Saturday, July 2, 2011

TENNIS PLAYER JOHN CULLUM (Video)


When I saw him play tennis, I was bowled over. He was exciting and confident and a winner as an actor, and it never occurred to me that this same 'star" quality would be evident on a tennis court.

I wish we'd developed a way to share tennis, but I couldn't handle backhand, and never really could absorb the "choreography" involved with serving. Nowadays, we watch all the major tournaments, with me delighted to be watching John, and listening to his running comments on the players , and the progression of each game.

I've asked him, more than once, how he would describe himself as a tennis player. He said, "I was a very good tennis player, tournament level."

5 comments:

Linda Phillips said...

Delightful!

Terry said...

I was an archer. Won the county-wide high school girl's tournament my senior year. Liked to play softball too. Never could get into tennis. Not coordinated enough I guess.

As a spectator I was into baseball as a kid. Baltimore Orioles baseball. Brooks Robinson was my childhood hero. Never cared for football until I moved to Knoxville where it is practically mandatory to be a Vol fan. Go Rocky Top!
TLC

Carola said...

I could never learn to play tennis. I blame it on my poor vision: people would say "Keep your eye on the Ball" and I would say "What ball?" because there were two. But actually, I probably couldn't learn tennis because of a combination of clumsiness and laziness.

Anonymous said...

Hi Em,
I'm absolutely positive that your JC is a winner in many areas of endeavor and so are you. How wonderful to have a personal commentatory to watch the Tennis Tournament with today. Happy 4th of July, xxxxoooo Heather

Umbragetaker said...

Em:

I was so pleased to see that John is doing Shakespeare this summer. John and I met and worked together 20+ years ago in "Worth Fighting For" in Williamsburg, Va. in which he played Patrick Henry. I was George Mason. The late Barney Hughes was Edmund Pendleton. I know he will remember. He thanked me one night at a Williamsburg Tavern when a waiter placed a glass of wine in front of him and I asked if he wanted me to take it. We are united once again at a distance by the bard, as I have just completed a well received run of King Lear (Richmond Shakespeare's Summer Festival) in which I had the great honor to play the King. I hope you will be able to relay to him my fond recollection of our work together. Thank you! ALAN SADER.