HENRY X (2003)

Set in the near future in France, Ireland and Great Britain, this punk-rock comedy war epic in iambic pentameter chronicles a military coup plotted against the House of Windsor by the House of Stuart. Screenplay by Dan MacCannell, Directed by Mark Lempert and Dan MacCannell, from Golden Shadow Pictures and Mears/Bosco Productions (2003). Dan MacCannell was one of the members of the New Playwrights Foundation who welcomed Travis to that group. He liked Travis readings of parts submitted for critique within the NPF, so when he was prepping his Henry X, he asked Travis to play "Gordon,"" Henry Xs loyal retainer and family historian. Travis says, "I was glad to help. After all, it was a movie. I wouldn't have to learn a lot of lines, I'd only have to get them right once, and there'd be plenty of time between takes to catch up on whatever came next." So he thought. IN THE PHOTO BELOW: Travis Pike (standing) as Gordon; Kathryn Stockwood as Princess Frances Fitzroy-Pegg-Lenox; and Dan MacCannell as Henry X.

In fact, it was staged more like a play, shooting entire scenes whenever cast, costumes, crew, and locations were available. Pike had to memorize all his lines for a given scene, take his cues from the other actors, and deliver his lines in iambic pentameter! Somehow, he managed to soldier through, and a good time was had by all, but one of his fondest memories is of the tux rental shop where Dan rented Travis' costume for that day's shooting. "The clerk who dressed me asked what the name of the film was, and unable to resist, I replied, 'GORDON.' For a moment, Dan was stunned, but recovered and reminded me the title was HENRY X. Feigning bewilderment, I examined my script, and then protested in character, "That's not what it says on my copy," which clearly had GORDON in bold, at the top of the page, with all my lines highlighted. We all had a good laugh over that, but thinking back on it, I doubt it would have played as well with Spielberg."

Actress, producer, writer, and director Dawn Westlake, (who played the role of Capt. Countess Jeanne MacNeil in HENRY X), is the wife of now retired CBS Evening News, Los Angeles Bureau, and ultimately Deputy Bureau Chief Bruce Rheins. Dawn, having worked with me during the filming of HENRY X, recommended me as the gag narrator for a character piece the newsroom was putting together to celebrate retiring British ex-patriot and CBS newman Michael Russell Gammell. My head, atop a cartoon king, a Beefeater (Tower of London guard), and spacewalking astronaut, gave the newsroom sobriquet "talking head" a quite literal representation. I enjoyed the opportunity immensely. It was an altogether silly bit of business for "Russell's sendoff, and I'm told it was greatly appreciated by all concerned.

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