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Jane Seymour Star Week - part 2Arrival | BBQ | Video Night | Breakfast Video | Ceremony | Reception | Planet Hollywood VIDEO
MESSAGE AND MONDAY AFTERNOON We had already decided on singing "My Heart Will Go On" by Celine Dion at the breakfast, so we practiced it while we waited for Pam to arrive. We had never sung together before, so it was interesting. The time arrived for us to begin filming, and we all had wanted to stand in front of the waterfall (to remind Jane about DQ), but it was too loud, so we ended up with a nice, picturesque spot in front of some flowers and shrubs -- perfect considering how much Jane likes gardens. There were a couple of people in front of us, and Julie did a special on her violin. Erin and I followed soon after, alternating our message between each other, then I stayed while two others joined me. We had each taken one part of our message to be said before our song, and then we sang. It went really well (a cappella, even!) and when we finished, Pam said, "Well, how will the rest of you follow that? A violin solo and an a cappella song!" I met Cheryl and Liz after that in the Lobby. Megs was going to go with us too, to go see Parrish, but Parrish wasn't doing too well after the loss of her father, so Megs stayed behind. We left around 1:30 and headed to Malibu Creek State Park. When we arrived, it was again like a trip back through history, since I remembered my visits here in the past two years, and all of the fun I had. It wasn't quite the same as crossing the bridge to the P-Ranch, since there was still a mile hike to get to the filming areas, but it was still fun. It was the second time for Cheryl and the first for Liz. We parked our car, and began our hike. Everything seemed deserted, which was nice, yet also gave a feeling of melancholy, since it had been busy for the past six years with DQ filming, as well as many other movies and shows. Anyway, loaded with cameras and water bottles, we headed off. I noted some familiar areas as we walked along the creek, and even snapped a few pictures of them. When we finally got to the bridge that crosses the largest part of the creek, we had a clear view of the "oh-so-famous cliff" sight. Those who have been there before, know the one, and if you remember The Pilot, Bad Water, and the opening credits of DQ, you will remember it as well. It's the view of two mountains, with one mountain in-between them but back some. It's the one we see at the end of Bad Water when Mike and Sully are getting Harding to agree to settlement to Happy Walker's family. We got a few shots of that, then Cheryl walked off. Behind us, on the other side, they were building some structure for a new movie, "Jake of the Universe," or something. I didn't really ask, but one of the workers walked up to us and asked us where we were from. We chatted briefly, telling him about STAR Week, and about us being big fans of DQ, then he wished us well, saying he had to get back to work. Liz and I decided to continue on, but we didn't see Cheryl at all. I knew where everything was, so assumed she had continued in that direction, and walked that way, calling out her name. We finally found her up at the Honey & Berries Cave (what a surprise!), so Liz and I walked up there with her. No matter how many times I would see that, I still can't get over how rocky it is in real life. They made it look nice and comfortable in The Abduction. I know Sully laid down some pine boughs, but I can imagine how hard and uncomfortable it must have been for Jane and Joe. We each took turns taking pictures of each other in the cave, then I walked out to the edge of the cliff to get the view of the same "cliff scene" shown a lot, just from a different perspective. The next stop was down the hill to the Bad Water scenes, as well as the "wall with all them holes in it." We took shots of the "do up the buttons" tree (again full of rocks and very hard to traverse) and the rock wall, then moved on. The next stop was the cliff where Mike and Sully jumped in The Abduction. We found the pool, but couldn't get a good view of the cliff, so Cheryl and I climbed up on a rock where a tree blocked the sun, and we both got a good view. It's amazing being there and wondering how they got the view they did when there wasn't too much room for cameras and such. Puts everything in perspective. After this, we tried to get to the top of the cliff, but couldn't find the path. I know I had been there two years ago, but I don't remember where it was, or how I got there. Oh well. I did manage to find another little path that led somewhere, but I didn't really want to explore it on my own, and since Cheryl and Liz weren't going to join me, I went back to them. The next shot was of the three of us together with the "do up the buttons" tree somewhere in the background. After that, I looked up at a higher level, and being the "youngest", I was designated as the "gopher" to go check it out. It didn't take me long to get to the top, and I looked down on Cheryl and Liz from about 30-40 feet up. I had not seen this two years ago, but discovered that it was where they had filmed the higher level in Hell on Wheels where Matthew and Peter had scaled the wall. Nearby was also the cliff where Mike looked over to the rocky creek below in Moment of Truth to see O'Conner's body. I took a few pictures, one of the view I had, then walked down a different path from the way I climbed up there and found myself at the Honey & Berries Cave again. It's amazing how close together everything is, when on the show, it looks so spread out, as if they are using completely new and different areas, when they're just filming from a different angle. The best part is going back to watch the episodes and knowing that if the camera continued a few inches more to the right or left, another familiar scene would come into view. I don't want to ruin the idea for everyone, but it's really intriguing when you think of all the various camera angles and cinematography required to make DQ what it is! Great job, Ozzie! Well, I joined up with Cheryl and Liz again, and we got a shot of the "hair-brushing" tree (with me stooping down in front it, much like Sully did behind Mike) from Bad Water. I saw the "birthing tree" from When a Child Was Born, and had Cheryl take a picture with me and the tree in it. Finally, we stopped at the Ranger Station/Visitor's Center for a drink, then began our hike back. I saw some familiar "creek" scenes, so took a couple of pictures on the walk back, and when we got almost to the parking lot, we ran into two other Dr. Quinn Discussion "Listers" (Cathy S. and a friend) who were getting ready to do what we'd just done. We gave them a few tips, then left to go back to the car. As we left, we decided to do some more sight-seeing, so we drove down Kanan Dume Road, marveling at the beautiful route Jane would have taken to go to work every day. What a way to start and end each day! We decided to drive by Jane's house, where you can only see the gate and huge, clunky mailbox for packages in front, then turned back onto Kanan Dume back toward Agoura. We drove for a bit, then turned onto Mulholland Drive and took advantage of the many look-out points there. Cheryl had printed out some things from the Internet, so I navigated while she drove. We stopped once or twice, and I got one or two pictures. We were going to go the entire length, but we ran into some "unpaved, dirt road." The sign said, "Dirt Road Next 7 miles." That was a laugh! It was more like "Ravine Road" as they had obviously not gone back to fill in the crevices left by the last few rainfalls. We went about a quarter of a mile, and at the risk of getting stuck (wouldn't that have made a great story!), we decided to turn around and go out to Highway 101, then enter it after we had passed that section. We did get a picture, though, but it didn't come out clear enough to show the sign or the road very well. So, back onto the highway we went. We re-entered about ten miles further down, then continued the drive all the way to the end, pausing briefly in front of Joe Lando's old home, then ran into 101 again. I saw a rheally nice shot of the "Hollywood" sign up on the hill, since there wasn't much smog (in fact, most of the week was without smog -- very nice -- Someone knew we were coming!). Finally, we got back to the hotel, and there we saw Pat R. and Phyllis, as well as various others showing their scrapbooks. Every time you walked through the lobby, you would see a familiar face, so it made it seem like a big dorm of friends. Some Listers, and I won't mention names, became permanent fixtures on some of the lobby couches and chairs, but we didn't mind, since it made the lobby a hang-out for Jane/DQ/Joe fans! By now, it was about 6:30pm, so I went upstairs to get my book to show, then drooled over Pat R.'s "Tribute to Sully" pictures! For those who don't know, and I hope she doesn't mind the mention, she has some fabulous montage/collage pages of DQ that are well worth seeing! At about 8:30, Cheryl and I decided to go grab a bite to eat, so I ran up and changed into jeans (temperature had dropped), then we walked to Kenny Roger's Roasters two blocks over. We joked, as we walked by some of the "questionable" people on Hollywood Blvd., that we might have been safer using the well-lit alley cut-through! However, we got our supper, then headed back to the hotel. We walked by the Hamburger Hamlet, a famous hang-out for us that week, and saw several others we knew, then we went back to the lobby. That is where I stayed for the next couple of hours, chatting with various other Listers and Star Week attendees. I chatted with Fiona R. from Australia, Lorri A., and the British couple (sorry, forgot their names too) about everything from our experiences to DQ to Jane to our general lives. Round about 11:30 or so, we decided to part company and head off to bed. I know some others stayed downstairs, but I was exhausted from all of the hiking and from my day starting at 7am! back to
the top I had to run back upstairs to get another roll of film, since I was almost out of the one that was in my camera. When I came back down, I went outside, where the crowd had already completely surrounded the sectioned-off area where the reporters and VIP guests would be, as well as Jane and everyone else involved with the ceremony. I had given up my VIP pass so Jane could have more guests of her own. As it turned out, I had a much better spot than the VIP members, since they were *behind* the stage. At about 9:15am, I saw some friends standing closer to the stage, so I joined them to chat. However, as more people came, I sort of got stuck there. I got a couple of shots of the Star covered as well as the stage, then saw Lee Smith (background actress) and asked her for a picture. She graciously obliged and I found myself embraced in a very friendly hug. She's such a great lady! That was the last of my current roll, so I reloaded, and got my camera ready, even though it was only about 9:30am. We passed the time chatting about everything we could (Jodie T. had joined me, and I was standing by some other fans who had come only for the ceremony, as well as two other ladies from STAR week). The VIP people were invited into their "special" section, which turned out not-so-special, as some of us outside of the gate had better views. I took some time before things got too crowded to go visit my friends in the VIP section. I wasn't there more than five minutes when one of my friends said, in a very loud stage whisper, "Don't look now, Tiff, but Joe Lando is standing right behind you!" Well, that did it! Joe placed his hand on my shoulder and peered around my right side. I turned to look at him and he smiled, then said, "Well, hello there, Tiff. It's good seeing you again! At least we're not bumping into each other this time." The background on that is during my first P-Ranch trip, and the morning of my first day, I bumped into Joe, literally. I hadn't been really paying attention to where I was going, and he put himself in my path to prevent me from running into the fence surrounding the meadow. Even looking back on that experience, I still would have rather run into the fence! Not only was it embarassing once, and the entire cast and crew knew about it by the end of the week, but Joe still remembered it and had to remind me of it! Talk about utter humiliation. Well, anyway, some of the ladies around us were staring at us, amazed that Joe knew me and actually remembered me from a previous meeting. It would have been nice to continue chatting, but it was time for Joe to step inside the gate and take his place for the ceremony. He waved at everyone then looked at me and said, "I'll see you inside for the reception, right?" to which I nodded, then watched him leave. There wasn't much time left before the ceremony started, so rather than explain myself to my friends, I decided to take that opportunity to disappear and return to my place with Jodie. Almarinda ended up getting placed in the VIP section in front of us, in front of and to the right of the stage if you're facing it, so that she could take pictures for Pam. Soon after, around 10am, the first reporters and news people began arriving. They set up facing the microphone, but the stage was turned sideways, parallel to the hotel, instead of with its back to it, so the cameras didn't block our view. Almarinda kept asking what time it was, and I gave her the time in about 15-minute increments. Time passed slowly. Sometime in the next hour or so, Access Hollywood and other shows or reporters did some interviews about ten feet down from us, with the cameras panning the crowd. Around 11am, the mayor of Hollywood did the first test of everything to be sure all cameras were set, then primed the crowd by mentioning "Jane Seymour" and enjoying the loud cheers that were heard. When Jane finally arrived, there was some loud cheers, and then Johnny Grant did his speech, followed by the chairperson for the Walk of Fame. By this time, I had stood up on the bottom bar of the gate, so I was a head above those inside the gate, and had a clear view of the stage, minus the tree that hid some people from time to time. I did, however, get to see Jane licking her lips constantly and grabbing onto the railing for dear life. It was nice to know she was as nervous as some of us have been when meeting her or the other famous people. When Johnny Grant finally announced Jane, Johnny Keach didn't want to let go of his mommy. He ran right up the stairs after her, and when she first made her introduction speech, she was holding him on her hip, mentioning that she, "had a heavy appendage on my right." It was fitting for Jane to receive her STAR that way, since it represented her as a mother first, then actress, which is how she describes herself. She went on to say things like, she had "walked and looked at the many stars on Hollywood Boulevard, thinking that would never happen to me" and how "it was a great honor to be receiving this award." Next, James came up to give his speech to his wife, friend, and mother of his children. However, we caught him fibbing a little (probably nerves) when he said he had fallen in love with her, before meeting her, while seeing some of her movies. I remember an interview on "Marry Me" where they both had said he had never seen anything of hers. He knew who she was, and had met her in 1980 at a party at his brother's house (and "never forgot her or how beautiful she was"), but that was it. Anyway, he did a good job of giving his tribute to her, and then Johnny Grant got up again to introduce Joe Lando! A lot of people gathered were surprised he had come. He had kept himself out of the way because he wanted this to be a special day for Jane and not be approached by a lot of fans. When he walked up on the stage, he received an ovation that equaled the one given to Jane. He talked about how, "Jane was a pioneer, not only as Dr. Quinn, but also in life," and how she was "taking on new things every day in her life." He continued to talk about her inspiration to many, him included, and spoke of their friendship, ending by wishing her the best that life had to offer, then pleased everyone by giving her a kiss on the lips! The cameras went crazy, and can you blame them? After that, the mayor came up again to present an official document, declaring that April 20th would be declared "Jane Seymour Day" in Hollywood. Jane came up again and thanked everyone for the honor, then the mayor came up and said it was time for the unveiling of Jane's STAR! So, they all descended the stage. There were people all over the place, and everyone closed in around her. I don't know how they got anything done! Despite all that, though, Jane helped pull up the covering to reveal her STAR, then they brought the family down for pictures. Stacy Keach, Sr. and Stacy Keach, Jr. had come, as well as their wives and children, and of course, Mieke and Jane's two sisters, Sally Frankenberg and Anne Gould, were there with James, Sean, Katie, and the twins. It made a great photo opportunity when they all got together. If it hadn't been for an annoying man in a red-and-black-striped shirt, I would have had all of them, but I think I missed one or two because of him. He was snapping pictures left and right, and after about three minutes of this, I politely asked if he could duck down for a few seconds for me to get one picture. He gave me the most disgusted look, as if to say, "How can you dare ask me to move?" So, I took what I could, and put that rude man out of my mind. Once that was done, Jane asked for Pam to come down for a picture with her, and Pam said she wanted one of Joe with Jane. So, Joe came forward, they placed their arms around each other, and Jane whispered to Joe to take off his sunglasses. Wow! What a great-looking pair they made! I was able to weed my way into the throngs (after a lot of people had cleared away) to get some up-close pictures. Mary Ann got a good video shot of this, and I can't wait to get the STAR Week videos to see it! After that, the mayor came one more time to the stage and said, "I was told to tell those of you going inside, and you know what that means, to go on in." He was referring to those of us going in for the reception, so I stepped back from my spot and headed toward the hotel to go inside and stand in line; however, I was sidetracked when the crowd cleared enough for me to get closer. I was able to take some great up-close shots of Joe and Jane and the family, watch Joe and Jane stand together for the cameras, and talk with those around me. From there, I left and went inside to stand in the line for the reception. back to
the top JOE LANDO! I couldn't believe that both times I had met him, I ran into him -- literally! It was bad enough the first time, but twice? I don't know if I should call it bad luck or not, but what luck! He smiled and said, "Hi, Tiff. Fancy meeting you here." I looked at his mischievous grin and twinkle in his eyes and knew he had planned this. One look at Tami's beaming smile, and that confirmed it. The stinker! Joe continued, "Is this a habit of yours, bumping into people?" I smiled and said, "No. Only with you." He chuckled, then said, "Well, as long as it's reserved only for me, I guess it's all right." He paused a brief moment, then continued, "Well, I have to get into the reception. It was nice running into you again," and then he started to walk away. I asked him if he could pose for a quick picture, and he said, "Sure," so I had Tami take the picture for me, then said, "Thank you. I'll see you inside." He waved, then left. I confronted Tami who admitted she had seen Joe behind me, but he had put his finger to his lips and told her to remain quiet about it. Guess you don't exactly ignore Joe. About ten minutes later, they opened the doors. They had four books open for us to use for the sign-in, and by the time I got in, I found a table toward the back and to the left of the head table. I joined Jodie, Janine, Jeff, Erin and her mom, Tracy, Fiona, Pam, and Gloria. The reception began with Jane presenting Pam with a bouquet of sunflowers, plus a reprint of a watercolor painting she had done of sunflowers. Pam welcomed us all and explained procedures. After that, we milled around and were called table by table to eat. We chatted about a lot of things. Jodie and Janine got stuck when they were talking at one of the head tables, and when they began dismissing tables, they returned. I ended up standing right next to Joe for a minute or two while in line, since his chair backed up to the buffet line, watching some rather "enthusiastic" ladies gesturing to me and pointing out Joe. As if I needed the direction! About twenty-five minutes later, after we had been through the line, Brandon came up to our table to talk. I saw him coming, but he shushed me with his finger, so I kept quiet, smiling as I remembered Joe and Tami. He placed his hands on Jodie and Janine's shoulders, scaring them and almost making Jodie spill her drink. He then said "hi" to all of us, and stayed to talk for a while. Danielle, his fiancee (now wife), came up a few minutes later with her son, and they all left soon after. Afterward, Pam got up to introduce the speeches. She first talked of the money we had raised -- $48,000 -- toward the STAR. When she gave that figure, everyone clapped, and Jane shook her head in disbelief. I'm sure this was because she really had no idea how much money was collected, only knowing who had donated and that it was $10,000 to get the STAR. It was originally $7500, but that changed after Jane was accepted to receive hers. Now, the cost is up to $15,000! She was clearly astounded and impressed. Then, the speeches began. Jeff J. (a long-time fan of Jane's) got up to give his and began by saying, "Six years ago, Saturday night became our favorite night of the week!" which was met with thunderous applause. He went on to talk about the fans and people who had gathered, sharing his memories and experiences and thanking Jane for all she'd given over the years. Next, Mary Ann got up and gave one of the most tear-jerking, and heart-warming speeches I've heard in some time. She spoke of her personal interest in Jane as well as the story of her roommate who had died of cancer, and who had received a very special phone call from Jane before she passed away. I don't think there was a dry eye in the place. Jane began by daintily just wiping at the few tears with her finger, but soon, she had to reach for a tissue. Realizing that she didn't have either a tissue or handkerchief, she reached for the table napkin. Frank was next, and he began his speech by saying, "Joyce Penelope Wilhelmina Frankenburg," then paused. Everyone who knew the reference he made laughed and clapped. For those who aren't aware, it was Jane's birth name. He then said, "Can you imagine fitting all of that on a STAR?" which was met with more laughter. Next, he said, "I don't have a paper up here, and an actor without a script is a dangerous thing." More laughter. He then went on to talk of what a joy it was to work with Jane, what a wonderful person she was, and how proud he was that she had received this well-deserved honor. He was proud to count her a friend, and proud of her. The last three speeches were given by Jane's sister (Anne Gould), the founder of INSITE (Bill Shephard), and a close friend of Jane's (who co-produced Somewhere in Time). He told of how the money raised for her STAR didn't include cleaning, then walked over to hand her a bottle of cleaning fluid and rag, saying that he had arranged it to allow her on the grounds twice a year to clean her star - "June 30th and December 1st, 8am, be there!" In his closing, he gave the toast with Jane's Korbel Champagne. Pam got up to say that Korbel had donated many bottles of Jane's painting, and if you had a blue ribbon tied to the top-left-front leg of your chair, you had won a bottle. Janine Barrett won at our table, but later had it stolen (I can't believe someone would do that!), so Pam told Korbel, and they replaced it for her. Throughout the speeches, Frank Collison, who was sitting two tables up and one over, had gotten up a few times because he was waiting on a sitter with his children. He walked by our table several times, and finally had to leave, once the toast was done. I remarked once or twice at his running in and out, and he said it was because he was in contact with his children's sitter. I got up with Erin to walk around, and I ran into Penny and her husband. I saw that she had won one of the bottles, and mentioned that I had been looking for one for about a year-and-a-half, and that I wouldn't give up. She surprised me by giving me hers, telling me they had four bottles at home, already. I asked if she was sure, and when she said she was, I gave her a big hug, thanking her from the bottom of my heart. That small gesture meant a lot to me! I also saw the actor who played Arthur, the man who helped Christopher Reeve's character, Richard Collier, find out about Jane's Seymour's character, Elise McKenna, in Somewhere in Time. Erin and I got a pic with him, and he put both his arms around us, saying, "Now, you girls don't be too pretty. Let me be the pretty one." I smiled and said, "The rose between two thorns," as the picture was taken. A lady with him called him "thorny," and he said, "Did you say, ‘horny'," which made us all laugh. He's a great man. Finally, things were winding down, and Erin and her mother had to leave, so I prepared to leave too. I did get a chance to talk to Jane again, and I showed her the gifts I was going to leave on the gift table (from Robin and me). She had seen the framed sketch at the breakfast, but I also showed her my card, told her about the gifts Robin had given her, and then presented the highlight of the gifts.... PIXY STIX! For those of you who have seen Jane on Dharma & Greg, and for those who were at the NY booksigning in 1998 with me, you know why these are so important! She laughed when I pulled them out. I showed her a little typed-note that was on one package -- "Little paper tubes filled with sugar and artificial flavoring... (you had to turn it over) ... Just in case you want to feel like you're riding a horse!" She really had a good laugh over this, then she remembered that I had included a note in my gifts to her at the booksigning, so she asked me if it was true. "You couldn't find these anywhere in the New York City?" I told her I had searched for about a half-hour with no luck. She was really surprised, as I was, but gave me a hug and thanked me for the gifts. I managed to get one final picture of Jane, a picture of the beautiful banners Janine Barrett's father had created, then left. It was about 3:00pm, and I wouldn't be meeting my ride to Planet Hollywood until 6pm. I ran into Almarinda and Jeanne, and they said to come back to the lobby around 4pm for a drink, so I went upstairs to change into my Jane t-shirt and jeans. We had decided to pass around the word to wear the STAR Week t-shirt, but if you didn't have one, to wear a Jane shirt. We wanted to shock Jane one last time, so we passed around the word to everyone we saw. Around 3:45, we met in the lobby and gathered around a table. That was when we heard about the shootings in Littleton, CO. We were so shocked, and that set us back a bit, putting us in a subdued mood, battling with our excitement about the events that day and our sorrow about the shootings. Mary Ann came up a bit later and told us she had a great shot of Joe and Jane from the Ceremony, when they stood together. We told her she had to show us, so she went around the table, showing her video to each of us, and gave us our little dose of "pleasure" at seeing such a gorgeous sight! Almarinda then told us we had to take turns "guarding" Jane's star, so jokingly, Fiona and I agreed to take the next shift. We stood out there, and it was quite funny to see people walking, and upon seeing the new Star, change their course and walk around it. It was rather amusing. I know that within the week, they would be walking over it like nothing was different, but it was funny for that day. Pam and her sisters came out while we were there to get some pictures of the Star, and I got one with me touching the Star. We even had the chance to talk to a couple from England who was visiting, and getting ready to go to Australia. Since Fiona was from Australia, and knew exactly where they were headed, she talked to them. We told them all about Jane and what had happened at the ceremony and reception, then they went on their way. About five minutes later, we decided to go back inside and join the people at the table again. Finally, it was near time to go, so I went back upstairs to get my last roll of film, then came down to meet Fiona, Jeanne, and two other ladies to go to Planet Hollywood. We left around 5:45 and followed in caravan-style behind two other cars. back to
the top I hung back to wait for some friends who were running a little late, and pretty soon, the entire entryway was empty. I struck up a conversation with Jim and Bryan, as well as a guy who worked at Planet Hollywood (never did find out his name). At first, they felt sorry for me, not being upstairs, but when I told them I was waiting for friends, they shrugged it off. In the next fifteen minutes, I saw a lot of other attendees come and go, and then after a small break, Frank Collison came in, with a couple friends. When he saw me, he said, "Hey, Tiff, aren't you going upstairs?" Again, I said I was waiting for friends, and then he said, "Well, alright, but be sure to stop by to say goodbye before we leave." I said I would, and he told me he'd see me up there. Another five minutes went by and then I saw the PH Limo pull up out front, and out stepped Jane, with her entourage of family and friends. Basically, it was Mieke, Anne, Sally, Sean, Sara (her assistant), a friend from filming Somewhere in Time, another friend, and Jane. Again, the entryway was completely empty, and as Jane came in, she saw me standing there. Here it gets difficult to tell with just words, but I'll do my best. She looked at me, gestured upstairs with a questioning look in her eyes as if to say, "Aren't you going up?" I shook my head "no" and looked toward the door then looked at my watch, letting her know I was waiting for someone. She nodded as if she understood, then shrugged her shoulders, smiled and waved, following the lead upstairs. It was really funny, if you can imagine it, and focus on the fact that no words were exchanged between us. I wish I would have had a video camera. That would have been a great exchange to get on tape! Anyway, she went upstairs, and after about ten more minutes, I began to wonder/worry where my friends were. I continued to talk to Jim and Bryan, and around 7:15, Jim came over and talked to me, telling me to go on upstairs, and he would tell my friends that where I was. So, I walked up the stairs just in time to find an inconspicuous spot along the wall (before finding a seat) and watch Jane's presentation of her Dr. Mike outfit to Planet Hollywood. It's a tradition for celebrities to donate an outfit for display. That's how the chain got started. When that was done, and everyone had returned to eating and talking, I spotted Fiona and Jeanne and went over to chat with them. I then walked around to talk to people and just mingle. I didn't want to sit anywhere, so I just floated. Once the main course was served, I sat with friends and chatted with them, watching Somewhere in Time, which was being shown on the big screen. Suddenly, there was a break in the movie, and a song began playing, accompanying a video montage. I immediately recognized the music and the montage, and knew that it was Jodie's tape done about two years ago as a school project. It was a montage dedicated to some key people who had made a big impact on people's lives. Included were Princess Diana, Martin Luther King, Jr., John F. Kennedy, Michael Landon, and, of course ... JANE SEYMOUR! The song was "Once in a While" and it was beautiful. Jodie had wanted Jane to see it for quite some time, but had just about given up when she talked to Pam, and Pam told her she would show it at Planet Hollywood. I was really happy for her, because she really deserved this special moment. Jane was completely engrossed as she watched, and each time she came on the screen, everyone cheered. Once that was done, it went into a second montage, completely of DQ scenes (and lots of romance scenes!) Jane was still so intent on watching, that she hardly took her eyes off the screen. Every time Mike and Sully kissed, a loud cheer and clapping was heard. The only time I remember her ever looking away was when the "darker and darker" scene came on, in its entirety. All of a sudden, the food on Jane's plate had her rapt attention! Still, as I watched, I could see her eyes slant up to watch the screen. It was really cute to see her try to hide her interest in watching that scene! I wonder how she feels about seeing herself on screen? On occasion, I saw her lean over and say to those around her, "I remember that," or "Ooh, that was a good/fun scene to film," etc. Once that one was over, it went into the last montage, and this was sort of a promo set to the opening music sequence. It only lasted one minute, then it was over. When she was sure it was done, Jane did the funniest thing I've seen her do (in person, anyway) -- she stood up, not quite completely, raised her hands directly above her head, with her thumbs in the air, and pumped them up and down. Again, it's hard to describe, but she was basically cheering for Dr. Quinn! It was really funny, and we all clapped and cheered with her. During the showing, Sean (her son) had gotten up to walk around, and he came over to Jodie, standing with Julie and Janine. He asked Jodie if she would like a picture with his mom, and Janine and Julie said, "Yes," and then Sean left. Once the montage was over, Jana signaled for Jodie to come over to her. Jodie dragged me with her, but I stood back and watched. Jane was there and talked to her, gave her a hug, then took pictures with her. Jodie then went to Jane's table to talk to the family and friends there. I was really happy she got this golden opportunity. She had worked really hard, and deserved it! After that, Somewhere in Time continued, and we went back to chatting and eating. A few times, Jane would interrupt the normal flow to say something to everyone, or maybe just to her table, but she was loud enough for those around her to hear too. One time, in particular, I was nearby, and I heard her lean over to Lee and ask, "Do you think we kissed too much in Dr. Quinn?" Lee guffawed and said, "Are you kidding? According to your fans, you didn't kiss enough!" It was dark, but I'm sure Jane blushed, then smiled. When the scene came where "Richard Collier" signed the registry, Jane pointed to a man sitting across from her and shouted, "That's his hand!" Apparently, Christopher Reeve didn't actually sign the registry at the Grand Hotel. That was something I didn't know. Amazing what you learn and where you learn it! The next scene that brought a response was when "Elise" and "Richard" shared their first kiss. When it actually happened, a loud cheer, and some "cat calls" were heard. When the time came for "Elise" to get her portrait done (the one that is famous from the movie), a few of us stood up to take a picture of the screen. I am thankful it came out nice, since it's a great picture to have. After that, I stood around and talked some more, and got to know Carmen and her boyfriend, background actors on the show. Many of you may know her, or at least know of her. She was really funny, and so was George, her boyfriend. Finally, they served dessert, carrot cake, and things began winding down. Some people had already left, having flights to catch, but a lot of us hung around, not wanting the night to end, because we knew that when we left, STAR Week was officially over, and we didn't want that to happen. Nevertheless, Jane got up to leave. Someone presented her with a bouquet of flowers, she took a few more pictures, and then said goodbye to everyone, thanking them for sharing this special time in her life with her, and for being fantastic fans. I had a brief moment to say goodbye to her and thank her for attending these events with us, and she said, "I enjoyed the events with the fans the most!" She left to go down the back way, but about five minutes later, returned to go down the front way, being told that her Limo was out front. After that, most of us said our goodbyes, hugging and taking pictures of some of the displays as well as each other. Sometime around 10pm, I think, most of us had gone. I found my ride and waited with them out front as the valet brought our car around. Wow, didn't we feel important, having our car brought around! When we got back to the hotel, there was a back-up at the valet parking. It seems we all descended upon them at once, and they hurriedly raced to get the cars parked. It was rather humorous to watch. Finally, the valet just told us to leave the car there, and go on in, that they would get to it. So, we did, then went into the lobby and met with others who had just gotten back, as well as a few who had not gone. Pam had said, back at PH, that she would be showing the video from the ceremony and reception in her room that night, so we waited for her to get back. I chatted with Lorri for a little while, as well as Mary and some others. Finally, it was time to go to Pam's room, and there we watched the video of the events that day. This is where we saw Mary Ann's great footage of Jane and Joe's posing together, again for some of us. We also had the chance to see the TV coverage of the ceremony that a friend of Carol's had taped. We talked for a little while longer, then left to return to our rooms. Knowing we had to leave was sad. The night ended with most of us saying goodnight and going back to our rooms. Mary and I woke up around 8am, and Mary got us both breakfast. We packed our bags, checked out, said goodbye to several people in the lobby, then left. Before we hit the road, I went in search of some place to get some packing stuff for my picture, so I could take it on the plane with me. We ended up going to Staples, then headed on our way to LAX to catch my plane which left at 11:30am. I drove Mary's rental car, parked outside my terminal, said goodbye to Mary, and headed off to catch my plane. I was so sad to leave, knowing I had had one of the best times of my life, thanks to everyone I met and the great time! Still, I knew it was time for a trip back to reality, so I went home a very subdued person. All the way home, CBS did the programming for the videos shown on the movie screen, and while I tolerated it, I was shocked to see an ad for May Sweeps and a promo for Revolutions! I could hardly believe it. I was in the middle of a conversation with the man sitting next to me, and I suddenly stopped to watch. He wondered why I had done that, then saw what I was watching. Well, that started us on a very nice conversation about the events of the past week, as well as my interest in DQ and Jane, which he shared, just not as deeply. I won't bore you with the rest of the details, but I arrived home around midnight that night. However, I was still working on PST, so I wasn't tired. I had taken off all week, so I stayed up until around 3am on the computer before falling into an exhausted, yet pleasant-dream-filled sleep. And that brings me to the end of my story. Thank you for bearing with me on this very long telling of all that happened. Hope you enjoyed the story. Back to Journals Copyright © Amber Miller |
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