THE SWITCHBLADE KID By Francis Galliano

- - - work. (Laughs) work. The Switchblade The Switchblade , playing the young Prince opposite Yul Brynner. Brynner. Yul Prince opposite the young , playing

Have you ever really looked looked really ever you Have from his pocket) (Pulling out a switchblade

have a switchblade knife on him…that I earned the nickname: on him…that knife a switchblade have many rebel roles where my character, for whatever reason, always seemed to seemed to always reason, whatever for character, my where roles rebel many angst it would take a miracle to turn his life around. In fact, I got cast in so cast I got In fact, around. turn his life to a miracle take it would angst The King and I musical, one: The rebellious teenager, the depressed young man, the kid with so much man, the young the depressed teenager, one: The rebellious and the Tattoo Tennessee Williams’ The Rose of productions in the Broadway Life is full of irony, isn’t it? Especially if one is in show isn’t it? Especially if one such as my business, is full of irony, Life the know You boy.” as the “lost typecast was a teenager—I when I became to see his dying literally were people because was, than I artist cast got came when I break, though, real was 10. My first the time I by shows is typecast. Sure, I played your typical child roles when I was a little kid, but when I was child roles typical your I played Sure, is typecast. of an more he was that say always He’d maker. casket was Sr.—he Mineo, TV appearing in local I was because right, My mother was what? know do you pages in the manuscript. pages business in show everyone You see, business. show I entered until held a knife My dad, Sal Sicily in the mid 30’s. from the States to over came My parents talk. And walk and to was old enough acting lessons, as soon as I take me to drama mask icons are visible to simply show the performer when to turn his when to the performer simply show visible to are mask icons drama even I had never funny. beautiful!” It’s there “Hello, and thought, a knife at vision the real Josephine, who was mother, my old US of A,good but it was me in dancing classes and paid for so she enrolled in Hollywood, live someday ic Interpretation or Prose Interpretation. If used in Prose Interpretation, the Interpretation, Prose If used in Interpretation. or Prose ic Interpretation self. Kid. family in the for our life a better make he could He knew a visionary. He was to was destiny my mother knew my in the Bronx, lived though we Even ary. confessional should be performed by a male and be entered in either Dramat a male and be entered by should be performed confessional the secret life of one of Hollywood’s most accomplished stars. This first-person This first-person stars. accomplished most of Hollywood’s of one life the secret his explosive docu-drama, playwright, Francis Galliano gives us a glimpse into into glimpse us a gives Galliano Francis playwright, docu-drama, his explosive maintained a prolific and acclaimed stage career both on and off Broadway. In Broadway. off both on and career stage and acclaimed a prolific maintained spanned over three decades. Not only was he a Hollywood heartthrob, he also he also heartthrob, a Hollywood he Not only was decades. three over spanned the films, “Rebel without a Cause” and “Exodus,” Mineo’s career career Mineo’s “Exodus,” a Cause” and without “Rebel the films, for Award most successful movie stars in the world. Twice nominated for an Academy an Academy for nominated Twice world. in the stars movie successful most Sal Mineo is an American icon. In the late 1950’s, Sal Mineo was one of the Sal Mineo was 1950’s, late In the icon. is an American Sal Mineo NOTES THE SWITCHBLADE KID By Francis Galliano won’t tell onus. gets herto calm down by promising to take heroutfor icecream later, ifshe and shestarts screaming andthreatening to go tell thedirector. Then Jimmy the corner comes Natalie Wood. Well, shesees us,seeswhat we’re doing, us! Itwas sofunny. Here we were throwing knives at eachother, andaround first one to make theotherone fall wins!And we were init to win—bothof farther you spread your legs,themore likely itwas that you would fall. The allowed to spread your feet, inorder to notget stabbed; butthenagain, the another, andyou take turnsthrowing aknife at theotherone’s feet. You’re how to play “chicken,” here are therules:You stand afew feet apartfrom one chicken withmy switchblade knife. Now, for thoseofyou whodon’tknow what hisfriends called him.Jimmy andI—we’d go outbehindthelotandplay had thisswitchblade given to meby my agent. AndJimmy andI—well, that’s est guys inHollywood. Iremember, we‘d beontheset, andbetween takes, I ever heard aboutJamesDeanistrue!Seriously, hewas ofonethecool hanging outwithmy co-stars, JamesDeanandNatalie Wood. Everything you me anOscar nomination for Best SupportingActor, butthebest part wasjust teenager inthefilm,Rebel WithoutaCause I was just 16-years-old whenIlandedtherole ofPlato, asoulful,abandoned luck inthefilmindustry asa young teenager. so itwas nobigdealmeto move across thecountry to California my andtry Now, growing upinNew York, Ilearnedto betough before Ieven hitpuberty, mance, butthat romance lasted many years. Asacouple, ourfaces graced the with oneof my co-stars, JillHaworth. Many would say itwas awhirlwind ro- again for another Best Actor inaSupporting Role, Ialsomet and fell inlove came whilefilmingtheclassicfilm epic, span thebetter partofthree decades. Isupposeoneof my biggest successes isn’t it?IsupposeI’m oneoftheluckyones. I’ve managed to keep my career work inHollywood, seemto make millionsofmovie-goers happy. It’s ironic, You know, Hollywood isoneofthesaddest placesintheworld, yet we, who other car headon.Hewas pronounced dead onthescene. Los Angeles to Salinasto enter arace. Unfortunately, Jimmy’s Porsche hitan years at that point, andafter thefilmingended forGiant—he was drivingfrom after we wrapped upthemovie. Jimmy hadbeen racing cars for a couple of if you’lldietoday.” ing ofthismovie that Jimmy told me,“ a ranch handandwas nominated for Best Actor. I madeanotherfilmwithJimmy later that year— Dean dothesplits! say—I’m oneofthefew peopleintheworld who’s ever seentheiconic James (Laughs) (Laughs) It’s prophetic, because Jimmy diedinSeptember—shortly I’m notgoing to tell you whowon, butlet’s just Man,we hadalotoffun. Dream asifyou’llliveforever. Liveas

Exodus . Themovie was great andearned . Notonlywas Inominated (Pause) Itwas duringthefilm Giant, inwhichJimmy played - - -