'Adventures of Scooterman'
מתוך הסדרה
Scooterman goes to Hollywood
Producer Gary David Goldberg is generally known for creating shows such as 'Family Ties', 'Spin City', but for children of Israel he will always be 'Scooterman' – legend of Israeli educational TV
Gary David Goldberg played the character of "Scooterman", the legendary motorcyclist that captured the imaginations of Israeli schoolchildren during the 70s, but this represents merely a dot on his resume. After conquering the attention of the Israeli people, he went on to receive nominations for several Emmy Awards, three of which he won. We Israelis, however, reserve the honor of getting to know him first.
Goldberg gave an interview recounting his childhood days in Brooklyn, among Jewish and Italian families. "The neighborhood was suffused with immigrant culture," he said. "We felt that America was the promised land, and that anything was possible if you worked hard enough and held on to the clear belief that tomorrow would be a better day.
"My father worked at the post office and he always had at least one other job, so we didn't see him awake much. Grandma was the real force in the building and the entire family. She was a kind of 'godfather' and any important decision made by a family member had to go through her first. It was a neighborhood in which everybody knew your name and your family; if an adult saw you doing something bad (like smoking) he felt he could punish you on your parents' behalf. There was something very comforting about that, in those early days before the 1960s."
Goldberg (R) as 'Scooterman'
Goldberg explained how he came to appear on Israeli educational programming. While traveling with his future wife in Greece, he was told that one could fly cheaply to Israel and spend time on a kibbutz. "The kibbutz fascinated us and that's how we came," he said. "We lived on a kibbutz near Ashkelon, and it was a wonderful time for us."
However Goldberg was soon in need of some cash. "So I went to American Express to check their programming schedule. There was an ad there for English-speaking actors, so I went to an audition and got the part." He added that he had no motorcycle-riding experience, "but of course I lied to get the part. The first time I rode it I immediately fell off and we lost a whole day of filming. Not really a good start for 'Scooterman'."
The Goldbergs soon left Israel in order to continue traveling, but the return to the US did not stunt Gary's film career; on the contrary. A few years after leaving Scooterman behind, Goldberg embarked on a new and successful film career as a Hollywood scriptwriter and producer.
He began by working on the set of "Newhart" as a writer, and then moved on to "The Tony Randall Show" and "Lou Grant". "I remember especially how nice everyone was; how smart and funny," Goldberg recalled. "People like Ellen Burns and Gene Reynolds, real legends, and I was happy and lucky to be in their company."
'One of my heroes.' Michael J. Fox (Photo: AP)
In 1980 Goldberg established Ubu Productions, named after the golden retriever with whom he and his wife traveled through Europe and Israel. Soon after, NBC bought the script of "Family Ties", starring Michael J. Fox. "The idea of 'hippy' parents with conservative kids came from our lives and the lives of our friends," Goldberg explained. "It seemed to be a good dynamic to explore."
Goldberg credits Fox with the show's great success. "The show grew slowly and ended up becoming a very successful program because of Michael J. Fox's genius," he said. "It was exciting to be part of this phenomenon, and I was greatly satisfied to discover that Michael remained the same considerate and generous person throughout the experience that turned him into a big celebrity. Not many people could have handled that type of pressure."
In 1991 Goldberg produced the series "Brooklyn Bridge", which he claims to have based on his childhood in Brooklyn of the late 50s. The show received the Golden Globe Award for best series.
In 1995 a reunion with Fox gave birth to "Spin City". Fox eventually had to give up his part in the show due to the onset of Parkinson's disease, but he remained Goldberg's good friend and colleague. "We produced two more seasons with Charlie Sheen and Heather Locklear as the leads, but Michael stayed on as creative advisor. He even managed to do three guest appearances on the show and it was wonderful to see him on camera again. He is without a doubt one of my heroes," he said.
When asked his thoughts on generations of children having grown up watching "The Adventures of Scooterman", Goldberg was hesitant. "I had no idea what happened to those shows or if anyone even watched them," he said.
"In 1998 I received treatment for my knee by an Israeli therapist. We spoke about Israel and I mentioned Scooterman and he just froze. It was like he had met Elvis. I thought he was kidding me and then he called his brother, they yelled to each other over the phone, and then I believed him."
