An aging out of touch celebrity, has kept a secret for about thirty years.
Now he is in way over his head attempting to help an ambitious young entertainer achieve his dreams.
SYNOPSIS
Jack Wesson (75) is retired talent agent and one time entertainer who occasionally gets hired as a consultant. The last time that happened was about seven months ago. He currently lives alone in his three-bedroom apartment in Manhattan, surrounded by memories and memorabilia.
Divorced three times, Jack has four adult children and six grandchildren. He is nice to one of the grand kids but has a strained relationship with almost everyone else. Yet, he is still idolized by an ever-shrinking fan base of those over sixty-five who recall how Jack famously got in a fist fight on national television. The headline read: JACK ATTACKS and featured a magnificent close-up of Jack’s right uppercut to Richard Dawson.
One of the good things about Jack besides his physical health, is his memory. He has the well-deserved reputation of being a history book. He forgets nothing. And what he doesn't know, he makes up.
It is about 7pm on a Tuesday night, and soon Jack will get a text message asking if he is available to talk about something very important. Jack will be shocked that he gets a text from Barry Davis, (61) long time head of BMI records. He met Barry twenty-five years ago at a funeral, a few crossed paths, but nothing since.
Barry texts that he wants to get Jack’s advice. It is all very confidential. Can Jack meet him at Le Palace Bar in an hour. Jack has two beers while dressing.
Barry tells Jack about Clifton Smithers, (29) the recent Grammy award winning artist who Barry thinks can be the next Johnny Carson/Marlon Brando /Arsenio Hall/Sidney Poitier/Jerry Seinfeld and Nat King Cole all in one. Not to mention Eartha Kitt. Barry owns a piece of Clifton and could use Jack's help.
Barry explains that Netflix will produce a two-hour long variety talk show in the old multi-guest/Hollywood Palace combination format. They will call it Clifton’s Couches and Cabaret. Like a nightclub, live, complete with tables and food service. Like you stepped into The Stork Club and The Tonight Show mixed. They will live stream it once a week and then serialize it. They will release specially sponsored and edited short versions across social media. The show can’t miss.
Somebody way up wants Jack to be on board as part of the team. Turns out Clifton’s uncle was Jack’s old partner in the early days. They were known then as SMITH & WESSON, and they ruled Vegas back in the day. (“Hot as a pistol.”) Clifton needs to meet Jack.
After all, Jack knew and worked with his uncle. And that is as close as Clifton ever got to knowing his dad. Except for a few stories his mom told him before she died too. Clifton has seen the few Kinescopes that exist on YouTube. Jack was a real cabaret guy and the live TV guy, second only to Milton Berle.
Jack Wesson knows how to make it look easy. Clifton has heard and read a lot about Jack and wants him as a lucky charm. Kind of like working with his uncle.
Jack is overwhelmed. Happy, yet insulted. And conflicted.
Jack remembers Dutch Smith, originally Dan Smithers, who changed his name on Jack’s advice. Jack and Dutch were close. Until they weren’t. Jack has not thought of Dutch in years. Not since the funeral twenty-five years ago. It was that night that Jack decided to sever all emotional ties with Dutch’s memory. Now he must decide how to deal with all that.
Jack updates himself on Clifton while drinking in his apartment.
Clifton Smithers is multi-talented musician, singer, and writer. A multiple Grammy award winning artist who likes everything fast. His music, his romances, his cars, and his career. Striking in appearance and enormously talented. No shortage of sensitivity, yet, a little light on empathy. Recently sold-out Carnegie Hall for ten days. Almost everyone loves him. And he is nice to the doorman. Jack knew most of this already.
A meeting is arranged, and Clifton Smithers is bigger, faster, smarter, and even more lovable in person than in the press. Jack sees a lot of Dutch in Clifton. He also sees dangerous ambition, veneered with talent and personality. Jack is also a little jealous and conflicted about his role in this whole thing. At the end of this whirlwind meeting, Jack, apparently, has been hired.
Barry is ecstatic, and introduces Jack to the key players in the cast and crew: Acclaimed director Mary Begoff (42); Billie Williams (29) show runner; Luis Benato (32) comic sidekick; Ester Conski (35) bandleader; and the famous restaurateur, Jax Mcknee (40) as Maître D. Barry is talking about making history and winning awards before the ink is dry.
Jack's moral conflict becomes the arc of the story.
Turns out, Jack slept with Dutch’s brother’s wife, Rose Smithers, nee Borders, Clifton’s mom. Big secret. Except to Dutch. And neither Dutch nor Jack ever told Clifton’s dad, Henry “Hank” Smithers. Henry thought changing the family name was a sin.
Henry and Dutch were very close growing up. Henry was not a singer. He was a lawyer and among other clients, represented SMITH & WESSON. Henry helped them make a lot of money. Rose was an emerging singer too but gave it up to marry Henry and raise her boy, before having a chance to be famous.
That drives Clifton. Rose met Henry and Dutch when they were ”kids.” She fell in love with Henry, the smart one, pretty fast. Dutch died when Clifton was four. That was the funeral. Twenty- five years ago.
Clifton’s mom died just under two years later when Clifton was almost six. Bad birthday. Clifton’s dad, Henry, is 90 and vegetating in a nursing home since the stroke. Clifton does not know and believes his dad to have died when he was two.
Jack slept with Rose only once. He swears that to himself.
Clifton’s show is a hit - he has it all. Except the truth. Jack’s role is over. The show, and the Netflix brass don’t need him anymore. Barry is no help. And the bandleader and Maître D hate Jack.
However, Clifton has become very close to Jack. Now Jack is like a mom and dad to him.
Jack is tormented by his deep feelings he has developed for Clifton. Jack is shocked that he loves Clifton. Does Jack see Rose in him? Or himself? He is at odds with almost his whole family, the whole world in fact, and never had a true love before. Except maybe Rose. But that was taboo. Wrong. Hurtful. And a betrayal of his best friends.
And not so nice on Rose’s part either. Yet, he wants to tell Clifton the truth. For the first time he wants to express how he feels.
Swept up in the unexpected joy at seeing Clifton so strong, Jack wants to tell Clifton everything. Jack wants to purge his soul and bond with his long-lost son. Jack will explain his ongoing remorse over his ancient betrayal of Henry and Dutch, and his long-term failure as a dad to Clifton. He will apologize. He will make amends.
But he does not.
Even when Clifton continuously implores Jack for all the true stories about Henry, Rose and Dutch, Jack tells the history he can and creates the history he must.
Jack’s gift is to lie to Clifton and bring the secret to his grave.
Jack tells Clifton a quarter century of stories about Henry, Rose and Dutch in the good old days. Jack even tells Clifton about Henry. Clifton is destroyed by the long-term betrayals. Jack introduces Clifton to Henry at the nursing home. Henry’s awareness is a mystery. Does he understand?
Clifton is upset but realizes that only Jack has been truthful with him. Almost like a dad to him now, Clifton tells Jack he has nothing to worry about, and that Clifton will be grateful to Jack forever.
END.