeuvres and by the time they pulled into New York they were finishing up the deserts with cognac's! She was a very generous person and my brother-in-law has nothing but wonderful things to say about her.
I feel the same way, she was just lovely.”
Oh my god that was amazing experience, because it's like working with the last of American film royalty! Every time she would come on the set everything would stop and there would be a present for her and one day, on her birthday they flew in the Statler Brother's to sing her happy birthday!
She was as nice as she can be! Absolutely perfect… She was a consummate actress, she never made an error and everything she did was perfect. The only thing she had trouble with was that she could not walk up more than three stairs and so there was another girl that did all them.
But Elizabeth was just a wonderful person I loved working with her.
My brother-in-law did ‘Little Foxes’ with her in New York and they went to Washington DC... They were very good friends and on the way back from Washington DC she had a good portion of the train and ordered a dinner for the cast. It started as they pulled out of the station with hors d'oeuvres and by the time they pulled into New York they were finishing up the deserts with cognac's! She was a very generous person and my brother-in-law has nothing but wonderful things to say about her.
I feel the same way, she was just lovely.”
“She did! Just exquisite violet blue! Just beautiful and doing this film she stuffed herself into 22 inch dress… Oh my god! I don't know how she couldn't breathe... ahh… Some of the actresses had a much more commitment than me!
I like to sit on my bed at night and have popcorn and butter.
I like to sit on my bed at night and have popcorn and butter.
Ha!
Now that I could empathise with!
So you've had fun in this world you stumbled into then?
Now that I could empathise with!
So you've had fun in this world you stumbled into then?
What I think what it was… I think there was, not a conscious desire to this, but a conscious desire to find something to do… And then I just got into that world and discovered how healing the arts are. When I was very distraught my mother sent me some paints and I immediately got un-distraught and I painted all these miserable people and I felt much better... Then I end up selling the paintings!”
I looked out the window and saw them... They had sent 3 men today... Did I fight back that much last time? I know I got that young one with a good punch to the jaw, but 3 guys? That's a little excessive! They walked up to the window... Who tipped them off, I wondered? The waitress? That guy on the table next to us? Mews?! No, she wouldn't... But who?
The tics started again... Damn... I checked around the room for another exit... But it seems there was only one way out... And that was to go with them...
They entered the room with menacing looks in their eyes... "Please don't take me back..." I pleaded "Please... I can't do it anymore... I just can't!"
"We can take you quietly, or by force... It's your call" They warned me "Do you want us to get the jacket?"
God no... Not the jacket... They agreed to let me ask Mews just one more question if I then came without a struggle.
So I asked,
Do you think Billy and Candy would have met out of the asylum?
The tics started again... Damn... I checked around the room for another exit... But it seems there was only one way out... And that was to go with them...
They entered the room with menacing looks in their eyes... "Please don't take me back..." I pleaded "Please... I can't do it anymore... I just can't!"
"We can take you quietly, or by force... It's your call" They warned me "Do you want us to get the jacket?"
God no... Not the jacket... They agreed to let me ask Mews just one more question if I then came without a struggle.
So I asked,
Do you think Billy and Candy would have met out of the asylum?
“I think that when he was released, yes they would have, would they have got together? I don't know, but I'm sure they would have pursued something, I think she liked him and you can see that in the dance… when they're dancing you can tell that she likes him I think.”
You can tell, yes...
“Yeah it was because he was kind and genuine and Candy appreciated that…”
I got up from my chair and turned to Mews to thank her for her time, she hadn't judged me, even after the guys had barged in to collect me... And for the first time in a long time I felt like a free man...
And only half an hour later I was back... Back in hell... I stood outside the door and peeked through the window, they were all still there, dribbling and staring off to space... The stench of stale sweat reached my nostrils and dread passed through my body... But I knew I had to face whatever was coming to me...
I took a deep breath and walked in... "Now everybody sit down, open your books to page 51 and turn on your Bunsen burners and we'll start where we left off last Friday" I shouted... Dear god, teaching ninth grade science?! I'd rather be in a mental institution....
For more information on Mews, try her website, Wikipedia or IMDB page...
What an utterly fabulous woman!
I got up from my chair and turned to Mews to thank her for her time, she hadn't judged me, even after the guys had barged in to collect me... And for the first time in a long time I felt like a free man...
And only half an hour later I was back... Back in hell... I stood outside the door and peeked through the window, they were all still there, dribbling and staring off to space... The stench of stale sweat reached my nostrils and dread passed through my body... But I knew I had to face whatever was coming to me...
I took a deep breath and walked in... "Now everybody sit down, open your books to page 51 and turn on your Bunsen burners and we'll start where we left off last Friday" I shouted... Dear god, teaching ninth grade science?! I'd rather be in a mental institution....
For more information on Mews, try her website, Wikipedia or IMDB page...
What an utterly fabulous woman!
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