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Lar Park Lincoln

I remember meeting Michael the very first time at 7am in a trailer outside of the studio.

I was  there for a casting call and thought I would be meeting only the casting director – imagine my surprise when The Michael Landon walked in and sat down to watch my audition!

I was very glad I had studied auditioning so well, or my star struck knees would have buckled!

And yes he was just as handsome in person! Plus, I loved Highway to Heaven and was trying to get a part that was different than my usual ‘bad girl roles’.

I read the scene for him and he said "OK, go run over to the production office and get your script."

I thought.

He was.  He said "It’s yours."

That's when I learned that this man of few words chose them well and meant what he said!

I was thrilled and excited to call my agents before they even knew!

The first day of shooting was not what I had expected and I had a terrible migraine by the end of day one.

Why you ask? How could working with such a great guy give me a migraine?

Well he was too efficient.

What craziness you ask?

Michael knew his cast and crew very well, many having been with him for a long time. He wrote, cast, directed and edited his shows. He set up a shooting day on a schedule that worked and then we went home to our families.

In Hollywood La La Land, that is almost unheard of. I worked on so many shows that had too many cooks in the kitchen. Causing all cast and crew to work late into every evening, extremely long set up times between the scenes, etc.

Michael thought of every detail and he shot what he knew he was going to use. Meaning when we shot a scene, if he knew he wouldn't use the master shot at a particular point, but instead be in a characters' on a close up, he shot that. He didn't follow standard rules if they weren't needed. Those qualities made him stand out to me as a director.

He saved time and energy.

And he used his energy well.

I know now that he may have been in pain during my brief time working for him, and I observed him inverting to relax his back. I took up that practice and have had great pain relief from it.

His attention to detail and working smarter not harder is a lesson I took from him and I have tried to follow throughout my life.

I didn't finish my role with a migraine, I learned to adapt, laughed a lot and found common ground easily with a man that I had always admired and was lucky enough to work with.

I may have only glimpsed into his life and he into mine but I am forever grateful for that opportunity.