ON MEETING KEVIN COSTNER AND RON SHELTON

 Ron Shelton and Kevin Costner on the set of “Bull Durham”

About twenty-five years ago, our filmmaker friend Ron Shelton came to Tucson to make the film “Tin Cup.” He hosted an opening night gathering for filming and invited Mari and me to come. During the event, Ron motioned for us to join him with a group of friends. After introducing us to Kevin, Ron turned around and introduced us to Don Johnson of “Miami Vice” fame. Since Don had not appeared in movies for several years, we were pretty surprised to meet him and learn that he would be playing a key role in “Tin Cup.” After stumbling over ourselves in apologies for not recognizing him at first, we then had a brief chance to talk with Don later on, and he seemed very pleased to be in Ron’s film.

Once production started, we were invited several times to visit different sets and shooting locations as the film was being made. It was fascinating to watch Ron and Kevin plan, shoot, and discuss various scenes, and then often redo them. We began to feel almost like co-directors of the film. Ron later told me he had intended for me to have a small role as the caddy for one of the golfers in a match, but the opportunity was given to a young actor who needed more “scene participation” to meet union requirements. I doubt I could have carried the heavy bag of clubs very far anyway. It turned out Kevin was a pretty skilled golfer, so he and Ron practiced some strokes along the way.

 Ron Shelton

Perhaps the most interesting thing about this experience for Mari and me was the chance to eavesdrop on the conversations Ron and Kevin had about the scenes right after they were shot. We were amazed to discover that filming technology has advanced to the point of recreating digital film scenes with remarkable accuracy. After reviewing them, Ron would instruct Kevin and other relevant cast members to reshoot the scene – and again if needed. There were no “sets” involved in those on the fairway scenes, so once they had what they wanted, the scene was finished and “in the can,” as they say. Of course, Ron and Kevin joked around a lot while working through the scenes for the day. 

These two guys had worked together before on Ron’s now-famous film “Bull Durham,” which starred Kevin and Susan Sarandon. It turned out that both had played basketball and baseball, as well as being high school pitchers. Ron confided that Kevin nearly begged him for the role of Crash Davis, a semi-washed-up catcher. As a result, Kevin, Susan, and he created a film that is now quite well-known, if not a classic. Ron and Kevin shared a lot in common and seemed to enjoy working together. It’s also clear that Ron has a talent for selecting the right star actors for his sports movies. Woody Harrelson in “White Men Can’t Jump” is a good example.

Kevin Costner

I should mention that Ron was a star athlete in college, excelling in both basketball and baseball during the 1960s. His father, Rathburn Shelton, was his first baseball coach at Westmont College in Santa Barbara, California. I played against him in an alumni basketball game and can attest that he was not only a top-tier basketball player but also played with the same abandon, focused in the name “Crash Davis.” After realizing his minor league baseball career was going nowhere, Ron earned degrees in literature and art before trying to break into film writing. He wrote scripts for “Under Fire,” with Gene Hackman, and “The Best of Times,” with Kurt Russell, before hitting it big with “Bull Durham,” starring Kevin, Susan, and “Nuke” (Ebby Calvin “Nuke” Laloosh), played by Tim Robbins. Ron has released several more significant films over the years, but none have matched the quality and fame of “Bull Durham.” He now has a musical version touring, with hopes of making it to Broadway.

As for Kevin, Mari, and me, we have continued to enjoy his highly creative and diverse film style over the years. Still, I must admit that nothing will ever replace our memories of the fun and privilege we experienced watching him and Ron work on the nitty-gritty of filmmaking. Of course, Kevin has become a household name far beyond the reach of his many diverse films, most of which were based on ideas and projects he created himself. The other night, we watched a movie starring Kevin that can only be called mediocre, titled “For the Love of the Game,” another baseball flick with some merits, especially Kevin’s acting and pitching, but it left one feeling somewhat disappointed. Kevin’s acting was okay, sometimes quite meaningful, but lacking “Zip” or real depth. I suppose we’ll have to dust off our copy of “Bull Durham” to experience once again the depth and zip of Ron and Kevin’s creativity. (For details, read Ron’s “The Church of Baseball.”)