More on Ivan Dixon ....
Here is another article I found on
Ivan Dixon ...
http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/california/la-me-dixon20mar20,1,7140312.story
See more below on his passing in the thread
"Sad News - Ivan Dixon" ....
http://www.network54.com/Forum/172251/message/1205952529/
One of the roles that I remember him most fondly in, besides his great
Elroy Brown in "So Long Patrick Henry" (and besides his role on "Hogan's Heroes") is his excellent portrayal of the "one-more-chance" prize fighter
Bolie Jackson, on "The Twilight Zone" in the episode THE BIG TALL WISH (1960).
I know this is one of Don McGregor's very favorite shows, also, and one that should have a prized place among Mr. Dixon's many career credits.
THE BIG TALL WISH
For those of you who have never seen this classic episode, here's a review from IMDB ...
"A washed-up boxer is given a magical chance to win an important fight, thanks to the "big, tall wish" of a little boy who idolizes him. This is one of the most underrated episodes of the series, featuring brilliant performances from Ivan Dixon as the fighter and Steven Perry as the boy. Remarkable for its time as a TV episode featuring African-American actors in flesh-and-blood roles, but had nothing whatsoever to do with civil rights issues. Serling's sensitive script and innovative direction also help create a beautiful and superbly realized story about the importance of faith, and the tragedy of the cynicism that age and experience can create."
And from Mr. Serling's himself ...
"Mr. Bolie Jackson, a hundred and eighty-three pounds, who left a second chance lying in a heap on a rosin-splattered canvas at St. Nick's Arena. Mr. Bolie Jackson, who shares the most common ailment of all men, the strange and perverse disinclination to believe in a miracle, the kind of miracle to come from the mind of a little boy, perhaps only to be found in the Twilight Zone."
And here's two more sites to check out, if you are interested ...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Big_Tall_Wish
("The Big Tall Wish" is about half-way down the page)
http://www.twilightzonemuseum.com/show/01.php
And happily you can now view THE BIG TALL WISH for free on hulu.com at
http://www.cbs.com/classics/the_twilight_zone/video/video.php?cid=621774886&pid=ulUDx15Y3a0ie6wnPNpEV0cpoG9JSg9Z&play=true&cc=0
It is also available on Joost ... (unfortunately, these appear to only be available for viewing in the U.S.)
http://joost.com/09401qm
And to bring this all back to "I SPY," - you may have noticed in the photos above that Bolie's trainer is none other than
Walter Burke - a.k.a. piano-playing "Sax," the guys' contact in "Dragon's Teeth."
In the L.A. Times article I mentioned above, they show this photo of Mr. Dixon and
Diana Sands in an episode of "The Fugitive." If Ms. Sands look familiar, she was Dr. Rachel Albert in "Turkish Delight."
"Turkish Delight" photos courtesy of Bulwer-Lytton
Jim K mentioned that Mr. Dixon turned his attention from acting to directing and directed many of the TV shows we saw growing up. And he began his directing career with the help of Bill Cosby!! His first directing job was on "The Bill Cosby Show" in 1970.
This is from an article when Dixon was honored by the Directors Guild of America (DGA) in 2000.
"Dixon also talked about getting his directing break on The Bill Cosby Show in 1970. "I had directed The Blacks at the Mark Taper Forum starring Maya Angelou, Roscoe Lee Browne, Robert Hooks and Cicely Tyson and it received great reviews. Bill Cosby happened to read the reviews and a few days later we ran into each other on the Warner Bros. lot. He said, 'Ivan, when are you going to do my show?' I said, 'Tomorrow, if you're ready!' Cosby told me, 'Well, why don't you come on the set and start observing. And I'll give you a shot.'" After six weeks of observing on the Cosby Show set, one day Cosby surprised him with a script for Dixon to direct the very next week. From that beginning, Dixon would go on to helm more than 100 episodes of shows like The Rockford Files, The Waltons, Magnum P.I. and Quantum Leap."
For the whole article, go to
http://www.dga.org/news/v25_1/ivan_dixon.php3
And Jim also mentioned that Mr. Dixon also crossed paths again with Robert Culp, several times, when he directed "The Greatest American Hero" in the 1980s.
Here's a list of the episodes for Mona and all you TGAH fans out there.
- Hog Wild
- There's Just No Accounting
- Divorce, Venusian Style
- Price Is Right
- This Is the One the Suit Was Meant For
- Space Ranger
And lastly, here's Mr. Dixon's TV series "acting and directing" filmography - from IMDB ...
http://us.imdb.com/name/nm0228853/filmoseries#tt0081871
One of the greatest legacies of "I SPY" is the opportunity it provided in giving a stage to so many great black, Asian, and hispanic actors .... it was a true international mix of talent, which we had the benefit of viewing and enjoying - thanks in great part to Sheldon Leonard's genius and vision and to the production staff he so ably put together that shared his dreams.
Which brings us back to THE BIG TALL WISH ... and the wish that you always believe in the possibilities - that you never. never lose your ability to believe in the
magic!!
As always,
Tatia
~ ~ 
