One of the fondest memories I have from the 1996 Twin Peaks Fan Festival was meeting Don Davis who played Major Garland Briggs in the first three seasons of Twin Peaks and briefly in Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me.
MEETING DON DAVIS
The photo above is from August 11, 1996 outside the former Mar-T Cafe (known today as Twede’s Cafe) in North Bend, Washington. You can clearly tell this photo is from the 1990s – my eye glasses that look like the ones James Spader’s character wore in Stargate, and I have a roll of film in the pocket of my vest!
I had forgotten where exactly that photograph was taken until researching this article. The address numbers “137” can still be seen on the building exterior.
Our first encounter, however, was two days earlier at the Kiana Lodge Dinner on Bainbridge Island, Washington.
Before starting TwinPeaksBlog.com, I ran a Twin Peaks fan site in the late 1990s called The Great Northern Hotel. I found this version of a page from that website about the welcome dinner held on August 9, 1996.
I wrote, “One of my greatest memories was talking with Don Davis at the Kiana Lodge dinner. I was getting coffee (go figure) and he came over to get some coffee as well (black, of course). He asked me where I was from (originally Columbus, Ohio) and he said he had driven through my ‘beautiful’ state several times.”
I still vividly recall that conversation – the sound of his voice floating in the dimly lit room as we filled our cups with damn, fine coffee. Before our brief conversation, I had spent three years watching Davis deliver some of the best monologues in the series. It was a surreal moment. Looking back, the entire exchange reminded me of the scene from episode 1.005 where Major Briggs speaks with Icelander Einar Thorson during a reception at the Great Northern Hotel.
Craig Miller and John Thorne’s Wrapped In Plastic offered a wonderful recap of the celebrity dinner at the Fan Festival in issue 25 from October 1996.
Side note – if you loved Wrapped in Plastic, please subscribe to The Blue Rose Magazine!
The back cover photo of Don Davis was taken by Craig Miller on the same day I snapped a photo with him in North Bend, Washington.
The building behind Davis is still across the street from Twede’s Cafe. It had a different color in this Google Maps street view image from 2015.
You can also see the building in the scene outside the Double R Diner in Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me.
DON DAVIS’ SPEECH FROM KIANA LODGE DINNER
At some point, I will convert video tapes from the 1996 Fan Festival to a digital format. I haven’t watched them in more than 20 years. Until then, here is the transcript of Don Davis’ speech as transcribed by John Thorne and Craig Miller.
Don Davis’ Speech from the Kiana Lodge Dinner
The Twin Peaks Fan Festival
August 9, 1996
I think that everyone who worked on “Twin Peaks” would agree that it really was very special. On just about every television show that you work on, you work long days. You work a twelve hour day–but it’s a thirteen hour day because you get an hour off for lunch. So you work a long day, and you work five or six days a week. For a short period of time you are intensely involved with a group of people. What normally happens is, for that short period of time they’re your best friends and your family. Then you go your way, and they go off their way, and that’s kind of it. They cease to be your best friends and your family, and you don’t hear from them again. But “Twin Peaks” was a unique experience in that many, many of the people involved stayed in touch and became close, and nurtured friendships that were developed during the show. It was very special for all of us.
One of the things that I think America is missing right now is a hero. One of the things that I’m trying to do along with acting is write. And I’m writing shows that have heroes. I’m writing a show which Michael mentioned that is slated for him to play the lead in. His character is a spiritual character who would be a role model–I would hope–for the way a man would take care of his family. We’re trying to get that put together, and we think it’s going to happen.
[ed. note – Did this show happen?]
I’m doing a lot of writing right now. I’ve got a screenplay that’s just about in production.
I’ve got a couple of series that I’ve written that we’re trying to sell. A lot of people are part of it. Beyond that, as you know, I’m a character actor. I go from show to show.
There are a couple of films I’m in that are coming out soon which I think you might enjoy. One is a film called “The Fan.” Another one is a great film–a family show, and it is called “Alaska.” If you want to take your kids to a show, there’s not even a curse word in the whole thing. It’s directed by Charlton Heston’s son, Fraser Heston. It’s about these two kids who go on a journey to try to find their father who had crashed a plane in the Arctic. They’re helped in their journey by this wonderful little polar bear cub.
You know, every actor, when they go on a film shoot, looks at every other actor’s dressing room with envy. You see the stars with the big Winnebagos, and then you have the little character actors, and we have little cubby holes that are about three feet wide! They do have a toilet, and that’s the main thing! [Laughter] You hope that the toilet works!
[Michael Horse: You have one that works? (Laughter)]
I do have a toilet, Mike. I’ve spent most of my life in the toilet! [Laughter] On “Alaska” this little polar bear had his trailer. He had the only star trailer I’ve ever seen that had not only air-conditioning, but an indoor swimming pool. He was a true star!
Anyway, it’s great to be here. And thanks for being loyal fans!
