From Bea:

For Murph: NYC Premier of Cinderella Man

Loews’s Lincoln Square & Lincoln Center

Wednesday, June 1, 2005

I met MaggieMac and the other Crowefans outside the Loews and watched the paparazzi going crazy around us and the security guards trying to keep the NY sidewalk clear. Lots of ladies on cell phones or passing by asking what this was. When they heard ‘Russell’ they stopped to watch. MM had met part of the Braddock family before I got there so she pointed them out to me. I met Tony Braddock, he’s the son of Jimmy’s brother. We had a lovely long discussion about Jimmy and the movie – he recommends we read the Schaap biography. He’s just begun to read the newest one on Jimmy. He told me that the first person chosen to play Jimmy in the movies was Burt Lancaster back in 1965 – but the project fell through. A shame because Jimmy was alive then (died in 1974) and would have been the technical advisor.

Eventually we got our tickets and were ushered up the escalators to the same large theater on the second floor where they held the previous day’s screening. It has its own lobby, off to the side of the rest of the complex. I was astounded to see that the entire building (mucho theaters + IMAX) was closed for this event. That must have cost a fortune.

They provided bags of popcorn and bottles of soda & water. So we went in to find our seats – 2 nd row back – so much for our donation!! Good thing I’d seen this twice before – I really ended up listening cause looking up at an angle gave me a crick in my neck. I think I could have moved back in the theater after everyone was seated, but I didn’t do it. Probably would have been looking at the back of Russell’s head.

Sat next to MM and we chatted with our neighbors – specially John Murphy from Boston who’d brought his college age daughter to school at NYU and decided to attend the event. He is a nice man and we spent most of the evening with him- filling him in on RCO and the celebrities attending. MM and I went to stand in the lobby and see who could come by – but of course they herded us inside when the celebrities arrived.

After the movie we filed out and roamed the lobby – we talked to Akiva Goldsman for a bit – I told him I’d seen him on the set of ABM, then Ron and Cheryll Howard came over and I told him how touched I was by his depiction of the Depression because of it’s importance to my family history, he was very gracious. I shook Paul Giamatti’s hand to congratulate him and he autographed our invitations. I said we’d see him at Oscar time and he looked at me and laughed, and said, ‘naw’ – I told him Russell promised he’d get a nomination the night before. Craig Bierko is pretty cute – off screen, not on.

We moved out into the outer Lobby and finally spotted Brian and GiGi Grazer. We talked with her at length about her new book and the movie – she is whisp thin and very dynamic. I must say all of them were very casual and open to chatting with us. GiGi pointed out a number of people, including the members of Ron’s family – his children were there. And, I think the newest member of The View was there with them – I kept thinking her face was familiar. GiGi also pointed out a medium height man with gray hair as Dan Brown, the author of The DaVinci Code.

Brian said hello, but he seemed pretty hyper. Gigi said he’s on pins & needles before every opening – waiting for the Box Office results! What fun to be the ‘money man.’ We walked over to Lincoln Center and passed thru a picket line protesting the filming in Canada. We surrendered our ticket and went inside the large tent that sits at the southwest end of the Lincoln Center complex. They greeted us with mugs of Guinness – I wish I drank beer. There were open bars, of course, an ice sculpture and many food stations. The food was standard hot dishes and salad plates – pasta, etc. Desserts were cakes and petitfores. The lighted replica of the MSG marquee hung from the back of the tent and period signs and CM posters were hung all around the tent walls. A Celtic music band played and they’d set up a faux boxing ring at the rear end of the space. Inside were the reserved tables for the big donors and the special guests. Russell’s tables were at the farthest end.

MM and I sat down to eat to the side where we could observe those inside the ‘ring.’ We quickly saw Russell and finally saw Murph at the other end of his table. I’d looked for her before so I went over to meet her. She’s a lovely lady and MM and I posed for pictures. We also spoke to her daughter who’s a beautiful young woman. They were obviously tickled to be with Russell.

Russell looked happy but tired, in the striped suit. He moved around the tables to greet other guests. Suddenly someone was speaking behind me and I turned to see Alan Doyle. So I introduced myself and we spoke briefly about tour plans, which are still being discussed. GBS is planning a theater tour in the spring. Later I met up with John Murphy again and he’s a big GBS fan – so I took him over to Alan and introduced him. They had a nice conversation, John has tickets to their Wolf Trap gig.

After we sat down to eat, a mature couple sat down with us. I asked them how they came to be at this event. Turns out he’s a retired physicist from Harvard and BU and met Brian one day. They talked physics and the professor says he’s quite the Renaissance man, after which Brian invited them to the party. The academic likes Russell’s work, but his wife told me she hated the boxing scenes in CM.

At that point I realized that the lady at the table right in front of me was Jocelyn Crowe. Sitting with her with his arm around her was the talented Keith. He really looks very young. And Alex was standing and talking with others near her. By this time everyone at the party was strolling around the roped off area and some were greeting Russell. I went over to talk with Mrs. Crowe. She greeted me warmly and we talked about the Chicago Spencers that I’d spent time with at the first show at the HOB.

I mentioned to her that I’d spoken to Alan and she said she’s very fond of him, he’s a wonderful house guest. “You know how you invite some people and you just want them to leave? Well Alan is very easy to be with.” I told her how much I enjoyed the film and think it’s Ron’s best work. She said that she thinks that Ron’s talent has just expanded with this film, and that Russell’s expands when he works with Ron.

I can’t remember how exactly she said it, but she is clearly hoping that Russell starts a new movie project soon. I was totally charmed by her openness and motherly concern. She said that it was such a shame that Eucalyptus fell through and that Russell had turned down films with Ridley Scott and Ron Howard to do it. I came away thinking she’s a very perceptive and intelligent person and you can understand why Russell is devoted to her.

At the next table was Angelo Dundee and I stopped to talk with him about our common Italian heritage. He was very friendly. At that point Renee came in and Russell went to say hello. He hugged her and they spoke for a while. He started moving down the tables, speaking to Paul and Ron and eventually he and his group walked out.

I stayed around to watch the crowd a bit and saw Paddy C and Jennifer C (gorgeous woman). Renee and Jen embraced and we thought the two ‘wives’ together were adorable. Other than Harvey Weinstein and Spike Lee, that was about it for anyone I recognized. I love Murph’s comment that everyone who ever worked for Universal and /or Imagine must have been there – lots of thirty something New York executives in the room.

As it was almost midnight, I was turning into a pumpkin so I went home. A very interesting experience all around.