Interview with David Lambert

Compiled by Jill Kirkley

Shortly following Christyfest 98, David Lambert (Orterball O'Teale) posted a comment to the newsgroup! Excited about his participation, I asked newsgroup/mailing list members if they had any questions for him, and several folks responded to my request. David graciously consented to this interview.

I appreciate those who participated in coming up with the interview questions, and to Dave for being so open and sharing his Christy experience with all of us! :o)

My thanks,

Jill Kirkley

David Lambert, a.k.a Orter Ball O'Teale

22 years old (was 17 and 18 during filming)

Hometown: Maryville, TN

Today: He's a student at Southwestern Baptist TheologicalSeminary in Ft.Worth, TX and youth pastor at the North Baptist Church inMcKinney, TX

Email address: ORTERBALL@aol.com

INTERVIEW

1. On a typical day, what time did you arrive? Did you go to costume or makeup first and why?

Arrival times depended on what kind of scenes were being shot and what part the actor has in the scene. For example, during "Eye of the Storm," when Christy questions Orter Ball about his sister's whereabouts, I had to be on the set by 7 AM and ready for make-up. Typically, we went to wardrobe first, because the "dirt" had to be applied to our face, hands, and any other exposed flesh--such as worn-out knees--as well as the costume.

2. How many hours a day were you required to do school work? I know some were home schooled, but did the rest of you just get assignments etc. from school and utilize the tutors on the set? Was that difficult??

Missing school was on of the best parts of being on Christy! :-) Really though, it was difficult keeping up with the school work. Sometimes we would all file into the school trailers only to be sent back to the set 20 minutes later. But even when we did spend a few hours hittin' the books, it was hard to stay focused knowing everything that was going on around us.

3. I understand that all kids under 18 had to have an adult with them whenever the children were on the set. What in the world did the parents do for 8+ hours every day of filming?? [BO-ring]

Well, they slacked up with this rule later into the series. Parents began to car pool, and would bring two or three sets of kids with them, taking turns day in and day out. And once I turned 18, during the second season, I would drive Ethan Burkes, a.k.a Smith O'Teale up to the set. (Just don't tell anybody about all this.) :-)

4. Were you given any instruction on learning lines? I would imagine it would be easy to learn a few at home, but daunting to have to come up with them on cue the first couple of times.

Now, I never did have extensive lines--just watch "Eye of the Storm" and "Ghost Story" and you'll see what I mean. What was more challenging I thought were the physical side of things, hitting your mark right (stopping and standing where you are supposed to), working with some of the props, running on the playground without your glasses knowing there have been pigs there! That kind of stuff.

5. Were you given special instructions on aspects of mountain life - for example, we know that adult actors who didn't know how to ride were given riding lessons. Did they take you children aside and teach you how to do anything in particular?

Yes, they taught us some songs and games children then played. They also helped us get into character. For example, mountain people in the early 1900's behaved a certain way at church. Not at all in the casual manner we do. Church was a big thing then, a community thing. There were aspects of that we had to learn to make it "real."

6. Was it hard to learn to not look at the camera? Was it tempting - come on, be honest!

The only difficulty I had with looking into the camera lens, was when it would stand in place of a character while getting their perspective on you. The actor would stand behind the camera and recite his/her lines. But we would have to look at a piece of tape on the outer edge of the lens and act to it. I had to fight the impulse to let my eyes wander into the lens. Other than that, it was easy to forget the camera was even there.

7. What kind of comments would the director say before shooting a scene - would he say, "Okay, everyone is confused in this scene so look puzzled" - something like that? Would he say more - you know, a whole paragraph of introduction or just give a few instructions and start in?

Once again, the director's instructions depended on the scene. If it was a typical school room scene with Christy teaching, then there were very few instructions. One scene that pops to mind is in the 2-hour pilot, where the school has been burnt and all the books and desks destroyed. Director Michael Rhodes went into detail helping us understand the impact it would have on the children to see this destruction. He really helped us get into character and experience the emotions those children would have had. When I had to lie to Miz Christy about where Becky was, Michael Rhodes told me to be stubborn and to look somewhat afraid. We filmed it once where he told me to keep glancing at the trap door--since that is where she would later be found, but we went with the shot without it. So often times, we would be given different instructions and they would go with the better cuts.

8. What kind of critiques or comments would the director make if he wanted something improved or different? Would he say, "More confused -look totally dumbfounded" or "Not *that* confused!! Hold back a little".

Yeah, after each take there would usually be some tip or suggestion made. This was especially true of the children and other background actors in a scene. If on the playground, we would be told to be more quite, then maybe louder. We need to play "bigger" or look like we're having more fun (which can be hard in 40 degree temperatures with no shoes on!)

9. How many takes on average to film a scene? Did it get tedious sometimes?

Some scenes could be shot once and that's it. Others would go on and on and on and, well you get the picture. We would sometimes cheer when we heard the word "Print!" That means it was a great shot and they'll go with it--move on to a different scene. We actually spent a whole day filming the funeral scene for Eben O'Teale in "Ghost Story," which only lasts about 5 minutes or so on screen.

10. Directors direct, camera men run the cameras, makeup people do makeup, but what does a producer do on a typical day on the set?

Needless to say, Ken was fantastic!! His activities would vary from time to time. Of course a lot of his work went on back in California, and would sometimes be a week or more away from the set. He would mingle with people and just spend time with them. He would encourage and affirm us. Often Ken helped set the tone for a scene or an episode. Personally, I can remember helping Ken pick out hymns for us to sing in a church scene, and he would help us all practice it before the shoot. And then, there were days Ken would escort "important" people visiting the set. But one thing was certain, he knew your name and he cared personally about you.

11. If you had a long stretch between a scene shot early and one shot late in the day, what would you do with yourself after you finished your schoolwork?

They would take us out to an area that would not interfere with the shot and we would play Frisbee, flag football, or practice 1912 games for a later scene. But lots of the time, we would sit around the set while they shot, frequent craft service (the food and drink table), and just hang out.

12. Did the guys have to keep their hair the same length? What special instructions were you given about your appearance?

Funny you should ask. I actually got in trouble one day because I went and got a hair cut. My character had started wearing a hat (it was getting really cold then) and my hair was just driving me crazy. So my mom trimmed it just a little bit. Well, needless to say the "hair lady," as we called here, went ballistic. She had to actually cut my hair again to make it look more rugged and unkept. Our hair was property of MTM, it was not our own. (I guess you could say we were "bought with a price"!)

13. How in the world did you film in the summer?? It can be SO hot up there and so humid!! And the bugs - how did you guys fight all the elements and Mother Nature??

We just put up with it. Wearing all that wool clothing, long sleeves and long pants, and sometimes hats--it was awful. But they kept us hydrated, bringing drinks out after every take. Several people started carrying around those hand-held fans and would cool themselves between takes. The scene where Sam Houston plays dead and all the girls cry and kiss all over him was one of the hottest scenes I can remember filming. It was out in the open, in semi-high grass, and the heat and bugs were terrible. But I would prefer the summer shooting any day compared to the winter filming.

14. What happened if you were in a scene and got sick that day and couldn't make it?

That never personally happened to me. And I can't remember an incident of that right now.

15. This may be a dumb question, but when you got a script, did you read the whole thing so you would know the entire story line, or did you just go over your part? I can't imagine the younger children understanding the whole story sometimes.

Meredith, the children's coordinator, was fantastic at explaining each scene to the little kids and how it fit into the bigger picture. For me, I did read each script as I got one. Some episodes I never saw a complete script, but that's where the director's instructions came in.

16. After you got your script, was there a formal rehearsal or read through before you filmed?

In "Eye of the Storm" my speaking part constituted an entire scene, focusing on Orter and Christy. After wardrobe, make-up, and breakfast. Kellin, Mike Fash, and Michael Rhodes and I went to the set and ran through the scene very roughly to get a feel for where the camera would be, where Kellin and I would be, and how the scene would move. We paced it out. But then we waited until all the crew, lighting, camera, and school children were in place. Then, we just started filming. As for the smaller kids, their parents or Meredith would help them learn their lines, often just taking it one shot at a time. But these kids were very talented and caught onto things very quickly.

17. What was the toughest thing for you in the filming experience on the set?

I think the most difficult thing for me was keeping a professional attitude about things. It was very easy to get caught up in all the excitement of being on a TV show. Between takes, it was easy to get bored and therefore get into mischief. I was one of the oldest "child actors" on the set, so I had to be around kids younger than me all day but I wanted to associate with the "adults" on the set. It was a tough balancing act some days.

18. Would you do it again?

I would jump at the opportunity to work on television again, specifically Christy. But of course, I would have to pray about that. If it is not in God's plans for me, then I don't desire to do it. (But we can hope, can't we?!)

19. Would you do another (different) tv show or movie?

Yes, but I would be very discerning about it's content and nature. I would not star in a Jim Carrey movie or in Melrose Place, etc.

20. What was your favorite scene? least favorite?

That's a hard one. Definitely, my favorite scene would be my speaking part with Kellie Martin in "Eye of the Storm." That was just an unbelievable experience. I was so excited that day! My least favorite scene was when Christy came to visit the O'Teale cabin in the pilot. That boiling, steaming pot of stuff outside the house really stunk!! They actually had stuff "cooking" in that thing and it did NOT smell good. But we had to stand and breath that all day long. It was no fun at all.

21. Was filming out of sequence difficult?

Not particularly. We had "call sheets" that spelled out each scene we were to shoot that day. It helped keep us in perspective.

22. What surprised you the most about this entire Christy experience?

What has amazed and surprised me more than anything is how God has worked through Christy from beginning to today. From what I have personally seen and heard from Ken Wales, there is no doubt in my mind God's hand was upon this and I believe still is. This was climaxed for me in the CF '98. I was floored by the response of the fans from all over the country. It was a fun, fun day and a great experience. I absolutely loved it, and it was so much better than I could have ever expected.

23. Did you film on Sat or Sundays?

I can't say they NEVER filmed on weekends, but I never did. Saturdays were usually scouting days. They would use that time to scout locations for future episodes. And they would also use that time to prepare for the next episode shoot (episodes were usually filmed from Mon-Fri, with some overlapping). And also, cast members would often fly or drive home for the weekend to visit family and friends and get away from the set.

24. Did filming a Christian story present any problems or challenges for some of the (adult) cast who might or might not have been churchgoers or believers? Did it ever occur that the scene would have to be stopped because of a lack of understanding of what the Christian message was or was about?

This was not a prevalent issue, mainly because these were professional and very talented actors. They did their homework. Plus, Ken and Michael kept us aware of what things meant to these people, of the impact a scene had. I found it interesting that Randall Batinkoff (David Grantland) was playing a preacher while in reality he was Jewish. Other than the school/church house, he had never stepped foot in a church. But those of us who were Christians had a profound opportunity to live out our faith and witness to these people. Randall and Stewart and I had some very good conversations about Christ.

25. Were the sets as authentic as they looked? I was totally impressed with the sets and props.

Most of the props and furniture used were authentic 1912 antiques. What was constructed for the show was done so with utmost detail to accuracy. I often felt like we were in 1912 Cutter Gap!

26. How did the town of Townsend react to the Hollywood film crew, actors, etc. descending on the "peaceful side of the Smokies"?

Blount County, and Townsend in particular, welcomed the cast and crew of Christy. It brought them business, helped spread the word about Townsend, and has since definitely been a further pull for tourists. However, some people were a little hurt and upset by some cast members referring to Townsend in interviews as a backwoods place without modern conveniences. Other than those few incidents, the relationship was mutually beneficial.

27. What is your opinion of acting as a career?

A career in acting would be a difficult one to have. From what I understand most famous actors had a rough start. It's not something you get a degree in and the next week get hired. But I think it would be a very rewarding career. Anything you believe strongly in, that can help and influence others for good, and get great satisfaction from doing would be a great career to have.

28. How did you get the role of Orterball O'Teale?

I got an application from the Blount County Chamber of Commerce, filled it out and sent it in with a picture. I never expected to hear back. Three days later, I got a phone call. They told me to come in to be fitted for wardrobe and to fill out some papers. I don't have to tell you I was bouncing off the walls! It was so surreal to think that I was going to act in a television show!! I never had to audition. I truly believe it was all God's doing. When I went in that day to the production office at the old Townsend school, they gave me the name of my character. At first I thought Meredith said his name was Oder Ball!! But that night (it was a Wed.) at church, I checked out Christy from the church library. It was the original printing--an old book! I skimmed the whole thing looking for "Orter Ball O'Teale" and read everything I could about him.

29. What was the relationship between adult cast/crew and the children like?

The adult cast and the crew were fantastic. They treated us in most respects as equals. I would find myself eating with Randall or Kellie or Tyne at lunch. During breaks Mike Fash would explain the camera to me. Many genuine friendships were built between the children and the adults. I cannot imagine a better TV set to work on than Christy.

Thank you so much for letting me talk about something so close to my heart. Any time I can do anything, just let me know!!

Grace and Peace,

David Lambert