MARLON BRANDO - THE GREATEST EVER

JULY 3, 2004

BACK IN THE WINTER OF FEBRUARY, 1968, THERE WAS AN ICE STORM IN BROOKLYN.
I WAS A ROOKIE TEACHER AND LIVED CLOSE ENOUGH TO DECATUR JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL #35, THAT I COULD WALK TO SCHOOL WHEN DRIVING WAS A PROBLEM.
THE PRINCIPAL WAS ADOLPH DEMBO AND HE CALLED ME INTO HIS OFFICE AND TOLD ME TO CHECK THE TIME CLOCK CARDS AND SEE HOW MANY OF THE 86 FACULTY MEMBERS HAD MADE IT IN TO WORK.
THE STUDENTS WERE NEAR FULL STRENGTH AND WERE BEING HELD IN THE CAFE UNTIL ENOUGH TEACHERS WERE PRESENT TO SEND THEM TO THEIR ROOMS.
I COUNTED ABOUT 27 TO 35 CARDS, 20 MINUTES INTO THE NORMAL STARTING TIME.
BEING A ROOKIE AND THUS KNOWING ALL THERE WAS TO KNOW ABOUT RUNNING A SCHOOL, I OPINED THAT WE MIGHT HAVE TO SEND THE KIDS HOME.
THEN THE PRINCIPAL TOLD ME THAT WE HAD MORE THAN ENOUGH TEACHERS TO RUN THE SCHOOL -- IF THEY WERE THE RIGHT ONES.
I HAD GIVEN HIM NUMBERS, NOW HE WANTED NAMES - HE TOLD ME, IF HE HAD TEN OF THE RIGHT PEOPLE ON THE CAMPUS, HE COULD RUN THE SCHOOL IN A SAFE AND PRODUCTIVE MANNER.
I READ THE NAMES - HE HEARD WHAT HE NEEDED TO HEAR AND HIT THE INTERCOM BUTTON WITH A FEW ADJUSTMENTS TO ANNOUNCE AND SOUNDED THE HOMEROOM BELL.
ABOUT 15 MINUTES LATER MOST OF THE STAFF WAS PRESENT AND THE DAY WAS NORMAL AFTER THE EXTRA LONG FIRST PERIOD.
LATER, THE PRINCIPAL EXPLAINED THAT A SCHOOL RUNS ON THE BEDROCK PEOPLE - THE PEOPLE YOU DON'T HAVE TO TELL TWICE - THE PEOPLE WHO TAKE PRIDE IN THEIR WORK - THE PEOPLE WHO ARE CONFIDENT AND COMPETENT.
MOST OF THE STAFF IS GOOD HEARTED AND WELL INTENTIONED, BUT A FEW ARE 'A#1' MOVERS AND SHAKERS AND THEY MAKE IT POSSIBLE FOR ALL THE OTHER STAFF MEMBERS TO HAVE AN ENVIRONMENT IN WHICH THEY TOO CAN FUNCTION SUCCESSFULLY.
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I THOUGHT OF THIS INCIDENT WHEN I WAS TOLD THAT MARLON BRANDO HAD PASSED AWAY.
HE WAS A BEDROCK ACTOR --HE HELD DOWN THE FORT --HE ALLOWED OTHERS TO LOOK GOOD JUST BY BEING IN HIS PRESENCE ON THE SCREEN.
I AM NOT GOING TO WAX LONG AND POETIC ABOUT THE GREATEST FILM ACTOR EVER --- AND I HAVE MANY ACTORS I THINK HIGHLY OF -- BUT NONE CAN TOP MARLON ACROSS THE BOARD - IN AS MANY GENRES -- SOME GREAT ACTORS ARE MENTIONED FOR THEIR ROLES AS CERTAIN TYPES -- MARLON COULD NOT BE TYPECAST -- HE COULD PLAY ANY PART - IN ANY ERA - AND DO IT IN A WAY THAT HELD THE ATTENTION OF THE AUDIENCE.
I THINK A LOT OF HUMPHREY BOGART -- BUT I HAVE TO TAKE MARLON #1, SINCE BOGIE PLAYED MOSTLY CONTEMPORARY CHARACTERS - MARLON COULD DO MARK ANTHONY AND NAPOLEON, AS WELL AS TERRY MALLOY AND DON VITO.
WITH ALL DUE RESPECT TO MANY TREMENDOUS ACTORS - I RATE MARLON BRANDO THE BEST EVER AND I CAN ONLY PASS IT OFF TO YOUTH THAT A FRIEND WROTE THIS" MEASURED / GUARDED" NOTE --->>
I saw where some are calling him the greatest actor ever.
Never heard that before today, though I think his
greatness is universally acclaimed by most.

WHEN SPEAKING OF MARLON BRANDO - IT IS OKAY TO GO HOG WILD IN YOUR PRAISE -- HE WAS THE BEDROCK ACTOR OF HIS TIME. I AM SO HAPPY THAT OUR TIMES COINCIDED.