Everyday is an Audition

A few night's ago I had the simple pleasure of watching George C. Scott in the movie adaptation of Charles Dicken's "A Christmas Carol" (1984). In that movie, Scott played Ebeneezer Scrooge. It wasn't the greatest performance I've ever seen Scott in. I saw George C. Scott in the lead role of the classic "Patton" when I was a school child and, then again, later on as Buck Turgidson in Dr. Strangelove and Scott was magnificent both times. Scott was called "One of the greatest actors of his generation." So serious was he about his trade that he even refused to attend  the Oscar ceremony in 1971 for his role in Patton. He thought the awards ceremonies were "demeaning" and a "two hour meat parade." He wanted no part of it.

As I watched, "A Christmas Carol" I sometimes felt sorry for Scott. His performance seemed strained in parts. I thought, "Oh how far the mighty have fallen." Why such a triple AAA class actor has to appear in a B-Grade movie? Oh, well, one has to pay the bills.

Then I thought about what is an actors life? I know only too well how show business works; one day you are on top of he world, the next? You haven't a friend around.

The movie "A Christmas Carol" was good, but it seemed quite a drop from the lofty heights of Patton and Dr. Strangelove. I considered how such an excellent and fine actor such as George C. Scott had to actually go to an audition in order to get that part. Imagine! Once the winner of the Academy Award for Best Actor in 1971, auditioning for a part in, what surely was a well-made movie, but not nearly a classic in any sense of the word.

Like I said, it was a "nice movie."

I guess we all have to remember that no matter what we've done in the past, every day is a new day and we have to start again and find the fire and the muster to bring ourselves to an Academy Award performance.

Everyday is an Audition