SHOWMEN

I admire anyone who just gets a darn movie (or television show) made. Talkers are just that -- the doers impress me and I admire their fortitude. Getting a film made is an accomplishment in itself. Having it result in something of art is another whole variable.

I really admire the so-called 'showmen'. However, true motion picture showmen are few and far between, certainly these days.

Irwin Allen was a big one when I was growing up; producing such television series as Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea (based on his very successful feature film of the same name from three years before), Time Tunnel, Lost in Space, and Land of the Giants.

They were awful programs, although not to we little ones, years ago, who were glued to the cathode ray tube. (Voyage could be good in its earliest seasons.) But nothing changes the fact that Irwin Allen sold four, hour-long dramatic series to the networks, between 1964 and 1968.

Irwin Allen finished his television fantasy series run in 1970. He quickly started developing a feature film; one to be titled The Poseidon Adventure (1972). Its great box office success led to an even more financially successful film; by the name of The Towering Inferno (1974).

Irwin Allen was given the honour of, "The Master of Disaster".

Allen was a master of building anticipation for his product, often appearing on film as his geeky self, pitching his wares to the studios, and to us.

He was a true showman -- not to forget, visionary.

I had an interesting discussion with a friend of mine a few years ago regarding the moniker of 'movie showman'. We came up with some from the past: Cecil B. DeMille was an obvious pick, as was Mike Todd. "Who would you call a showman from the last decade or two?", was a question put forth by one of us after firing off the historical examples.

We could not think of one. Period. Half hearted, my friend said that director James Cameron, might, sorta, kinda be a showman.

... but, nah.