We had enrolled him in an acting class near our home and this was his head shot. On the back was a resume. He had gone to acting camp one summer and played the part of Conrad Birdie in "Bye Bye Birdie" complete with a sequin-covered denim jacket. He was in three plays in high school, Andre in "Phantom of the Opera", Dallas in the "Outsiders" and Harry Monday in "Three Murders and It's Only Monday" where he was the star. He wore his grandfather's trench coat and a fedora. He was a big hit. Of course, I was his biggest fan.
He was an extra in a couple of industrial films and with the Joffrey ballet at the Performing Arts Center in Tampa where he wore a helmet that covered his face and held a big axe.
It wasn't on his resume, but I should also include his dance class at preschool where he and several other little boys dressed as cowboys and stole the show from all the frilly little ballerinas at the recital. (At least that is what all of the boys' mothers thought.)
It was a complete surprise when Nickelodeon called. He drove to Orlando for the audition. I believe Justin Timberlake, Christina Aguilera and Brittany Spears were still there with the Mickey Mouse Club. They were casting for a TV show. I think it was something like "Welcome, Freshmen." He went to the interview but it didn't work out. He didn't look like his head shot anymore. He had cut his hair in a short military style and decided to "muscle up". The man he talked to encouraged him to send in another head shot, but that was the end of his acting career. Some of his acting classmates did very well in the business.
He has a good singing voice and taught himself to play guitar. He has written many country songs. My favorite is "Little Girl Fly" about a divorced father sending his daughter back to her mother after a visit.
On his 30th birthday, I had a bonfire party and played Tim McGraw's CD "My Next 30 Years." He and I danced to that song 9 years later at his wedding. Today he is turning 40.
He is smart and talented and funny with a wicked sense of humor. His motto is "Don't Worry, Be Happy." He knows how to push all my buttons. But he has a generous heart and has forgiven me for all the mistakes I made as he was growing up.
He has a father, a step-father, uncles, brothers and friends but I like to think it is 5 women who know him best and love him most. His mother (me), his late grandmother, his sister, his wife, and his little girl. He is an awesome father.
Happy Birthday, Cory. We all love you even when you try our patience.
Here is a link to the story of the day he was born. http://grandmasunday.blogspot.com/2011/06/moving-day-corys-birthday.html
They grow up so quickly! Hope it is a wonderful day for both of you -- loved the birthday/moving story.
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday to Cory! He's a handsome guy, then and now. I enjoyed hearing more about him.
ReplyDeleteDid we know that our sons have the same birthday?? We celebrated Peter's 29th last night. His jaw is still wired shut from the fall (the chin fracture, one of three, is still not healed), so we had a three-course slurpee fest: a green drink for the salad course, delicious; French onion soup his girlfriend made, fabulous (he was tired of all the cream soups he's been slurping, and he never even liked onions before!); and strawberry shakes from the jam we made in the summer, so yummy.
Ruth, both my children have had broken jaws. Cory's was from a fight when he was visiting his family in Missouri. He had no insurance and his dad didn't have any money. A doctor in Missouri donated the surgery for his broken jaw and his sister and his girlfriend and I pooled our money to bring him home on the bus! That is one of the less cute stories about him. Of course, he told the pretty nurses and the doctor to do a good job because he would be famous one day just before the anesthesia took effect. My daughter had jaw surgery for an underdeveloped jaw. We had NO idea what was involved. Her jaw was wired shut for a long time. She became an expert at getting stuff through a straw (KFC mashed potatoes and gravy, for example.) I hope Peter is better very soon. It is weird that our sons have the same birthday. They also share an interest in performing. It sounds like Peter is very successful and having a great time with his career. P.S. Your slurp dinner sounds very good.
ReplyDeleteAmazing that we also have the broken jaws in common with our kids! Yes, no insurance. Peter was fortunate to get MediCal to cover all expenses in California. Now that he's back in MI, it's out of pocket, but not bad at all.
ReplyDeleteHahaha about the credentials you saw about Peter! You must have found their "fake" site where they were playing around. He is NOT in the R & R hall of fame, nor did he play with Cream or Bob Marley!! He did play with Lord Huron, who just played at Lollapalooza this year, which was pretty cool. ;)
Cory was a doll. I'm amazed that some casting agent didn't snap him up. I'm sure he's still a doll.
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