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Ben McKenzie heading back to Austin … and back to TV
Remember Ben McKenzie, noted Austinite and star of “The O.C.,” “Junebug” and, more recently, “88 Minutes?”
Well, he phoned from Los Angeles this morning (good lord, it was 7:30 a.m. in L.A.!) with good news on a couple of fronts:
His film version of Dalton Trumbo’s 1939 book “Johnny Got His Gun” is opening Monday night at Austin’s Paramount Theatre. The actor, who was born and raised here in the wildly talented and tight-knit Schenkkan family, will attend the premiere.
Tickets are still available for a modest $15.50 with proceeds going to charity. Check GetTix.net or phone 866-443-8849 for information and tickets.
After the world opening, the film, also produced as a 1982 Broadway play, will shift to a wider opening and be seen here at the Dobie, beginning Sept. 26.
Filmed on an stark stage with only a bench and a chair, McKenzie plays Joe Bonham, an American soldier hit by artillery on the last day of World War I. The story takes place in the mind of this quadruple amputee who also lost his eyes, ears, nose and mouth. To communicate, he taps Morse code on his head, begging his caretakers to show him to the world as an example of the cruel cost of war.
The other good news from busy McKenzie: He’s filming an NBC pilot from John Wells (“ER,” “Saving Grace,” “The West Wing”) that is tentatively titled “L.A.P.D.” The cop drama hasn’t officially been picked up yet, but Wells doesn’t get many rejections, so it’s likely to be on NBC’s midseason schedule.
McKenzie, who turned 30 on Sept. 12, has played lots of different roles in his young career, but a cop isn’t one of them.
“This is pretty much the direct opposite of what I’ve been doing,” he said. “Right now I’m learning how to shoot.”
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By JJ Miller
September 16, 2008 12:05 PM | Link to this
I hope this film finds an audience. Mr.McKenzie is a very talented young actor and this is a very interesting project.
By JJ Miller
September 16, 2008 11:59 AM | Link to this
Mr.McKenzie is a very talented young man. I hope "Johnny" finds an audience and that LAPD turns out to be a good project for him.