Go behind the scenes with Beijing Playhouse director Michael Gralapp as he plays American General George Marshall for the CCTV series Jiefang.

Nanjing Airport

12:01am
After finishing at my day job, I rush to the airport for the last flight to Nanjing. I’m sure the passengers were thrilled when we finally deplaned as I spent the entire flight rehearsing my lines, out loud.

No-Star Hotel
12:40
We arrive at our hotel. Four stars? Not even close. Three stars? In your dreams. No stars? Right! I’m dragging myself up the stairs when I hear the desk manager screaming for me to come back. She cheerfully informs me that breakfast is served at 4:30am. I laugh. Who gets up at 4:30?

1:00
My agent calls to inform me we will meet for breakfast at 4:30am, then take a bus to the location at 5:00am. I get off the phone, curse my agent and decide to take a shower. No soap and no towels. I go down to the front desk but no soap. I call my agent and tell her I have needs. A few minutes later a very sleepy looking young man shows up but he does not know what I am asking for. I think to myself, how come I don’t know the Chinese word for soap? I pull him into the bathroom and I start to pantomime washing myself. Now he is worried. After another call to my agent, soap and towel arrive.

Breaking the Fast

4:45
The rest of the crew is already devouring their hard boiled eggs and mantou. I pass on both and look for some strong coffee. No stars also means no coffee. I think of my wife lovingly as I pull out the crackers and bottle of water she talked me into taking along.

5:00
We are informed that the tech crew is behind and we won’t be leaving for the location for another 90 minutes. You learn early on in this game to have high hopes and low expectations.

On Location

7:00

We arrive at Nanjing Presidential Museum. This is where a majority of the filming of my scenes is to be done and now the cool part of the ride. The reason us crazy foreigners do this is about to begin. The sun is rising and there I am with all of my five gold stars shining on my shoulder; 10 if you count both sides.

9:00
I shoot my first scene with the actor playing Chiang Kai-Shek, he is a pro and I’m nervous. The camera starts to roll. You can hear a pin drop. I open my mouth and, like a deer caught in the headlights, nothing comes out. I hear the director shouting “Cut, cut, cut!” My agent appears like magic at my side. “What is the matter?” she says. I smile, take a deep breath and say, “Tell him I had something caught in my throat.” “Action!” he screams and the General takes over. We get it in the second take.

Crackers Don’t Cut It
12:00pm
The Chinese never miss lunch and today neither do I. The truck pulls up and we all crowd around like flies to sugar. I’m standing in the street in Nanjing, half naked because the costume lady was worried I would spill some grease on the General’s uniform. And yes, I am stopping traffic.

Back on Set

1:00
The General has taken over and I’m feeling good. We have one scene where the General rips the Ambassador to shreds. I love these parts. I whip myself up and attack. I can hear the director yelling “Tai bang le! Tai bang le!” I nailed it. The crew, who rarely pay any more than a passing interest in foreign actors, are now lining up to have their pictures taken with me. The director is God and if he says great, no one questions it. God, I love this work!

6:00
The rest of the day goes very well. I am happy, the director is happy, my agent is happy, life is good. A couple of the other actors, my agent and I go off to eat some local dishes.

Check Out Time
8:00
I check out of the no-star hotel. My agent reminds me next time to bring my own soap and towel.

Back to Beijing
10:00
We board the last flight to Beijing. It’s packed but I don’t care. I’m tired but I don’t care. I get the middle seat, but I don’t care. The guy next to me snores like a freight train, but I don’t care.

Home
12:00am
My wife is asleep. She hears me come in. Her sleepy voice whispers, “How did it go?” I say, “A man fears fame like a pig fears getting fat.” She says “What?” I say “Nothing, doll, go back to sleep.”