DAN'S PAPERS, June 19, 2009 Page 26 www.danshamptons.com
Wallach
Bikes
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films like Baby Doll written by Tennessee Williams in 1956 and The Good The Bad and The Ugly. (He still keeps in touch with Clint Eastwood. “I spent four months in Italy and Spain with Clint filming The Good the Bad and the Ugly. He lives in California now and he’s quite a busy guy.” ) Wallach, who is now in his 90s, is still very active as an actor. Currently, he plays the role of a patient in the new HBO series “Nurse Jackie” starring Edie Falco. He also had a cameo in the movie The Hoax with Richard Gere. “All I had to do was go for a swim in that one,” he joked. But for Wallach fans, one of his most interesting roles was in “Batman” — not the movie produced by Warner Bros. Pictures, but the original TV series in the 1960s where he played the evil villain Mr. Freeze. In addition to his love of acting, Wallach has had a long love affair with East Hampton — a passion he shares with Anne Jackson, his wife for more than 50 years. “My wife and I came to East Hampton 40 something years ago. It’s beautiful here. Now it’s very busy, with airplanes flying around and such, very busy. It wasn’t that way when I got here, but the quality of the area hasn’t changed at all.” Wallach’s involvement with the play Visiting
Mr. Green has an interesting back story. The work got its start thanks to a reading in New York City that led to telephone call to Wallach by a producer who knew that a role in the play would be a perfect fit. It started when Jeff Baron, the play’s author, rented a “little theater in Manhattan.” Baron explained, “At the intermission of the show, even without a rehearsal, four producers offered to do it.” The process of getting a play produced usually goes like this: If a playwright is very lucky and persistent, a producer sends one of his or her assistants to the show, then the assistant writes a one page synopsis and a one-sentence synopsis of it. “After reading the one sentence synopsis, a producer wanted to have a meeting with me,” said Baron. “He had Eli on the phone telling him that he had a show for him.” Describing the play itself, Baron said, “Much of it is about what it means to be a father and what to do when your kid isn’t what you want him to be. It’s interesting that we’re doing it on Father’s Day.” The part is perfect for Wallach, who is looking forward to the performance at Guild Hall. “I can’t wait to do it,” he said. Visiting Mr. Green: John Drew Theatre, Guild Hall. Sunday, June 21, 8 p.m. guildhall.org
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suspension systems,” said Schneider. He explained the modern bikes shift by foot, while the old bikes shift by a handle on the gas tanks. “That’s a feature we incorporated into our Twentieth Century Cycles when we started the business in 2006,” said Schneider. “People who own motorcycles always want their bike to be a little different from other bikes, so we contemplate what they want, like ‘40s or ‘50s,” he said. As Joel’s collection grows, his partner says he’s “enthralled” with bikes. “I’ve traveled all over the world with him, and everywhere he goes, from Sidney to Moscow, he stops in motorcycle shops,” said Schneider. “He brings the same critical eye to his bikes that he does to his music. He quite often brings tractortrailers of motorcycles on tours.” Michael Eiche, owner of Christy’s Art Center, said that although he normally shows paintings in his large, two-story art gallery, he considers these motorcycle conversions to be “works of art—like sculptures.” “We’re lucky we have the room for them, and we certainly have had a lot of interest in these bikes, with good crowds coming in to view them,” he said. Artist April Gornik of Sag Harbor, who was also at the opening of Joel’s bike show, said, “Although I’m not a biker, I love looking at these bikes, which are so beautiful and well done.” The Bike Show has been extended to July 19. From June 25 to 27, the show is on hiatus while the gallery prepares for the Save Sag Harbor Benefit.