Another One Bites the Dust

Cross another “to-do” off my list: last night I met and chatted with Charles Martin Smith , the actor and director best known for his pivotal “Toad” character in American Graffitti. I can’t tell you how many times I have been confused for him (not in person, mind you -- we look nothing alike and are nine years apart in age) in the film world, and now with the addition of a BBC television director named Charles Martin I have little choice but to eventually become a director myself, it seems. :)

Anyway, we met at a screening of Smith’s latest movie, The Stone of Destiny, at the Victoria Film Festival (my Film Threat review will appear in mid-February). Though we didn't have a lot of time together, we got to talking and he was as nice as you’d hope for. I had been sitting directly in front of him in the front row (sold out showing) as he introduced the film, and he noticed my name tag and remarked on how weird it was seeing his name on another person. Turns out he’s lived in Vancouver for a long time now.

I recognise that in the world of “personal goals,” meeting someone famous who’s name is 2/3rds the same as yours is not on par with, say, curing cancer or climbing Everest, but it is one of those “little things” one wants to do before one dies, and now I’ve done it. Hurrah!