Treasure Island
Doug McKeon’s treasured memories of “On Golden Pond”
“There was a certain professionalism that was always there – a sense that something very special was happening. You have these legends performing and the scenes were very magical. You try to duplicate that, but ‘On Golden Pond’ raised the bar.”
– Doug McKeon (Aug. 5, 2010)
Doug McKeon was 14 years old, July 1980, when he, Katharine Hepburn, Henry Fonda, Jane Fonda and the rest of the cast and crew began filming “On Golden Pond” at Squam Lake in New Hampshire. According to McKeon, the movie is an American classic for its sincerity about older and younger generations finding strength through one another, and said he considers it a role he’ll never forget.
When searching for the role of 13-year-old “Billy Ray,” McKeon – now 44 years old – said the casting directors began in California and made their way to New York. “That’s when I got a call to audition,” he said. McKeon – born June 10, 1966, raised in New Jersey – auditioned for the role five times. “By the fifth audition, the number of ‘Billy’s’ were getting smaller. I was being asked questions like, ‘Have you ever gone fishing or driven a boat?’” McKeon said he remained professional, but was excited when he got the part.
His character “Billy” was written to be a young teenager from California who felt like a loner. “‘Billy’ didn’t feel like he belonged anywhere,” McKeon said. “He was dumped by his dad for the summer with unfamiliar people.” Though he couldn’t relate to “Billy” personally, he said his understanding of teenage growing pains helped him connect with his character on a deeper level. He attributed part of his role’s inspiration to New Hampshire’s beauty.
Squam Lake’s serenity surrounded the cast and crew, according to McKeon. He said he treasured his time spent on location because of the outdoor scenery and kindness from the cast and crew. McKeon said he admired the film’s director Mark Rydell and cinematographer Billy Williams for how they captured their surroundings on film. To capture the sun’s placement at dusk and in daylight, Rydell and Williams documented its location throughout the day. “This helped them capture the glow of the sun on the water,” McKeon said.
Besides timing, McKeon said a memory he considers classic involves film technique. According to him, Rydell and Williams were determined to capture natural scenery. “I remember at lunch time one day, [Rydell and Williams] saw the loons in a cove,” McKeon said. “They stopped everything so they could get a shot of the loons. [Both] ran over and got the shot.” (McKeon’s memory of the loons can be seen in the film’s opening).
Illustrating his determination to prove he was the right actor for the role, McKeon said “It was important for me to show these people that I could hold my own.” Showing professionalism is a rule McKeon said he’s held for himself throughout his entertainment career.
When it came to his co-stars, he acknowledged Hepburn and the Fondas’ as entertainment legends he was proud to work with. McKeon described Hepburn as the “ultimate professional,” saying he felt he had to prove the most of his acting ability to her. According to him, his final moment with her on location stands out for her sincerity. “She always kiddingly referred to me as ‘the boy,’” he said. “After my last day of filming, [Katharine] came over to me and said, ‘Doug, it was a pleasure working with you.” McKeon described her as a leader who understood her character’s essence.
McKeon described Henry as quiet, with a “wonderful dry sense of humor.” While filming fishing scenes, he said Henry talked about two hobbies he was passionate about: cooking and fishing. The crew filmed the scenes from a barge, while Henry and McKeon spent time on another boat acting and having off-camera conversations.
Though quiet while making the film, McKeon said he saw another side of Henry at his home. “Henry was a wonderful painter,” he said. Throughout the film, Henry wore three hats: a first scene hat, fishing hat and end-of-the-film hat. Henry drew the hats and had the drawing turned into a lithograph. Only 200 copies were made. McKeon received the eighth of 200 printed – a possession he said he considers priceless.
December 4, 1981, U.S. audiences were introduced to the film version of “On Golden Pond.” (Originally a stage play by Ernest Thompson, “On Golden Pond” first opened to a live audience in 1979). Around the film’s release, the cast and crew were invited to Universal Studios in Los Angeles for a private screening. McKeon said he was ecstatic to see the movie and to find out which scenes were used or scrapped. “It was exciting for me to see how it all came together,” he said. “Seeing those scenes on film, and then recalling the filming of them was special. I remember watching Henry or Kate do their scenes to the side. It was great watching legends.”
Seeing a private screening of the film was exciting, according to McKeon. However, he acknowledged his biggest thrill being when he watched the movie with a public audience. McKeon said he was nervous, but anxious to hear the audience’s response. “You always wonder what the reaction will be, but hope the public will embrace it,” he said. “There was a younger crowd in the audience [when I saw it], and they laughed at all the right places.”
“The first image you see is of the loons, and everyone started laughing,” McKeon said. “I saw the film with two different audiences and it didn’t fail to get a laugh both times. That’s when you know the [public] will react in all the right places.”
McKeon said he adores the entire film, but revealed his favorite part being what he calls the “cruise chicks, suck face” scene. In the movie, “Billy” tells Henry’s character “Norman” he “cruises for chicks and sucks face” with them. However, McKeon said he appreciates this scene for a deeper reason.
Before filming a scene, Rydell had the cast rehearse the day before. McKeon said the scene was his favorite because of something Rydell shared with him about Henry, involving the book “Treasure Island.” Rydell asked McKeon to leave the area so he and Henry could speak privately. When McKeon returned, Rydell pulled him aside to share Henry’s request with him. “Mark said to me, ‘When you left, Henry wanted to borrow ‘Treasure Island’ to reacquaint himself with the story, so that when he told ‘Billy’ to read the first chapter, he could say it with more conviction,’” McKeon said. ”It was nice of Mark to have shared that with me.” When Rydell revealed Henry’s “Treasure Island” request, McKeon said the scene became his favorite.
In addition to appreciating his first scene, McKeon acknowledged the excitement he feels when thinking about a personal possession he used in the film. According to him, Rydell wanted to enhance “Billy’s” loner persona by giving him a duffel bag to carry in his first scene, but the prop department didn’t have any available. McKeon said he was excited to have the bag needed for his scene. “In my personal belongings, I had a Pittsburg Steelers fans book bag,” he said. “As long as we turned the bag around to hide the emblem, we could use it. When you see me walking up the steps, I’m carrying my Steelers duffel bag.”
McKeon joked about his memory, saying, “I can prove to people I’ve been a Pittsburg Steelers fan all my life, and have my own Steelers book bag in an award-winning, major motion film to prove it.”
December 2011 will mark the film’s 30th anniversary. McKeon said his understanding of “On Golden Pond” grew as he aged, and is proud to be part of the story’s history. “Henry’s character gave ‘Billy Ray’ that sense of love, confidence and respect,” he said. “Billy learned to open up and embrace life by understanding it’s alright to share your feelings and give hugs. At the same time, Henry’s [character is] looking for acceptance. When you find a story like that, you need to grab it and embrace it.”
Cast:
Katharine Hepburn – Ethel Thayer
Henry Fonda – Norman Thayer Jr.
Jane Fonda – Chelsea Thayer
Doug McKeon – Billy Ray
Dabney Coleman – Billy Ray Sr.
William Lanteau – Charlie Martin
Chris Rydell – Sumner Todd
Author’s note: In the summer of 1980, a writers’ strike was in effect. “On Golden Pond” was one of the only films’ in production because of Henry Fonda’s failing health. Doug McKeon said he is thankful to have worked with Fonda and remembers him as a “quiet, but great man.”
For more on Doug McKeon, visit dougmckeon.com
About the Author
As a freelance writer based in Dayton, Ohio, I have published over 20 articles for a small newspaper in the Midwest. I have spent time covering multiple topics including the economy and entertainment. However, my passion revolves around writing artist profiles, album reviews and anything else music-related. To get in touch, e-mail cmchaffin@gmail.com.
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