OMGWTFBLAXPLOITATION

[inmyriadbits]

So I'm visiting Katie, and she has to watch Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song, a blaxploitation film from 1971 (she's watching in fast-forward, which makes it even more ridiculous with the chipmunk voices). And there's this biker guy who looks oddly familiar, so we look him up on IMDB.

AND IT'S FUCKING ADMIRAL FITZWALLACE FROM THE WEST WING. (also Uncle Burton Guster from Psych. See?)

My mind, it is blown.

Comments

[taraljc.livejournal.com]

*lolz* My dad used to drink with the director, back in Paris in the 1960s. I so need to see this movie (and his biopic set during the filming, directed by his son).

[inmyriadbits.livejournal.com]

No way! That's awesome! I get the impression he's one interesting guy. Do you have any stories you mind sharing?

[taraljc.livejournal.com]

Alas, not really. Possibly cos they're not the sort of tales a father shares with his daughter? It was Paris in the 60s, after all... But Melvin was one of the editors of a magazine called Hari-Kiri at the time--and for some reason for ages my dad thought he'd adopted the "Van" in his last name because he had a Dutch girlfriend. But I don't think that's actually true. When my folks moved back to the States in the early 70s, I think he and my dad stayed in touch, but it's been ages and ages since they've spoke to one another. But the ex-pat community in Paris were all insane, and all kenw each other. Also in the drinking crowd was Samuel Beckett. And the guy who swindled millions of of McGraw-Hill with the fake Howard Hughes biography? Yeah, that was my father's neighbour in Ibiza.

I never get told these things properly. They just come out randomly in conversation, and then once I've picked my jaw up off the floor, he tells me what he can remember, but it's usually pretty light on actual details. But always thinks, dayum. My dad was cool.

[inmyriadbits.livejournal.com]

Ha, I guess that's true. I've managed to pry a few good stories out of my parents, but I know there are lots of things they're never going to tell me. Still, what you do hear is always so fascinating to me. Thanks for sharing yours! :)

[jaydeyn-sitari.livejournal.com]

I love Fitz! Wow, he's had a full on career! Awesome!

:)
Jaydeyn

[inmyriadbits.livejournal.com]

I love him, too, and he really has! He was in that movie, Roots, Die Hard 2, TWW...the man's all over the place.

[taraljc.livejournal.com]

He'll always be J.J.'s dad on Good Times to me. I grew up watching it in syndication, and it's always the first thing I think of.

[maribouquet.livejournal.com]

Fitzwallace!

[inmyriadbits.livejournal.com]

Fitz! I really loved him on TWW. Every time he showed up, it was like, "YAY!" :D He plays a great military man, and he sold this wonderfully dry humor. <3