In my 35 years of life, I’ve had the privilege of meeting a few famous people. Some in person, some over the phone and even some over the Internet.
Back in 1997 in Seaside, Calif., I got Reggie Jackson’s autograph (not the warmest man, but an autograph’s an autograph). While covering Air Force Day at the 2002 Dallas Cowboys training camp at the Alamodome in San Antonio, I got to briefly interview Cowboys owner/general manager Jerry Jones. Over the phone, I’ve interviewed NFL running back Sammie Morris, and former Purdue University basketball coach Gene Keady. I wasn’t able to get a phone interview with former NFL quarterback Archie Manning (Peyton and Eli’s Dad), but he was nice enough to answer questions of mine through e-mail regarding a magazine feature I was doing about playing surfaces.
Through e-mail, I’ve had the privilege of getting to chat with a few notables, including country singer Tanya Tucker, actor Tom Wilson (who played Biff Tannen in the Back to the Future trilogy), columnist Cal Thomas, former Dallas Cowboy star Thomas ‘Hollywood? Henderson, actor Harrison Page (who played Captain Trunk in the cult classic police parody comedy Sledge Hammer!) and, most recently, Kevin Gage. Gage played the dark criminal Waingro in my favorite movie, the crime drama Heat.
So, Friday morning I arrived at work and saw what could be another brush with fame.
Actor Rip Torn, whose film credits include Men in Black and Dodgeball; A True Underdog Story, recently did a tour of the U.S. Coast Guard Academy in New London, Conn., and has a home in Lakeville.
Zowie! I thought. This will be so exciting. In fact, I have lots in common with Torn. Both of us grew up in Texas, both of us are left-handed and both have birthdays on February 6.
As I went to work trying to contact him, I imagined the interview. What is he up to these days? What was his favorite movie to be in? What was it like working with Vince Vaughn? Did he have fun playing a con artist in Trial and Error? How does he like living in Lakeville? Does he prefer the Michigan winters over the Texas summer heat? (I know I certainly do).
As I read over the article, I remembered how Torn (real name: Elmore Rual Torn, Jr.) is the cousin of actress Sissy Spacek (who starred in the 1976 horror film Carrie). About 25 years ago, I remember getting a few bad dreams from seeing Torn play the evil high priest Maax in The Beastmaster.
With that, I started to think of a way to contact him. The Coast Guard press release had a number for its Public Affairs department. Having spent some of my writing career working for military newspapers, I’m acutely aware of the molasses-uphill-in-winter process it can be to contact someone through those channels. First step would be through his agent, but I first wanted to confirm that he did indeed live in Lakeville. So, off I went to the White Pages online. I typed in Elmore Torn and Lakeville, Michigan.
Nothing.
I took off Lakeville. Nothing.
I tried taking off Elmore. Nothing.
I looked at the press release and noticed that the dateline was New London, Conn. Isn’t that where the Coast Guard Academy is at? I reminded myself. So, I typed in Elmore Torn, Lakeville, Connecticut.
Bingo. I saw an address but no listed phone number.
A further Google search revealed that Torn and his daughter are starting a theater in Connecticut.
Sigh.
Lakeville, Connecticut. Instead of Lakeville, Michigan.
So close, but certainly very far. Six hundred and ten miles, to be exact. Better luck, next time. Maybe we can start sending out press releases to Hollywood, Nashville and New York about Oxford in hopes that celebrities might decide to buy a summer home in the Oxford area.
One can only dream.