Screenplay about Dennis?

[BiNNS]

I was reading an article on Dennis recently in a Canadian Newspaper (The Globe and Mail), and towards the end of the article the author states that Gregg Jakobson (Wilson's former friend and POB co-producer) is currently working on a screenplay about Dennis.

"Meanwhile, Jakobson is working on a screenplay about his departed buddy that he says has attracted the interest of Leonardo DiCaprio and those other Wilson brothers, Luke and Owen."

This is news to me. Has anyone else heard anything about this?

[BigChiefLtd]

I don't know about Gregg's project. If he IS working on this, I wish him the very best. About 10 years ago, I was looking into doing this along with John Corbett from Northern Exposure (I had written a couple of scripts which the producers had intended to use for the final season until Rob Morrow walked off the show).

John wanted to play Denny and I thought he'd be perfect for the role as his facial features were very similar and his natural personality was also similar in nature with Denny's.  I had hung with the band (stage managed some shows working with various promoters) back in the early-to-mid '70s and was friends with Denny, Carl, Ricky Fataar, Blondie, Billy and the gang.

I always felt the public never really knew the real Denny and that his story, if told RIGHT would help fans everywhere to better understand just what a magnificent but complex (and in many ways, tortured) soul Denny was.

Long story short, I got a bit of resistance from Denny's family at the time I approached them with the idea. Corbett was on board, but I think I failed to convince the family that what I wanted was to present Denny's life in a very sympathetic and POSITIVE light.  They just weren't comfortable with the idea and so we dropped the idea at the time.

Corbett moved on to other projects, as did I. However, in early 1998, I had a nice phone call with Fred Vail (The first manager of the Beach Boys), who encouraged me to to contact the family again (a few years had gone by) because he felt that the family might welcome a well-done screenplay on Denny's life at this point.  Neither Fred, nor I knew just how close to death our dear friend Carl was.  Fred had received a Christmas Card from Carl and Gina and was heading out west on business and planned to visit. Fred suggested I put together a new proposal to present to Carl to see if he would give it his blessing. Fred offered to present it to Carl personally when he visited.   I prepared the proposal and sent it to Fred. We spoke about the idea (Fred was quite supportive and felt it had a good chance of getting Carl's support). 

Ironically, that conversation was on February 6th, 1998. Neither one of us knew that as we spoke, Carl would leave us on that day.  I hadn't had any contact with Carl for a number of years at that point, and Fred had no idea Carl's condition had become so critical. We were both devastated later that day when we heard the news.  After Carl's death, I simply put away any idea of a movie about Dennis. The two best sources of information, Carl and his mother Audree, had passed within a couple months of each other.   

Gregg was, of course, MUCH closer to Denny than I ever was. So if he is, in fact, doing a screenplay on Denny's life, I wish him my very best.   I don't know Gregg, but if he needs any assistance with the actual writing of the screenplay, I'd be happy to work with him or consult with him.  How I'd love to see an HONEST film done on our friend.  Denny deserves nothing less than the best.

[MBE]

Interesting post. You were there during a few very important years. What changes did you observe in Dennis over that period of time, whether it be vocal, emotional, etc?

[She Dont Know A Thing]

You're dead on with the Dennis/Corbett comparison...

[Compost]

Were this to ever happen, my vote goes to Scott Speedman: