ig Br ERE RE RRR a a Ny A a SE , BUICK IE BUICK » “Please report to CBS Studio 43 Tuesday morning at 10:15 for a taping of SEARCH FOR TOMORROW. It is a restaurant scene, so please wear sport coat and tie.” It was my first big break. Well, okay, so maybe it was my little break. But it- was a break—I had to admit that. It was something. This small town child from Dallas, Pennsylvan- ia, was going to be on nation- wide cross-country afternoon television. It would be seen by millions of American ‘house- wives as they partook of the ad- ventures of one JoAnn Tate on (organ music in) the ‘Search For Tomorrow.” Of all the daytime soap operas, ‘‘Search For Tomo- rrow”’ is perhaps the hand- wringingest. I remember JoAnn Tate when I was in elementary school and the soap opera was only 15 minutes long. Poor JoAnn was wringing her hands even then. Do you realize what that poor woman has been “rough during these past God- nows-how--many years of ‘laundry detergents. It’s a wonder her hands aren’t raw from wringing. And now I, little Bruce Paul Hopkins, who used to weep and wring right along with JoAnn, was going to be on the program. Boy, was I exci- ted! “Boy, am I excited.” I said to the people at Publishers’ Weekly magazine, where I work to avoid starving as I pursue fame and fortune in the theatre world. “Well, now what are you going to do on the show? What kind of role do you have?” inquired my boss. 8, going to sit in a restau- rant.” I announced smiling. “And?” : “That’s all.” 1 explained. “There’s this restaurant scene and I’m going to be a person in the restaurant.” I was going to be what is referred to in the television world as ‘‘atmos- phere. ”’ In order for a restau- rant to look like a restaurant there had to be people sitting around eating. I was a person. I could eat. Granted, it was not going to take an extensive amount of acting on my part, but it was a start. Everybody is to start somewhere. WWalking into the lobby of the CBS Studio was like entering a hospital. It seemed so antiseptic d quiet. A uniformed officer sat at a desk next to a sign that demanded ‘‘Please Show Your CBS Identification Pass.” I didn’t have a CBS identification pass. I did have my Bloomsburg State College 1.D. Card, but I rather doubted they'd accept that. So I played it straight. I asked the uniformed man where I'd find Studio 43, and he in- structed me to take the elevator to the second floor. On the second floor there was a uni- formed man standing next to a sign that read Please Show ur CBS Identification Pass.” Boy, for all they knew I could be a spy from NBC. I followed his directions to the end of the hall. ‘Studio 43: No Admittance.” ppd the sign on the door. I iecided I was a star and didn’t have to pay attention to these silly signs, and I brazenly pushed open the door and en- tered. I found myself in a narrow hallway that led direct- ly to another door bearing a sign warning: ‘‘Studio 43, No Admit- tance.” This was getting a bit ridiculous. I am only capable of being brazen a certain number of times a morning, and this 2 Dr. Hdtp COMMUNITY MOTORS 588 MARKET ST., KINGSTON Phone 287-1133 Open Evenings ‘til 9 BUICK & w & 0 i @ c 0 x Blue with Black Interior Full Power, Air Conditioning. Extra Clean! Was $3375.00 Now $2800.00 And Remember : You Con Get Lotter View Car Deals A “ was about it. I chewed my lower lip trying to decide what to do. - Suppose I brazenly opened the door and found myself in the middle of JoAnn Tate’s living room during the taping of a terribly emotional scene. Let’s face it, how fast can you write a person into a script? Having inhaled bravely and gathered together all of my courage, I reached forward to pull open the door. It flew open and I was almost run over by Anthony George. I gasped. Now for those of you who aren’t up on your soap operas, Anthony George just happens to be the soap opera idol of millions of American women. You cannot imagine the number of women who in their daily fan- tasies have been unfaithful to their husbands with Anthony George. And there he was about to step on my left shoe. Anthony George assured me I could go right on in. Iwent right on in. There I was on the set. It was quiet on the set (heh, heh). It was a large room, about the size of a big square gymnasium. In the center of the floor were several movable cameras, a boom microphone, and other equipment. Surround- ing these were the various sets: a kitchen, a foyer, a living room, the restaurant setting, and a doctor’s office. Overhead, hanging from an amazing framework of pipes, were lights and microphones. It was fascin- ating. Having joined the other ex- tras, I sat in the restaurant scene to watch the rehearsal until our scene. Suddenly, she appeared: JoAnn Tate. Oh wow! Little did I know when I was a skinny little kid in grade school that one day years later I would be a skinny little adult appearing on a television show with the very JoAnn Tate I watched during those days of peanut butter and jelly sand- wiches. She had always been so brave, so staunch, so pure. She had undoubtedly effected my psychological makeup. And now, I was in the very same room with her. I wanted to run up and say, “Miss Tate I used to watch you years and years and years ago when I was a mere child, and I think you've ef- fected my psychological makeup.” But then I decided that might be kind of a back- ward compliment, so I didn’t do anything. I just watched, wait- ing for the moment when she would quiver her lower lip. We rehearsed the half-hour program, with commercials, four times before the final taping. Timing was noted, and bits of business were added to fill in extra seconds here and there. We were given Ritz crackers to eat in what was supposedly an Italian res- taurant. I think that says some- thing about the American image of Italian eating. We were also given drinks which supposedly contained drinkable tea. That was a lie: it was un- drinkable tea. Oh well, every actor has to suffer. In the scene immediately pre- ceding ours, there was a baby of some six or eight months who was on camera for maybe 30 seconds. Could have been a whole minute. Somebody came over to our table and remarked that the baby was getting $200 BUICK Jl BUICK 4 1968 BUICK RIVIERA BUICK OPEL x =. noing ME Ing HE woinal for its performance. I found that a bit depressing. There was this child, who had probably never had an acting lesson in its life, being paid all that money. And here 1 was with a Bachelor’s degree in theatre arts being paid a good deal less. Now, how fair is that? The show was taped on a Tuesday and was to be viewed the following Friday, Feb. 5. Word was sent out to the parents, brothers and sisters, aunts and uncles, and neigh- bors. All gathered around their televisions Friday, ready to catch a glimpse of Bruce Hopkins. The entire staff of Publishers’ Weekly magazine went to lunch together Friday. They went to a little bar and restaurant in New York, and demanded that the bartender put on ‘‘Search For Tomorrow.” That brought a lot of stares from the men at the bar. However, the bartender complied by tuning in CBS, and the entire staff of Publishers’ Weekly magazine stood there watching the men walk on the moon. I had been pre-empted by Alan Shepard and his golf ball. That meant I had to wait until Monday. And Monday, standing in the television department of Korvette’s Fifth Avenue Department Store, a large portion of the P.W. staff watch JoAnn Tate’s lower lip quiver. The clerk at Korvette’s thought we wanted to purchase a color TV and was doing his best to show us the merits of the particular model that we were watching. He assured us we could watch it for awhile. My scene was midpoint in the program and it seemed to be taking forever to get there. Just as the scene was about to begin, the clerk returned to show us how nicely the other channels were received. He was pounced upon by four P.W. staffers. Then I appeared through the miracle of video tape. I was in full view for a good portion of the restaurant scene: I chewed and chatted just like any old boy you might see in a restaurant. The P.W. Staff agreed that it was a distinguished perfor- mance. Maybe not award-winn- ing, but distinguished all the same. I had been a hit as atmos- phere. The reports came in from all over. I received a telegram from a former student of my teaching days. It said, ‘“‘Con- gratulations superstar: you chew divinely.” My sister received dozens of calls in - Smethport, Pa., where the people thought that with my hair so long I looked just like her. Relatives in Endicott and Cazenovia and Huntingdon Valley were suddenly a bit more important since my television debut. As for me, I haven’t changed much. I've tried to remain the mutually THE DALLAS POST, MARCH 25, 1971 Will success spoil Bruce? same down-to-earth, calm, warm-hearted individual that I have always been. Success has not spoiled Bruce Hopkins. I still remember my friends, and refer to them by name when I see them. When people stop me on the street and ask if I am the person who was in the back- ground of the restaurant scene in the Feb. 8 episode of ‘‘Search For Tomorrow” I always smile and chat with them a bit. Some- times I autograph their gum wrappers and things. I try to be areal guy. That makes the fans happy, you know. Having become a star, I immediately contracted a combination of mononucleosis and viral pneumonia. However, now that I have pretty much re- cuperated, I am about to return to ‘the city to continue my career. Today —‘‘Search For Tomorrow’; tomorrow—‘'As The World Turns.” Who knows where it could lead? Someday I migh even do a commercial. Now, that’s when you know your’ve made it. (NOTE, For information about the Bruce Hopkins Fan Club, write: Mrs. Fay Hopkins, Dallas, Pa.) Larry Ide is recovering at home Larry Ide, a senior at Dallas Senior High School, is recupera- ting at his home following a month-long bout with mononu- cleosis. According to his mother, Mrs. Lawrence Ide, Larry will be at home for several more weeks. The infectious stage of the dis- ease has passed, she reports, and friends may come to visit Larry at the Ide home, 114 Rice St., Trucksville. The Dallas Post ( J. KOZEMCHAK SR.) Red Cross workers will receive awards The Wyoming Valley Chapter, American Red Cross, will observe Volunteer Recogni- tion Week with its 54th annual awards meeting scheduled April 1 at 7:30 p.m. Mrs. Aston Davis, chairman of volunteers, made the announcement last week. At the meeting, which begins at 7:30 p.m. at the American Legion Home, 45 N. River St., Wilkes-Barre, 106 volunteers will be presented pins covering from five to 45 years of service to the community through Red Cross. The awards meeting will be informal, with time for vol- unteers to renew old acquaint- ances or make new ones, Mrs. Davis said. SHOE STORE Emer TT moETw®w Lovely Gold Colored Livingroom Suit | On Sale Now For Only $199. 00 At Whites Furn. & App. F AIRVIEW "FVRview SHomSToRRIP | DALLAS SHOPPING CENTER Main St. Dallas, Pa. J & Sat. 9:30 to 6 Thurs, & Fri. 9:30 to 9 Sn [rt BY 5 ONCE YOU TRY THE ASTRO SHOE = a YOU'LL NEVER WEAR SNEAKERS AGAIN. HoT wm FROM 10¢ to $2.50 Cvans Fast Service 675-3366 tain Gs The very special way to remember . om. 3 ha = Rorall Brug “Prescription Pharmacy” Shavertown Easy Parking 675-5121 Expert handling was necessary to clear “hot” power wires from the area after the Saturday night accident on Dug Road in Kingston Township. A UGI pole fell across the road, landing on the vehicle involved. Dallas Women to sponsor hunt Two hundred and fifty win- ning Easter Eggs will be in- cluded in the assortment of Easter eggs to be chosen by Back Mountain youngsters in the fith annual Easter egg hunt Saturday, April 3. The hunt will be held in the Dallas Senior High School gymnasium from 1 to 3 p.m. Conducted under the auspices of the Dallas Jr. Woman’s Club, the Easter egg hunt this year is being planned by Mrs. Thomas Benton. Children up to and including 8 years of age are asked to bring $.25 and an Easter basket to the gymnasium. No registration for the hunt is necessary. FE CKERT’S Power Equipment Whee Forse Tractors Torc Fehn Eclipse Lawn Boy Perre. Mowers Yard Man Mowers Rte. 309 above grade or below. WATERPLUG is forced into the pre- pared cracks and joints starting at top of wall and working downward. Hold WATERPLUG in place, where necessary, for 3 minutes for perfect sealing. Form cove of WATERPLUG at junction of floor and wall. THOROSEAL is a heavy, cement-base coat- ing that waterproofs, protects and beauti- fies concrete and masonry inside or out— It is designed for the maximum durability and sealing pow- er—actually becoming part of the surface. "THOROSEAL assures complete protection against water or weather damage. Pick Up And Delivery PAGE THREE Lehman Boy Scouts near paper drive end Lehman Boy Scout Troop 241 will wind up its paper and magazine drive April 3. Although the scouts have had good response, they are anxious to collect more paper to assure the success of their drive. Persons who have newspap- ers or magazines may drop them off at any time Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday at the Lehman United Methodist Church basement, or take them to the scouts, April 3, the last day of the drive, between the hours of 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. at Willard Carey’s barn on the Lehman-Huntsville Road, near i Lehman Center. It is possible that there might be some arrangements made to | help with extremely large " loads. : Information concerning the drive is available by contacting James Hopple, 675-3166, or any member of the troop. Lake taxpayers to meet Tuesday Harveys Lake Borough Tax- payers Association will meet March 30 at Daniel C. Roberts Fire Hall at 8 p.m. The subject for discussion will be the “million dollar school.” Robert Belles, supervising principal at Lake-Lehman High School, will speak on the need and planning of the school. All taxpayers are urged to attend. Mini-Bikes Yard Man Riders Gasoline Eng. Pumps Hahn Eclipse & Toro Tillers Remington Cha. Saws All cracks and defective joints filled with WATERPLUG are immediately prime coated with THOROSEAL. Then apply THOROSEAL with coarse fi- bered brush to entire wall surface. Plug weep holes with WATERPLUG, cover with THOROSEAL. 500 Lackawanna Ave., Scranton 94 S. Main Street, Wilkes-Barre 48 N. Wyoming St., Hazleton WATERPLUG A perfectly hydraulic ce- ment. Aplies like putty, by hand or trowel. Plugs even high-power leaks—instantly, be- coming harder, more resistant under con- constant water pressure. This finished Thoroseal coating now thoroughly waterproofs the walls, locks deep into masonry pores seal- ing out water. The decorative, brushed-on texture can be further fin- ished, if desired, with other effective Thoro System Products, 3 GREAT STORES 675-1339 NOW!
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers