"Autograph
Show"
by Laura Nachman
November 9, 2000
Karen Lynn Gorney, of “Saturday Night Fever,” will be
headlining the “South Jersey Movie, TV, Film, Toys, and Autograph
Collectibles Show” at the Cherry Hill Holiday Inn November 11th
and 12th. Gorney,
who played Stephanie, John Travolta’s love interest in the movie, will
be at the show Saturday and Sunday from 10 AM to 4 PM.
She’ll also be hosting a special screening of “Saturday Night
Fever” at the Loews movie theater in Cherry Hill at 5 PM Sunday.
Linda Harrison, “Nova” from “Planet of the Apes” will
also host an autograph session at the show, and host a special screening
of “Planet of the Apes,” at the same theater, Saturday at 11 PM.
Plus, Victoria Zdrok, “Playboy” playmate of the month,
October 1994, will appear.
The show features movie and television photos, posters, stills,
and more from the 1930’s to the present, and according to the show
promoter, Jim Dubin “anything of interest to the movie and TV fan and
collector.” Dubin, in his 10th year in charge of this show,
says this is one of only two of these type shows in the country
(the other is in California).
Since many people order collectibles from the internet, this
gives collectors a rare chance to see the items they before they buy,
plus the opportunity to meet some stars.
In the past, the show has featured Lydia Cornell and Deborah Van
Walkenberg of “Too Close for Comfort,” Erin Gray of “Silver
Spoons,” and Martin Milner and Kent McCord from “Adam 12.”
Dubin said, “the popularity of Nick at Nite and TV Land proves
that the fans are interested in these people.”
For this weekend’s show, Dubin expects that there will be
plenty of interest in “Charlie’s Angels” memorabilia because of
the theatrical release, and “Peanuts” due to the death of creator
Charles Schulz.
Admission is $6, which includes the movie screenings.
Cost for the screenings alone is $4.
For more information, go to www.movietvexpo.com
or call 856-795-0436.
The South Jersey Movie, TV,
Film, Toys Autograph Collectibles Show is at the Holiday Inn on Route 70
East, Cherry Hill, NJ (Across from Garden State Racetrack) Saturday and
Sunday, November 11th and 12th from 10AM – 4 PM.
Saturday
Night Fever’s” Karen Lynn Gorney “Stayin’ Alive” in Cherry
Hill"
by Laura Nachman
November 9, 2000
Karen Lynn Gorney, who played John Travolta’s love interest “Stephanie Mangano” in the film “Saturday Night Fever” will be signing autographs at the “Movie, TV, Film, Toys, and Autograph Collectibles Show” at the Cherry Hill Holiday Inn Saturday and Sunday and host a special screening of the 1977 film at the Loews theater in Cherry Hill Sunday evening.
Gorney, 50, who still takes ballet and jazz dance classes, gets recognized every day from the movie and her role as Tara Martin on “All My Children” in the early ‘70’s. “The movie has been on television at least ten times a year every year,” and “All My Children” has a loyal fan base.”
Gorney, whose father, Jay wrote “Brother, Can You Spare a Dime,” is also a singer-songwriter. She recorded the CD “El Gato,” named after her beloved cat of 18 years that died two years ago. The dozen songs include several that she recorded live at the defunct Philadelphia nightclub “Stars” in the early ‘80’s.
Singing may be her passion, but acting is Gorney’s “day job.” After “Fever,” Gorney worked steadily in off-Broadway theater. “Hollywood didn’t know what to do with an independent woman,” she said of her character Stephanie. She added, “At the time, most of roles for females were either for mothers or prostitutes.”
Some of her recent off-Broadway credits include the one-woman show “Late Night Catechism,” where she played a nun, “Mrs. Warren’s Profession,” and “Lost in Yonkers.”
So what does Gorney remember about “Fever?” “That I didn’t have my own trailer, and had to change into my costumes in the ladies room,” she laughed. “Most people don’t remember that this was a low-budget film of around one-million dollars. I didn’t get paid until the movie was over.” John Travolta and (Director) John Badham were the only ones getting big money.”
Gorney said was friendly with Paul (Double J) Pape and Donna Pescow (Annette) during the three-month shoot in Brooklyn.
So does Gorney, who’ll be appearing this weekend at a memorabilia show, own anything from “Saturday Night Fever?” “Unfortunately, a lot of stuff was destroyed in a house fire in Los Angeles years ago,” she said. A few things were salvaged, and within the past few years, a pair of boots she wore in the film was auctioned off for $10,000, and the pair of T-strap shoes that she wore in the dance contest scene went for $6,000. This weekend, Gorney will be selling color photos from the movie during the show.
Gorney married for five years, lives in New York City. As for her former co-star, John Travolta, she still sees him…on screen. “I didn’t really understand “Battlefield Earth,” Gorney said of Travolta’s science-fiction opus. (I think the rest of the world can say that too). Gorney wasn’t a big fan of the sequel to “Saturday Night Fever,” “Stayin’ Alive.” “I was supposed to be in it, but (director and writer) Sylvester Stallone wrote everybody from the first movie out except John and Julie Bavasso (who played Travolta’s mother in the movie).
Gorney, who is making her second appearance at this show in Cherry Hill, will be “retiring” from the autograph circuit to pursue some film roles. She is looking forward to meeting fans. “People from all walks of life are fans of the movie.” “People really get it.” Maybe back then, I didn’t appreciate what a good film “Saturday Night Fever” was, but I do now.”
Karen Lynn Gorney will be appearing at the
“Movie, TV, Film, Autograph, and Collectibles Show” at the Cherry
Hill Holiday Inn from 10 AM – 4 PM, Saturday and Sunday, November 11th
and 12th. Admission
is six-dollars. Cost for
the movie screening which is at the Cherry Hill Loews Theater Sunday at
5 PM, is free with the
price of admission to the show. Her
CD “El Gato” can be purchased from www.karenlynngorney.com
Laura Nachman can be reached at www.geocities.com/bradylady