From: kflores@skat.usc.edu (Kelly Flores)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.tv
Subject: RD: The Interpreters Bill and Jack
Date: 13 Oct 1992 22:59:26 -0700
Organization: University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
NNTP-Posting-Host: skat.usc.edu

In article <1410@ncrclm.ClemsonSC.NCR.COM> lsnow@ncrclm.ClemsonSC.NCR.COM (Linda Snow) writes:
>Well I could be wrong about this, but I *think* that's Marlee Matlin's
>real interpreter.  

Here's the scoop:

The interpreter character's name is Ben Douglass, the *actor's* name is Bill
Pugin.

Marlee Matlin's personal interpreter is Jack Jason (he does look a little
like Gilbert Godfrey but he's a lot easier to watch and listen too). He has 
been with her since the filming of "Children of a Lesser God", when he was 
hired by William Hurt. He has been with her for six years and appears with 
her on talk shows as well as the Oscars. They've been on Arsineo, Tonite 
Show, and Later with Bob Costas. On "Later" only his voice was heard. 

The Arsineo interviews have been the best (IMHO), because we get to find 
out something about Jack, he's not just ignored. Then again when Marlee
said her first role was as Dorthy in "The Wizard of Oz", Arsineo asked if
Jack had played Toto. But there's interesting tid bits too, we find out 
that Jack accompanies Marlee as an interpreter, while she goes out on
dates. And that his parents are hearing-impaired. He learned to sign before 
he learned to speak. Needless to say he and Marlee are good friends. 

Jack appeared with Marlee in the Hollywood-oriented movie "The Player" which 
featured many cameos by well-known actors. He can also be seen on E! 
entertainment televison's "Behind the Scenes:Resonable Doubts", interpreting 
for her on the set of the show.

As for the show:

>BTW, whatever happened to Dicky's interpreting for her?  Why does she
>need 2 different people?

This was explained in the pilot. Ben is a part-time volunteer. Dicky's 
father was deaf but it's been a long time since he had to sign with 
anyone. He is rusty/sloppy since he dosen't *have* to sign to communicate.
He relies on his signing to supplement Tess's lip-reading skills, but 
not to replace them. He mostly signs important words or phrases of what 
he's saying but never as many words as her interpreter. I think it adds
to the realism, because Dicky is a cop not an interpreter. Professional 
interpreters need much more skill then regular speakers, which is true of 
any interpreter or translator for any language, and in this case I think 
it shows.

On another note:

Well I was right for once, the device we saw in an earlier episode in Tess's
ear is some kind of sensor. It went hay-wire when Doug Flutter was yelling
at her. I was begining to wonder why Dicky would clap and yell when he was
walking behind her tyring to get her attention. Anyone know more about this 
device?

Just curious.

KMF

"Nice balls."
    --- Tess, "Resonable Doubts"



-- 
:-) :-) :-) :-) Kelly Flores <== a.k.a.==> kflores@skat.usc.edu (-: (-: (-: (-:
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:-) DISCLAMER: "It's a damn poor mind that can only think of one way to     (-:
:-) :-) :-) :-) spell a word."  -- Andrew Jackson   (-: (-: (-: (-: (-: (-: (-:
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