WOW Terry, what a great story! Even though I didn't watch the YouTube video before I read your story, having seen the original movie several times, I immediately started singing that song when I read the lyrics you wrote. Thanks for the memories!
Terry tells his story of Billy Jack (Tom Laughlin)
by TerryWalstrom 15 Replies latest jw friends
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TerryWalstrom
When I try to talk to somebody about a point in time in my past I inevitably moor the event to a popular film at the time. This works if the actor or movie was famous enough to carry forward into the present. Often it is not.
Tom Laughlin is not on anybody's radar screen in 2016. I'm finding that out.
People over the age of 55 may still have an after image of Billy Jack.Sigh. Pretty soon, everything about my life that I don't write down will have blown away with the sands of time.
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jws
I was a kid when I saw Billy Jack. It was at a drive in. I think it was the 2nd or 3rd show and we kids were probably supposed to be asleep by then. But I loved it. Bought it on DVD as an adult. I greatly appreciate his film and message.
Also found out that he used to go to the same high school as I did. Several years before I did though, as he was already making movies when I was in grade school. Same high school as Gene Wilder too.
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TerryWalstrom
I know what you mean. I was in high school with Candy Clark. She went to Hollywood and ended up in two iconic movies, The Man Who Fell to Earth (with David Bowie) and George Lucas' breakout hit American Graffiti.
I spoke with her casually about 3 or 4 years ago. She is back living in Ft.Worth again. She's my age. She looks back on that period of her life as more of something she hallucinated than lived. I see my life the same way :) -
sparky1
Ahhhhhhh.........Candy Clark! I had such a crush on her when I was an adolescent boy. She had a bit part in one of my all time favorite movies: NIAGARA,NIAGARA. I pull out the old VCR tape and watch the movie once a year. Much of the movie was shot upstate New York near Watchtower Farms.
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TerryWalstrom
Candy Clark was somebody outside of "type" in that she wasn't a dumb blonde, wasn't voluptuous, wasn't 'dizzy' or zany, and wasn't a schemer or rich bitch. She was more like an actual person we might know who is somebody's neighbor or friend and is easy to talk to.
I think she found a niche and explored the possibilities and discovered the Hollywood life is way tougher than it looks.
She's been back in Fort Worth a long time and says she quite happy.