Missing Bill
Summer is usually an emotionally mixed time for me. On the one hand my birthday is this month and the small boy deep down inside of me relishes the thought of presents (Somethings you never outgrow I guess), while on the other hand it reminds me of the trip I took back in 1994 to North Carolina to attend the Western Film Fair in Charlotte and finally meet Bill Cline. I had been corresponding with him for months up to that point, having taken a big step for me and writing him a fan letter when his book Serials-ly Speaking was published. As we exchanged letters we became friends. It was a thrill to finally meet him in person, I don’t think there was ever a more generous and friendly man, he genuinely never had a bad thing to say about anyone. His passing was a sad event for all serial fans, he was our public voice, championing an overlooked part of film history and giving it a dignity that it hadn’t had up to that point. I miss his heartfelt letters of friendship and being able to discuss the intricate minutia of our shared hobby. The world is a little more lonely without him in it.
Discussion Area - Leave a Comment