Los Angeles, CA —Aside from being a licensed investigator and an investigative TV news producer, I’m an actor and a member of SAG-AFTRA since 1997. I watched the late Phillip Seymour Hoffman play his very diverse roles with absolute envy.  Hoffman walked away with an Oscar for playing Truman Capote.   Capote was a flaming Gay toad with a real gift for writing that was very comfortable with his bizarre persona. Hoffman by all accounts was a straight guy with a longtime girlfriend with three children.  He simply had a gift to make any character he played really believable. Hoffman became his characters, bringing real life to the words written in a film script.  That took tremendous discipline that was very inconsistent with his apparent drug addiction. My first acting coach at Arizona State University made it clear to me that if I was afraid to look foolish or strange before an audience I’d be better off not acting.   I thought of how I really ...

New York, NY —Becoming a successful actor is incredibly difficult for most even if they have talent. Just getting a decent manager and or agent is a major task.  An actor without an agent is unemployed. Aside from my investigative and media work I'm an actor.  I did my best work in  community  theater.  I’ve had a SAG-AFTRA membership card since 1997.  I did a few  forgettable TV spots and  films before a serious hearing loss problem sidelined me.   I have great hearing aids now but my age is not helping me to get motivated again.   46 year-old Phillip Seymour Hoffman made to the RED Oscar Carpet winning as Best Actor for his role in Capote.  His career was on fire!   Hoffman was also successful producer and director.  He was currently filming for the Hunger Games franchise.  Hoffman confessed addiction problems and did a stint in rehab.  His premature death seems to indicate this was a...