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Show i THE THUNDERB1RD INSlDOaQOH Ml- ;U) - ? i 14 ) no! VM w.MMfr Bruce Dern led Convocation goers on a odyssey through Hollywood Thursday. Dern bares soul SPEAR MATADORS 49-2- 0 AS SUSC DEFENSE PLAYS ITS BEST GAME OF THE YEAR. SEE PAGE 11. ?H 20-ye- ar to Convocation Veteran actor stresses uniqueness , communication BY KRIS y JOHNSON The biggest thing that wanted to in my life was to communicate the feelings of people that are in trouble, people that are on the edge, people that are multidimensional human beings that live close to the edge at one point or another," said veteran actor Bruce Dern, who spoke to a packed house in the first of the fall series of Convocation lectures. Dern, who has starred in such films as Coming Home, The Creat Catsby, Drive, He Said and Silent Running, has virtually made a career of playing people who are in trouble in one way or another, and told his audience of his odyssey through a Hollywood career that he says won't end until he dies, because he plans never to retire. "I will always act," he said. "I'm a achieve FRANK VISITS CONVOCATION THURSDAY. SEE PAGE 3. THE LAYDEN v- - communicator. If can't touch don't know what somebody, I'd do." took Dern some 30 years to weave together his two greatest passions in life with his latest film, On The Edge, which is the story of distance runner Wes Holman. Dern's first goal in life was to be an athlete and when he failed in his bid to make the 1956 United States Olympic Team in the 880, he left the University of Pennsylvania to try to forge a career as an actor. When he quit college to become an actor, his family completely disowned him, never understanding why he made this choice, said Dern. "My family never listened to me, didn't get much communication at home," he It .. t, 3 i. ,"6 STUDENTS MUST WORK FOR A STATE TAX HIKE. READ OUR OPINION ON PAGE 4. I .said. It was during his college years that Dern realized that actors like James Dean were touching him and he wanted to communicate the same kind of feelings to others that he received when he went to the movies, thus compensating for the communication breakdown with his family. "I got excited when sat in the movie theatre and realized that certain actors were actually making me and the other people in the audience feel things and decided then 30 years ago that it was essential to my life that start communicating since wasn't getting a lot of communication at home," said Dern. "If you're going to be an actor, you I I HIGH BOOK PRICES? READ WHAT THE BOOKSTORE MANAGER SAYS. PAGE 7. V, better have a way to do it that hasn't been done before meaning that you yourself are an unique individual," said Dern. It took him and onetime roommate Jack Nicholson many years of hard work before ever landing a major role because they were never the It was the unique mannerisms they showed when portraying their characters that eventually led them into their leading roles, admitted Dern. "I was lucky enough that I had that beat out of me really early that had to be myself and not imitate other actors style, consequently, think that's why it took me and Jack as long as it did to get rolling because we were so different," he added. Life is an endurance race, you have to be a marathoner, an endurance athlete. You have to find a way to deal with the no's and you have to make this is a life goal, said Dern. He told of going to an audition and coming back in another 20 minutes later to try again. leading-man-type- I I s. "You want to be straightforward and honest with your feelings; it's all about communication, if you're out there to communicate, stand out and pour your heart out and if you're not able to communicate through acting then try to write, paint or sing," he said. Dern talked about his latest film On The Edge, saying that it is a honest look at a man's struggle to overcome a lot of injustices done to himself by himself. He added that the last 10 minutes of the film were the most magical 10 minutes of film that he's ever been able to perform. "The movie is about 90 percent there it doesn't quite work totally as a film however the last 10 minutes does work. It's a worthwhile experience to see the movie as far as I'm concerned," he said. Dern mentioned that he is currently doing a movie called The Arm which is based on a true story. The movie will be released under a different title and also stars actor Matt Dillon. J |