around behind the scenes. I decided then and there to become an actor.
"My parents insisted that acting wasn't that easy. I told them I intended to do whatever it took. They wished me well, but I know they both would have preferred for me to stick with 'honest work' behind the scenes.
"My first movie role was in a western. I played a cattle rustler who got hung. In my second movie, I played a bank robber who got hung. In my third movie, I played a train robber who got hung; that character was actually tried and convicted and hung in a regular execution whereas the others were hung by lynch mobs. And so on. I had my assistant look it up the other day. I've been lynched, executed or murdered in some other way more often than any other single actor. The reason my characters came to such violent ends was because they generally deserved it. I think my characters committed something like 20 murders and robbed almost 40 banks, trains, stores or stagecoaches."
He paused, grinned and then looked around the room, "I guess you could say I was one bad-ass son of a bitch." The crowd responded to that quip with another standing ovation.
After Luke quieted the cheering and whistling, he continued, "After my breakout role in When the Bombs Came Down," he was interrupted by a tsunami of applause, "... I tried a lot of other stuff. I did some heavy drama, some romantic comedy, and a bunch of action pictures. For the most part I quit stealing and killing and starting being, um, a bit more loving." He winked and the audience laughed. "Over the years, I suppose I have done a little bit of everything there is to do in the field of acting, and I absolutely loved every second I spent on a movie set, or preparing to make a movie, or thinking about making movies, or talking about making movies or watching other peoples' movies. I love this business. I love the craft of acting. It may not be brain surgery or feeding the hungry but I think it feeds souls. It has sure as hell fed mine.
"I have been privileged to work with giants like Braddock Austin, as well as virtually every other great producer and director in the last fifty years. I have worked with every one of the major actors of my generation, as well as a several of the superstars from the generation before who were my teachers and mentors. More recently, I have been privileged to work with and mentor actors in the next generation - or, maybe, two generations, come to think of it.
"I have never met an actor I didn't like, although I understand there are a bunch of actresses in this town who are not especially fond of me, on account of I'm a sexist pig, or something." He paused and tried (rather unsuccessfully) to look sheepish. A few old timers and most of his old girlfriends were bold to laugh.
He went on, "I've even loved most of the directors I've worked with." There was more laughter, but it was a little uncomfortable; everyone in Hollywood knew about the legendary feud between Luke and one of the industry's top directors who fired him from a movie early in his career and who would never work with him again. Nobody but Luke and the director ever knew what the fight was about.
"I have made more than 100 movies. Officially I have made 104. In fact it's more like 114, because I made 10 movies early in my carrier on which I was an extra, paid under the table, and they don't count in the official total. It was a privilege to work with the cast and crew of every one of them.
"I have won just about every award in the business, and I hardly deserved any of them. Acting is such a collaborative medium every award should be given to the entire crew.
"My parents are no longer alive, but I believe their spirits are with me tonight as they have been with me throughout my career. My gratitude and love for them knows no bounds.
"My first wife put up with a lot of crap from me, but she gave me two wonderful children, both of whom work in the business. She died a few years ago. I never had the decency to tell her I was sorry for being such an ass when we were married. That is one of my few regrets in life.
"My second wife, Lisa, loved me and put up with me for more than 20 years. I was a better husband to her than I had been to Janice, but she still put up with a lot of nonsense, especially when I was developing difficult characters. I am grateful for every day I had with her, and I have missed her terribly. After Lisa died, I went back to work because I didn't have anything else to do.
"Girlfriends, wives and others who came and went, but for most of my career has always been my principal personal anchor, with assistance from my housekeeper Chantal. Unfortunately for me, she was never able to gain much influence over my personal behavior, but she ran my household with professional efficiency. When my relationships crashed and burned or when I got bad reviews, Chantal was always there with coffee and aspirin (her cure for everything) and enough kind words to get me through.
"My professional rock has always been my assistant, Diane. She has been with me for more than 40 years. She has talked me into doing movies I didn't want to do and talked me out of doing other movies I wanted to do but which would probably not have panned out. She has protected my money even when I wasn't watching out for it, watched my back when I needed it, provided professional advice when I asked for it, and kept her mouth shut a lot of the time when I'm pretty sure she had a hell of a lot she wanted to say to me." Diane laughed through her tears. "She even bailed me out of jail twice and, then, managed to prevent those two little incidents from making the news. This award truly belongs as much to Di and to Chantal as it does to me. Probably more."
Suddenly it dawned on Marianne where he was headed. She put her head in her hands and scrunched up her face to try to keep from crying. Madeleine put her arm around her grandmother. Diane and Chantal were openly weeping. The audience had figured it out, too. Audible sobs broke out here and there around the room.
"A couple of months ago, I became reacquainted with the woman who talked me into making When The Bombs Came Down. To this day I can't tell you whether it was the movie or the affair with the woman that made the bigger impact on my life. For many years I believed that I had built up the illusion she was the love of my life as a sort of defensive mechanism because she was the only woman who ever dumped me, and I couldn't stand the rejection. I longed to have another shot at her. When we became reacquainted, I realized she actually is the great love of my life. After more than 30 years of separation and marriages to other people, we were married last week in France.
"Tonight I want to tell you that I am honored, humbled and unbelievably grateful for this award. I will take it with me and cherish it as I retire to France in order to spend more time with Marianne and my family. I consider this my retirement gift from my colleagues and friends in the most wonderful business on earth.
"You know the old show business saying: 'you gotta know when to get off.' I think now is the time for me to make my exit.
"I thank you, from the bottom of my heart for the best career a person could ever have."
The audience leaped to its feet in a thunderous ovation that went on in wave after wave of shouts and whistles for more than ten minutes. The telecast ended while the audience was still applauding. The MC was not able to regain control in time even to sign off.
Braddock Austin led Luke off the stage. A security guard opened the door beside the row of seats where Luke's family was seated and beckoned them to follow. He led them to the backstage interview area where pandemonium had erupted. Luke was trying to give an impromptu press conference but the reporters were all shouting questions at once and wouldn't let Luke get in a word.
The family entered the room and stood just inside the door. Luke invited Chantal and Diane to join him for photos. Then they stepped aside and his children stepped up for a photo op. Marianne stood between Christa and Madeleine in the shadows just in side the door, shaking and crying. Too soon, Luke beckoned her to join him.
She stepped up on the stage and the room fell silent. The reporter who interviewed her in the front blurted, "What did you say your name was?"
"Marianne. Mrs. Jean-Luc de la Peine."
Luke pulled her beside him and let the photographers snap their photos for a few minutes. He t
old them she would not answer any further questions, and then cut the interviews short by saying that he had a party to attend.
The party was in full swing by the time they arrived. Luke led Marianne into one of the rental houses and introduced her to dozens of people. She thought it odd that he never accepted a drink or food, nor did he offer her any. He never let go of her hand and he never stopped moving except for the briefest of pauses as he greeted his friends.
When they had made their way all the way through the first house they moved on to the second. Again they greeted many people without stopping to talk. By the time they got to the third house, Luke's residence, Marianne asked if they could stop to eat something. Luke shook his head, squeezed her hand and kept moving. Eventually, he led her out a side door where a limo was waiting with the motor running. The entire family was in the car.
Luke nodded to Lucas who picked up the intercom to tell the driver they were ready to leave. Marianne asked what was going on. Luke told her they were leaving for France.
Marianne looked around and said, "We're a little over dressed for commercial air travel, don't you think?"
Luke said, "We're not traveling commercial. I chartered a plane. I know you're hungry. The caterer