The Briefing Room
General Category => Sports/Entertainment/MSM/Social Media => Topic started by: Rapunzel on May 26, 2013, 07:03:29 am
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http://trib.com/news/state-and-regional/robert-taylor-arresting-as-tv-lawman-longmire-based-on-fictional/article_40d40d40-1b3b-58e7-9124-c490600213d3.html
Robert Taylor arresting as TV lawman 'Longmire,' based on fictional Wyoming sheriff
This undated publicity image released by A&E shows Robert Taylor in the series ‘Longmire,’ which returns for season two on Monday.
5 hours ago • By FRAZIER MOORE AP television writer
Fans talk plotlines with author Craig Johnson at Casper book signing
Craig Johnson is a tirelessly friendly writer, a trait that was on full display as he signed copies of his new book, “A Serpent’s Tooth,” in C… Read more
NEW YORK — You may not recognize Robert Taylor as anyone other than the title character he plays on the crime drama “Longmire,” which is based on Ucross author Craig Johnson’s novels. But he’s no newcomer.
“I’ve been working pretty solidly for a long time,” says Taylor, with a wry throwaway: “Not that anyone would notice, you know what I mean?”
But not that he appears to be complaining.
“It’s been my goal to work as much as possible, and be as unknown as possible,” he insists.
Unknown-ness for the 52-year-old actor may be threatened as “Longmire” begins its second season Monday at 8 p.m. MDT on A&E, where he stars alongside Katee Sackhoff and Lou Diamond Phillips.
Taylor impressed viewers last summer as Sheriff Walt Longmire, who polices the Big Sky sprawl of fictional Absaroka County, Wyo., with a devotion that’s steadfast, laconic and sadder-but-wiser (he mourns the recent death of his wife). He is rangy and grizzled at an age where he can still whip most opponents in a fight, but knows to spare himself that kind of strain whenever he can.
“With young people, it’s how brassy and flashy can you be,” says Taylor, explaining his portrayal. “But you get a bit older, it’s about how restrained can you be. You have to feel it all, think it all, but you don’t have to play it — it’s just gotta be there, and if the story’s good and the script’s good, people will see it.”
They’ll see it on “Longmire.” Then again, they may not know it’s acting. The portrayal of Sheriff Longmire yields an enormously appealing and relatable character, while Taylor disappears into the role.
It’s a role he clearly identifies with. He arrives for an interview at a fussy Manhattan restaurant clad in a denim shirt, jeans and boots. Very Longmire. And while his broad shoulders don’t bear the weight of Longmire’s world, his voice isn’t noticeably different, issuing from somewhere deep as it gathers a rich nasal timbre and a Western twang — which is surprising, since Taylor is Australian. (Where’s his Aussie accent? “It comes and goes, mate,” he replies, for a moment channeling Crocodile Dundee.)
“I’ve always loved the (American) West,” he goes on. “I grew up in wide-open spaces, but they didn’t have the romantic history of the West. It was more just misery.”
He was born in Melbourne, but when his parents split up, he went to live with his aunt and uncle in a Western Australian mining town.
As a teen he worked in the mines. Then he took off, with the idea of somehow mirroring the artists and adventurers from his mother’s Bohemian side of the family, most of whom he only knew from mesmerizing tales.
“The desire was there, eating away, to do something different,” he recalls. “But I had no clue how.”
Among his many odd jobs as he sought an answer was working on an oil rig, where he took a fall.
“I just busted a bunch of bones,” he says with a laugh. “It’s all right. I was young.”
But by then he was ready for something with a future.
He got wind of the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts, which now counts among its alumni Frances O’Connor and Hugh Jackman. With no idea how, he prepared two auditions and got in.
He was transformed by this exotic, artistic culture.
“It was so foreign to me, so unusual and strange to be talking about things that I had never spoken about to anybody,” he marvels. “I just soaked it up.”
When he graduated, he scuffed out a living in Sydney, then Melbourne, as an actor, resolving not to rely on any backup job.
“I decided I’m gonna make my living from this, or I’m not doing it,” he says. “The last time I had a job that wasn’t an acting job was ‘88, and I’m quite proud of that.”
Among his credits: He was Agent Jones in “The Matrix” and appeared in the 2000 thriller “Vertical Limit,” as well as NBC’s 2005 “Hercules” film and the BBC series “Ballykissangel.” He has done lots of Australian television and films.
Typically, he was surprised when he landed the “Longmire” job. He first auditioned by sending a tape to Los Angeles from Melbourne — and figured the role would go to a better-known contender.
Filming resumed for this season in March in Santa Fe, N.M., which, with surrounding territory, substitutes for Wyoming.
“That’s another reason I wanted the job,” says Taylor. “I’d been to New Mexico three or four times before, and loved it.”
On one of those visits he bought a silver belt buckle with a Hopi Indian design of a bear claw.
“I’ve worn it pretty much every day of my life since then,” he says, and does this day. So does Walt Longmire on every episode.
And they have yet more in common. Echoing Longmire’s resistance to modern gadgets and fads, Taylor, after silencing his cellphone upon his arrival, proudly pointed out its ancient, clamshell vintage.
“People say, ‘You got that (crappy) old phone!’ But I GOT a phone! That’s SOMEthing, right?”
Facebook is another modern thing that leaves him cold. Someone else maintains his “Longmire” Facebook page.
“Not for me,” declares Taylor. “But I was never comfortable doing all that self-promoting. I’m just happy to be working. I’m in a great show and I like the people I’m working with and I can pay my bills. I’m lucky.”
But with a little more self-promotion, a bit higher profile, wouldn’t Taylor maybe gain the clout to win even bigger future roles?
“That would be interesting,” he says, humoring his questioner. “But I kind of like not being that guy.”
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Season 2 premiers Monday on A&E. One of the best series on TV, I was glad they ordered more than 10 shows for season 2. Based on a series of mystery novels... the cast and the acting is very good.
A recent interview with the author of the books:
http://billingsgazette.com/news/state-and-regional/wyoming/author-craig-johnson-discusses-characters-in-books-tv-series/article_d7c14ce1-97af-5541-acaa-e70a3e21b22f.html
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I, like you Rapunzel, am a big fan of this show. Taylor is outstanding as Longmire and this is the best work Lou Diamond Phillips has done in years, maybe ever.
I do wonder, though, why they film it in NM instead of WY itself. Not that I have anything against NM, it just strikes me as somewhat odd.
Any of you who haven't seen this series, give it a shot. It's really is good and the character Longmire will remind you of the kind of person Gary Cooper played in many a movie, manly, heroic, but not without flaw.
I came back to this to ask a question: Rapunzel have you ever watched "Southland" on TNT but in very limited episodes (about 10 or less per season)? That is another show I think very highly of and wondered what, if anything, you thought.
Back again: how amusing. I was just reading up on this show on Wikipedia and discovered, On May 10, 2013, TNT announced that Southland had been cancelled. Lol.
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Back again: how amusing. I was just reading up on this show on Wikipedia and discovered, On May 10, 2013, TNT announced that Southland had been cancelled. Lol.
No, I watched it on CBS before they cancelled it....I did know TNT picked it up, but just so much time to get involved in different series. It was a good series, though. Actually my husband was who started watching it first because one of the main actors had been in The OC when it was on and we liked him in that program.
I started watching Longmier last year because the subject matter interested me, anything set in the west with real men attracts me ~LOL~ (I love John Wayne types)... and I was pleased to find the writing as well as the acting is superb. I did notice the scenery seemed more New Mexico./Southern Coloradoish..... probably because they film in the winter to show in the summer and Wyoming would be too cold - plus there is so much filming these days in NM probably have more equipment available and not have to be transported up to Wyoming. Vegas - for instance - was filmed in NM.
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Cinc.. did you watch this last night? Curious what you think the previews were showing us for next week - which I think will be the season finale???
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Cinc.. did you watch this last night?
Negative. I have this feature with my cable service called "On Demand" which provides me with rebroadcasts of a number of shows from a large variety of different networks, including the Big 3 and several of the cable networks. I usually catch up with "Longmire" a day or two after its original showing because I tend to watch most TV late in the evening (I am a night owl). As soon as the latest Longmire is available I shall address the matter of the preview, assuming I get it. Sometimes "On Demand" provides only the show itself.
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After you watch this week's episode perhaps you can explain the ending to me????
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After you watch this week's episode perhaps you can explain the ending to me????
Looked like he's doing a version of the Sun Dance - a purification ceremony.
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Looked like he's doing a version of the Sun Dance - a purification ceremony.
Thanks, Plz.
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Lot of discussion about last nights episode on FB. I watched it twice last night and picked up on a few things the second time through I missed the first go-round.... next week should be very interesting as speculation is Cady was already in the grass when her car was hit and the guy hitting it and calling 911 saved her life.... remember he said he didn't see her until he saw her in the grass. Whoever slashed her tire could have been the real person to injure her. Probably the guy running Branch's election campaign???
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Just an update Rapunzel. The episode of Longmire I missed has yet to be added to "On Demand", a matter of some disappointment to me, so I have no comment as yet, or maybe ever, on your question. I did watch last night's episode, however, and at the risk of being ostracized, must admit I found the ending, the Purification Ceremony, more than a bit hokey.
That's my opinion and I am sticking to it.
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Just an update Rapunzel. The episode of Longmire I missed has yet to be added to "On Demand", a matter of some disappointment to me, so I have no comment as yet, or maybe ever, on your question. I did watch last night's episode, however, and at the risk of being ostracized, must admit I found the ending, the Purification Ceremony, more than a bit hokey.
That's my opinion and I am sticking to it.
Okay, but what about what happened to Cady? I think the bartender at the party stuck her tire... I do think it is also probably she was attacked when she got out to change her tire and wasn't hit by the car that did end up hitting her car....
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Okay, but what about what happened to Cady? I think the bartender at the party stuck her tire... I do think it is also probably she was attacked when she got out to change her tire and wasn't hit by the car that did end up hitting her car....
Honestly that is an angle which completely escaped me, but now that you mention it it makes sense.
I'm thinking you hang around a much more cynical crowd than I do. :silly:
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Okay, but what about what happened to Cady? I think the bartender at the party stuck her tire... I do think it is also probably she was attacked when she got out to change her tire and wasn't hit by the car that did end up hitting her car....
I tend to agree, especially when they showed someone watching her when she was dropping off the Indian voters.
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I tend to agree, especially when they showed someone watching her when she was dropping off the Indian voters.
and when I watched the encore showing I was looking closer at more details and noticed the evil/angry look on that bartenders face at the party and then they showed a close-up of the ice-pick in the block of ice. He looks like the type the guy who was running Branch's campaign would hire to do the dirty deed.... so I wonder will Cady wake up next week and clue us in or will Branch redeem himself and solve it? He's definitely putting pieces together.
BTW the heavy-set cop having a crush on Cady was a shock (to me)
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and when I watched the encore showing I was looking closer at more details and noticed the evil/angry look on that bartenders face at the party
Darned if I didn't notice that when I watched it but failed to make the connection until you posted what you did about the possibility of an earlier attack on Cady.
As to this, the heavy-set cop having a crush on Cady, I thought that was kinda cute (oh, hell, I'm secure in my masculinity) and did you notice how well he could dance?
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and when I watched the encore showing I was looking closer at more details and noticed the evil/angry look on that bartenders face at the party
Darned if I didn't notice that when I watched it but failed to make the connection until you posted what you did about the possibility of an earlier attack on Cady.
As to this, the heavy-set cop having a crush on Cady, I thought that was kinda cute (oh, hell, I'm secure in my masculinity) and did you notice how well he could dance?
Yep, noticed that, so did her daddy.......
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Rapunzel, at long last I got to see the episode I missed. It was entitled "Tuscan Red". That was all that was shown but as to your original question, Curious what you think the previews were showing us for next week - which I think will be the season finale???, that, obviously , has been answered as the episode from this Monday we now know is a two parter. After that, who knows?
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Rapunzel, at long last I got to see the episode I missed. It was entitled "Tuscan Red". That was all that was shown but as to your original question, Curious what you think the previews were showing us for next week - which I think will be the season finale???, that, obviously , has been answered as the episode from this Monday we now know is a two parter. After that, who knows?
I hope it is renewed for next season.
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Agreed: I hope it is renewed for next season.
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Agreed: I hope it is renewed for next season.
It HAS to be...... did you see the season finale last night!!!!!! talk about a FAST hour of TV... and that black Denver cop - what the heck? Talk about racist projection........
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It HAS to be...... did you see the season finale last night!!!!!! talk about a FAST hour of TV... and that black Denver cop - what the heck? Talk about racist projection........
. . . and bad acting!
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. . . and bad acting!
You mean the black cop??? yes. I do love Robert Taylor in this program.
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did you see the season finale last night!!!!!!
No, sadly, did not. Was out most of the evening for an RLC meeting. Hopefully it will be "On Demand" soon (or I may go into withdrawal).
Taylor is appealing, I think, because first and foremost he is a man who behaves like one.
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You mean the black cop??? yes. I do love Robert Taylor in this program.
I do mean the black cop. To me it was just a bit over the top.
Everyone else does a bang up job of acting.
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I do mean the black cop. To me it was just a bit over the top.
Everyone else does a bang up job of acting.
I almost felt like he was over the top acting because he wanted that brought into the script.... either way the look on Longmiers face as he was spewing things that absolutely had nothing to do with Longmiers character was great.... I'd have wanted to fly across the desk and deck the guy.
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did you see the season finale last night!!!!!!
No, sadly, did not. Was out most of the evening for an RLC meeting. Hopefully it will be "On Demand" soon (or I may go into withdrawal).
Taylor is appealing, I think, because first and foremost he is a man who behaves like one.
Darn, Cinc.. we need your POV :beer:
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I'd have wanted to fly across the desk and deck the guy.
Why, Miss Rapunzel, I do believe you have a crush on our Sheriff Longmire.
888heartkitty
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Why, Miss Rapunzel, I do believe you have a crush on our Sheriff Longmire.
888heartkitty
He is cute and I do like real men.
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Very well, I got to see it last night though why you need my POV is beyond me as I get most of my "insights" come from you. Lol.
Was that really the season finale? Good grief we have more than a few issues to resolve, don't we?
The black cop didn't bother me (his acting, I mean) as much as it did you and The Mom, and I thought it was interesting, given he's black, how they explained what drove him (Inspector Javert, I presume). I also agree with Rapunzel's assessment, the look on Longmiers face as he was spewing things that absolutely had nothing to do with Longmiers character was great.
So now we are left hanging so A&E had better do the right thing and bring this show back or the 3 of us will have to storm their hdqts. You ladies bring the lunch, ok?
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You ladies bring the lunch, ok?
I make a mean PB&J!
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I make a mean PB&J!
Oh, I love those. Have eaten them since I was a kid, still do, and am not a kid (chronologically) any more.
Be sure to use "crunchy" PB, please.
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Nothing beats a good PB&J, with a big ole glass of milk.
Crunchy is the only way to go.
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~LOL~ I haven't had PB&J since I was a kid... my fav was always BP with apple slices.... I'd have to bring the drinks.
BTW Vic's husband is sure a jerk......
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Nothing beats a good PB&J, with a big ole glass of milk
For me add fresh chips and some cookies (chocolate chip or oreo) and
"Heaven... I'm in heaven,
And my heart beats so that I can hardly speak.
And I seem to find the happiness I seek,"
When I'm munching on a PBJ so sweet (my apologies to Irving Berlin, but what the heck. Lol)
Is this getting weird?
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BTW Vic's husband is sure a jerk......
Right? She has a fling with some dude before they even met, then he pitches a hissy fit when that dude is stalking his wife. *sheesh*
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Right? She has a fling with some dude before they even met, then he pitches a hissy fit when that dude is stalking his wife. *sheesh*
Now we have her stalker says he'll be back, we know Longmier and his Indian friend didn't kill Longmier's wife...... so next season (there HAS to be a next season!) we will be working on "who done it" and why in the world did he save the guys teeth!
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http://www.deadline.com/2013/08/aes-longmire-glades-hit-season-highs-in-finales-while-awaiting-renewal-decision/
A&E’s ‘Longmire’, ‘Glades’ Hit Season Highs In Finales While Awaiting Renewal Decision
By NELLIE ANDREEVA | Tuesday August 27, 2013 @ 3:50pm
It was a good finish for A&E drama series Longmire and The Glades last night. The Season 2 finale of Longmire drew 4.4 million total viewers, 1.1 million adults 18-49 and 1.5 million A25-54, all season highs. Similarly, the Season 4 closer of The Glades averaged 3.4 million total viewers, 1.1 million A18-49 and 1.3 million A25-54, also season highs. But neither of the series knows its future beyond last night’s episodes.
Last year, Longmire was renewed four weeks into its freshman run, while A&E pulled the trigger on a fourth season of The Glades in mid-September. There are several factors that likely play into A&E’s wait-and-see tactic on the two dramas. First, the network has a new management team as part of the recent reorganization at A&E parent A+E Networks, so they likely are re-examining the entire network portfolio. Additionally, neither of the two series is owned by A&E — Longmire comes from Warner Horizon and The Glades from Fox TV Studios — which usually gives networks extra incentive. A+E is now putting an emphasis on building its newly launched A+E Studios headed by former A&E head Bob DeBitetto. And A&E is in a very different position than the same time last year, boasting a bona fide scripted hit in Bates Motel.
Still, Longmire remains A&E’s most-watched series. Yes, it skews older, but it still averaged some 5.4 million viewers (Live+7, most current) in Season 2, 19% more than Bates Motel, which rules the A&E demo roost. And Longmire‘s second season improved on Season 1 in the younger demos (up 6% in 18-49 and up 18% in 18-34) while keeping the total viewership virtually unchanged. The Glades is having a tougher time with season-to-season comparisons as its Season 4 is down double digits from Season 3 across the board. Still, it was the first A&E scripted series to stick and helped establish the network’s scripted brand. A&E is expected to make renewal decisions in the next couple of weeks.
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I didn't watch The Glades - though it looked like a decent show, too bad Longmire isn't a FOX production, FOX network could use a program like this instead of some of the crap they've put out recently looking for a hit show.