An Open Letter to JMS, Part #2

[B5JMS Poster]

Subject: An Open Letter to JMS, Part #2
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 No. | DATE        |  FROM
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s  1: Dec 21, 1996: "Craige K. Howlett" <craigee at ix.netcom.com>
+  2: Dec 21, 1996: dstinson at ix.netcom.com (David Stinson)
*  3: Dec 23, 1996: jmsatb5 at aol.com (Jms at B5)

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From: "Craige K. Howlett" <craigee at ix.netcom.com>
Lines: 44

I stand corrected on several points it would seem...

1.  The article I read was in a 'tab' while passing through London about
six months ago.  I can only assume that the writer was quoting the
original TV interview (it would seem it was a two year old interview). 
It would seem I was wrong for quoting it and for that I apology to those
of you who were offended.  For those of you who flamed me (in private),
all I say is 'bite me'.

2.  As for mispelling of Mr. Serling name, oops.  The mind was working
on Robert Sterling, who's book I was reading while I was writing the
email.  I have met the 'man' once when I was very young in New York in a
Hotel Lobby.  My mother was having a chat with him, but he scared the
hell of me.  He seems ten feet tall and that 'cig' never left his hand. 
He had a voice that I will always remember, drilled right through me. 
If anyone out there believes that I've in any way insulted either the
'man' or JMS's writing ability by comparing you to the 'man', it was not
meant.  Understand that I didn't mean any harm or insult.  However, I
got the impression that Sentor Benson was addressing in some of your
replies.  For those of you who have forgotten his famous comment, it
went something like this

"I knew Jack Kennedy and you're no Jack Kennedy"

My momentary laspe of mispelling doesn't take away from the fact that
the path now being traveled by JMS was cut by people who came before
him.  Remember that in the early 60's, News shows were from 15 minutes
to 30 minutes, your average show was only 30 minutes and no one was
doing hour long SF shows.  RS was on the cutting (bleeding) of writing
and networks were always ready to cut him loose. He didn't have an
expensive budget for FX.  

Am I stepping on anyone's toes here?!?!?  

Consider how GR of TOST how to have felt attempting to do an hour show,
talk about stomach acid on the rise...

3.  To those of you who corrected on the VHS verus PAL on the UK
circuit.  Thank you the answers.  

Happy Holidays
Craige...



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From: dstinson at ix.netcom.com (David Stinson)
Lines: 58

In article <32BB2DC1.474C at ix.netcom.com>,
   "Craige K. Howlett" <craigee at ix.netcom.com> wrote:
:2.  As for mispelling of Mr. Serling name, oops.  The mind was working
:on Robert Sterling, who's book I was reading while I was writing the
:email.  I have met the 'man' once when I was very young in New York in a
:Hotel Lobby.  My mother was having a chat with him, but he scared the
:hell of me.  He seems ten feet tall and that 'cig' never left his hand. 
:He had a voice that I will always remember, drilled right through me. 
:If anyone out there believes that I've in any way insulted either the
:'man' or JMS's writing ability by comparing you to the 'man', it was not
:meant.  Understand that I didn't mean any harm or insult.  However, I
:got the impression that Sentor Benson was addressing in some of your
:replies.  For those of you who have forgotten his famous comment, it
:went something like this
:
:"I knew Jack Kennedy and you're no Jack Kennedy"
:
:My momentary laspe of mispelling doesn't take away from the fact that
:the path now being traveled by JMS was cut by people who came before
:him.  Remember that in the early 60's, News shows were from 15 minutes
:to 30 minutes, your average show was only 30 minutes and no one was
:doing hour long SF shows.  RS was on the cutting (bleeding) of writing
:and networks were always ready to cut him loose. He didn't have an
:expensive budget for FX.  
:
:Am I stepping on anyone's toes here?!?!?  

And think of how they would have felt with someone complaining on a public 
forum about them constantly...

JMS has done a fine job. You seem to think that in respecting Rod Serling, you 
have to place JMS as a Johnny-come-lately aspiring to the throne. Both men 
have in common that they are/were very talented writers, who produced their 
own shows their way. Just as there is room for B5 where there is Star Trek, 
there is room for JMS where there is Rod Serling.

Not to mention JMS's long fight just to get the show on the air in the first 
place (it took six years of hard work to get it on the air - and four years 
since then of continuing good work - AND IT HAS WON THE HUGO).

Your own attitude definitely leaves something to be desired.

Both men have achieved something extra-ordinary by the very definition of the 
term. That does not mean that congratulating JMS for his achievement is in ANY 
manner a put-down of Rod Serling by any means. JMS himself is a major Rod 
Serling fan and has done much work on Serling based projects (TWILIGHT ZONE 
magazine, THE NEW TWILIGHT ZONE, etc).






--
David A. Stinson    Web Page:  http://www.procom.com/~daves/index.html   E-Mail: dstinson at ix.netcom.com  daves at procom.com  dastinson at aol.com ************************************************
** "Gonna need another Timmy!" -Baby Sinclair **
************************************************


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From: jmsatb5 at aol.com (Jms at B5)
Lines: 22

"My momentary laspe of mispelling doesn't take away from the fact that the
path now being traveled by JMS was cut by people who came before him. 
Remember that in the early 60's, News shows were from 15 minutes to 30
minutes, your average show was only 30 minutes and no one was doing hour
long SF shows.  RS was on the cutting (bleeding) of writing and networks
were always ready to cut him loose. He didn't have an expensive budget for
FX."

He had an expensive budget for FX *for that time*, not in comparison to
now in terms of dollar-for-dollar.  

And yeah, we all stand on the shoulders of giants...so what's your point? 
Before me there were others, like Rod...and barely preceding Rod there was
Paddy Chayefsky and Reginald Rose and Arch Oboler...and on and on and on.



 jms




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