DAVID CARRADINE, R.I.P.

David Carradine

I worked with David Carradine once, sort of. He signed a contract to do a week of the musical "Chicago" with us at the Schubert Theatre in New Haven. It was 1984 and David was to play Billy Flynn.

I didn't know he could sing, but the producers hired him anyway. One day my phone rang and this unmistakable voice said, "Professor Wall?" I had NEVER been called that before.

Long story short, it was Carradine asking me if I thought he could sing Billy Flynn, would it be in the right keys for him? I assured him I would put his songs in any key he needed. And he sang over the phone for me! Kung Fu singing on my phone!!!

He did pretty well with Billy's music and I assured him he would be fine. We also talked about his father, John, with whom I worked at Stetson University in a production of "Antigone". Odd, the connection.

You know? David never showed up to do Chicago. Just didn't fly east. We finally had to hire Don Murray to replace him, which was fun, because I got to talk to him about Marilyn Monroe.

Still, I almost worked with Kung Fu, didn't I?