JAMES ELLROY:
FALLEN ANGELS, FILM ADAPTATION
"SINCE I DON'T HAVE YOU," was the second Ellroy work to make it to the screen. This one was based on a short story that prominently features Howard Hughes, Mickey Cohen and fictional character Turner "Buzz" Meeks, one of the three pivotal characters in "The Big Nowhere." The adaptation was one of several created in 1993 for the Showtime cable series, "Fallen Angels." Gary Busey portrayed Buzz Meeks; James Woods, in his second piece of Ellroy-related miscasting, portrayed Mickey Cohen. Tim Matheson (who was once attached to an uncompleted adaptation of "Because the Night,") portrayed Howard Hughes. Mystery writer Jonathan Kaplan directed. The original short story and the screenplay were printed in book form in Fallen Angels, published by Grove Press in 1993. Ellroy supplied an introduction.
Ellroy die-hards will note that, in defiance of continuity, the short story as written by Ellroy is narrated by a much older Buzz Meeks who apparently survived Hughes and Cohen: Ellroy killed Meeks off in the prologue of "L.A. Confidential." The Meeks character reappeared in significantly altered form in the 1997 film adaptation of "Confidential."
CREDITS:
Teleplay: Steve Katz
James Woods...Mickey Cohen
Gary Busey...Buzz Meeks
Tim Matheson...Howard Hughes
Aimee Graham...Gretchen Rae Schoftel
Ken Lerner...Sid Weinberg
Dick Miller...Morris Hornbeck
Robert L. Minor...Leotis
Dino Anello...Johnny Stompanato
Gary Grossman...Tailor
Cindy Ambuehl...Blonde #2
Elaine Hendrix...Blonde #1
Simone Wright...Blonde #3
Bruce Meade...Corpse
Michael Milgrom...Milwaukee Trigger
George Rodriguez...Man with Photos
Executive Producer...Sydney Pollack
Producers...William Horberg, Lindsay Doran, Steve Golin
Co-producer...David Wisnievitz
Directed by...Jonathan Kaplan
Director of Photography...Declan Quinn
Production designed by...Armin Ganz
Costumes designed by...Shay Cunliffe
Casting by...Owen Hills and Rachel Abroms
Fallen Angels theme by...Elmer Bernstein
Edited by...Stan Salfas
Story editor...Geoffrey Stier
