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Clint Van Wallach
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« Reply #61 on: August 04, 2006, 01:21:10 PM » |
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I worked for a limousine service here in Tucson for many years. Between the weddings, proms, and drunk runs, we occasionally drove celebrities that visited the area. The PGA tour plays here in February and there's always a celebrity Pro-Am scheduled prior to the tournament. In the early 90s John Denver was the celebrity host and it was rumored well before the event that he had recruited Clint to play in the Pro-Am. The company I worked for was doing most of the transportation for the tournament so when the reservation came in for Clint's arrival, I was assigned the run. I was the senior driver at the time so the fact that I screamed, begged and pleaded had nothing to do with it.
It would have been cool if I'd gotten to drive him alone but unfortunately I had to pick up two greeters and take them to meet his plane. The greeters (a plastic surgeon and his wife) worked for the charity group that the Pro-Am benefited (There's a reason I'm including that fact.)
Clint arrived at the executive terminal on a private jet so we drove right up to the plane. It was a good size jet so they had to wheel one of those portable stairways up to the door. I'd driven celebrities before and I never get star struck, but I remember feeling kind of a jolt when I first saw him.
Anyway he comes down the stairs and we're standing by the car door. The doctor introduces himself and his wife but not me (I'm just the hired help I guess.) I know I should've just thrust my hand out and introduced myself, but I didn't. I see his luggage is being brought over so I walk over to load it. I don't remember what I was thinking but I was probably pretty irritated. As I'm loading his clubs, Clint walks back to the trunk and watches me not saying a word. So I'm leaning over into the trunk, conscience of him standing there, really not knowing what to say or do. So I just straighten up hold out my hand and say, "welcome to Tucson." (It probably came out more like "uh...er...um...uh... welcome to Tucson.") He smiles (maybe it was a smile it might have been a smirk) shakes my hand and says "thanks."
I've told that story many times and the truth is he probably walked back to the trunk to make sure all of his luggage was there (or to make sure I didn't help myself to a souvenir) but I'd like to think maybe he came back to give me a chance to say something as I was obviously rudely omitted from the introductions. Yeah, I'm just the driver (a reference I've heard many times) but I was standing RIGHT THERE!
Anyway, that's my brief meeting with Clint. On the way to the hotel the doctor asked Clint where he flew in from and he says Canada where he's been working ('Unforgiven' was released later that year). Clint mentions that he thinks Tucson is where Lee Marvin had a home. The doctor's wife says, "Yes, and you filmed Joe Kidd at Old Tucson. That comment got no response (maybe he nodded). Clint asked the doctor what he did for a living and when he told him Clint said "Nobody would recognize me if I got plastic surgery, so I just clip a clothespin to the back of my neck." That got a good laugh. They also asked him if sometime during his stay if they could get a picture taken with him. He said "sure."
(It's a good thing they didn't ask me to take it cause I'd have put my thumb over the lens.)
We get to the hotel and he's pretty much out of the car and into the lobby. I yelled out," good luck tomorrow" and he half looks back and gives me another, "thanks."
I'd hoped I'd get to drive him to and from the tournament but I didn't . I didn't drive him back to his plane either but I'm going to mention something about that.
I'm often asked two questions about that day: "Did he tip you?" and "Did you get his autograph?" The answer to both is no. As far as gratuities go it's all included. I have been tipped by a few celebrities but usually not.
I've never been comfortable asking for autographs. Even Clint's. It's not that I'm above it or anything I just think it's kind of intrusive. The limo company had a policy against it anyway but even if they didn't I wouldn't have asked. I'm happy to have just met some of these people (especially Clint) and if someone doesn't believe me that's their problem, I'm not going to produce an autograph to prove it.
One last footnote to this story which kind of addresses the autograph situation. As I said I didn't drive Clint back to the executive terminal but one of our drivers was there waiting for a plane when Clint showed
up. The driver (Brian) relates the following story. He said Clint's plane hadn't arrived yet so he was waiting in the lobby. The woman behind the counter was freaking out so Brian says ,"ask him for his autograph." She is way too intimidated so Brian says he'll ask for her. He said Clint gave him kind of a disapproving look. Brian says it's not for him it's for the woman behind the counter. Clint asks him what her name is and he tells him "Rose."
So Clint walks up to the counter and says "Hi Rose, my plane here yet?"
Brian said after she calmed down he signed an autograph for her.
So if you ask Clint for an autograph maybe he'll sign maybe he won't.
Yeah I know I've rambled on far too long. Sorry about that. My meeting with Clint was brief but memorable. I thought maybe some might like to hear about the events surrounding it. Anyway, I'll try not to be so long winded in the future (newbie mistake I reckon.) Hope you enjoyed it, oh and one more thing..."thanks."
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