- It is interesting how I met Howard Hawks, the great director. I had a show band in Palm Springs in 1963. Howard Hawks would come in once a week or so to see the show and have dinner. One night as I was visiting with him at his table, he said, "Jericho, I'm going to use you in a feature soon," I thanked him, and I later got a call from my manager, who said Howard Hawks called and said he wants you for a part in his new comedy, with Rock Hudson and Paula Prentice in "Man's favorite Sport." I played a Valentino type character in a silent film segment. Every time Rock kissed Paula, the screen goes to a silent screen grainy scene with piano music, with two trains crashing headlong into each other. Then I was seen kissing up a dance hall's woman's arm, with her emoting, silent screen style, saying, "Oh John, we shouldn't. Why, I asked? Because we must think of Reginald," She said. After repeating scenes like this, 4 or 5 times throughout the movie, the last scene was her answering my 'why' question with, "Because the movies over." I look out at the screen and say "Oh!" and that's the end of the movie. I still get residuals every time it plays, about 4 or 5 times a year.
- A significant event was being asked to join the MGM acting school. Some wonderful actors like Yvette Mimeo, Bill Smith, Steve Peck were in our class of about 30. Bill Smith, Richard Chamberlain and I were brought in to MGM for a series called Paradise Kid. Richard Chamberlain got the lead, but we met many good people and had some really good acting coaching.
- My best agent and manager, was Bobbie Roberts and Pierre Cossett. They Managed Anna Marie Albergetti, John Rait, Elaine Dunn, Ann Margaret and yours truly. They were great in everything they did.
- [As his wife was known for playing Wally's girlfriend on Leave It to Beaver (1957), he often joked:] I stole Mary Ellen Rogers from Wally Cleaver
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