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16 I M PS E . O R G "How do you do? I'm Ms. Hepburn. I don't remember seeing you on the set." "Oh, we don't get to be on the set. We come on after the film is edited. Have you seen it yet? It's a wonderful film." "Oh, I never watch my films," she said. "Well, you and Henry (Fonda) work so well together it feels like you've been a couple forever." "It's all in the writing, isn't it? I just say the words." I didn't want to argue with her about that! "Well," I said, "You should really see it. It's a great film and you and Henry have such good chemistry." There was a pause in our dialogue so I thought I would go out on a limb. I looked right into her eyes and said, "I just want you to know … that I feel like you and I have a spiritual connection." Pause. My heart was racing. She met my eyes and said, "Thank you my dear." She grabbed my hand with both of hers, gave them a little shake and then she was off. I was in a daze. I had already been around many "stars" by this point in my career. But Katharine Hepburn!? She was a living legend. I felt so lucky to have met her—all because I was down the hall from the director who left his door open so I could overhear his conversations. My last union job was at Universal in 2014 where no one ate lunch together anymore. Editors went to the commissary, grabbed some food and went back to their windowless edit rooms and closed the door. I hope that younger editors get the chance to co-mingle with the film editor and the director. When I direct my feature, I will make sure everyone who wants to, will join me for lunch so we can swap stories and create new ones. Now, as most of us are still working from home due to COVID, Peter Comley, a sound editor in Seattle, Washington, writes: "Worst disadvantage of working from home: I can't afford a soundproof house. Best advantage: My studio manager is a cat." Please answer or ask any questions by dropping me a line in time for the next issue! Visit Vickie Sampson: Dialogue Detective on Facebook or contact me through Wavelength magazine. distractions because I could work for a while, then get up and do something physical and come back to my chair and work some more. I could work late into the evening without worrying about driving home tired. It was very satisfying. However, I missed "the water cooler" moments with friends and colleagues; eating lunches together and discussing the film. When my mom (Kay Rose) and I worked on On Golden Pond (1981), our editing rooms were on the second floor of a building that overlooked Teru Sushi in Studio City, adjacent to CBS Studios. Mark Rydell, the director, also had his office on the same floor. Working down the hall from him allowed for overhearing information that came in very handy. The day I was going to see Katharine Hepburn in West Side Waltz at the Ahmanson, I heard Mark mention that Katharine Hepburn's secretary's name was Phyllis. On Golden Pond was recorded so well that there was no need for any ADR from Ms. Hepburn and I was so disappointed that I would never get to meet her in person. As I was sitting in the theater, my heart started racing. My palms got sweaty. I realized that this would be my only chance to meet Katharine Hepburn. After the show, my friend, Gael Chandler, and I went backstage and requested to meet Ms. Hepburn. "Yeah sure. You and all these other yahoos," said the guard, pointing to all the "fans" who also wanted a chance to meet her. "Then I would like to speak to her secretary, Phyllis." The guard's whole demeanor changed. "Oh yes, of course. Right away." About ten minutes later out came a very straight-postured English woman with thick stockings and firm, black shoes and wearing a white starched shirt. "I'm Phyllis. May I help you?" she inquired. "Hi, I'm Vickie Sampson and I'm a sound editor working with director Mark Rydell on On Golden Pond and I just wanted to tell Ms. Hepburn what a wonderful film it is. And to meet her." "She's in a meeting with the director for about 20 minutes, if you'd care to wait." WOULD I!?! Are you kidding!?! "Yes, of course, we'll wait," I said as calmly as I could. This was about 11:30 p.m. and in 1981, she was a few months before her 74th birthday. My palms were sweating with anticipation of meeting this icon. A door opened and two pair of very determined footsteps came toward us. I heard her distinctive voice say to Phyllis: "Sound editor? Sound editor? What the hell is a sound editor!?" "Oh my gosh," I said to Gael, "She doesn't even know that sound editors exist!" She extended her hand to me saying, The West Side Waltz played at the Ahmanson in 1981. She extended her hand to me saying, "How do you do? I'm Ms. Hepburn. I don't remember seeing you on the set." "Oh, we don't get to be on the set. We come on after the film is edited. Have you seen it yet? It's a wonderful film."