Paul Koslo

Interview by Justin Humphreys

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CLEOPATRA JONES (73) was also directed by Jack Starrett. Koslo was one of the featured hoods working for "Mommy" (Shelley Winters). "I remember Shelley Winters being a pain in the ass. She was really jealous of me, for some reason. Finally, Jack had to put the clamps on her. She'd say things like, 'What's this guy doing behind my back?' because she was so insecure. Jack would say, 'Hey, you just take care of your stuff and don't worry about anybody else. Just do what you've got to do.' Finally, she threw a fit and he lit into her. He said, 'Don't you ever, EVER do that on my set again!' Rosalind Cash used to come visit because she was friends with the girl that played Cleopatra Jones, Tamara Dobson. And she died a little later, Roz did. (Note: His OMEGA MAN co-star died in '95). It was really sad. It was the last time I saw her." Antonio Fargas (PV #15) played Doodlebug. "Yeah, man, he was a fun guy. He's a good actor, too. Really an interesting guy because he looks so weird, you know? He has that strange look: the nose, the eyes. But he was really a sweet guy, really a nice guy, really talented, really respected. We'd go out and party and stuff. But, for me, going through the 60's and 70's, with peace, love, and flower power and all that stuff-tune in, turn on, and drop out- I did my share of partying. But I was always serious about wanting to be somebody. It was more a social thing, really, because I'd see friends later and drugs had really gotten to them. I just feel fortunate that I have the longevity, the sense not to destroy everything. You can't lose your humanity. Life is tough enough, we've all got skeletons in the closet and we've all got hopes and dreams. This business is so tough and the business of the business. It can really fuck you up, the insecurity. I coined this phrase years and years ago, and I've heard other people use it that know me: 'Hollywood makes you forget about everything but yourself.' And that's not the most important thing. It's not more important than family and friends. And if you're so blessed that you get paid to do something you love, and you get to do it- I feel really fortunate to have done that."

THE STONE KILLER (73) starred Charles Bronson (born Buchinsky, then a major international star) as a police lieutenant. "I remember that wasn't a pleasant experience. I always try to make my work experience pleasant. I try to have fun. I try to be a professional. I get there early and I leave late. I love to mingle with the crew. I even like to help out, to pull a cable or give a hand. I have that attitude for film and television. It was just (a clash of) personalities again. Michael Winner was the director of that movie. I sat down in somebody's chair, and it was his chair and he kicked me out of it. Not that it's a big deal, but it's the WAY he acted. I saw something that Bronson did that I thought was really despicable. Bronson doesn't like people, yet he sits in the middle of downtown intersections in his chair for everybody to see. And then people come and bother him and he tells them to fuck off. Apparently there had been an elderly lady that was driving by and she wanted to know what all the hubbub was about, because they had traffic controlled. And they said, 'Oh, it's a Charles Bronson movie.' So she went home to change and get her autograph book because he was her favorite actor. She brought her camera with her, too. He told her to fuck off when she asked for his autograph. She was so shocked that she just took a picture of him, right there, while he was there when she was leaving. He had the cops take the camera from her, take the film out, and give her the camera back. That wasn't nice. I'm just concerned about when the camera's rolling, but these things affect you when you've seen these guys all your life that you work with, like I've seen Bronson. And I've always respected his work. So you go on and say, Hey, you respect the guy's talent, but that doesn't mean you necessarily have to like him."

MR. MAJESTYK (74), also starring Charles Bronson, was (like JOE KIDD) scripted by Elmore Leonard. It was directed by Richard Fleischer. "Oh, he was the greatest. He and Robert Ryan are kind of in the same vein as far as taking you under their wing and going out of their way to make you feel comfortable in these movies and doing things for you. Like Fleischer let me live at the end of the movie, because I was supposed to die. He said, 'There's so many guys getting blown away, this is ludicrous. Let's see if we can work out the ending, because I want you to live.' At the end of the movie, we're in this hunting lodge. He said, 'Charley, you know what? Everybody's dying here and I think Koslo's character is so funny, maybe we can build on this and we'll let him live. Let's see if we can work the end of this out now. He's not going to be dying.' And Bronson says, (does excellent Bronson imitation) 'What, are you crazy? I'm not here to make a star out of Paul Koslo. I'll be in my dressing room.' And Richard says, 'Charley, I need you to work this out. He's going to be in the scene with you.' He says, 'YOU work it out. When you're finished, you call me.' Richard came right over and said, 'Paul, I apologize for Charley. I'm sorry he's put you in the middle of this.' I said, 'No, it's all right. I feel really, really honored that you're doing this, because it's really great for me.' It was a wonderful compliment. (Fleischer) was a big-time guy. But he was a tiny little guy. He was probably about 5-foot-3 or 4 and he weighed like ninety pounds. He was so fragile, but he was so wonderful and intelligent and wise and witty and so gracious. I was on his side, obviously.

"So then we worked this thing out and the AD (assistant director) got Charley back out. Richard said, 'Charley, this is the way we've worked it out...' Bronson cut in 'I don't care. Let him do whatever he wants. I'll take care of him,' just like that. When he said 'I'll take care of him,' I thought, 'What the fuck does that mean?' He says, 'What are you gonna be doin'? You gonna be comin' runnin' through that door?' 'Yeah, I'm gonna be coming. Al Lettieri's inside and the scene now is he's gonna tell me to get out under gunpoint so that he can draw you out, trying to get me.' I said that to Charley. He says, 'Okay, you come out and I'll take care of you. Just do what would come naturally.' Al Lettieri gives me the sign and says, 'Get out! Get out or I'll blow your brains out!' or whatever his line is. I come through that screen door and I'm GONE! I'm like two hundred yards into the forest! (laughs) Charley didn't have time to react or do anything. There was a horse hitch rail in front of the lodge, which was like three feet high, so I just jumped over it and kept running. Charley says, 'Hey, you think that's funny?' I said, 'You told me to do what comes natural. Sorry.' 'You come SLOW next time and do what comes natural.' So he's hiding behind the door, he's got this shotgun and I come out slow this time and the shotgun was just staring me in the face, so I just grabbed it out of his hands and got the drop on Charley. He said, 'You do that again, you'll be sorry you ever saw me.' I thought, 'Wow, man.'