My FAvorite Arthur MILLER Anecdote

[WISHIHADATONY]

Posted: 2/11/05 at 12:19pm

firstly, what a great life and what magnificent contributions he has left behind for the ages.

I love the fact that he was married to Marilyn Monroe and that she converted to Judaism prior to marrying him.

MY FAVORite Arthur Miller story happened when I was in high school. I attended a "professional theater arts" school, shall we say, and we took a field trip to see a performance of I believe, two one act plays by Miller (was one of them A MEMORY OF TWO MONDAYS?, I cannot recall the plays at the moment) with the MAJOR excitement being that we were going to CHAT WITH Arthur Miller Live and In Person after the performance.

Miller was charming and welcoming and he told a story I have NEVER FORGOTTEN.....He said that a few short years after DEATH OF A SALESMAN opened on Broadway, he was addressing a group of students, similar to the way he was meeting with us.

A male student said that his teacher and class had discussed his "brilliance" (he said this word brilliance in an "ah shucks" manner)and the teacher pointed out how Miller used SYMBOLISM and such things in his plays. The teacher was most impressed, the student said, with how Miller named the lead charachter of DEATH OF A SALESMAN, Loman............"as in LOW MAN...revealing much about the charachter through just his name, etc."

Miller told us he responded to that student with a bemused and shocked look on his face. Miller said that Loman representing "low man" had simply never occurred to him before. There was alot of laughter from us, but Miller assured us this was true.

Miller told us he was pleased that the group's teacher found things in his work, that he the playwright, didn't realize were there. Miller repeated it to us a few times: Loman, "low man," Loman "low man." He smiled broadly and said "I swear it never even dawned on me until that student pointed it out to me. Perhaps the word brilliant is applied too easily to some of us writers."

My thoughts are with his family and those who were close to him and loved him.

Updated On: 2/11/05 at 12:19 PM

[WISHIHADATONY]

Posted: 2/11/05 at 1:27pm

Does anyone else recall the great controversy when Vanessa Redgrave (at the time quite the PLO activist) starred on television as a Holocaust concentration camp inmate in Arthur Miller's PLAYING FOR TIME. It was in the early 1980s I believe. It was devastating to many people that Redgrave was cast in this part...........however, as I recall, her performance in Miller's teleplay was quite remarkable.

[melissa errico fan]

Posted: 2/11/05 at 3:32pm

I was very young, but I remember it. Her performance was outstanding, as always.

[kec]

Posted: 2/11/05 at 4:30pm

That was a wonderful story. Thank you for sharing it with us.

[melissa errico fan]

Posted: 2/11/05 at 4:39pm

Truly lovely story. We lost a true giant. I had the pleasure of meeting him several years back along with his beloved third wife, and I told him that I played Quentin in a regional production of "After the Fall". A very close friend was directing, and his star and understudy both caught the flu. He called me up, and asked me to fill in. I jumped. I had to learn the role-which features tons of internal monologues and is on stage for the entire 3 hour play-in 10 days. I also told him that that was where I met my wife, who was understudying three roles (Maggie, Louise, and Elsie). He was so sweet, funny, and personable. What a man. Rest in peace, sir. Updated On: 2/11/05 at 04:39 PM

[AbzugFan]

Posted: 2/11/05 at 5:48pm

I recall hearing a similar story in an interview with Tom Stoppard. He said when he is asked about the symbolism in his plays, he always feels like a traveler coming through international customs in the airport: "I swear I didn't know that was in my suitcase. I had NO idea I packed it!"

It made me think that for the truly great writers (a group which includes Miller and Stoppard among many others) so much of the richness and depth of the writing is unconscious.

[WISHIHADATONY]

Posted: 2/12/05 at 4:03pm

Kec and Melissa Ericco fan, thank you for your very kind words.........meant a great deal to me........

Thanks much and have a great weekend!

Abzug fan? Are you referring to Bella Abzug? I worked for her many, many years ago? :)

[sabrelady]

Posted: 2/12/05 at 5:04pm

Daniel Day Lewisis his son in law. I wonder if he will do the eulogy. Miller's work will cont to echo across time. His influence will be felt for years.

[melissa errico fan]

Posted: 2/12/05 at 5:07pm

Daniel-Day Lewis is married to his daughter, author and director Rebecca Miller (PERSONAL VELOCITY). He stars in her upcoming film, THE BALLAD OF JACK AND ROSE, alongside Catherine Keener. Rebecca also co-wrote the screenplay to PROOF with David Auburn.

[Unknown User]

Posted: 2/12/05 at 5:08pm

Along the lines of casting for his works, I was really interested in the film of The Crucible, and watched intently as people debated fiercely the casting of Winona Ryder as Abigail. I remember him finally commenting on it and simply stating, "She's what I had in mind all along."

[melissa errico fan]

Posted: 2/12/05 at 5:11pm

I thought Winona was an amazing Abigail.

[Unknown User]

Posted: 2/12/05 at 6:47pm

M.E.F. - I, too, thought Ms. Ryder acquitted herself very nicely. But frankly, with Daniel Day-Lewis and Joan Allen up there, I really wasn't focussing too much on anything else

[melissa errico fan]

Posted: 2/12/05 at 6:50pm

God, those two were amazing. That's how DDL and Rebecca met. Arthur introduced them. It was right after DDL and Isabelle Adjani split.

[WISHIHADATONY]

Posted: 2/13/05 at 6:21pm

Does anyone else here have any stories to share of meeting this legend?

[WISHIHADATONY]

Posted: 2/14/05 at 1:03pm

When Hugh Jackman first hosted the Tonys they did an internet vote on the greatest play of all time or something to that effect. Miller's DEATH OF A SALESMAN was the "winner."

Hugh Jackman announced it and said something to the effect of "do you hear that out there producers? Maybe it is time to revive DEATH OF A SALESMAN?," or words to that effect.

APPArently, Mr. Jackman was unaware that the prior year(or was it the year before that?), DEATH OF A SALESMAN had won the TONY award as Best revival of a play for its much heralded Broadway revival starring Brian Dennehey.