Val Kilmer
I love movies of all kinds. Some I have studied and others I have seen once and marked that space in my brain for re-use because they weren’t the effort to remember. I have been a fan of the movies that Val Kilmer has made over the years ever since I saw the movie Top Secret.
His comedic timing was awesome in that movie and the many layers of humor and inside jokes made it a movie for the ages. When he made the movie The Saint I was equally impressed with his ability to change his looks and voice to reflect multiple characters throughout. His Australian accent, Russian accent, Bronx accent, German accent and Southern gentleman accent all are amazing.
So, knowing this about me I will tell you how we met. I was on a plane headed to Los Angeles, sitting in first class. I was flying enough in those days that I was automatically upgraded on every flight. We were almost done boarding everyone when one last passenger came on and as luck would have it, he sat next to me.
He was trying to be incognito I guess. Ball cap, sunglasses, keeping his head down and quickly getting into his seat. As he sat down he gave me a small nod and said “Hi”
The serious cop gene in me kicked in thinking this guy is hiding something, and then I recognized him. I kept quiet and controlled myself. The whole time thinking WOW, what were the chances that I would be on a plane with Val Kilmer!
My mind immediately went to some of the scenes he had been in that I found awesome, and I was thinking of the one out of The Saint where he played a German during a meeting in the airport.
About that time the flight attendant came by and asked if either of us would like something to drink. I couldn’t help myself and before I could hit the verbal brakes I turned to him and in my best fake German accent I said “You vant to get some coffee or sum thing?” Which is the line from the movie.
He turned and looked at me and began to laugh. We both ended up drinking coffee and talking for the duration of the flight. He was very nice and generous with his time. When he found out what I did for a living he asked me if the prop phone he used in The Saint was based on reality. I assured him it was based on a real Nokia phone and he seemed pleased to know the production people did good on that piece.
As we disembarked I gave him my card and told him if I could ever answer a question in the future he had only to ask. He said he would and I honestly did not think I would ever hear from him again.
Then a month or so later he reached out to see how I was doing and to ask a computer question “from someone who will tell me the truth, rather than what they think I want to hear.” I told him I was flattered he would think of me that way and I answered his question. We kept it short and I thanked him for calling me.
Over the next few years he did reach out occasionally. Sometimes just to see how things were going, and other times to tell me about something he was working on that I might find interesting. One of those things was when he was working on his Citizen Twain one man show. He sent me links to his screen tests of the makeup he was working on and it was truly amazing what he was doing.
I told him that I hoped I could see the show if he took it on the road or if I was in L.A. when he was performing it.
Then the throat cancer hit him.
After all the treatments and down time he decided to take a video of one of his Citizen Twain performances on the road and show it to people. He let me know that he would be in San Antonio for one showing and if I had time he would leave a ticket for me at the box office. I assured him I would in fact be there.
I have very mixed feelings about that show. He was amazing on the screen and the performance was as awe inspiring as any other he had given. His few words before the show and after were difficult since he had to speak in short clips due to the tracheotomy he had undergone.
People who bought tickets to that show could pay extra for a meet and greet after the show. The ticket he had left for me was one of those. When we queued up his assistant kept moving me to the back of the line, which I found annoying but I reasoned that the ‘paying’ folks should go first anyway. The real reason I found out later was so he and I could spend some time together without all the other people. I had his assistant snap a picture of us together. When I look at that picture now I see how tired he was. I assured him I was humbled that he thought of me and allowed me to spend the time with him, but I also emphasized that he needed to take care of himself and we should keep it short.
He thanked me and wished me well. And that was the last time I saw him.
When I heard of his passing this year I was floored. An offer was extended to me to attend a memorial service for him. Which I politely declined since it was just for family and close friends. Right after he passed I watched several of his movies one after the other.
He will live forever in those films.