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Tim Russell as "Detective 1" in the film "A Serious Man" by Joel and Ethan Coen
Be sure to see the new Coen Brothers movie, “A Serious Man”. It’s very provocative and FUNNY, real Oscar material, in spite of my appearance as “Detective 1.” I show up at Larry Gopnick’s (the lead character) door a little over an hour into the film, with a warning about his brother’s illegal activities.
This past weekend Harry Smith of the CBS “Early Morning Show” joined the “Royal Academy Of Radio Acting” for a night. He performed flawlessly in “The Lives of the Cowboys”, even warbling a cowboy tune. He also negotiated through a script replete with tongue twisters and the word Piscacadawadaquadimoggin.
Why would he subject himself to such treatment? It fulfills an opportunity to check off an item on a “Bucket List” of dream jobs he created for the “Early Morning Show”. His adventure will be told on that CBS show Thursday morning, October 29th.
Harry was a great guest and his film crew and producer Eric couldn’t have been nicer.
We started a new season of “A Prairie Home Companion” this Saturday an amazing performance by Garrison Keillor. Just three weeks after suffering a “minor” stroke he was in charge and in control, both for the first show, and the street dance, which traditionally follows the opening show each season at the Fitzgerald Theater.
Sam Bush and his band, newcomer singer-songwriter Sarah Jarosz, and singers Andra Suchy and Connie Evingson all performed.
Later Saturday night, I attended the cast and crew screening of “ A Serious Man”, the newest Coen Brothers film opening next weekend. It is terrific, thought provoking, and hysterical at the same time. I predict a Best Picture nomination for the brothers again this year, in spite of my appearance in the film as “Detective#1”. (Watch for me at the :48 second mark in the movie’s trailer).
I introduced my self to Joel Coen and he was most gracious about my participation. Before the 9pm VIP screening I introduced Lucinda Williams, the head of the Minnesota Film and TV Board.
How lucky is it to have survived the cutting room floor in films by Robert Altman and the Coen Brothers?
We were joined by our old friend Martin Sheen for a couple of scripts in last Friday’s taping of “A Prairie Home Companion” at The Greek Theater in Griffith Park, Los Angeles. It was a great show musically with Sheryl Crow , her guitarist, and the The Guys All-Star Show Band, and k.d. lang and her talented band doing several numbers under a perfect full moon. You can listen to the whole show, or just the scripts by going to the Prairie Home.Org website and clicking on June 6th in the archives.
It was a magical night . Garrison Keillor had the crowd in the palm of his hand for the monologue and also did some great duets with special guest Heather Masse. Martin Sheen had such a fun time he will be joining us for the final show of the season on June 27 th at Tanglewood in Lenox, MA. That show will also feature Steve Martin and his Banjo, with selections from his just released album, “The Crow: New Songs for the Five-String Banjo”. Hopefully he’ll be coaxed into a Guy Noir script although he’s focusing more on music than comedy this month.
LA was in the throes of “June Gloom”, constant cloud cover and cool temperatures, but the weather was perfect on Friday night. Sue was joined by her husband Ron and connected with old friends, and Tim and his wife Judy discovered “In-n-Out Burger”, a god-send for late night dining. We also met with our LA agents from Vox, Inc., Wes Stevens,Tom Lawless and Jason Merrell and Curtis Hayes. Wes owns the agency and came to see the show on Friday night. Please contact them if you have any SAG or AFTRA voice work that you would like to have us do. Vox Inc, 5670 Wilshire Blvd. Ste. 82 , Los Angeles , CA 90036
Phone: (323) 655-8699
Fax: (323) 852-1472
Web: www.voxusa.net
Email: info@voxusa.ne
We made our annual Memorial Day appearance at Wolftrap National Center for the Performing Arts near Washingtom DC this past weekend, a terrific tume to be in the Nation’s Capitol. This was the opening weekend for this venerable venue and it marks the start of the “A Prairie Home Companion” summer tour, a chance to perform for big crowds in the great outdoors. We will be indoors next week at The Fabulous Fox Theater in St. Louis, MO next week, but Maartin Sheen joins us again at the Greek Theater in LA the following week.
Tim visited the Smithsonion Castle, a key player in the top movie this week ” Night at the Museum 2″. On prominent display, a pile of loot, one of the key props. The Castle is showing the movie at their Imax theater. Tim also caught the exhibition at the Renwick Gallery, “The Art and Craft of Greene and Greene”. It was like the Holy Grail for fans of Arts and Crafts decorative arts.
Brad Paisley, Sue Scott, Kimberly Williams-Paisley,Tim Russell
“A Prairie Home Companion” played the historic Ryman Auditorium in Nashville last weekend with guests Brad Paisley and the Sam Bush Band. Brad and Sam are incredible musicians and the audience got a chance to see them strut their stuff on their iwn and with The Guys All-Star Shoe Band. Brad told the story ofhow he came to name his newborn Jasper. His wife Kimberly had dreamed they had a boy and they named him Jasper. So when the baby was born on April 17th, it was a natural thing to name him Jasper Warren Paisley.Warren was Brad’s Grandfather’s name and Brad sang some songs from his soon to be released new album including one for his sons,” Anything Like Me”. They were terrific songs, it should be another monster album for the Country Male Vocalist of the year.Brad also joined us in a Guy Noir script.
Sam Bush and his Band really rocked the old tabernacle. They are the closest thing to Rock-Bluegrass fusion as you’re going to find. We did two shows, the broadcast show at 5pm Central and another 3 hour show at 9pm. The audiences were very receptive. It rained about 3 inches, in Nashville, this past weekend, so it was nice to have somewhere to go.
Tim made a trip to the Country Music Hall of Fame, always impressive and entertaining.
A Prairie Home Companion went to Waterbury, CT last weekend featuring Arlo Guthrie and his talented band. The temperature reached a record High of 86! The Palace Theater is an amazing renovated 1920’s movie palace with a new backstage, a very nice venue. Waterbury is full of beautiful architecture, remnants of it’s glory days as a manufacturing center. Tim and Sue drove to West Redding on Saturday morning to see the wonderful home of Fred Newman.
Sue Scott and Fred Newman Enjoy Chez Newman
Fred showed us his eclectic collections, his house is a laboratory for his many artistic talents.
Arlo Guthrie was glad to share his helpful healing expertise for Tim’s ailing ankle, He had a battery powered therapy device that he used to free up his frozen shoulder. His shoulder and voice were in fine form and his off air encore of “City of New Orleans” was a real crowd pleaser. Next week it’s two shows from Nashville’s historic Ryman Auditorium, featuring Brad Paisley and the Sam Bush Band.
We just finished our run at The Town Hall in New York City. What a show! Elvis Costello and Tom Snow as our special guests, along with one of our favorite people, Heather Masse. Elvis was terrific in our “Guy Noir” and “Lives of the Cowboys” scripts.Be sure to listen to the April 18th show on Prairiehome.org.
After the show we joined Fred Newman and family at a new outdoor restaurant in Bryant Park, The Bryant Park Cafe. A Beautiful Spring night, 70 degrees at 10pm.
Prairie Home Companion is back at The Town Hall for a three week run. Last week we enjoyed meeting the talented Wynton Marsalis, who joined us in a Guy Noir script.
Wynton Marsalis Post Show
He’s a magnificent musician and the crowd loved hearing his Quintet.
Our other guest is the wonderful singer Heather Masse.
Singer Heather Masse
She is a member of The Wailin’ Jennys . They are taking a break for a few months so Heather is free to sing on the show with some regularity.
This week we will hear some talented duos with “The Great American Duo Singoff” on “A Prairie Home Companion”.
Tim is learning how to walk again after ankle surgery so his sightseeing adventures are somewhat limited, but it’s supposed to rain this weekend anyway. Enjoy the show from New York City.
I had my maiden voyage last weekend with crutches on a flight to Appleton, WI to do “A Prairie Home Companion” at their beautiful Performing Arts Center. My foot responded by swelling like a Johnsonville Brat with 5 fat sausage toes attached. fortunately we stayed at the boutique Copperleaf Hotel. They have a wonderful spa in the building so I had a massage, which did wonders. The 5pm broadcast show was great and Garrison did a second non-broadcast show at 8:30pm. We finished at 11:20pm so the in-room whirlpool tub was a lifesaver the next morning before checkout.
This Friday we start a three week run at The Town Hall in New York City.
Amy Carlson Gustafson, a writer for The St. Paul Pioneer Press was kind enough to note my return to work in her “Hot Dish” column.
WCCO’s Tim Russell back on air
It’s been six weeks since listeners got their entertainment updates from WCCO radio’s Tim Russell. Blame it on the ice. Last month, Russell took a nasty spill on a patch of ice while taking out the garbage. Not only did he dislocate his left foot, but he also broke two (!) bones in his ankle. It was painful just listening to him describe the incident. As if that wasn’t enough, the ankle surgery preceded prostrate surgery that he underwent earlier this month. (You can read more about his various health issues on his blog.) While he was out recovering, the station was sans an entertainment editor and “Prairie Home Companion” had to do three shows without one of its regulars. Well, we’re happy to report that this week Russell is back behind the mic at WCCO and will be at the “PHC” show in Appleton, Wis., this weekend. So how did Russell survive weeks of bed rest? “American Idol,” “Dancing With the Stars” and other television shows helped. “I watched Gordon Ramsay’s ‘The F-Word.’ They run that thing constantly on BBC America and his “Kitchen Nightmares,” too. I had never seen Gordon Ramsay before so it’s a revelation,” Russell joked. Check out this amusing video of Russell navigating the WCCO studios with the aid of his “knee walker.”
Posted by Amy Carlson Gustafson in the Pioneer Press on March 24, 2009
Hire nationally recognized voice talent, Tim Russell and Sue Scott, by contacting Amy Oppegaard of Wehmann Models and Talent, Inc. in Minneapolis at 612.333.6393.
LA representation: Contact Wes Stevens of VOX at 323.655.8699.
Listen to
Tim Russell’s voice-over demo.
Listen to
Sue Scott’s voice-over demo.
