Biography

Like Roy Chapman Andrews I feel sometimes like I was born under a luck star. One of my most precious memories was sitting across from Gregory Peck at lunch on the set of “Amazing Grace and Chuck.” For nearly a week, he played the president and I moved set pieces. Mr. Peck was a gentleman whose enthusiastic and frank talks about acting and "the business of film,"  helped me put feet on the idea of practice vs. theory.  He was an avid fly fisherman. I steered him to a few places to fish where he made life-long friends. He played as hard as he worked - an ethic I admire as it is my own.

Living between two working ranches, a sheep, and small horse ranch in Montana, and spending time on my family's farm in North Dakota - I grew up loving the outdoors and animals. Having many jobs in life from feeding livestock, surveying irrigation ditches, managing theaters, working in concert audio lighting, to being an "all around" technician (including film) gave me a great set of experience tools that I use in my acting craft. I’ve worked as a prep cook, computer application teacher/technician, deputy sheriff, college professor, aircraft lineman, glider ground crew, symphony musician, electrician, and carpenter "green chain," saw chain operator, and sorter and lumber grader. Currently I  am retired from teaching.  I spent 34 years at Helena High with some of the most wonderful staff and students ever. 

I love opportunities to speak and interact with amazing people. My uncle Peter once said, “The more people you get to know in life - the more you get to know!” In acting, and my “day job," I work hard to get to know folks, and that brings truth and vitality to life as I live it. 

Some years back, the Dali Lama and several of his fellow monks visited Montana and we hosted them in my high school theater. As part of a world-wide peace program, they buried a Peace Jar in Helena and needed a place for prayer blessings and chanting. I found some Persian carpets and was gifted a quiet moment to witness the spiritual activism these incredible people carry around the world. Upon leaving they were so grateful to the theatre being “place of peace” for them while on their mission. I took the statement as one of the highest complements anyone could get - because what more than true peace is worth much?

One of my first films was with a student director who came from south America - his English was lacking at times - in figuring together a communication style, we devised some interpretive dance and movement to help bridge the gap!  Soon he was also using interpretive dance to get the point across (move the .5K mole over here to light this scene from this angle is pretty interesting danced out!) The humor was so amazing and energizing and connected us through that light energy, and laughter.

My life has always circled around artists. Growing up in Montana MSU in Bozeman was an art magnet. Artists such as Creech and Patty Reynolds, Peter Velakos Frances Senska and her partner Jessie Wilber, Rudy and Lela Autio and Robert Pirsig were in residence teaching, and learning their craft. My first cat Ellie May - a blue point Siamese came from Francis and Jessie.  I remember parties as a kid, where I got to speak to many of them; they all treated me like a real person. My exposure to art  and artists in my young life in Bozeman was far better than the former mayor of Portland’s poster! 

I’m grateful that life brings opportunity for laughter, love, and personal improvement. I agree with CS Lewis - “We all want progress, but if you're on the wrong road, progress means doing an about-turn and walking back to the right road; in that case, the man who turns back soonest is the most progressive.”