LOUIE NYE

Over the years I was fortunate to direct a number of highly experienced actors and comedians in my TV and radio commercials, and one of these experiences taught me that directing sometimes means not directing.

Early in my career, I wrote a radio commercial for a bank, tailoring the script to fit a comedian I liked a lot, Louie Nye, whose specialty was playing urbane, wealthy bon vivant types and was well known his catchphrase, "Hi, ho, Steverino" on Steve Allen's long-running TV show. 
     I managed to get Nye booked, and he showed up at the sound studio with a friend (a character actor I recognized) and took my script into the sound booth. He cleared his throat and asked me how I wanted him to read it. I told him I wanted the famous Nye sound, and then proceeded to inflect the words for him one by one, the way I heard them in my head. His first take was off, so I gave him some more direction, and the second take was worse. I think we did 10 increasingly takes. Everyone in the room was getting frustrated. Finally, Nye's friend asked me to step out into the hall. "Listen, kid," he said, "I've got a suggestion. You hired Louie Nye for the Louie Nye sound, right?" I nodded. "Then stop directing him, for chrissakes, and just let him do what he does." 
     I took the advice, and Nye's first non-directed take was perfect -- exactly what I'd heard in my head all along.