Dan's Papers - May 16, 2008 - Stars come out for Roy

Roy Scheider's numerous movie roles and intimate personal moments flashed once again on the screen last Saturday at Bay Street Theatre in Sag Harbor, during an emotional tribute to the late actor. He died on February 10, of myeloma, at the age of 75.

His wife, Brenda Siemer, had created a documentary about his life, for what she called an "interactive" memorial service for family and friends to share their memories of Scheider. About 300 people packed the theater, including Helen Hunt, Mercedes Ruehl, Donna Karan, Joe Pintauro. Many spoke, read, sang or played the piano at this "Celebration of Roy," as it was called in the program.

Actress Helen Hunt traveled from L.A. with her father, director Gordon Hunt, to share her memories of how Roy and Brenda met. "Brenda and I were roommates in Hollywood Hills when we were aspiring actresses," said Hunt, who admitted to having a crush on Scheider since she had first met him at Elaine's Restaurant in New York - he had given her his number. "I remember the phone used to ring, and we would both scream, 'It's Roy Scheider!' But he asked for her, they fell madly in love, and she got him. I read Shakespearian sonnets at their wedding, and when they joined forces, they were two of the most potent and powerful people I have ever known."

Mercedes Ruehl did a powerful reading of Walt Whitman's "Song of Myself." Andrea Eastman told of how Scheider and Steven Spielberg met at a dinner party given at her house during the 1970s. "Steven was depressed because his studio would not approve the lead actor for his movie. So Roy asked him what kind of actor he wanted. When Steven described him, Roy said, "That person is me!" And Steven decided he was right. The next day, Roy told me he just agreed to do a movie about a shark - and the rest is history," said Eastman.

Sag Harbor playwright Joe Pintauro recalled how he met Scheider 25 years ago at a party. "In all my years of meeting wonderful well-known actors, through my writing for off-Broadway shows, as time went on, these relationships got dimmer and dwindled out," he said. "But with Roy it was different. To me it was like getting closer and closer to a great talent. In our long friendship, I learned how to be kind. He also taught me how to read, to learn and to listen."

James Henry of Sag Harbor talked of Scheider's political and community activism, joining him as he campaigned door to door while running for Southampton Town Supervisor. "Roy stood up on the anti-war movement, on issues of the environment and on education," said Henry. "He cared about our community and our country, and he believed in dissent, involvement, and unselfish commitment."

Scheider's makeup artist, Lou Lazzara, who also flew in from L.A., told of how Scheider asked him to go along to shoot a movie in Bulgaria, but that he wanted to stay home to attend the Emmy Awards. Lazzara had been nominated. "But if you don't win an Emmy, you'll miss a great trip to Bulgaria," Scheider had quipped. "And if you do win the Emmy, you'll have to go to a boring dinner and eat a bad chicken dinner. And you'll still be missing a great trip to Bulgaria."

Lazzara ended up going to Bulgaria, and that, "It only takes six minutes to do his makeup-what he really likes is the way I make cappuccino. But I didn't take the machine on the plane. And I also didn't win the Emmy."

Finally, Brenda and Roy's children, Molly and Christian Scheider, spoke about their father. "Dad told me he grew as a person, as he grew as an actor," said Christian, who graduated from the Hayground School which his parents helped to found, and is on his way to Bard College. "I learned from him that mistakes are your strengths, and that your art is as much a part of your reality."

Molly Scheider, who will be starting the eighth grade at Hayground School, recalled how her father was "very loving and overprotective" and how "seeing him in the movies makes me want to be an actor like him."

Throughout the service, Christian joined his friends from Ghana for traditional drumming, and singer Ann Moller, Roy Scheider's goddaughter, gave a song tribute to him. Composer Bruce Wolosoff played a piano piece in his memory.

In Roy's honor, contributions to Hayground School Scholarship Fund can be sent to P.O. Box 1827, Bridgehampton, NY 11932.