Abraham Lincoln: Local Television Star

I was commissioned by an investment company, and others, to write 3 books for a television series that I was to 'star' in. And, I had to produce a script for thirteen (13) one-half hour shows. I wrote the books, in four weeks, and did the television script; and all of the demonstration segments; and hosted the series from the PBS station in West Palm Beach, Florida. The actual filming lasted five (5) days.

This was my first experience doing a television series. In spite of the freezing studio temperatures and the daylight to dark shooting schedules, I managed to pull it off with only one hitch. That was solved within minutes and the shooting continued.

I need to say that a television show can be shot without turning the cameras off or without stopping. It seldom happens that way but it is done. My taping was done that way.

Once I began talking and 'acting' I never stopped until the floor manager was on his hands and knees in front of me with cue cards, showing the seconds left to the end. So, essentially, you start talking and never stop until the show ends. The one hitch that I mentioned happened when I suddenly lost track of everything in my mind. I had no idea what I was to say or do next. I lost it. My mind went blank.

I had been told, if this happens, to stop and freeze. When the director upstairs saw me freeze she told the cameramen to stop taping (it takes a few seconds). After lunch, she simply put me back on the set and rolled her tape (which I never saw) back to the last sentence I had actually finished before I froze up. Then I began talking from that point on and the segment was completed. I have watched the tape many times and you would never know anything was amiss.

It had taken me about 20 years to become a household name publishing newsletters, books and magazines. The television shows were seen all over the world on Public Television Stations and on The Learning Channel, and I was suddenly even more famous than I had been before.

The above is an actual photo taken by a commercial photo studio used in the promotion of the series.

© 2006-2011 Abraham Lincoln - All rights reserved.