Last night we were among the fortunate attendees at the sold-out Writers Block event featuring Leonard Nimoy interviewing Gene Wilder, a strange but wonderful wrinkle in the pop culture universe. Nimoy, who directed Wilder in 1990's Funny About Love, got Wilder to tell some great stories, a few of which are in his new memoir Kiss Me Like a Stranger. Our favorite: Gene Wilder got the script for Willy Wonka and told the director he'd do the film, but only if they made some changes to his entering scene. What Wilder wanted: to come out using a cane, hobbling, bringing a terrible hush over the crowd. Then you would hear the murmur of "a cripple!" and then, the cane catches and he topples — but somersaults! He leaps up! He's not lame at all! The director asked if that was the only thing he needed to say yes, and Wilder said it was, so it was in. Why, the director wanted to know. "So after that they would never know when I was lying," Wilder said, creating a fabulous unreliable hero for kids desperate for a Disney antidote. But Wilder himself was sweet rather than sly, and we imagine that in real life he is a music maker. He is a dreamer of dreams.

BEFORE HE WAS SPOCK
Leonard Nimoy remembers his first major role as “Kid Monk Baroni”
by Gloria Rodriguez March 9, 2006.

A 20-year-old Leonard Nimoy was the star at the Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood, California.

A public screening of “Kid Monk Baroni” (1952), in which Nimoy had his first major role, was part of a tribute to B-movie producer Jack Broder. A panel discussion followed that included the reminiscences of Nimoy and co-stars Jack Larson (Jimmy Olsen of the “Adventures of Superman” series) and Mona Knox.

There was a cozy, community sort of atmosphere with almost half of the audience consisting of the family and friends of the panelists. (This was obvious from all the reserved seats labeled “Nimoy”, “Larson”, etc.) In fact, Nimoy, his wife Susan Bay Nimoy, his brother, and about 30 of his invited guests were seated right behind me.

The host made introductions and gave background on Jack Broder and the movie. He was apparently a little star-struck as he not only gave Leonard Nimoy a big build-up, but couldn’t resist making “Star Trek” jokes during his presentation.

The movie itself got some good-natured laughs because of its old-fashioned moralizing and melodrama. Nimoy plays Paul “Monk” Baroni, a New York street tough who is encouraged to better himself by a Catholic priest. Father Callahan then lures Paul and his gang off the streets by teaching them to box, which leads to Paul’s career as a fighter.