Free I'm Not Dead... Yet! by Robby Benson Page B

best friend and manager, Sam Ellis. They met when Karla was hired for the original Bat out of Hell tour. Sam managed, designed and held together the theatrical live performances world-wide, propelling the album to historic status. Sam is the ethical compass of all who know him (including me… that shows you what an amazing man he is. I get jealous, and I found it impossible to be jealous of Sam Ellis. He was heroic…) Sam walked away from his share of the management profits for Bat out of Hell when he felt they were not doing business fairly. Karla asked Sam to manage her and they chose Winston Simone as their partner. The three of them had great fun guiding her solo career.
    Back at the theater, Karla was tortured over the thought of telling Sam how she felt about me—and I had to trust her completely on this one. The very fact that she was loyal, understanding, a true friend and not the kind of girl who jumps from lover to lover (my past relationships… killer… but not Karla). But we fell into the purest love possible. I could hold Karla in my arms for all eternity and be satisfied.
    Eventually those feelings were so powerful, so undeniable, Karla and I faced the truth and, as I call it, we went free-falling… and she said…, “I love you, too.” The greatest day of my life. To this very day, that was the greatest day of my life.
    When Sam married his soul-mate Valerie Silver in 1987, they invited us and asked Karla to sing and our daughter Lyric (4) to be their flower girl. Sam remains one of our best friends to this day. In many ways, he is a mentor; a teacher—a great man.
    In January my stint in Pirates was finally over and I returned to L.A. But things were different this time—Karla had decided to take the plunge!
     
    Co-starring with George Burns in the television film of Two of a Kind was an experience that sent my heart into the stratosphere of humility. I was so honored and fortunate to work with Mr. Burns, who was 86 at the time and still going strong (he lived to 100).
    We had a sensitive script, by James Sadwith, a fine director, Roger Young, and a strong supporting cast, with Barbara Barrie, Cliff Robertson, and the adorable Geri Jewell. Karla made her first non-musical screen appearance in a small part as my counselor.
    Before shooting started I researched my role, working with ‘Dave,’ a mentally challenged young man who selflessly helped me understand life from my character’s perspective.
    Wise people have said, ‘Don’t meet your heroes,’ and I have endless sad stories to back up that maxim, but I can shout from rooftops that working with George Burns enhanced my life exponentially. During scenes when we had to sit in a car, he didn’t want to get out while the crew would do the lighting for double coverage (mounting two cameras on the hood). He felt fine just sitting there with me and telling stories. He loved doing his routines for me because he knew I adored him and thought he was a brilliant comedian—and now my new, true friend.
    One day he spotted a man in his fifties walking around slowly and complaining. Mr. Burns turned to me and said, “See that young man over there? He’s auditioning.”
    “Auditioning for what?” I asked.
    “Old age,” he said wryly with perfect timing. “If he keeps acting like that, pretty soon he’ll get the part.”
    When Two of a Kind first aired on October 9, 1982, our partnership received exceptional ratings and earned two Golden Globe nominations: Best Motion Picture Made for TV and Best Actor (me).
    Thank you, Mr. Burns.

     
    The Two of a Kind shoot also had my heart ascending to the heavens because every single day was one day closer to the day Karla and I were to be married.
    Unlike any woman I had known, she never dreamed of getting married; she had a negative, visceral reaction to gold, diamonds, and wedding hoopla in general. Wow. We were similar. I believe we spent 189 bucks for both simple wedding bands.
    I knew Karla was making