2009.53: The Plane, Boss, the Plane!
I forgot a few people in my list of dead people I don't see anymore and one of them was Hervé Villechaise, most famous for a couple of roles, a James Bond movie, The Man with the Golden Gun in 1974, and Fantasy Island (1978-80's) where he co-starred with Ricardo "Rich Corinthian Leather" Montalban before quitting over wages. I was on the set once and Montalban and Hervé appeared to totally detest each other.
I met Hervé after meeting his ex-wife Anne, in Paris when I set up the Laserium in 1978. (I need to tell that whole story here soon.) They were both very good-hearted people, in different ways. Ann was motivated to finish school and become an RN. When I moved back to L.A., Anne was also living there and one day I got a call from a woman who identified herself as "the secretary of Mr. Villechaise". I was invited to Hervé's place out in the valley for parties. Each time, there seemed to be a mixture of typical Hollywood hangers-on but also some very cool, regular people. Hervé and I also cruised the bars a couple of times and I recall once pretending to not speak any English in one of those bars. When I later married, my wife and I went out there for dinner several times.
I was pretty shocked that Hervé took his own life, but not surprised after all. He was an artist, and I guess pretty confident in that area, but as an actor and a man, probably unsure of himself. He scowled at me once when in passing I used the expression "my boy" which it was common to use ironically among friends. I do know that he did a lot of good work for children out there until at the age of 50, he blew himself away.
