A strange twist on the Evil Roy script
Hi, all! I came to this board because of the script to Evil Roy Slade. Just like the other ERS aficionados here, I saw the original airing in Feb '72 and I remember laughing my a-- off. I might have even wet myself, but I won't go into that!
At that point in time, I was into collecting TV and movie scripts and after ERS finished, I sat down and wrote Garry Marshall at Universal requesting a copy. A year went by and I never heard anything. Then one day, out of the blue, the script arrived. I immediately dropped what I was doing and sat down to read it.
Here's where my little anecdote gets interesting ... and weird!
As you know, Henry Gibson played Clifford Stool, Mickey Rooney's bumbling nephew/deputy. All through the first 40 pages, we learned just how goofy Clifford Stool was. BUT, on page 41, Clifford underwent a magical transformation that wasn't noted in the movie. I quote now from the script:
"EXT. MAIN STREET - DAY
This is the main street of Willow Bend. The same street where Roy robbed the bank earlier. Next to the bank is the jailhouse. Clifford Acker and his posse are bringing in the captured Evil Roy Slade...."
Folks, had I been wearing socks when I read this, they would have literally blown off.
My last name is Acker!
I had to read that part several times before it sank in. What in the heck happened? Why the sudden and unexplained change from Clifford Stool to Clifford Acker, of all names? What a coincidence! I have never been able to figure it out to this day.
This past Thanksgiving, at dinner, the hostess asked the guests what their favorite movie was. Evil Roy instantly came to mind and I related to them what I just wrote here. They looked at me as if I were the biggest liar since Nixon. I even volunteered to go home and get the script to prove what I said was true. The conversation moved on to another topic and I was saved the 20-mile trip home.
So, there you have my reason for coming to this board. I hope all of you believe me about this perplexing twist. Please don't make me send you a Xerox of the script to prove it!
Take care...Happy Holidays
Dave Stool...er, I mean Acker