The

' Rap' On

The award-winning play "I'm Not Rappaport" comes to
the silver screen, directed by playwright Herb Gardner.

LYNNE KONSTANTIN SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH NEWS

PHOTOS BY ADGER COWANS

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In his travels of Central Park, Nat imposes his good for his roles in Ordinary People and T.V.'s "Taxi") — co-star-1
I n 1986, a bench in New York's Central Park, near West
72nd Street, was dedicated by the city of New York to intentions on Midge, who just wants to read his sports page. ring with Ossie Davis, who reprises his role of Midge in the
Together, these two men — steered by Gardner — take the film — for the three years of the play's Broadway run.
I'm Not Rappaport.
audience on a ride that is as lively as life can be, and as
Now, 11 years later, Herb Gardner, 63, brings his play
Another park bench in
heartbreakingly numbing as the spirit to the silver screen, this time as director. And Rappapoi.
Central Park, several years
can be.
— whoever he is — has become immortalized in the film
earlier, caught the attention
Gardner had initially wanted Walter I'm Not Rappaport.
of Herb Gardner, who was
Matthau for the
strolling by. Seated on that
role of Nat in the
bench were two elderly men,
play. Matthau,
carefully positioned so they
however, who start-
were close enough to talk, yet
ed acting when he
not so close as to acknowledge
was 11 years old do-
that they were together.
ing bit parts in the
"There was an old white
Allan R. Rappaport
The Jewish News, with the help of
Yiddish theater,
guy and an old black guy," re-
Warren, Mich.
Solomon Friedman Advertising in
said in a recent in-
calls Gardner. "They'd be
Owner, Merry-Go-Round Antiques
Bloomfield
Hills,
sponsored
a
preview
terview that his re-
silent for long periods, and
screening of I'm Not Rappaport and
sponse was: "Are
then they'd yell at each other. Herb Gardner wrote the play I'm Not Rappaport and
Excellent movie. Very well-cast! En-
invited metro Detroit Rappaports
you crazy? I'm not
And then there would be si- directed the screen version.
joyed the wonderful scenes of the
(Rapaports, Rappoports, Rapoports)
going to learn all
lence, and then they'd be
carousel in Central Park (including
to join us and give us their opinion of
those bleeping lines.
the horses carved by Charles Cannel,
yelling. And yet they would come back every day; they
the film. We assembled some of them
You got me talking for 10-15 minutes
wouldn't sit with anybody but each other."
a Jewish carver from Russia) and use
for our JNE cover photo by photog-
of carousel mugc. Another great scene
Herb Gardner, a playwright whose A Thousand Clowns without a stop. You do it as a movie,
rapher Glenn Triest. The main top-
had already been nominated for a Tony Award for Best I'll do it."
was the one in which Danforth at-
ic of conversation: the correct spelling
The part of Nat in the play eventu-
tempts to fire Midge Carter.
Play, was at the time busy writing something else entire-
of their surname! From left to right
ally
went
to
Judd
Hirsch
(best
known
ly. But this scene which he encountered by happenstance
they are Front Row: Stuart
became the inspiration for
Rating: 3 11 2 bagels
Rappaport, Janet Rappa-
what was to become one of the
with cream cheese and lox
port, Nicole Rappaport,
most honored and successful
Chrissy Rappaport, Ann
Broadway plays in American
Rappaport, Gary Rappa-
Janet Hoffer R..appaport
theater history, and what has
port; Second Row: Jean
Southfield
now been adapted into the
Rappaport, Elliot Rappa-
Teacher
soon-to-be-released film, I'm
port, Raymond Rappaport,
Not Rappaport.
Carol Rapaport, Coni Ra-
The title, taken from an old-
paport, Stan Rapaport;
time vaudeville schtick, is the
Third Row: Diane Rapa-
routine that the character Nat
port, Marie Rappaport,
uses to diffuse the tension he
Ron Rappaport, Jeffrey
creates. An elderly Jewish rad-
Rapoport,
liana Rapoport,
ical socialist, Nat, in his old age,
Linda Rapoport, Lorraine
is fighting stronger than ever
Rapoport; Fourth Row:
the social injustices that seem
Emmy Rappoport Good-
to prevail in everyday life, es-
man, Edith Rappoport,
pecially upon minorities; he's
Bobbe Rappaport, Michelle
Nicole Rappaport with her parents, Stuart and
the unthanked hero who, in
Rappaport,
Allan Rappa-
Janet Rappaport.
fighting the good fight, alien-
port, Mona Rappaport, Lin-
ates many of those he's fight-
It was a little long. The acting was
da Rappaport Solomon.
ing for — including his
very good.
daughter, played by Amy Irv-
— Gail Zimmerman,
ing, and an old black man, Walter Matthau and Ossie Davis give standout performances in I'm Not
Assistant Editor
named Midge.
Rappaport.