Tonight at the writers' group we had the inimitable Lois Smith, who lives here on Plum Island. Lois was once, and is again, a publicist. She used to have an agency in NYC and the first question someone asked her was, "Who was your first client?"
She thought a minute and then said, "Shelley Winters."
She went on to talk about "Bob" (Redford) and Bob (Altman), Meryl (Streep, of course) and one of my personal favorites, Daniel Day Lewis.
Lois, who just turned 80, has started a new agency from her seaside home. Her daughter, Brooke Smith, is also an actress and a cast member on "Grey's Anatomy."
It's hard for me to imagine a more fascinating person to talk with. She was profiled (but not by me) in the latest issue of Merrimack Valley Magazine.
Speaking of which, I profiled our own George Lawler for the July/August issue, yet to be released. This is yet another fascinating person to talk with.
I met Lois, I think, when I was doing a story for the Current about the Newbury Beach Committee and its efforts to build up that now-famous central dune on the PI beach. Then I kept running into her - while she was working on the Literary Festival, while she was on the Newbury Library Board of Trustees (she still is, I think), while she was arranging for me to talk to former Gov. Mike Dukakis through her work with the Newbury Democrats ...
Have I mentioned lately how much I love this place? And the writers' group?
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