An evening with Peter Fonda

[DFW]

This guy is scary. He looks like he's 45, and he's 67. My immediate superior
and I were invited to a special screening of his new film, "The 3:10 to Yuma."

Afterwards, he stuck around and answered questions, and one of the most interesting
stories he told was about a party in Los Angeles in 1965 where the Beatles were
also present. He was telling John and George about accidentally shooting himself
when he was a small boy, and dying three times on the operating table, and being
revived three times. He said, "I know what it's like to be dead," and George, who
was high on LSD or something similar was getting depressed, and said that Peter
was making him feel like he'd never been born. Fonda then said that he could see
John's eyes light up and knew that a song had been set in motion, and soon after, it
appeared on Revolver: "She Said She Said."

He also told about hanging out with John Wayne, Gary Cooper, and all the old
Western stars with his father. He said, "please do not call me Mr. Fonda. He died in
1982." Apparently, the father-son relationship was less than one of Fond-ness.
Funny enough--I actually did meet Henry Fonda back in the 1970s, but I doubt
that Peter would have been thrilled to hear it, so I shut up.

Anyway, it was a fascinating session (and a great film). If I hadn't come down with
this miserable cold, I would have stuck around for the private reception (I was
invited). But I did not want to be telling my grandchildren I once sneezed on Peter
Fonda, so I headed for home. At 67, he remains one very cool dude.

[book_worm]

1. The orginal film version of 3:10 to Yuma in 1957 with Glenn Ford and Van Heflin

is also very good. Sounds like an interesting time.

[DFW]

2. He talked a lot about the original

He thought that Glenn Ford made a "bad bad guy." Just too likable.
He said it was a re-telling rather than a remake.

[book_worm]

3. a retelling rather than a remake, that is a good way to put it.