TO THE BATPOLES #164: "The Curse of Tut" scripts: Rondeau and Buono improve on Dennis and Barret

[bat-rss]

Lorenzo Semple, Jr. having made his changes to Robert C. Dennis and Earl Barret's first King Tut script, next it was the turn of director Charles R. Rondeau and master ad-libber Victor Buono. How much of the story that made it to the screen was determined by them? This time, we discuss two different versions of the Curse of Tut script, and how much changed after the "final" version.

Listen here

[robinboyblunderer]

Hello fellows,

A very thorough discussion on the script, well done. I may have more commentary on the overall focus but had to immediately respond to both agree and vent about Snyder's Batman v. Superman. SPOILERS FROM HERE ON OUT.

It's clearly the worst interpretation of the character, missing every point that makes Superman a hero and reducing him to a selfish jerk whom no one save Lois Lane would ever mourn. As if Jimmy Olsen being a secret government agent wasn't stupid enough, having him be killed seconds before Superman arrives sums up how wrong Snyder's take is; should've walked out of the theater right then and there.

Superman saves people! That's the point---he doesn't arrive too late!

This happens again in the court room scene when a disgrunted ex-Wayne employee explodes a bomb killing himself and everyone else. Again, Superman fails to save the day. The only thing worse than this is Lex Luthor having his urine in a jar labeled as Lemonade on the judge's desk...!

How did anyone read this script and think any of this was a good?

This wasn't the late 90s or early 2000s, the Marvel movies had shown how this could all be done effectively; of course you do this not by trying to imitate them or worse by leapfrogging the years and movies building up to the Avengers and cramming in Justice League characters asap but by careful transliteration from the comics to the screen, respecting the core of those stories while adjusting them enough to be palatable for modern audiences and with a sense of humor.

I'd be surprised if people on here haven't seen it but there's a fan based trailer made of clips from Batman '66, Wonder Woman tv show, the Monkees and even the Munsters with dialogue from S v B which is far superior to the actual movie.



Lex Luthor as an annoying dweeb, a Batman who brands villains, a failed attempt to set up the Justice League and cramming in Superman's death are all terrible enough but making Superman an ineffectual, selfish jerk is the final nail in the coffin, though they get bonus points for using "v" instead of vs---here is the Amicus brief on the Batman v Superman case. Holy Pretentiousness!

Ah, nothing like a good rant.

cheers

[High C]

Thought-provoking and through discussion as always, sirs.

But I tend to disagree with your premise that Buono is doing a goodly amount of ad-libbing here. Remember, this character was not written specifically for him. Semple was very protective of the show at this point, and although Buono had done six episodes of 77 Sunset Strip and thus was familiar to Horwitz, I'm not sure Semple would allow that much leeway to Horwitz/Buono. And Semple seemed to have Dozier's ear more than Horwitz at this juncture. Just my .02.

I'm not saying he didn't do any; just perhaps not as much as you are saying. I think Buono did more ad-libbing later when the likes of Charles Hoffman and Sam Strangis (In The Night) were calling the shots.

My guess would be Buono did influence the changes--as Semple saw his line readings and was adjusting on the fly and on the set to reflect what he was bringing to the table. And maybe the two did consult. But I find it hard to believe on his first shoot on a new show he was just changing stuff with wild abandon. Later, yes. But not this time.

EDIT: It just occurred to me that Semple likely still was in Spain so he wasn't on set. Oops, my bad. So, a more likely scenario is that Buono and Horwitz were discussing potential script tweaks together. They had a prior working relationship. Remember, as experienced as Buono was at playing larger-than-life villains, he still was a working actor who was not a Dozier hire, we don't think. Thus, the goal, as always, is do the best job you can to get invited back.

Oh, and Tim, off-topic, I enjoyed your discussion with Mulele about the Marvel Black Widow movie, but there was not enough talk about Tallulah Bankhead's performance...

[Dan E Kool]

Best episode intro to date! Nicely edited, Tim.

It just occurred to me that Semple likely still was in Spain so he wasn't on set. Oops, my bad. So, a more likely scenario is that Buono and Horwitz were discussing potential script tweaks together. They had a prior working relationship. Remember, as experienced as Buono was at playing larger-than-life villains, he still was a working actor who was not a Dozier hire, we don't think. Thus, the goal, as always, is do the best job you can to get invited back.

That's not the sense that I come away with at all. Buono's line delivery of "You're a twit" etc. seem much more off-the-cuff to me. I don't think he sat down and planned it with Horowitz or anyone else. It doesn't sound like anything that Semple had in his other scripts either, for that matter. No proof, possibly just wishful thinking on my part, but I think this is all 100% Buono.

[High C]

Best episode intro to date! Nicely edited, Tim.

It just occurred to me that Semple likely still was in Spain so he wasn't on set. Oops, my bad. So, a more likely scenario is that Buono and Horwitz were discussing potential script tweaks together. They had a prior working relationship. Remember, as experienced as Buono was at playing larger-than-life villains, he still was a working actor who was not a Dozier hire, we don't think. Thus, the goal, as always, is do the best job you can to get invited back.

That's not the sense that I come away with at all. Buono's line delivery of "You're a twit" etc. seem much more off-the-cuff to me. I don't think he sat down and planned it with Horowitz or anyone else. It doesn't sound like anything that Semple had in his other scripts either, for that matter. No proof, possibly just wishful thinking on my part, but I think this is all 100% Buono.

I just wish it weren't so late in the game and there were more people around from that time who could be interviewed to get a sense of what actually happened on-set, and if such ad-libbing was feasible.

An off-the-cuff script change by an actor in the moment sounds great, but what about the other actors who are waiting for a particular line for their cue to react? What happens to them? How does that potential line change throw off their timing, their pacing, and thus, perhaps throw off the entire scene? What sounds like fun in the abstract might not be so great on an actual soundstage in early 1966 in terms of trying to get a show prepped, written, blocked, shot and edited on time for airing. Especially given the breakneck pace we know this show was going at.

[Dan E Kool]

An off-the-cuff script change by an actor in the moment sounds great, but what about the other actors who are waiting for a particular line for their cue to react? What happens to them? How does that potential line change throw off their timing, their pacing, and thus, perhaps throw off the entire scene? What sounds like fun in the abstract might not be so great on an actual soundstage in early 1966 in terms of trying to get a show prepped, written, blocked, shot and edited on time for airing. Especially given the breakneck pace we know this show was going at.

I take your point about possible confusion for the rest of the cast and crew, but an improvised line is what I understand "ad libbing" to mean. Not sitting down and explaining your changes ahead of time.

Considering that his changes are generally short quips in place of the intended, scripted dialogue, I can't imagine that there was much extra effort on set. It's not like Buono broke out into dramatic monologue.*



*though I certainly wouldn't complain if he did!

[High C]

Considering that his changes are generally short quips in place of the intended, scripted dialogue, I can't imagine that there was much extra effort on set.

I'm not trying to make the moderators angry, and any actors, pro or amateur, on the board are welcome to jump in, but I think any working actor would tend to disagree. Look at how any actor marks up his/her script and you'll see how he/she is keying his/her lines and reactions to the specific lines of the other actors. Again, this is not improv. Do I think Buono may have earned the freedom to do this in subsequent appearances as Tut? Yeah, probably. I don't think on the first one.

I think this might illustrate my point, plus it's a fun piece of history that was brought to my attention by someone here. It's a few sample pages from two original copies of scripts from Neil Hamilton's estate that recently sold at auction. Note how he marked up not only his dialogue, but occasionally that of his fellow actors for key words in their dialogue of which he needed to play off.

https://propstoreauction.com/m/lot-deta ... lot/73486/

[Dan E Kool]

I'm not trying to make the moderators angry, and any actors, pro or amateur, on the board are welcome to jump in, but I think any working actor would tend to disagree.

Oh, I hardly think the moderators will be upset. Even the best of us are wrong from time to time.

But in all seriousness, that Hamilton script was a cool find. Thanks for sharing!

I'm sure Buono's script was full of similar scribbles.
With all of his ad libs, y'know...

<3 Love ya, High C

[High C]

No, no hard feelings, Dan E.! Or to Tim and Paul, for that matter. I just want to get at the truth. I admit I sometimes come on like the proverbial bull in the china shop while doing so, however.

And I will say this--looking at the aired show, and the 'You're a twit' line, it could've been an ad-lib because it looks like 'shot/reverse shot,' thus Buono might not truly have had anyone reacting to him. That makes a big difference.

But I do want to point out this quote from the blog of veteran TV (and occasional movie) scripter Ken Levine, who has 44 episodic TV credits on imdb as a director. (And he says they've missed about 10 more.)

http://kenlevine.blogspot.com/

On multi-camera shows, cameras change shots based on line cues so it’s imperative the actors speak the lines as written or else you're going to have three cameras crashing into each other. That's generally not good.

So what he is saying is that camera operators, similarly, are counting upon those lines to move the cameras and change shots.

It would be fascinating to hear the input of someone with TV production experience who has seen the process and could give better insight into this. As I said, particularly late in season 2 and in season 3, when the direction was much more 'cookie cutter' and shot/reverse shot, I can see more Buono ad-libs taking place.

[BATWINGED HORNET]

Another fascinating show, guys. Listening to the way a script was so different than the filmed version always gives a different perception of how the series unfolded, and what's sort of funny is that the original scripts often play better than the aired episode.

I agree that Semple wanted to present Robin as an independent mind, rather than a wish-fulfillment character for children. By 1966, comic book Robin was pretty independent, and founded the Teen Titans (1964), so he was not like those endless "weese from da' na-bah-hood" / East Coast boy characters seen in more than few 1940s comics. TV Robin was a detective second only to Batman and clearly so far above the skills of the GCPD. While I've never disliked teen sidekicks (well, the better sidekicks), I never appreciated producers creating kid characters operating from the belief that children needed to see themselves in the character, as if they could not appreciate (or imagine being) the adult hero. The best kid or teen sidekicks were the kind who held their own in the adult world, and were "climbing the ladder" toward being an adult hero.

Thought-provoking and through discussion as always, sirs.

But I tend to disagree with your premise that Buono is doing a goodly amount of ad-libbing here. Remember, this character was not written specifically for him. Semple was very protective of the show at this point, and although Buono had done six episodes of 77 Sunset Strip and thus was familiar to Horwitz, I'm not sure Semple would allow that much leeway to Horwitz/Buono. And Semple seemed to have Dozier's ear more than Horwitz at this juncture. Just my .02.

The character not written for Buono from the start is a very important point; as scripts are written--particularly in what could be called a "mill" of 1960s scripts generated for TV productions, it was not uncommon for a story to be written with no actor in mind, since most writers' participation with a series ended once they pulled the last page out of a typewriter (unless revisions were requested).

For early Tut, its not a stretch to believe that the way Bono performed was due to Dennis and Barret, more than Buono himself. I also say this because in his first appearance, his delivery was notably different than the turned up, sadistic, screaming man-child seen from "The Spell of Tut"-forward. Its not just a matter of Buono getting used the part, but Dennis and Barret adding certain humorous or strange lines which Buono had to interpret, rather than Horwitz reshaping the script for Buono's benefit. By the time Buono was called back for season two, he--along with Romero and Newmar--played their parts as if they were asked to turn the dial up on whatever worked before, and the scripts played into this theoretical edict from on high, never to return to the cooler, more calculating performances from season one.

[P “Junior Batman” Y]

[Edited/revised slightly for clarity:]

I think it’s important to recognize that “improvisation” in film and TV production rarely refers to a completely spontaneous take—one in which an actor embellishes or changes a line of dialogue or some stage business—that makes it to the final cut of the program or movie. Though we all know that rehearsals for weekly TV series in the sixties were cursory at best, they did indeed rehearse a bit to check lines, as well as to consider framing and editing options and so forth. If improvisation happened, it happened during the rehearsal; and if the director and/or producer liked the change an actor suggested (perhaps at the director, line producer, or script supervisor’s suggestion, if a line sounded off, comic rhythm wasn’t working as written, etc.), this change would be written into the shooting script and camera angles and coverage would be adjusted accordingly so that there’d be no surprises during the actual shooting. Thus if Buono improvised “You’re a twit,” for example, he likely did so during a table read or a pre-dress runthrough; the powers that be liked it; and hey presto, it became an official part of the shooting script, even if it never turned up in the typed drafts or the “final.” The spontaneity of such a change happened long before the cameras rolled, it’s true, but that wouldn’t change the fact that it was indeed improvised in the first instance. As I suggested above, Buono may or may not have been the brain behind “You’re a twit”—but it wouldn’t surprise me if he were. If so, that talent for improvisation may have suggested to the creative and executive staff that Buono could be trusted to push against the script even harder in future Tut offerings.

[robinboyblunderer]

This time, we discuss two different versions of the Curse of Tut script, and how much changed after the "final" version.

Holy Dramatic Radio Drama! Nice editing with the music.

The domino mask and black suit bit was funny.

Interesting when you note how the Batmobile scene doesn't feel like the show. It's well into the first season broadcast wise and there's already a certain vibe to the series; I agree that it feels a bit off and not just because the episode works fine without it.

Alfred (the wise elder) passing out while driving makes him seem ineffectual.

But more interesting to me is it makes them both seem incompetent when it comes to utilizing bat-equipment, something that when I think about now doesn't ever seem to happen at all!

And I'm not counting Robin dropping his communicator in Spell of Tut, that was an accident.

Off hand no scene of either Batman or Robin (nor Alfred) failing to use their equipment properly ever comes to mind.

cheers

[bat-rss]

Holy Dramatic Radio Drama! Nice editing with the music.

Glad you enjoyed it! It was fun to do.

A Bat- D'oh Prize to anyone who can name the episode I took the music from....

But more interesting to me is it makes them both seem incompetent when it comes to utilizing bat-equipment, something that when I think about now doesn't ever seem to happen at all!

And I'm not counting Robin dropping his communicator in Spell of Tut, that was an accident.

Off hand no scene of either Batman or Robin (nor Alfred) failing to use their equipment properly ever comes to mind.

Good point. Another good reason why it felt off, and was deservedly cut.

[High C]

[Edited/revised slightly for clarity:]

I think it’s important to recognize that “improvisation” in film and TV production rarely refers to a completely spontaneous take—one in which an actor embellishes or changes a line of dialogue or some stage business—that makes it to the final cut of the program or movie. Though we all know that rehearsals for weekly TV series in the sixties were cursory at best, they did indeed rehearse a bit to check lines, as well as to consider framing and editing options and so forth. If improvisation happened, it happened during the rehearsal; and if the director and/or producer liked the change an actor suggested (perhaps at the director, line producer, or script supervisor’s suggestion, if a line sounded off, comic rhythm wasn’t working as written, etc.), this change would be written into the shooting script and camera angles and coverage would be adjusted accordingly so that there’d be no surprises during the actual shooting. Thus if Buono improvised “You’re a twit,” for example, he likely did so during a table read or a pre-dress runthrough; the powers that be liked it; and hey presto, it became an official part of the shooting script, even if it never turned up in the typed drafts or the “final.” The spontaneity of such a change happened long before the cameras rolled, it’s true, but that wouldn’t change the fact that it was indeed improvised in the first instance. As I suggested above, Buono may or may not have been the brain behind “You’re a twit”—but it wouldn’t surprise me if he were. If so, that talent for improvisation may have suggested to the creative and executive staff that Buono could be trusted to push against the script even harder in future Tut offerings.

Paul, I definitely think 'you're a twit' sounds like Buono, especially because it comes in a shot-reverse shot combo. And your points are well-taken. I just don't know how much time they had, especially during the breakneck pace of season 1. I do think Buono had more creative control, so to speak, as you allude to, in subsequent seasons, once he had become established. It was a mixture of him becoming comfortable with the character and the writers becoming comfortable with his style. Again, it's just unfortunate we can't turn the clock back 10 or 20 years ago to get an idea of what it was like on set during the first season, to get a feel for what the pace of production was like. I mean, almost everyone that we could ask is gone, sadly.