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DEAD ON ARRIVAL had numerous titles.
It was first released as
THE COP WHO PLAYED GOD and
then as ONE MAN JURY. It starred Jack Palance, Christopher
Mitchum - Robert Mitchum's son - and myself. It was a real adventure
to film!
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It would be hard to imagine a more intense actor than Jack. His every move and nuance were thought out in great detail, and he taught me so much about creating a character from the inside-out. I can still hear him encouraging me, "Dig, dig...dig deeper..."
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We did a lot of eating in this film!
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Jack and I spent hours discussing the slightest inuendos, and he gave me exercises that he used often in his work. One of the most helpful to me was the visualization of the character. I've found that if I close my eyes, the character actually shows me how she needs to be played.
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I played the part of a young police woman who
falls in love with an older cop who finds
himself frustrated with the legal system and takes matters into his own
hands.
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Eventually, so do I!
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Chris Mitchum was a down-to-earth, kind, generous person, and I loved working with him. He had a truly calming presence on the set...which frequently was needed.
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We shot the last sequence of the film on a boat off the coast of Santa Monica. Among the many problems with this film was an unfortunate turn of events which occurred that day. The director had given a certain page of dialogue to Jack, another to Chris, and yet another to me. Unfortunately, none of them matched and we were each prepared to shoot totally different endings to the film! Well, that did it for poor Jack! He was furious - rightly so, might I add - and threw his wardrobe overboard!
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