By John Barbour
8-16-24

Thanks again to Alexandra Miletic, my genius movie buff and brilliant writer friend in Serbia, for reminding me that a brilliant brilliant actress Gena Rowlands died on the 14th of this month. It reminds me of a long forgotten story I tell below.

An absolutely fantastic, fantastic actress. The wife of John Cassavetes who directed her in one of her best films, a gangster film called Gloria! Also co-starring a terrific young actor named Jack Adames. The boy's entire family is slaughtered by mobsters looking for a book about their business. Gloria saves the boy and the rest of the film is a fantastic adventuresome often funny romp of the two of them together and on the run. It was one of my wife Saritas favorite films, one in which she memorized nearly all the dialogue. And I knew John from having interviewed him twice on my morning show on KABC LA.

Sarita was movie star beautiful. She was hit on by every major male in the business. As a result of that and a self-sufficient personality enjoying her own company, she stayed to herself. More than once a week we would dine at Musso and Frank's historic restaurant on Hollywood boulevard.. In a special corner table assigned to us near the bar. One afternoon at lunch in came John with his agent. Walking by our table to say hello to me but not to Sarita; he continued on, sitting in the next booth. He did not look well. His skin was yellow. Sarita noticed it, saying he did not look well and would I mind if she went over to talk to him. I said, "Of course, not." She walked over extended her hand and introducing herself, thanking him for making 'Gloria,' then quoting a few lines. He howled. A happy laugh that filled the room. Then grabbed her hand and did not let go for at least 20 minutes as she stood and he sat and they talked and talked.

Saying goodbye he thanked her and kissed her hand. She returned to the table a few tears in her eyes, and thanked me. Of course I told her that she had made him monumentally happy, happier than any Star or Director would ordinarily get. 3 weeks later he died.

One of the things that I have loved about Alexandra, she often posts a simple picture and just dates of births and deaths of famous actors or actresses European or American who often gets not even that mentioned in their own countries after their passing. I cannot thank her enough for her modest mention of Gena Rowlands because it sparked in me a treasured memory of one of the short stories that I had to edit out of my thousand page autobiography, 'Your Mother's Not A Virgin,' to get it down to the publishers requested 752 or so. I am also reminded and enormously grateful to Alexandra because from out of nowhere she was one of the very first people to give my autobiography a rave review Another memory I treasure! ??! ??

And Sarita will be absolutely thrilled to watch it again and again...even if it's on her phone...thanks to Alexandra's thoroughness in posting the YouTube!!