Describing Miss Catherine O'Hara (Welch)
is a daunting task. When Tim Burton called and told me she had been cast
in BEETLEJUICE as "Delia," I nearly dropped the phone. Word had been that
Angelica Houston was to play the part and that was certainly no disappointment.
Miss Houston is a fine actress from a legendary movie making family and
I am sure she would have done a marvelous job as Miss Deetz. But CATHERINE
O'HARA was (and is) someone whose talent I worshipped. SCTV was, by then,
far and way ahead of "SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE" in my opinion, and Catherine's
work on that comedy series made me scream like a fourteen year old girl
at a Beatles' (I date myself) concert. I would literally laugh til I cried
and could hardly catch my breath. She makes me scream with laughter. I
can say without reservation that Catherine O'Hara is the funniest woman
I have ever known. And I have known some pretty damn funny women.
Her skills as an actress and as a mimic are extraordinary. I was terrified
to meet her. Absolutely TERRIFIED. When we finally did meet it was in Tim's
office on March 4, 1987, which also happened to be Catherine's birthday.
She, Jeff Jones, and I were there to have a script conference with Tim
and we have all been great friends ever since. The making of BEETLEJUICE
was the happiest time of my life and sharing it with these people was an
unbelievable stroke of luck. Catherine and I shared confidences, told tales,
laughed, and worked as hard as I'd ever worked and loved every second.
I even introduced her to her future husband (BEETLEJUICE Production Designer,
Bo Welch) and made sure he asked her out to dinner, "and I don't mean lunch,"
I added for clarity.
Today Catherine and
Bo have a wonderful home in the hills above Santa Monica and two truly
delightful sons. Miss O'Hara and I get together to catch up on our latest
exploits and take in a matinee whenever possible. Earlier this summer we
saw "TEA WITH MUSSOLINI" and played with the kids. I will love this lady
always.
When the above Clock
Photo was taken May 4, 1990, Catherine was listening to Sinead O'Connor's
"Nothing Compares to You" and I was thinking, how true, how true.
