Post by DR. QUIST on Jan 24, 2010 4:15:45 GMT -5
I have recently had the absolute pleasure of being contacted by Susan Surman, who at the time Doomwatch was broadcast, went by the name of Gracie Luck. Susan played one of the very first people you see in the premiere episode of Doomwatch. Susan appeared as the First Stewardess in Doomwatch Season 1, Episode 1 - The Plastic Eaters.
"At the time of Doomwatch, I was living in London as an actress, later writer. (60's to 80's) Gracie Luck may or may not be familiar. I played the First Stewardess in Ep. 1 - The Plastic Eaters. I had 3 different agents, can't remember who arranged this job. Pity about Simon Oates. It's odd - I can remember what I wore in 1956 as a summer stock apprentice in Connecticut, but as the First Stewardess, in Ep. 1, it was such a brief brief moment, I can't remember much. I never had a script. And regrettably, I have no pictures. I think I was introduced to Powell and Oates at a rehearsal (they were very polite) and then for filming, I was in and out.I don't think I had any lines. I buckled up someone's seat belt on the first flight out. I think it was my first job with the BBC, although I had been living and continuing my acting studies in London since the early 60's and was working my way up to becoming an Equity member. Other work followed Doomwatch. I moved to Sydney in 1981. And in the late 80's, returned to the States and culture shock. My published novels are as Susan Surman. But the name changes are a different story. The thing is, it was pretty exciting as an ex-patriate, to find I was actually going to be able to work in Britain. I'd been doing one woman shows, trying to meet as many people as possible. I worked for Peter Cotes, the producer/director for awhile, assisting him on two West End productions - Janie Jackson and Staring at the Sun. Then I got work in Hazell, a Thames TV production (Nick Ball); Hefetz in Edinburgh (Simon Callow); Company (Her Majesty's Theatre; some BBC Radio Plays (Ed Bishop). Crazily and foolishly, Gracie Luck became Susan Kramer, the writer. So many neat things happened at that time. I was invited to write material for Tracy Ullman for her first TV special; "George" was performed at La Bonne Cafe and commissioned by the BBC (never aired) and I was banned from rehearsals. I've learned to keep my mouth shut since then. Howard Pays and Sonny Zahl were my agents at different times.
Then for some reason, novels took over from plays once back in the States and I decided since a book is around forever, I'm going to drop all pseudonymns and use my birth name of Susan Surman. (Max and Friends; Sacha:The Dog Who Made it to the Palace; The Australian Featherweight (also a play); The Noble Thing; and in progress: Dancing at All The Weddings. Just recently, I completed work on a little independent pilot for a TV sitcom called Beautifully Departed. The first time in front of the camera in 20 years (Susan Kramer). If it gets picked up, it would be a recurring role - so ya never know!"
"At the time of Doomwatch, I was living in London as an actress, later writer. (60's to 80's) Gracie Luck may or may not be familiar. I played the First Stewardess in Ep. 1 - The Plastic Eaters. I had 3 different agents, can't remember who arranged this job. Pity about Simon Oates. It's odd - I can remember what I wore in 1956 as a summer stock apprentice in Connecticut, but as the First Stewardess, in Ep. 1, it was such a brief brief moment, I can't remember much. I never had a script. And regrettably, I have no pictures. I think I was introduced to Powell and Oates at a rehearsal (they were very polite) and then for filming, I was in and out.I don't think I had any lines. I buckled up someone's seat belt on the first flight out. I think it was my first job with the BBC, although I had been living and continuing my acting studies in London since the early 60's and was working my way up to becoming an Equity member. Other work followed Doomwatch. I moved to Sydney in 1981. And in the late 80's, returned to the States and culture shock. My published novels are as Susan Surman. But the name changes are a different story. The thing is, it was pretty exciting as an ex-patriate, to find I was actually going to be able to work in Britain. I'd been doing one woman shows, trying to meet as many people as possible. I worked for Peter Cotes, the producer/director for awhile, assisting him on two West End productions - Janie Jackson and Staring at the Sun. Then I got work in Hazell, a Thames TV production (Nick Ball); Hefetz in Edinburgh (Simon Callow); Company (Her Majesty's Theatre; some BBC Radio Plays (Ed Bishop). Crazily and foolishly, Gracie Luck became Susan Kramer, the writer. So many neat things happened at that time. I was invited to write material for Tracy Ullman for her first TV special; "George" was performed at La Bonne Cafe and commissioned by the BBC (never aired) and I was banned from rehearsals. I've learned to keep my mouth shut since then. Howard Pays and Sonny Zahl were my agents at different times.
Then for some reason, novels took over from plays once back in the States and I decided since a book is around forever, I'm going to drop all pseudonymns and use my birth name of Susan Surman. (Max and Friends; Sacha:The Dog Who Made it to the Palace; The Australian Featherweight (also a play); The Noble Thing; and in progress: Dancing at All The Weddings. Just recently, I completed work on a little independent pilot for a TV sitcom called Beautifully Departed. The first time in front of the camera in 20 years (Susan Kramer). If it gets picked up, it would be a recurring role - so ya never know!"