Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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b entertain ] [Kung BY CHUCK CROMER Entertainment Editor Last Tuesday David Carradine visited Columbia and the USC campus to promote his new movie, "You and Me," now showing at Dutch Square. Having acted for more than 18 years, Carradine is no newcomer to show business. Son of the famous horror film star, John Carradine, he began his acting career in the theater and on 'I'm good at acting. In fact, ve'ry good. TV acting, though, is too confined and standardized. Movies are where it's at.' Broadway before moving to film and television. Carradine starred in two memorable TV series during the last few years, Shane and his most successful program, Kung Fu. In addition, he is producer, director and owner of his own film com pany. The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band great country-rock and bluei music circuit, and the acol Hurley and Gottlieb, will cot styles in the Carolina Coliseu at 8 p.m. Tuesday. The concert, sponsored Union Contemporary Sounds to all USC students with ar may bring one guest to the tickets will be sold. ment Fu star One of the best ways to promote a new movie is by wining and dining the news media. Because we are easy to bribe when it comes to a free meal and an exclusive conversation with a TV star, two of our Gamecock staff writers ac cepted an invitation to have lunch with Carradine and his producer Skip Sherwood at the Carolina Inn. In our best attire, hoping to be dressed appropriately for the occasion, we proceeded to fulfill our obligation at the Carolina Inn. Carradine his hair cut short, un shaven, wearing a black leather coat, navy blue t-shirt, worn out corduroy pants and scuffed boots, made his appearnace. The initial shock lasted ap proximately five minutes. While we dined on beef stroganoff, Carradine, a vegetarian, ate only a tossed salad and crackers. From the beginning it should be stated David Carradine is an ex tremely quiet and soft-spoken individual, neither outgoing nor verbose. If we had not asked him any questions he probably wou!.d have remained silent during the entire interview. This leads me to believe Carradine is a stereotyped actor. All of his movie and TV roles during the last 20 years have been basically the same, that of a loner journeying across the country trying to avoid -conversation, life and society. His last TV character, as Caine on Kung Fu, is an excellent example of this. Out of curiosity I asked Carradine if he was more or less portraying or projecting some Nitty Gritty Dire Be one of the all time The Nitty ( grass groups on the since 1966. T stical trio Arthur, released four nbine their musical are Uncle Cl1 m for a free concert gold album i by the University Arthur, Hii SCommittee, is free replace the li SID. Each student cancel bece concert. No public However this right with tv peacefu part of his own character with thal of Caine's. "On Kung Fu, as in most of m3 characters, I'm just acting a part. They are not me in any shape oi form," Carradine remarked. However, that was not the con sensus of the press. The honesty of this man whei answering our questions was boU striking and commendable. Hi, personal life, philosophy a.1 feelings about acting on TV or ii movies, were all discussed with th greatest candor. mnd iritty Dirt Band has been together hey have recorded six albums and singles. Their two most successful arlie and his Dog Teddy and their Vil the Circle Be Unbroken. rley and Gottlieb were booked to lasters of the Airwaves who had to use of technical difficulties. trio are fine musicians in their own rn alhbums to their cedit. 1off-can Barbara Hershey Seagull, his usu long time lover, had recently left car him, taking their young son to Thq Israel to make a movie with her. an3 The detrimental effect her absence larl had on Carradine was obvious as it Wa continued to pop up in the in-, terview. "Barbara made me realize what on life was. She made me believe in scr the divinity of mankind where we ma should see the light in humanity rot through love and truth. cor "Everyone should try to be doi happy and cause change. I learned on the hard way through pain, where I took a lot of drugs, and had my family leave me. Because of this, I've grown through experiencing life." Carradine was quite frank in a different manner when describing g himself as an actor. "I'm good at acting. In fact, very good. TV acting, though, is too confined and C standardized. Movies are where it's at. "Kung Fu is too commercialized and complex," he said, "making it extremely difficult to express your I true feelings." After lunch, we took Carradine and his producer, Skip Sherwood, I to the USC Nursing Auditorium where he was scheduled to speak to Dr. Byrd's Film Experience classes. News of his visit had been spread around, though, and when a we arrived, we found the building crowded with curious spectators. c, The following hour-long n discussion was very informative , concerning the*.)erils of being an a independent filmmaker. n Carradine and Sherwood recently y completed a film entitled "You and Me" in which Carradine played an a outlawed motorcyclist who p develops a devoted relationship b with a nine-year-old boy who is d running away from home. The n movie follows the growth of the e comradeship as the two travel b together from Los Angeles to fi Canada. Basically it's a makeshift picture f, Carradine made on his own. He p directed, produced and starred in d the film. The total budget for the L film was about $300,000. "Most independent filmmakers s THE LEFT 2728 Rosewood Proudly i Willie T. and Speci Mon. - Free adm. to al Tues. - Mixed drinks - Wed. -20off onall lx Cover c '1.00 - Tues., Wed., '2.00 - Friday & Sa New York Doll Con iera ally don't succeed because they 't get their films distributed. !aters won't take a chance on one who isn't connected with a ge film studio like MGM or rner Brothers. The independents usually exist the grassroots level, generally atching around for money. The jor movie companies make it gh on you since they have the nections and money and we I't. All the revenue we bring in this movie goes for buying more Lung Fu is too omercialized and omplex making it xtremely difficult o express your rue feelings.' rints of the film and promoting it round the country. "The satisfaction,' Carradine Wtinues, "of creating your own iovie and doing and expressing Fhat you want to, makes it all orthwhile. You should feel atural about filmmaking and be ourself during it." He concluded his engagement by nswering some questions about :ung Fu. "I don't enjoy Kung Fu ecause of the work schedule, but I o enjoy the money. Also, I have o standing in the martial arts, ven though I'm very good at it, ecause I'm an actor and not a ghter." David Carradine's plans for the iture include returning to Los ngeles to finish some work with irector Roger Corman, flying to ondon to record an album, and ien getting together with Barbara eagull. GUARD Ph. 799-2575 Yresents Workshop iLs 1 members $1.00 >ttled beer harge Thurs. turday sert Tickets on sale