In the 1980's Mr. Berkeley lived on Fuller
Avenue and I lived on Poinsettia Place a block above Melrose in Hollywood.
We were both in the upper rear apartments of our respective buildings and
shared an alley. Xander was a captive audience to my shower singing
and play rehearsals and the relentless cacophony of my social directing
and party giving at the notorious Ten Bungalows. We met talking actor
talk across the alleyway that separated our back porches. At the
time Xander had recently appeared in SID AND NANCY and was just getting
his prolific film career on track and he kindly encouraged mine.
Since his debut as Joan Crawford's adopted son in MOMMIE DEAREST, Mr. Berkeley
has had featured and/or costarring roles in 70 motion pictures and has
made numerous television appearances and is a respected stage actor to
boot. His career has taken him all over the world. He recently returned
from a two month stay in China and while on that side of the world attended
the Hong Kong premiere of his latest film SHANGHAI NOON with Jackie Chan.
On November 14th 1990
Xander sat for me at Ten Bungalows, holding the clock and listening to
Gram Parson's "Thousand Dollar Wedding." In the years since the above
photograph was taken, Xander has bought his house in the hills and, social
chemist that he is, gives the most wonderful parties imaginable when not
making movies. A kind and charming man with talents delightful and
rare.
Click here
to see Xander's long list of film and television credits.
