Fran's World…and Welcome to It!

As you know already my career has taken me down many paths in the entertainment field. One field that I haven't really pursued but have been lucky enough to be involved in is films.

Over the years I've done several films: some major motion pictures where I have done extra work, and many Independent films, and I am happy to say 95% have won awards.

"Lonely in America" with Spike Lee played on HBO for several years. I played a fast talking secretary in that. (Yeah, I know what a stretch.) The cool thing is I started out with just two lines. I asked the director if I could improvise my scene a bit, hitting the main lines. He let me do it, and I went from having two lines to two paragraphs. Needless to say I was very happy about this, especially because the movie played for two years on HBO - now if only I got paid per word! Anyway, you can see the video of my scene on my website francapo.com - just click the video button.

My second movie happened by accident. My son, Spencer went to audition for a part in a movie called, "Sunday" starring David Suchet and Lisa Harrow. He was being auditioned in between shooting, so they were taking a long time to audition him. At one point I sneaked around to see what was happening. The director saw me and asked me who I was, so of course I launched into my fast talking scenario. In the process I made him laugh. Then he says, "Hey, how would you like to audition for the part of the best friend of the lead. I said, "Yeah sure, what do I have to do?" He said, "Just keep talking." So I did. And he kept smiling. The next thing I know both Spencer and I are cast in the movie. The movie went on to win the Grand Prize at the Sundance Film Festival in 1997.

The third movie I got, again, by going the extra mile, or in this case the extra 100 miles. I drove to Philly to audition for a Car Sense commercial. I booked the commercial that same day. As soon as I stepped into my house, the Philly Agency, Greer Lange, calls me again. "Hey, Fran are you willing to drive back here tomorrow? I just mentioned you to a director who is entering the 48 hour film contest and they want to consider you as the lead." I called the director on the phone, auditioned via MCI, and the next day I was driving a 100 miles back to Philly to shoot a short thriller called, "Client 3815". The film won best film for the Philly division of the contest.

Now comes my present film. A childhood filmmaker friend of mine, John Carpenter calls me, "Listen Fran, I'm in this movie with this award winning film director, John Reidy. The film is called "The Signs of the Cross". It's about Reidy's life. I mentioned your fast talking skills to Reidy and he wants you to give him a call. The film is pretty much in the can but call the guy anyway and see what happens." So I call Reidy, he tells me the message of the film is that 'people may fail us, but God never does'. He says it's a true story with action, love and humor.

I'm interested - we both keep talking. Finally he says, "Look, I like you. Tell you what I'm gonna do. I'm going to add a scene to my movie with you as a fast talking real estate agent. I think it will be funny."

So since he liked me I figured just for the heck of it to ask, "Hey, John can I improvise the scene as long as I hit the mark with your main points?" He says, 'Let's see what you can do." (I figured it got me more lines the first time so why not try it again.)

A few days later we shoot the scene, and this time I go from two lines to a two-minute scene. We shoot it in a few takes, from different angles, we are all happy and I go home.

A few months later I get an email announcing the screening of "The Signs of the Cross". This screening is will be in Manhattan in the artsy Tribeca section. It's for cast, crew and industry people only, no press.

I invite three industry friends: Lisa Wernick (producer - CNBC), Janette Barbara (former supervising producer the Rosie O'Donnell Show and now presently at the View) and Barry Brown (Editor - Boy's Life Magazine) to come with me and check out my film. Janette and Barry sit in the back, and Lisa and I sit next to television legend, Joe Franklin. (The man is in the Guinness book for the longest running television show in history. He's also the guy who gave me my first shot in television, with my pet fleas - a whole long story.)

Anyway, the one thing about a film is you usually don't meet the whole cast until the wrap party or screening because you are only working with the actors that you are shooting scenes with. I was surprised to find out all the people that were in this movie: there was Supermodel Carol Alt, Frank Zito, Joe Franklin, Tony Lip (Sopranos), Vinny Vella (whose been in tons of movies, like Casino), Dan Lauria, and Eileen Fulton who has played Lisa on As the World Turns for over 50 years!

We're all in the theater. Imagine my surprise when during the screening, my scene gets a round of applause. I was flattered. I also sunk down in my seat slightly embarrassed. Joe pats my knee, "Good job kid."

The film was great (and I'm not just saying that because I got a round of applause.) Reidy, did a great job with it all around, in the writing, acting, directing and producing (Yes, he wore all those hats.)

After the screening there was the after party at a place called the Pink Elephant. Our party ran long and we started to notice a shift in the atmosphere...all of a sudden there was a buzz that Don King was in the room. My friend Lisa had befriended a reporter who came in. She told him I was the fastest talking female. Since he already knew me, I figured there was no harm in suggesting, "So wadda ya think, the fastest talker meets the best fighting promoter makes a good picture?" He said, "Come with me." The next thing I know we are parting three massive body guards and I'm sitting down and chatting it up with the hair man himself. That picture appeared world wide in all the boxing news.

A few weeks later the film was entered into the Long Island Film Expo. This time family and friends could come. The theater was sold out to a packed house of 350 people!

My boyfriend, Steve, Mom, son and friends Jeannie and Joey came. The film was so well received that it won the Long Island Film Festival award. Again more stars were on hand, and again I was shocked when my scene got a round of applause. Can you imagine - all these big shot stars applauding for me. (Jeez now I sound like Sally Field at the Oscars!) Anyway you know what I mean. I took some shots with more celebrities like Frank Gio. (You may recognize him as the bad guy from the movie "Analyze This" where he plays Louie the wrench Rizzo.

Without missing a beat, Reidy entered his film into the Pocono film festival and guess what? It won that too! The guy was on a roll.

So now it's a year later, and needless to say I was happy when I heard the film was showing in my old home town, Queens, New York at none other than the famed Kaufman Astoria Studios, you know, the studio where The Bill Cosby Show was taped. Riedy's film had been accepted into the Fourth Annual Queens International Film Festival, which ran from November 15-19.

This time I was pulling the plug out and inviting some local friends. Well, 30 fantastic friends promised to show up. If you've ever been to Astoria, Queens you know that besides its reputation of having the second largest Greek population next to Athens, streets are hard to find.

So trying to coordinate people from all over to get there became a lesson in map quest. There were friends from Putnam County, Jersey, Brooklyn, Bronx, Manhattan and Staten Island - so this was foreign territory to them.

Add to that that the theater was actually around the corner from the address given so all night long Reidy and I played traffic cop. A slight hitch in the plans came when the movie was supposed to start at 8 and instead started at 9 p.m. due to a glitch with the film before us. So Reidy found a diner (yeah I know what a surprise - a Greek diner in Astoria!) for everyone to go to.

So I kept waiting at the box office and redirecting those waiting to see the movie to the "The Cup Diner". Slowly we were taking over the place. We kept grabbing chairs from other tables so we could all cram together - it became one big pre-screening party. The owner of course was a happy camper. He kept saying, "Drink more coffee, eat, eat! Stay longer." We kept doing our best Terminator impersonation, "Don't worry, we'll be back." My boyfriend Steve, who was beaming with pride, picked up the tab for everyone at the table. Now I really felt like a Hollywood star.

At 8:45 everyone made an exodus across the street and lined up by the red carpet. Yes, there was a red carpet (okay, it was only six feet but it was still red and it was a carpet! And no, I didn't bring it from home either.)

The crowd waited outside for the other film to end. In the meantime, Reidy and I had made arrangements to tape the audience before and after to get their responses to run with his movie trailer on line. Why not? They do it on Broadway!

So my friends got a kick out of the fact that they were on film. We had to instruct them not to wave at the camera, but just act like the wonderful movie going audience they were.

After the other film let out it was funny to watch the reaction. People stood looking at all of us, "Hey that movie has a long line. Wonder what it is?" I proudly said, "The Signs of the Cross." You should see it. So some of them bought a ticket and then got on the end of our line.

Once inside, John Reidy, fellow actor, Vinny Vella and myself got up and joked with the audience and thanked them for coming. Then the lights went dark and it was show time.

It was so nice to hear my friends laughing and really getting into the movie. (And yes, I got an applause break this time. But hey, it was family and friends. They didn't drive all this way not to clap!)

When the film was over John acknowledged the cast and crew and the audience members had rave reviews for the cameraman.

Once in the lobby, my Putnam Valley Curves friends, Dawn, Alyce and Christine went up to Vinny Vella and asked for his autograph. Christine went up to Vinny and said, "You're very good, have you ever done any other acting?" Vinny's jaw dropped, "You kidding me? Where you from another planet?" Vinny teased her for not recognizing him for the rest of the night.

We all went back to the Cup and celebrated. The owner' eyes had dollar signs in them. He kept refilling our glasses and plates. Somewhere around 2:30 am, his dollar signs turned to sandbags, and he politely went from "Stay, stay" to "Maybe I get your coats now". We got the hint. So we all did the Hollywood thing, hugged goodbye exchanged cards and left feeling happy.

The next day I got a bunch of emails and calls from my friends and family. "My mom saying how proud she was of me." "My friends saying "They thought it was fantastic." Then of course there was the funny email from Dawn saying their car almost got towed away! Luckily with a hundred bucks and some fast-talking, the tow truck guy took pity on them and the car came of the hook. Dawn thanked me and said, "Hey Frannie, maybe your fast talking is rubbing off on me?" I just smiled and said, "Maybe. But I think it was because you were nice enough to come down and see the movie. I mean after all it's really lucky to have a nice tow truck guy. In fact, the more I think about it without sounding corny, I do believe it's God's way of saying thanks! And what better way than an intervention or, as they say, a "Sign of the Cross".

To see a trailer of the movie please visit: thesignsofthecrossthemovie.com Special thanks to all my family & friends who came: Rose, Sharon, Athena, Spencer, Steve, "Joe", Ali, Jean, Richie, Kenny, Maryann, Selo, Melie, Vanessa, Charles & friend, Dawn, Alyce, Christine, Dale (and all the others who said they would show but I didn't get to personally see.)

Fran on the Big Silver Screen

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