Jack Of All trades reveals key to success

Asahi Evening News Weekend Thursday May 11, 2000

By Chie Matsumoto

Asahi Evening News

Milton Katselas wears many hats – including movie director, teacher of acting and directing, writer and painter – and he is still finding new interests to add to those.

“I know most people say you’ve got to do one thing in this lifetime, and do it well,”

Katselas said in a recent interview while he was visiting Tokyo for the opening of his current “East/West” monotype style print exhibition in Ginza.

“There is suspicion that someone who does many things never does them well. I have never agreed with that.”

As though he were not doing enough to feel satisfied, the Hollywood director goes out of his way to help inspire others.

At the beginning of the interview, the bearded artist asked the reporter, “You also want to be a writer, right? A reporter is a wonderful job and I don’t mean to minimize the job. But I think you should start writing a short story.”

This is how Katseals helps people realize their dreams. He says dreams remain negative unless something is done. His tips on how to make them happen are listed in his book, “Dreams Into Action,” which is also available in Japanese.

“When dreams are not realized in any way, then you they start to make a person sick,” he said.

To avoid getting sick, he suggest first finding the price of the dream, then make a budget, get another job, and sleep less.

Cans of Spaghetti

He is not just saying it. Katselas tried this method for about 40 years, since in succeeded in buying a Picasso lithograph for $400 (42,000 yen). While he was pursuing that dream, he lived off of cans of spaghetti and regularly delivered a few dollars to the gallery. But 18 months later the masterpiece was his.

Wearing one of his other hats, Katselas also helped many actors and directors shine through his classes – including Anne Archer of “Fatal Attraction” fame. When a TV series she had been in failed, rumors spread that she was a beautiful actress who couldn’t act.

“She was very distraught and disturbed,” Katselas recalls. But after training for 3 ½ years in his class, she was nominated for an Academy Award as best supporting actress for her role in Fatal Attraction.

The director of “Butterflies Are Free,” who teaches others like Archer, feels many Japanese actors need to train more. “From what I sense, they need to train more and develop more.” He said. “When you train, there is no money involved, so then you can take chances because there is no pressure.”

With or without cash, Katselas himself doesn’t waste time not doing anything. He paints in the morning and writes in the afternoon- currently reworking the script of his screenplay that 20^th Century Fox bought, “Visions and Lovers.” He will soon be directing the movie “Time doesn’t run us, we run time. These things cross everybody’s mind,” Katselas said. “When these things occurred to me, I tried to follow my dream. I think we have to try and be inspired. That’s why I think you must not be just a reporter. You must also be a writer.”

“East/West” runs until May 28 at Yoshii Gallery (03-03571-0412), a five-minute walk from JR Shinbashi Station. Open 10 a.m. to 7p.m. Closed Sundays