PICKET FENCES
Four of the most memorable years of my life.
Getting the pilot was thrilling. The script was a ‘hot’ one, and the competition was tough. My part in the pilot wasn’t that big, but who cared? I loved the show. David liked my hair red. That was fine, but I had already signed to do the movie “Dragon” as a blonde, so it was time for a wig. So a wig and a cop uniform…could have been better…but my name was Max. I thought that that was so cool and obviously meant to be as I love boy’s names for girls and have one as my middle name.
Filming the pilot was a blur, but wonderful
I loved the cast personally and professionally. My partner Kenny was played by Costas Mandylor - a dream. We immediately had a brother/sister rapport. Over the years he made me laugh so much, and he was beautiful to look at, too! The two anchors, Kathy Baker and Tom Skerritt, were perfect leaders. Great actors, people, friends, etc. The kids, the guest stars, the background artists (Richard Schiff!), the crew…Fun. My family came to visit, and it was the first time I felt like I was a part of something. Once we finished we just had to wait to see if we made it onto the schedule.
During the waiting period, my younger brother, Alexander died suddenly. I had been getting ready to leave for Hong Kong to begin filming “Dragon,” but instead went rushing home to my family. The director of that film, Rob Cohen, was so supportive, and delayed the commencement of principle photography. Because of that, and the fact that we got caught in monsoons, filming got behind. Then I got the call in Asia from David Kelley that "Picket Fences" had been picked up. I was so excited, but now the schedules overlapped, AND I was blonde in the movie but a redhead in the TV show…!
But I was working for another great guy
The network was ready to replace me, David Kelley was not. Uh oh, a big lawsuit ensued between 20th Century Fox (the studio behind "Picket"), and Universal (the studio behind "Dragon"). They ended up working out a deal that involved wigs, drivers with stop watches, and me working 24/7 for about three weeks. Good thing I was young. It was all great, though. I was working on two projects I loved, and so busy that I did not have to focus on my broken heart.
The entire cast was so warm. They also had to make concessions due to my scheduling nightmare. They had all met my brother during the filming of the pilot and were shocked and saddened. It bonded me deeply to them all, and foreshadowed the relationship we would have. During the next four years, the cast and crew became a family. We shared birthdays, weddings, divorces, births and deaths, and through it all we were glued together making a show we loved. When the scripts for the next episode were delivered it became silent. Everyone was reading. On days that our show was on the air we would break for lunch and all watch it together. When we were honored with awards and nominations (there were so many!), we celebrated as a group. I loved going to work.
If you asked me what I remember most...
I’d be too overwhelmed to pick one thing. Stealing the studio lot golf carts and being chased by security? Covering for Costas when he was late? All the practical jokes we played on each other, and when they got me SO good on my birthday? The TB scare? Desperate to sleep in the trailers? My loud self? Tom’s bagels in the morning? The spying every time I had to strip down on the show?! Lunch in the dining room? The ever changing size of the uniform? Michael Pressman never letting me down? Me and my props?!? Monrovia? Not another speeding ticket…
I enjoyed it so much. Probably the greatest gift was that I appreciated it while it was happening. We all did, and that is probably why it was such a special experience. I let my sons watch a few episodes recently and they loved it. It still holds up.
