I had received recent calls from Ronan at Sylvia Fay Casting to do background work on the FX show called "Damages"(starring Glenn Close, Ted Danson and William Hurt), but scheduling conflicts arose. "Damages" begins it's second season this January 2009 on the FX channel and has received critical raves; new episodes have been taping since July 2008. Ronan called me back late Monday afternoon Sept. 15th asking if I could play an upscale NYC businessman having drinks/dinner at a posh NYC steakhouse scene…Read more

Back on April 24th, 2008 I did my 6th episode of "SVU" on location in Harlem(scroll down this JOURNAL to read)--it was the only time I was "on location" rather than being at the North Bergen NJ studios. On September 8th I got a call from Dave at Grant Wilfley Casting in NYC to return to the set of SVU the next day. Call time was 8:00AM on September 9th, this time I was to portray a "Paralegal"--my first time back in "the courtroom" at the studios since my first episode "STRAIN"(where I was a featured…Read more

After leaving the set of the FOX TV show "FRINGE" at 66th Street after 9PM Wednesday night September 3rd, I found myself drifting downtown past the Pierre Hotel at E.61st Street--I chatted with the doorman and was happy to learn that their Piano Room was due to resume after it had been closed last year indefinitely. Continuing on 5th Avenue under a full moon, the wondrous Plaza Hotel rose like a Phoenix in the NYC night sky. It had been under reconstruction for several years and has been opening gradually…Read more

Tiffany at Central Casting in NYC called me Labor Day weekend wanting to cast me as a NYC businessman for an episode of the new FOX sci-fi series "FRINGE" on Wednesday, Sept.3rd. I was unsure because I had also received a call from Amerifilm Casting in NYC to be the piano player for an upscale party scene for the film "Unorthodox" shooting Thursday, Sept. 4th. I wanted to make sure I was "rested" for that role as it was more of a feature, and I knew if I had to return to Pennsylvania late Wednesday I'd…Read more

I was contacted by Grant Wilfley Casting in NYC to do some background work on Season 3 of "UGLY BETTY". Calltime was a cruel 6:15AM in lower Manhattan on July 21st-- though I napped for 3 hours(didn't fall asleep), I had to get up at 12:30AM to start the process of getting to the Battery Park area of NYC by 6:15AM; left home around 2:00AM, got to Hamilton Station in NJ at 3:15, boarded 3:54 train to Penn Station then grabbed cab to 7 State Street for the holding area at Our Lady of the Rosary Church across…Read more

I was saddened to hear of the passing of the great film director/actor SYDNEY POLLACK this past Memorial Day 2008(May 26th) in his home at Pacific Palisades CA. Mr. Pollack fought a courageous battle with stomach cancer which was diagnosed 9 months prior. He was 73. When I had first started playing piano at DESTINO RESTAURANT(851 First Ave, NYC) in April 2006, not long after Mr. Pollack visited us for dinner a few times. On one particular Thursday evening, I spotted Sydney at the Destino bar dining…Read more

Thursday afternoon April 24th I received a call once again from Dave at Grant Wilfley Casting asking me to work on "Law & Order:SVU" the following day. I agreed--this would be the 6th time I worked on the show--but the first time I was being asked to report to a Manhattan location rather than their North Bergen NJ studios. I always drove to North Bergen--but usually take a bus into NYC from Allentown. This would be the first time I was playing a policeman on the show--and more specifically--an NYPD Deputy…Read more

On February 4th while on the set of "ALL MY CHILDREN" in New Hope PA at the New Hope-Ivyland Train Station, an actress I worked with that day gave me a valuable lead. We had conversed throughout the day, and at one point she asked, "You said you play piano--do you also play Church Pipe Organ?" I said that I did--in fact that I've played the Church organ from age 13 to my late '20's in my parish Catholic Church--and have played various Church wedding ceremonies ever since. She told me she read an ad online…Read more

Mike Lemon Casting in Philadelphia sent an email out to all AFTRA actors in the Philly & suburban area to check our availability for working on the ABC-TV soap opera "ALL MY CHILDREN" that would be shooting some scenes in New Hope, PA. The shoot date was originally Friday, February 1 but was moved to Monday the 4th of February. I was available, and after talking with Annette at Mike Lemon I was told I'd be a "business commuter" at the New Hope Ivyland Train Station. Our call time was set for 4:45AM in…Read more

I had the distinct honor of playing for one of the great actor/singer/comedians of all time at Destino Restaurant Thursday night Jan.17th--and someone I had met years before--but did not recognize him until he introduced himself when leaving. This tall distinctive man entered with his wife Julia Schafler(which I learned from googling a few things when I came home)and immediately asked to be seated near the piano--I nodded to him as it is unusual for Destino customers to make any eye contact with me or…Read more