Letter to Then New York Times, August 24, 2003, commenting of the passing of actress June Havoc.
In 1978, as I remember, I was in a production of “The Tax Collector” (an adaptation of Lesage’s 1709 satire, “Turcaret”) in Tennessee. Our star was the beautiful June Havoc. I was not a beginner, but I was young enough to be snobbish, and one day the idea of playing this 18th-century satire in front of some “matinee ladies” in Chattanooga filled me with ennui.
I made some sarcastic comments to a fellow actor as we walked to the wings. There, waiting to go on, was our star. Adjusting her gown, she turned to me, great blue eyes shining, and whispered, “We’re about to go on stage — isn’t it exciting?”
That this lady showed such pure enthusiasm after so many years of fighting to stay alive in this business, in ways that I could only imagine, stunned and shamed me. The incident has remained a vivid inspiration to me throughout my career, and my life.
Kenneth Gray, Manhattan
| Credit Type | Production | Season |
|---|---|---|
| Actor | Every Day a Visitor | 2000-01 Season |