1980 was the 50th anniversary of LOONEY TUNES.
“Can I bring my wife?”
To mark it I brought motion picture sound pioneer Bernard B. Brown whose credits included being first violinist in the orchestra which accompanied D. W. Griffith’s THE BIRTH OF A NATION through 365 performances in its Hollywood premiere at Clune’s Auditorium in 1915 (he was 16), directing the recording of the sound on THE JAZZ SINGER (1927) as well as directing a couple of Warner Cartoons in the 1930’s after which he became head of sound at Universal. When he retired at the end of a career garnering eleven Academy Award nominations and two Oscars he taught film and film sound at UCLA. I learned a helluva lot about sound and about standing up to life from Brownie.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bernard_B._Brown , https://reghartt.ca/cineforum/?p=23105 ,https://www.britannica.com/biography/Friz-Freleng .
I invited animation director/producer Friz Freleng to Toronto.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Friz_Freleng
The Toronto Animation Community was not enthusiastic about this opportunity to meet and learn from one of the genuine masters whose work had garnered him five Academy Awards. Truth be told they were not and are not enthusiastic about myself either which is fine by me. That year in THE TORONTO STAR David Beard, the owner of CINEBOOKS, had said, “Reg Hartt is underfinanced, overworked and snubbed. He treats animation, cartoons, if you will as art. We should be paying tribute to him.”
They were not paying tribute to me then and they aren’t now. That is fine by me.
Katherine Hepburn stated, “I want no part of the group dynamic. By nature it is second rate.”
She hit that nail on the head.
I had a board of directors at that time. They told me to call Mr. Freleng and cancel the event.
“Hello, Reg, this is Friz,” I heard as I picked up the phone to call him. I had not even had a chance to dial.
Friz continued, “De Patie Freleng has folded. I’m back at Warners. They don’t want me going anywhere they don’t approve of and they don’t approve of you.”
First thought was, “Gee, I’m off the hook. All I have to do is say, ‘Gee, Friz, that’s too bad.’ I won’t lose face.”
Instead I said, “How do you feel about it?”
Friz said, “I gave you my word. My wife is looking forward to the trip.”
When I had invited Friz to Toronto I asked if he wanted a fee. He asked, “Can I bring my wife?”
I thought to myself, “What kind of question is this? Who says no to him bringing the wife?”
I said, “Certainly.”
Friz said, “Then there is no fee.”
Later I learned the Cinematheques, oolleges, schools, theatres and universities would say, “We are sorry but we have not enough money in our budget. We’re sorry, no.” When faced with that Friz would demand a HUGE fee, bring the wife at his expense and give her the fee for shopping money.
Bear in mind I have always worked with no money and sought no funding beyond that given me by people at the events. I specialize in doing things the way the best do them. This meant flying Friz and his wife, Lily (who was wonderful to meet) from Hollywood to Toronto for three days and then flying them back First Class. While in Toronto they stayed at The Royal York Hotel which is 5 stars and deserves it. Jerry Beck and Leonard Maltin are nice people but neither they nor anyone else has done what I have done and do. They have never flown anyone in from out of Town first class, put them up at a five star hotel and spent three days showering them with love from people sincerely interested in them as much as in their work.
I said to Friz, “I guess you are coming.”
Come he did.
My Board of Directors resigned enmasse.
This was before 911.
I had told AIR CANADA who he was. They were delighted. Friz was invited to sit in the pilot’s seat when the plane landed Toronto.
911 cost the world much more than people realize.
A lot of the fun went out of life.
That first night I called everyone I could think of from THE BOY SCOUTS on down to invite them to the event. The last thing I wanted was him showing up to find no one interested.
“I won’t talk for more than half an hour,” said Friz as he walked in.
I said, “Fine.”
The place was packed.
I don’t do things the way most do them. I find the way most do them boring.
I often sat in audiences listening to the host predominate while asking all the questions I had read and heard answered in interviews and none of the questions I wanted answers to. At my events I introduce the guest. Then I leave the stage and give my audience direct access to ask the questions they want answers to.
Three hours later Friz, inspired by the audience, was still going strong.
Three days later Friz and Lilly left Toronto to return to Hollywood.
That Christmas when I called him he said, “You are the finest host I ever met.”
As for Toronto’s animation community when they told me Friz was old hat and could teach them nothing, well, I said, “He can teach you one thing.”
They asked, “What is that?”
I replied, “How to be valued in the industry at his age.
I will be presenting a program honoring Friz’s work soon. As yesterday, so today, Warners will not approve.
But then no one at Warners is on this list: https://www.ranker.com/list/famous-male-orators/reference .
No one at Warners ever had someone the calibre of Jane Jacobs, the author of THE DEATH AND LIFE OF GREAT AMERICAN CITIES, say to them over a few beers in her home, “The best part of what offer is what you have to say.”
No one at Warners ever had Friz say to them, “You’re the best host I ever met.”
I learned a lot from Friz Freleng.
A little of what I learned was about animation, perhaps 1%.
The other 99% was about being a man.
Friz was THE man.
Friz made a lot of great films but he was proudest of his family.
#FrizFreleng Family (Sybil, Friz, Lily & Hope) at #WarnerBros (!994)
I have always found the creators much more interesting than their creations. They have to be for their work to be interesting. I find William Shatner more interesting than any of the characters he has created.
That man started out boldly going where no one had gone before. He’s still doing it.
Shatner and Malcolm McDowell were in Toronto for one of those spend a ton of money to get autographs events. Fortunately I was given a comp.
I would go to Hell and not care about coming back to hear what both those men have to say.
It’s a damned good thing that when Friz Freleng asked, “Can I bring my wife?” I said, “Of course.”
–Reg Hartt
This interview was done with Friz Freleng at Reg Hartt’s original CineForum at 12 Mercer Street in Toronto: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NbZwISKdfnQ .
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