Sitemap - 2024 - Rick’s Substack

–– PINHOLE portraits (#37-45) from "WHOS WHO 1980." Enjoy! <https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B8P9G2VB>. Artist Julie Schachter hollowed out book, took film exposures =100 historical pinhole portraits.

"WHOS WHO" photos (#28-36). In 1980 pinhole-artist Julie Schachter hollowed out book, took exposures =100 historical pinhole portraits. Enjoy!

"WHOS WHO" photos (#19-27). In 1980 pinhole-artist Julie Schachter hollowed out a book, took exposures =100 pinhole portraits taken 45 years ago... Enjoy!

More "WHOS WHO" photos by Pinhole-artist Julie Schachter (here's #10-18!). In 1980 she hollowed out a used-book, took exposures, on film inside=100 pinhole portraits.

1980 "WHOS WHO" by Pinhole-artist Julie Schachter. She hollowed out used-book, took 7-sec. exposures on the film inside, and 100 pinhole portraits of artists were realized (here's first 9!)

EMERALD CITIES (trailer), featuring bands FLIPPER & THE MUTANTS. Starring Carolyn Zaremba, Ed Nylund, Ted Falconi (Flipper), Lowell Darling, and Willie Boy Walker (on-the-street Interviewer).

Here's QUEEN GERTRUDE, ready with her 'FROG-TALK' (...while humans go SIDEWAYS in '24).

––My first major ARTWORK/the first important sculpture to begin an art career––(didn't realize how crucial a 'mentor' was!). And a tribute to dear friend & collaborator Willie Boy Walker.

STICKY WICKET--The Trailer (MUSIC BY KITCHENS OF DISTINCTION). Shot in Brunswick, ME, & starring BARRY NORMAN (Rick's Canoe, No Tears For Bankers, etc.). <https://vimeo.com/ondemand/stickywicket>.

––Some of my 1960s sculptures; CAST ARTWORKS/white-and-silicon bronze for this "8-Ball," made while I was in the midst of a 1st marriage breakup.

NOV.5!/. Long time coming! Good day to enjoy some SCULPTURES from 1960s!)–Elegant ART by C.G. Simonds.

Nov. 4/DAY-4: (one more pre-Election dose of 'Car...'TOONS)––PUNS and such. Hopefully, tomorrow will bring a nice FALL day 4 all!

Nov. 3/Day-3. A bunch more 'TOONS by sculptor C.G. Simonds. ––ART 'cartoons! Enjoy! ("Powerful visual puns, raw & off the wall!" says Kindle & paperback).

Nov. 2 /DAY-2 of countdown–– enjoy "Powerful visual puns, raw & off the wall!"–– 'TOONS," by artist C.G. Simonds.

The Insightful 'TOONS (as in 'cartoons') by C.G. Simonds, included here (daily until past Nov.7) are the most help I can give...to deal w/chaos, confusion and basic dread surrounding this US election.

Dickie/RICHARD MARCUS (Actor; "TREMORS," & "24" TV Series, etc., plays a Waiter--'the 'last-auditioner'–– concluding w/climactic scene for (SHOWBOAT) 1988. (Clip begins w/actor Ed Nylund on stage).

Jesus Christ Satan, and "Return -O- Blob' acts/SHOWBOAT 1988 movie. (49 years ago!). Interviewers: Constance Penley (book,"NASA TREK; Popular Science & Sex in America"), & Kelley Brock Boen.

What is a screenplay? What's a script (4 a 4-day "feature" shoot?) Where does inspiration come from (the pizza man?). Art is not fiction? CRASH MY FUNERAL tries to answer these Qs, and more!

One more from THE ROAD––"The Dog Bite," and how it ruined the life of an olympic-level runner. ..(or did it?). A crazed hippie hitchhiker (me) SAID DIFFERENT.

4 STORIES from THE ROAD––HITCHHIKING (1969), when I traveled from Berkeley-to-Providence, RI and back in 8 days (to try and figure out my faultering 1st marriage...).

From "12 Dead Frogs and Other Stories," (my memoir), a 'Best Story' from 1969 ––"JOE'S SANDWICHES," about an ITALIAN GROCER who fed his community, for free. A hero I came to know.

EMERALD Premiers/NY IFP MARKET, St Marks/NY, & ROTTERDAM INTL. FILM FESTIVAL. And here's details on restoration to top digital quality--out in the world now, for FREE viewing!

My 'KENNEDY'S TWINS TRILOGY (3-novels-in-1) now on Kindle. My Substack posting (all 100 chapters!) helped me correct/revise/expand my book, so enjoy the big, fat 766 pages––free 2 read until Oct. 25!

FINAL SHOTS––Letting EMERALD CITIES Tell Me What’s Missing. And fate delivers me my third "trilogy" actor, Dick Richardson, upon who's head Billy Hiebert's rubber MARTIAN MASK fits nicely!

EMERALD CITIES wrap––Heading back to Oakland, CA, but still shooting!

Actors Kelly Brock Boen & Ed Nylund -- And last IMPROV Shoot-Day for lead Carolyn Zaremba@Charlie's Place. EMERALD CITIES punk bands FlIPPER and THE MUTANTS music will tie it ALL together in the cut!

Back in DEATH VALLEY-- EMERALD CITIES gets its Central Location (thanks to info from waitress about "Charlie's place"). SO, we jumped into action w/sundown set at 4:30pm that December, 1979!

While ostensively a trailer for THE 5TH WALL, this clip used the movie magic of Willie Boy Walker transferred to Maya (the girl-next door) to give TRUMP an out. So, we'll C if T missed his chance!

What is "NEW MEDIA?" Enjoy the TURTLE & GUITAR 'SHREDDING,' plus BUCKET-MAN. And attorney, Thomas Steel, explains Why I NEEDED to create A CENSORED VERSION of SHOWBOAT".

What is "MINIMALIST PERFORMANCE ART?" Doug Michaels just "rolls," And a "Spaceage" comedian does his impression of typical MARTIAN FREEWAY AT RUSH HOUR. Also-- artist LOWELL DARLING and his MOTHER.

What is a "GREAT PERFORMANCE?" Old Man River song...w/words changed for the 'modern era' (1975!). ACTOR ED NYLUND, plus unexpected 'Executioner.'

WHAT IS "TRANSACTION?" Here's Minnie The Moocher (Cathy Cahn), and a San Francisco BUS driver (Nathan C. Adams), the ONLY HUMAN in the world who can go into "Transaction."

WHAT IS LOVE? Here's answer in 2 acts from 1975, "Paradise Park" & "LOVE IS~." That should help define it...what I recorded almost 50 years ago!

Too much NOISE! (In SO many ways true...). In summer, 1975, this audition act from my "SHOWBOAT 1988" filming certainly expressed that!

Next will B posting the IMPROV of my 1984 movie, EMERALD CITIES. Here's a little taste of flick, from a REVIEW from Letterboxd:

MORGAN'S CAKE Wrap-Up (fests, reviews, good & unnerving screenings--The fate of a 'small' ($15,000) Improv AMERICAN (anti-war) INDIE FEATURE in the international marketplace! A rollercoaster!

THE KEY to MORGAN'S CAKE climax––it's about the "Illegal White House reproduction" entry in SF Chronicle's newspaper-GRAB BAG. That meant that I actually had to GET THE CAKE MADE somehow, didn't I?

MORGAN'S CAKE movie--it's actually all about the EDITING when you shoot IMPROV like this. If you had actors "freeze" & changed angles, w/great (B&W) images & storyline, then finish with a TIGHT cut!

During MORGAN'S CAKE, as writer/director, I temporarily ran out of ideas more than once! In NICK BERTONI'S basement I finally remembered his father's story. It's great MAKING movies with old friends!

MORGAN'S CAKE (87 min.)--watch 4 FREE: <https://vimeo.com/168153085>). I relied upon teenage non-actors for IMPROVISING scenes I instantly made up, as new ideas and filming opportunities crashed in.

Still runnIng with MORGAN'S CAKE! Check out the many IMPROV decisions that were made while shooting on-the-fly with non-actors. (Plus the 'filmmaking miracles' that came my way!).

More MORGAN'S CAKE scenes (even cast friend/painter M. Louise Stanley (<https://mlouisestanley.com>)as Morgan's mom--Watch the FREE movie here: <https://vimeo.com/168153085>.

The making of MORGANS CAKE continues... The "father" character, played by improv vet WILLIE BOY WALKER ("THE 5TH WALL," etc.), performs his hilarious "DRAFT STORY"––which brings it all together!

MORGAN'S CAKE ––more IMPROV thinking/doing as the story structure got built around unexpected scheduling (like painting Rachel's bathroom!). But invited to a surprise steak luncheon; w/great dialogue.

"Beach scenes with camera on pole" followed Jumbo's restaurant shots--my favorite wierd images from Hi-8 video camera (footage transferred to film @$50/min.!)

More from MORGAN'S CAKE--Scene-building/shot-by-shot info, with l7-year-old Morgan Schmidt-Feng performing some perfect IMPROV for the camera. <www.filmsight.com>. "A delight"-Janet Maslin, NY Times.

More on"Used-Car" filmmaking--How I got an agent, how she gave me a 4-yr. college English course in 4 hours, and kept me writing/improving a manuscript (THANKS Again--JAYNE WALKER, of Berkeley, CA!)

HERE'S the big "AHA" moment for my MORGAN'S CAKE movie (where and how the "cake" part of the title originated). Still amazed that this connective & great idea crashed into me!

Featuring another "how-to" film book--how MORGAN'S CAKE production finally came together after I had NO $, NO equipment (or good ideas...) to shoot! Enjoy this case-study. "A delight"––NY Times.

I will spin off of some of my Filmmaking & Video books (How my "Used-Car" book was created). U can create media for NEW Millennium's quarter-century/2025--There WILL B life after the Nov. election!

BONE-CHILLING CAB RIDE (1988). A story about my mother and me in the wilds of New York City--ironies came into play!

Legendary writer/director Sam Fuller helped me with story-line of my novel "COLD– THE 1918-19 SIBERIAN ESCAPE OF CAPTAIN EWALD LOEFFLER," (based on my father's real-life 2-year walk home, WWI).

BARE BONESMANSHIP (15min.).. about being addicted to treasure hunting/antique malls!). Featuring Casey Blakeman (wife), James Sworski/antiquer, & music by Charlotte Taylor, Annie Ellicott, Paul Baker.

PROSPECTS, An original Indie Western––Colorado Pack Burro racing is featured––by Curtis Imrie and Rick Schmidt. Enjoy this preview, and watch the FULL FREE movie below.

MORGAN'S CAKE (trailer & full FREE movie link). "A delight." --Janet Maslin, The New York Times.

ROUND-11. Art-After-Debate/works by Scott Sterling (1989), Julie Schachter (punk/Sex Pistols), Julie Eastberg, Futzie Nutzle, Stephanie Lutgring (Pt. Townsend, WA),

ART-ON-HOLD--Some Real-life stories instead, honoring '24 Debate/Vote 4 real-people, not thugs. (ROUND-11, from "A Treasury of ART, Undiscovered works 1966-2022" next).

ROUND-10. Pinhole photo & paintings by Julie Schachter, white bronze '8-Ball" by me, PLUS historical Don Sach's US stamp, all from "A TREASURY OF ART, PART-1."

ROUND-9. More works from "TREASURY OF ART," 1966-2022. Including Rosalind Radcliff, David Heintz, Justin A. Frank, Jim Pomeroy, Wayne Wang, Deborah Daucett, Paul Forte.

ROUND-8. "A Treasury of Art" (Part 1), works by Julie Schachter, Perry House, William Farley, Jerry Barrish, M. Ontoine, Joe DiVincenzo.

ROUND-7. The 'art-train' is still rolling/more UNKNOWN artists/artworks: Ant Farm & T.R.UTHCO, Perry House, Julie Eastberg: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09QRM8NBX

Round-6. ("A TREASURY OF ART collection (Part 1). (If you are iN THE BOOK. don't miss out on the thrill of holding a hard-cover w/dust jacket The printing is 4K/top notch (thusly expensive!).

ROUND-5. "A Treasure of Art, Part1 (OF 3). Undiscovered works from the collection of Rick & Julie, -- Paintings/sculptures, etc.; Rick Schmidt, Julie Schachter, Anne Idyott, Chip Lord, Anton Gintner

ROUND-4 (art keeps coming!). My "TREASURY OF THE UNDISCOVERED"--paintings/drawings/sculptures by Julie Schachter, John Stoltenberg, John Pearson, actor/writer Dick Richardson, Frank Tibbitts (1946).

Round-3** from "A TREASURY OF ART (PART 1)-UNDISCOVERED WORKS" by Stephen "Jules" Rubin (Santa Fe), actor/writer/video artist Willie Boy Walker, Joseph P. Porter, Lowell Darling, Julie Schachter.

Some paintings & sculptures ––by Julie Eastberg and Charles Simonds––from "A Treasury of Art 1966-2022." Enjoy!

A TREASURY OF ART, Part 1: Paintings by M. Louise Stanley, Gail Weise, Carlos Anderson, & Susan Langlois (Port Townsend, WA).

TREASURY OF ART (PART 1)--UNDISCOVERED WORKS From the Collection of Artist/Photographer Julie Schachter and Filmmaker Rick Schmidt 1966-2022 (Enjoy!)

2 FREE MOVIES; "MORGAN'S CAKE," and "AMERICAN ORPHEUS" (with STORIES' around their creation).

TWO filmmaking stories, (1) EDITING WAYNE WANG'S CHAN IS MISSING, and (2) discovering the future title ––"Feature Filmmaking at Used-Car Prices."

See EMERALD CITIES/FULL MOVIE (my 3rd feature)--4K Restored by Danish writer/director Nichols Winding Refn. (Features Carolyn Zaremba, +PUNK bands FLIPPER & THE MUTANTS).

MY SHOWBOAT 1988 FINALE-––takes Piggy bank, NEA grant, Rotterdam Intl. , and "Cigarette War" (Ann Arbor Film Festival), to get 'IN THE CAN.'

Big climax to SHOWBOAT shoot (actress Carolyn Zaremba works with future/famous Hollywood scriptwriters to give some grit/"riot" to the movie!

Making a 'Showboat' remake for 10K–––– adding my "1988" to the past Hollywood remakes; 1929, 1936, 1951 (the one with with Ava Gardner). Plus 12 frogs revenge!

EDITING 1st feature:--Solving the narrative structure (with help from Tennessee William's book, "Memoir"), a premiere at Bleecker St. Cinema/NY, and King Vidor's AFI grant for Film #2, SHOWBOAT 1988.

The making of my first films--collaborating with then-roomate Wayne Wang (Joy Luck Club, Smoke, etc.)

Hawaiian Remake.

THE HIGDEN MAN--The full movie!

My LAST MOMENTS AS A SCULPTOR/almost missed taking a video class from Phil Makanna/CCA got me making movies/writing books, & showing 'real-life fiction' on the silver..er..ah.(computer) screens.

Finishing 10 classes in last week of undergraduate art school days (impossible now, I'd reckon!). And answering, "What I want to accomplish' as a graduate student--become a 'Living Legend,' of course!

JOE'S GROCERY STORE suddenly disappears. And I can't help using thoughts about my marriage's-end in creating my artworks/sculptures.

After a summer-'69-to drifting around/ return to college. Pouring molten metal again and building a wooden chair.

Seeking the impossible––a free art studio two blocks from U.C. Berkeley campus––and it actually happened~! (plus got a '39 Dodge pickup for $35!). Some of the miracles of 1969...

"JOE'S SANDWICHES." It's about an old Italian grocer who became a very important person in my 'street' life/1969--he supplied some completely unexpected life-lessons!

Aftermath of hitchhike trip--marriage still unworkable, so life had me becoming another street person while awaiting college to start up again!

TO PROVIDENCE AND BACK––meeting a few more special people on my 1968 hitchhiking quest, while heading home to Berkeley (my 8-day round trip).

Hitting the road in 1968/hitching to East Coast from Berkeley and back in 8 days (what we "hippies did!")

PART 3 ***** ART AWAKENING. (How I almost quit art school, if not for TWO great mentors who revived my love of creation.

Getting a summer job on The Cape (1964), with odds over hundreds:1!

PART 2 ***** COLLEGE FREEFALL. First some skydiving & Animal House-type parties, before classes/career-shifts!

California Car Culture (or...'How I survived driving fast cars & building hot rods'–– luckily "a voice" saved me on Highway 101!).

RELOCATION--I was moved from grey Chicago to overly-technicolorized California (and almost immediately got in trouble!).

LOVE STRUCK.

BLUE TOILET FIRE.

"COWLICK," (I narrated this one in my movie Emerald Cities...) and more. Excerpted from TWELVE DEAD FROGS AND OTHER STORIES, A FILMMAKER'S MEMOIR.

Playing Dangerous Games.

A SMALL SMOOTH ROCK.

STICKY WICKET (trailer)--Courtesy of the Women-Only Croquet Club of Brunswick, ME (played to tune of UK band, KITCHENS OF DISTINCTION) . Also 'Croquet in Hollywood,' with Darryl Zanuck.

3-Stories––CORAL SNAKE HAT, TWO BREECH BABIES, and DON'S KNIFE.

True story about trying to locate the grave of 'Jack Wilson'(indigenous name: Wovoka) for actor friend Ed Nylund (1988, EMERALD CITIES, etc.). Wovoka originated the Ghost Dance religion in 1890s.

The genius of Thomas Nast-how an ARTIST actually controlled the outcome of elections in the USA in 1800s. His impact was 'beyond viral!'

THREE QUIET, OLD-TIMEY VIEWS/1880s- American moments drawn by Thomas Nast. (Each image, of course, has a "Nast" agenda...). Anyone nostalgic?

NAST'S DRAWING: "RAG-BABY" (of 'inflation'). APRIL 8, 1776 (CENTENNIAL).

"Putting a Head On" (Harper's Weekly, Sept. 3, 1876, by Thomas Nast).

BARRY NORMAN & I COLLABORATED ON 4 FEATURES SINCE 1994; Blues for the Avatar, Rick's Canoe, No Tears For Bankers, & Sticky Wicket (on last two he's lead actor/additional writer +co-producer/Sandy Ent.

Terry Gross/'FRESH AIR"- my interview about SHOWBOAT 1988 censorship (1 of 4 movies starring Carolyn Zaremba; also A MAN, A WOMAN, AND A KILLER, 1988, EMERALD CITIES, & THE FIFTH WALL (Thanks Z!)

Here's the 'SANTA FE' movies I made with friend Stephen "Jules" Rubin, including: MY BOUNTY HUNTER, MIRAGE, RICK'S CANOE, WHITE STORK IS COMING, & REAL LIFE.

3-MOVIES, starring actor/author Stephen W. Gillard: Chetzemoka's Curse/Dogme # 10, Release the Head, & The Higden Man (TRAILERS BELOW). Scenes were developed in an IMPROV flow, +real-life stories.

A Thomas Nast tour-de-force; batch of caricatures on big double page.

“CAESARPHOBIA.” President Grant had ultimately refused to run for for a 3rd term, opening the door for Rutherford B. Hayes, who won in a horribly contested race with Samuel J. Tilden (*remember Gore?.

"DOG DAYS" by Thoman Nast. July 11, 1874. Columbia is ridding the street of two bad dogs...(Caption)"Watch-dogs that ought to be taken up."

TAMMANY HALL (and his grandson's writup about Nast's full, ungoing attack on Boss Tweed)

Another Tammany Illustration by Thomas Nast: BIG bag of stolen NY City money, drawn for Harper's Weekly magazine, January 15, 1876--Centennial year.

Tammany/Boss Tweed––to left of throne––on Harper's Weekly cover/Oct. 29, 1870. (Great photo of artist Thomas Nast, drawing at his desk 1880 (scroll down).

'TIGER & LAMB,' --drawng by Thomas Nast, January 22, 1876. "THEY BOTH LIE TOGETHER IN THE WASHINGTON AREA." Democratic Tiger “I have reformed, and am tame now” Republican Lamb “I - I believe you.”

CIVIL WAR/Skeleton August 8, 1874, by Thomas Nast. (& more commentary From Nast's Grandson--after Harper's Weekly he was making paintings...).

General Hancock Gulliver, July 31, 1880 by Thomas Nast (lots of politicians to try and identify here!).

HAPPY 4TH! I'm posting my SHOWBOAT 1988-THE REMAKE banner to celebrate! (See TRAILER). ***And if in Brooklyn, please attend Premiere of my movie, CHETZEMOKA'S CURSE, July 12, 9-11PM Film Noir Cinema!

"The Lion and Unicorn, Fighting (again!)", June 17, 1876. (SOME AMAZING animal characterizations by Thomas Nast, Harper's Weekly (some symbols from UK...)

"The Haunted House" by Thomas Nast, from Harper's Weekly, April 8, 1876 (Nast's grandson's observations included below...).

TAMMANY 'SUITS'--Here's the full story of Boss Tweed & his theft of millions (BILLIONS in today's dollars) from NYC taxpayers, and the final outcome in 1878.

TAMMANY SCROLL––"In My Mind's Eye." Jan.8,1876 (another 'Centennial' Nast drawing). And 'the amount of corruption/power of 'Boss tweed' (third largest landowner in NYC!) is pretty shocking!

NAST DRAWING: August 7, 1875. "Princip-als, Not Men--A Lawyer Pleading for his "Client." Harper's Weekly Interior Page Cartoon Lampooning The Lawyer Defending The Tweed Ring.

"GRANT EATEN" (May 27, 1876. NAST drawing about Grant's problems in office. with a strong satiric stance on one of the many congressional investigations into the Grant Administration.

NAST "Scapegoat" PRESIDENT GRANT Cartoon 1876 "The Crowning Insult To Him Who Occupies The Presidential Chair," On The Scapegoating Of President Ulysses S. Grant.

ANOTHER NAST Drawings (11/2/1878 and others) of Samuel Tilden -he ran against Rutherford B. Hayes, who WON THE highly disputed.US PRESIDENCY. Click on links to learn interesting history!

(#2) Columbia & PUNCH (France) sit together, in this 1876 drawing by Thomas Nast.

"'Tis The Times' Plague, When Madmen Lead the Blind" (drawing by Thomas Nast-in Harper's Weekly, June 3, 1876--"The Centennial Collection")

THE 5TH WALL (89 min.) A sexy screwball comedy by Rick Schmidt & Willie Boy Walker, Produced with Morgan Schmidt-Feng. Maya in trailer is 'little girl' from movie-Willie's chosen 5th-wall successor!

BLACK PRESIDENT-Chapter 100. It now comes to a head... for imposter-President John Little. (That's a wrap for my KENNEDY'S TWINS mini-series! Thanks to subscribers/all others for taking a look).

BLACK PRESIDENT-Chapter 99. John is back at Fran's- sees Dali art melting everywhere he looks.

BLACK PRESIDENT-Chapter 98. Fran understands that John now has TWO wives. Henry K. keeps refining his plans. And there's babies coming!

BLACK PRESIDENT-Chapter 97. Cissy and John risk all with Fran...TOTAL BLOWOUT as she is TOLD about the SWITCH! Rudy learns about K's plan to eradicate military control in US with high taxes.

BLACK PRESIDENT-Chapter 96. Kissinger is ferociously up-to-date of the macinations of the armament business-teaches President-John all about it.

BLACK PRESIDENT-Chapter 95. President John sticks to HIS guns, as he figures out, with Kissinger's help, how to get rid of GUNS production worldwide.

BLACK PRESIDENT-Chapter 94. Another cat gets let out of the bag, when Kissinger visits.

BLACK PRESIDENT-Chapter 93. Cissy gets John to put everything on the table.

BLACK PRESIDENT-Chapter 92. Can the Sunni and Shiite factions in both Iran and Iraq ever see eye to eye? How much will their divide affect the world at large?

BLACK PRESIDENT-Chapter 91. Kissinger befriends the man he thinks is Jackson Little, to supposedly right his many wrongs. And code name "Dolly" sends a text to John that is a shocking game-changer.

BLACK PRESIDENT- Chapter 90. Sarah, just before the end, stubbornly suspected "the switch. Kissinger meets in Oval office with imposter-President John, passing silent notes about the MIC.

BLACK PRESIDENT- Chapter 89. An assassination attempt is foiled, but John's secret now has a following in the darkest places.

BLACK PRESIDENT- Chapter 88. Did Kissinger know who killed JFK?

BLACK PRESIDENT- Chapter 87. The Merkel/Hitler connection, as John Little's internet surfing raises big questions about his fellow Bilderberg companions.

BLACK PRESIDENT- Chapter 86. President-John practices forgery of "J" for brother 'Jackson.' Bilderberg offers up the scary 90+-year-old Kissinger, the movie, MISSING, +secrets about his deceased twin.

BLACK PRESIDENT- Chapter 85. Some startling info about international plans for a ONE WORLD GOVERNMENT comes to imposter-President John's notice.

BLACK PRESIDENT- Chapter 84. PART-6, 2016-2020 ("BLACKMALE" ed.,). President Little dreams of past struggles-he tries to cloak his secret life as pretender/the most powerful person on the planet.

BLACK PRESIDENT- Chapter 83. John Little finally gets the courage to visit his real wife Fran, pretending to be his brother. (How could she not see through his 'disguise?').

BLACK PRESIDENT- Chapter 82. John-the-imposter ALMOST gets caught by his mother--His concept of 'painting the White House black' almost sinks his ship.

BLACK PRESIDENT- Chapter 81. Fake President John-as-Jackson Little gets real about problems in America, before and after 9/11.

BLACK PRESIDENT- Chapter 80. EVERYONE (except Rudy) expects the President to quit after the TWO vicious assassination attempts in a row. (How frantic was the MIC?).

BLACK PRESIDENT- Chapter 79. Do you believe in premonitions? Luckily President Little did.

BLACK PRESIDENT- CHAPTER 78. Rudy comes to the rescue. And some drama about Fort Knox.

BLACK PRESIDENT- CHAPTER 77. John has to tell SOMEBODY about the switch...

BLACK PRESIDENT-Chapter 76. Identical twin John-as-President, continues to fool everyone, including his own children. He prepares to change things, as leader of the "free world."(PART 5: 2015-2016).

BLACK PRESIDENT-Chapter 75. President John-as-Jackson experiences his first real tests as a switched-twin. Visits by family members/political aides, V.P., takes some PERFECT "acting" to survive.

BLACK PRESIDENT-Chapter 74. The 'switch' begins.

BLACK PRESIDENT-Chapter 73. Another blast destroys the Oval Office, the kind that changes history.

BLACK PRESIDENT, Chapter 72 (2nd half).

BLACK PRESIDENT, Chapter 72 (1st half). Identical twins have a magical power to stand in for each other and not be detected.

BLACK PRESIDENT, Chapter 71. Some secret "family life" chitchat, Presidential-style, that was recorded in the White House. Sarah fights her cancer, wondering if she deserved it for her JFK affair.

BLACK PRESIDENT, Chapter 70. Benton has more INSIDER WISDOM for President Little.

BLACK PRESIDENT, Chapters 69. Hopi Indians got it right!

BLACK PRESIDENT, Chapter 68. Pakistani Baitullah Mehsud sent 600 tribal leaders each a needle, some black thread and 1000 rupees for their death shrouds.

BLACK PRESIDENT, Chapter 67. An assassination attempt wakes up the Little family to the risks. And oil prices mess with all costs of living.

BLACK PRESIDENT, Chapter 66.

BLACK PRESIDENT, Chapter 65. Can you imagine Caroline Kennedy hearing that she suddenly has TWO twin brothers, one being the current President of the US?

BLACK PRESIDENT, Chapter 64. Sal again appears on the Today Show, to prove the Little twins are secret sons of JFK. His old friend Porty from Coke days doesn't help. And Sarah gets some bad news

BLACK PRESIDENT, Chapter 63. Iran launches attack, just as Sal from Rudy's past at the Coke plant/1961 realizes his co-worker's crazy JFK story might be TRUE-a 'cash cow' for him!

BACK PRESIDENT, Chapter 62. President Little tries to 'read' top secret photographic reconnaissance photos supposedly proving Iran will launch an atomic attack on Israel.

BACK PRESIDENT, Chapter 61. Planning for the Little Inauguration, and The Journal from 1961 Sarah compiled is sold at a flea market, now endangering the "Kennedy's twins" secret.

BACK PRESIDENT, Chapter 60. Iranian nuke threat, more death threats for President Little--Was there any way to protect her son from a terrible 'JFK end,' wondered Sarah?

BLACK PRESIDENT, Chapter 59. Lisa Marie Presley. And death threats against President Little cause his brother to join the team. And Sturgis of Watergate fame & an ice cream truck driver in Arkansas.

BLACK PRESIDENT, Chapter 58. President Little thinks BIG, rehearsing for his inaugural speech to America and the world. He's dedicated to solving a multitude of modern problems.

BLACK PRESIDENT, Chapter 57. John Little, twin of the President, has fun extemporizing on his zen mysticism and DC's symbolic grid.

BLACK PRESIDENT, Chapter 56. A Little is in the WHITE HOUSE! (New book––Part 2 of trilogy, "Kennedy's Twins"–– begins here: Taking place 2012-2015.

BLACK PRESIDENT, Chapter 55. Election day, 2012, has many surprises (in "historical fiction" it's allowed!). I'll just say, 'Caroline Kennedy S. ALMOST becomes President,' But, instead...

BLACK PRESIDENT, Chapter 54. Caroline Kennedy Schlossberg decides to become a candidate for President, with Jackson Little as V.P.

BLACK PRESIDENT, Chapter 53. Explicit photos of a Kennedy figures in, as Jackson Little's political future hangs in the balance.

BLACK PRESIDENT, Chapter 52. Jim Benton meets with Jackson. TOPICS COVERED: Reparations to Native Americans, Skull and Bones, thieving Indian Agents-they built & bought NY, US railroads landgrab,etc.

BLACK PRESIDENT, Chapter 51. The Little twins meet with Mayor Daley of Chicago, and create "Black Wings" to hasten integration in businesses. Jackson Little becomes an Illinois Senator.

BLACK PRESIDENT, Chapter 50. Should Rudy or Sarah tell their twin sons about their JFK lineage? What are political ramifications?

BLACK PRESIDENT, Chapter 49. Osama bin Laden removes the threat of opposition, then takes down the Twin Towers, along with Building #7.

BLACK PRESIDENT, Chapter 48. How a purposedly botched printing job on a political ballot can help win an election (and probably did!)

BLACK PRESIDENT, Chapter 47. Jackson Little, a 38-year-old Chicago Assemblyman from the fourth district, gets national attention for his speech on "Reparations."

BLACK PRESIDENT, Chapter 46. Former CIA chief Bill Colby and Major General Oleg Kalugin, former KGB chief, together designed the Spycraft computer game. Colby dies supposedly while fishing...

BLACK PRESIDENT, Chapter 45. John excels at his art college, using the new media of portable videotaping. The Systematics company software contained 'a backdoor'-US agents had tabs on banks worldwide.

BLACK PRESIDENT, Chapter 44. Professor Sansome's law class at Brown results in Jackson Little meeting and marrying Cissy Benton, a future First Lady. Also the secret Contras and Ollie North.

BLACK PRESIDENT, Chapter 43. A glimpse into the life of CIA chief William Casey- Middle East contacts helped stall release of the hostages taken in Iran, to insure win by Reagan.

BLACK PRESIDENT, Chapter 42. Sarah gets her sons into college, pulling them out of gang-related activities in Chicago.

BLACK PRESIDENT, Chapter 41. Rudy finally reunites with Sarah, the woman he met on the plane back in 1961, who never left his thoughts.

BLACK PRESIDENT, Chapter 40. John gets hit by a car while bicycling on Chicago's South side--driver pays him off, brother too.

BLACK PRESIDENT, Chapter 39. Woodward meets with Deep Throat--learns about Watergate and beyond. Problems at Ray School/Chicago for JFK's twins. And Nixon is out.

BLACK PRESIDENT, Chapter 38. John Little gets involved in South Side Chicago gang-life. President Nixon strolls out to meet protestors at White House fence.

BLACK PRESIDENT, Chapter 37. Nixon frets about Howard Hughes' dirty $ and Watergate. JFK's 10-year-old sons, John and Jackson Little, discuss 'Great Expectations.'

BLACK PRESIDENT, Chapter 36. Rudy adjusts to a life as Vietnam vet with one leg. Sarah splits up with Leon when he professes love for Mary Brown.

BLACK PRESIDENT, Chapter 35. Leon meets another soulmate–19-year old Mary Brown–while selling Raleigh products. And the assassination of Black Panther Fred Hampton was another vile act by racist cops.

BLACK PRESIDENT, Chapter 33 (part 2 0f 2). Rudy gets his PTSD in Vietnam.

BLACK PRESIDENT, Chapter 34. Ted Kennedy meets his WATERLOO at Chappaquiddick. Rudy is blown half-apart in Vietnam.

BLACK PRESIDENT, Chapter 32. Leon tells his hitchhiking story.

BLACK PRESIDENT, Chapter 33 (part 1 0f 2). More about how eccentic Howard Hughes became.

BLACK PRESIDENT, Chapter 31. (Warning, for those of us who finally got some hope from Bobby Kennedy's 1968 Presidential run, this chapter about his demise will hurt!).

BLACK PRESIDENT, CHAPTER 30. Leon catches cop trouble in Moscow, Idaho, while hitching. He remembers how Bela died.

BLACK PRESIDENT, CHAPTER 29. Another opportunity for 'conspiracy theories,' when the odd facts of MLK death are examined. But nothing can change the horror of those times.

BLACK PRESIDENT, CHAPTER 28. Twins attend 1st school/Jackson speaks for both himself and brother. Leon tries to be a long-distance dad, & Rudy almost gets to meet Sarah before fate deals him a card.

BLACK PRESIDENT, Chapter 27. G.W. Bush is initiated into Skull & Bones at Yale, and is surprised by the rigmarole of the odd process.

BLACK PRESIDENT, Chapter 26. Leon loses both his wife AND SONS (they move to Chicago). The worst of racism--TV coverage with the "N"word shouted by mobs of insane Alabama state troopers and locals.

BLACK PRESIDENT, Chapter 25. Judith Campbell questions Sam Giancana about death of JFK. And Leon and Sarah almost come to blows--his table manners aren't good enough for her "Kennedy sons."

BLACK PRESIDENT, Chapter 24. Sarah continues to mourn JFK, as Leon visits Bela and explains what he knows about Indians. Bobby and Jackie share the pain of history.

BLACK PRESIDENT, Chapter 23. Birdie out of a job, and Bobby Kennedy follows the logic of his brothers death--can't help seeing how his own father Joe's criminal connections figure in.

BLACK PRESIDENT, Chapter 22. Rudy's big ride turns strange when driver Jamie disappears in the Oregon surf. New President Johnson interacts with Jackie. Hoover continues to spread his evil.

BLACK PRESIDENT, Chapter 21. Rudy learns JFK is shot–Sarah is devastated. Birdie tries to shield the Kennedy kids from tragedy. Sal re-thinks Rudy's wild story(seems more true!).

BLACK PRESIDENT, Chapter 19 & 20. KKK bombings are known to J. Edgar Hoover (he suppresses evidence), JFK hit is set in motion, just as Rudy quits his job (he's Seattle bound to track down Sarah).

BLACK PRESIDENT, Chapter 18. Sarah's twins are getting more white-skinned every day, while horrible racism prevails in the South––Byron de la Beckwith commits a terrible crime...

BLACK PRESIDENT, Chapter 17-B. General Curtis LeMay is more than ready to start WWIII in Cuba (secret recordings revealed that to JFK).

BLACK PRESIDENT, Chapter 17-A. Jack Kennedy remembers Marilyn's passing, as Bobby relives his “Kelsey’s nuts” discussion with her. Jackie also remembers MM, at Newport, but not kindly.

BLACK PRESIDENT, Chapter 17. Bobby's helicoptered evening with Marilyn ends in tragedy (warning-pretty graphic!). Actor Peter Lawford tries to clean up the crime scene.

BLACK PRESIDENT, Chapter 16. Leon gets past obvious discrepancies, becomes 'color-blind' to his white/black (JFK) sons; John & Jackson Little.

BLACK PRESIDENT, CHAPTER 15. Gettng deeper into the Bobby/Marilyn/Jack relationships & problems--she's ready to bring down the Presidency.

BLACK PRESIDENT, CHAPTER 14. Marilyn Monroe's house gets bugged, and Sarah delivers 'white' male twins.

BLACK PRESIDENT, CHAPTER 13. Disloyal Sal mocks Rudy, who vows to find Sarah in Seattle after his marriage fails. Bobby Kennedy learns from Father, Joe, that brother's Presidency is a sham.

BLACK PRESIDENT, CHAPTER 12. Leon has psychological damage from spike incident. And racism boils over in Birmingham. Her employee's 10-cent coffee deposit paints a stern portrait of Rose Kennedy.

BLACK PRESIDENT, CHAPTER 10, & 11. Leon tries to recover from his fall, as nephew steals a truck out of the garage. Birdie seeks help from Kennedys during Freedom Riders marches.

BLACK PRESIDENT, CHAPTER 9. Did JFK as President really meet with crime boss Sam Giancana? If so, it may have gone something like this.

BLACK PRESIDENT, CHAPTER 8. Sarah Little gets a medical checkup, leading to a surprise. Rudy can't stop thinking about a license plate he spots on a Cadillac.

BLACK PRESIDENT, CHAPTER 7. Leon has an accident (the kind that makes U feel stupid...), and Joe Kennedy conceals much from his Presidential son.

BLACK PRESIDENT, CHAPTER 6. Get your "Picnic Publishing, UK, 1st ed." paperbacks here; https://www.amazon.com/Black-President-Historical-Rick-Schmidt/dp/0955861314

BLACK PRESIDENT, CHAPTER 5. Do secret sons/daughters of JFK exist? (They'd be 60-years-old or younger now...) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08NWCN6XG

BREAD MACHINE––A New Feature Film by Rick Schmidt (shooting in SF/Bay Area in March, 2024): https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/bread-machine-the-new-27th-film-by-rick-schmidt#/

BLACK PRESIDENT, CHAPTER 4. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08NWCN6XG

BLACK PRESIDENT, CHAPTER 3. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08NWCN6XG

BLACK PRESIDENT, CHAPTER 2. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08NWCN6XG

"BLACK PRESIDENT-The Story of JFK's Secret Sons," The Trilogy, " BOOK#1. (You'll remember the 60s, even if you weren't there!). https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08NWCN6XG

Final COLD Posting #16. Siberian story wraps up––THANKS to readers who took the journey...

COLD/Posting #15. Ewald jumps bare skin into the frozen Siberian river. (The full novel ends @ next episode, #16).

(COLD/Posting #14). Ewald tries to fine-tune his approach to survival, then is confronted with an obstacle of the highest order-'a frozen river crossing.' (<https://www.amazon.com/dp/B076VBJB62>)

(COLD/Posting #13). Ewald contemplates becoming a father to Nanra's & his child, then is shot at, suddenly challenged by a tribal attacker. (COLD book ends at post #16...)

(COLD/Posting #12). Surviving with unexpected 'wolf' help from tribesman, Ewald reads another Nanra prediction and uses her a special drug-root to get relief.

(COLD/Posting #11). Ewald experiences another wolf attack, keeps his brain alive with number games, and meets another tribesman.

(COLD/Posting #10). The war-stories that Ewald tells are TRUE ones about my father--military school age 10, who later, as Captain, led men against a gatling gun & survived, just to end up in Siberia.

(COLD/Posting #9)

(COLD/Posting #8).

(COLD/Posting #7). For full story see paperbacks & hardcovers: https://www.abebooks.com/book-search/title/cold-1918-19-siberian-escape/author/rick-schmidt/

(COLD/Posting #6)

Bread Machine (shoot March 1-) is looking for 'a few good men/women' for dough-nations: <https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/bread-machine-the-new-27th-film-by-rick-schmidt#/>. Signed books & DVDs 4 U!

(COLD/Posting #5). This 5th episode takes Ewald up to Day-4 of his walk home––only 4950 km to go! (Book is also available in The Netherlands: <https://www.amazon.nl/dp/B076VBJB62>)

(COLD/Posting #4). This 4th episode includes learning about all the tools and foodstuffs supplied to Ewald by Shaman/lover Nanra-Naw (how else could he survive?)!

(COLD/Posting #3). This 3rd episode gets Ewald back on his impossibly long 5000+ mile journey home, after he's saved by a Siberian shaman.

COLD/Posting #2. Here's next episode––Captain Ewald Loeffler prepares to walk 6000 km/miles home. (<https://www.amazon.de/COLD-1918-19-Siberian-Captain-Loeffler/dp/3741808695>).

"COLD, THE 1918-19 SIBERIAN ESCAPE OF CAPTAIN EWALD LOEFFLER." Daily posts of my father, E.F. Schmidt's escape from a Siberian prison, WWI–what I IMAGINED happened on his 2-year trek back to Germany.

Here's my Brunswick, Maine movie, STICKY WICKET, where a secret band of women croquet players try to right the wrongs that come along–– especially corporate take-overs and WAR!

PIGGY BANK LOANS from my 9-yr-old daughter saved my film career(!) This story is from SHOWBOAT 1988 days (1976). https://vimeo.com/ondemand/showboat1988

Here's some BOOKS I've written, about no-budget moviemaking, Siberian Escape, ART/artists, What-Ifs, The Making-of (Emerald Cities, Morgan's Cake, Showboat 1988, etc.

MORE from my "12 Dead Frogs" memoir: about "Pinky Lee"--TV personality, 1950. I ran to a South Side Chicago park where he was appearing, to snap a picture with my Brownie camera...oops!

My ZOOM interview by Sujewa Ekanayake, about doing IMPROV feature films, making 26 improvised fiction features, Sundance, meeting Jimmy Stewart, ND/NF, NY Times, more! https://vimeo.com/903213196

CIGARETTE WAR (1978. This "Showboat" short story first appeared in my memoir, TWELVE DEAD FROGS, later excerpted to SLEEPER TRILOGY, about how one's success or failure in ART is so fragile & ironic.

"PLAYING DANGEROUS GAMES" (...and other real-life stories from my book, "12 Dead Frogs-A Filmmaker's Memoir"): <https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0777FHXX2>.

WELCOME TO SERENDIPTY (70 min., 2001), Shot at Death Valley Junction, cut by Barry Green and Karen Gloyd (they also acted/co-directed/co-wrote: TRAILER: https://vimeo.com/162151336

REAL-LIFE STORIES; excerpts from my 2017 book, "Twelve Dead Frogs––a Filmmakers Memoir." Starts with my 'breech' birth/"I took the pain from the mother."

SOMEONE LIKE ME (Feature Workshops w/10+ directors and a set of twin female hair-dressers: https://vimeo.com/159649439

A Short-Story From My 'Hippie Days'–– I was able to control my inner-emotions when accosted by owner of a radio store.

BEAR DANCE (TRT: 72 Min., in French, English, and Portuguese). TRAILER: https://vimeo.com/ondemand/beardance/