Several years ago, we were blessed with The Missing Pieces from Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me. This collection of extended or deleted scenes provided a fascinating journey back to my favorite David Lynch film. The collection also inspired this series titled “More Missing Pieces,” which takes a look at additional scenes from Twin Peaks that may (or may not) exist. Today, I examine scenes played by Marjorie Nelson in the Pilot episode.
WHO IS JANICE HOGAN?
Nelson played Janice Hogan who, according to the first draft of the script titled “Northwest Passage,” was the Palmer’s neighbor. Her scene in this episode is so short that you may miss it, yet there were additional scripted scenes in the Pilot which may have been shot.
Born in 1923 in Seattle, Washington, Nelson spent many years as a stage actress in the region, and was awarded the Theatre Puget Sound’s first Gregory A. Falls Sustained Achievement Award in 1998. While not on the stage, Marjorie was active in the community shining the light on a number of causes.
After retiring from acting in 2002, she founded Earth Walk, which was a guided walk from Westlake Mall to Seattle Center that raised issues of environmental degradation and alternative energy. Nelson passed at her Eastlake Home on Feb. 12, 2010 at age 86 after a short bout with cancer.
Misha Berson from The Seattle Times published an obituary on Feb. 16, 2010 about Ms. Nelson’s incredible career. In the article, Berson mentions Twin Peaks: “Ms. Nelson also appeared in films shot locally, including ‘The Slender Thread’ and the pilot of TV’s ‘Twin Peaks.'”
Granted, Ms. Nelson’s part in the Pilot episode was very brief. The script, however, provides some additional insight into scenes that could have been shot.
HEARING THE NEWS ABOUT LAURA’S DEATH
The first mention of Janice Hogan happens shortly after Sheriff Truman informs Leland Palmer about his daughter. In the first draft, Truman was named Steadman.
The Sheriff reaches Leland, hat in hand. Leland covers the mouthpiece of the phone.
STEADMAN
Mr. Palmer …
LELAND
Is this about Laura?
STEADMAN
I’m afraid it is, sir.
We hear Sarah screaming for Leland over the phone.
SARAH
Leland, what is it? My baby! Tell me, oh God, Leland!
In the script, the scene cuts back to Leland.
Having heard the news, he goes back to the phone.
LELAND
(trembling, trying to stay calm)
Sarah, I’m on my way home … please, Sarah.
He hangs up. Picks up and struggling to remember the number, unsteadily punches it in.
Who does Leland call? Palmer family neighbor Janice Hogan.
LELAND
Janice, this is Leland, oh God …
(he’s momentarily overcome, then) … I want you to go next door and stay with Sarah until I get there – please just do it.
He hangs up.
STEADMAN
Let me drive you, sir.
Palmer nods, points vaguely back towards the meeting room.
LELAND
I, uh, should tell Mr. Home and the …
STEADMAN
I’m sure they’ll understand.
The action picks up with the episode.
Benjamin Horne appears in the doorway.
HORNE
Leland, we’re ready to go over the contracts …
(sees him)
Leland?
LELAND
My daughter’s dead.
The televised scene ends with a slow pan down of the black phone that Mr. Palmer drops after hearing the news about Laura.
SARAH PALMER SCREAMING AT HOME
The first draft script continues with a completely missing scene with Janice Hogan checking Sarah Palmer. We don’t see the exterior of the Palmer house in the pilot episode (it first appears in episode 1.001). The Season 1 and 2 house house definitely feels more excluded than the house seen in Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me.
In the film, it would make more sense that next-door-neighbor Ms. Hogan would check on Sarah Palmer. She could have probably heard her screaming outside.
The script continues:
EXT. PALMER HOUSE – MORNING
JANICE HOGAN, the Palmer’s next door neighbor, exits the front door of her
house and runs next door to the Palmers’ house. She knocks on the door. We hear a heart-rending wail of grief from inside.
JANICE
Sarah?!
She opens she door and rushes inside. Pause. Another cry.
The scene is way more effective how it was televised – cutting from the black receiver to Sarah’s wailing. The scene ends by cutting to Heidi’s arrival at the Double R Diner.
PALMER HOUSE EXTERIOR
As mentioned, we don’t see the Palmer house exterior in the pilot episode. According to the script, there would have been a transition scene before the action in the Palmer’s living room.
EXT. PALMER HOUSE – DAY
Two sheriff’s department cruisers and a state trooper’s car are parked outside. One of the Troopers we saw at the high school is talking on his radio. a small group of NEIGHBORS have gathered at a discreet distance, watching the house, talking with quiet concern among themselves.
It would take 25 years before we saw a sheriff’s department vehicle outside the Palmer’s house.
SARAH PALMER IN THE LIVING ROOM
The broadcasted scene opens with Laura Palmer’s homecoming queen photo.
We see a close up of Sarah’s face, full of emotion and wailing. Can I take a moment to say that Grace Zabriskie is an incredible actress? The way she emotes pure anguish is outstanding.
The script describes the scene:
INT. PALMER HOUSE LIVING ROOM – DAY
Sarah Palmer reclines on a Barca-lounger, a cold compress on her forehead. His bag open beside him, Dr. Hayward has just administered an injection to Sarah, discarding the syringe and rolling her sleeve back down her arm. Janice brings Sarah a glass of water.
If the scene would have been shot the way it was described in the script, Sarah would be have been resting on a chair that looks like this. According to Revolvy.com, the BarcaLounger has a long history in the United States:
“The Barcalounger chair was introduced by the Barcalo Manufacturing Company of Buffalo, New York, which eventually became the Barcalounger Company. The chairs are currently produced in Morristown, Tennessee. The Barcalounger Company, was once named the Barcalo Manufacturing Company, and founded by Edward J. Barcalo in 1896. It is the oldest manufacturer of reclining chairs in the U.S.A.”
You can still buy one today at BarcaLounger.com.
After the close-ups of Sarah, the scene cuts to Sarah sitting on the couch surrounded by Dr. Hayward, Sheriff Truman, Deputy Andy Brennan and Janice Hogan, her neighbor. If look carefully, you’ll see Dr. Hayward holding the syringe in his hand.
Dr. Hayward and Ms. Hogan exchange glances in the broadcasted scene.
The script continues:
Andy Brennan stands at the foot of the stairs. Sheriff Steadman is seated on an ottoman next to Sarah, quietly questioning her.
STEADMAN
What time was it when you last saw Laura, Mrs. Palmer?
SARAH
(the sedative taking effect)
What time? Uh, I suppose, let me see … it would have been about nine I think, yes, nine o’clock. She came back from Bobby’s and was going up those stairs, those stairs right there.
STEADMAN
Did she say anything?
SARAH
(dreamy)
No. She said goodnight. And I said, “Goodnight, sweetheart” Then I heard her door close.
In the broadcasted scene, Janice leaves Sarah’s side after the sedative takes effect. Not a word is exchanged and she is never seen again. But in the script, Janice stays a little longer.
She’s close to tears for a moment, then it passes. Hayward takes her hand and holds it. Sarah hears footsteps upstairs.
SARAH (CONTlNUED)
Who’s upstairs now?
STEADMAN
Your husband and one of my men.
SARAH
I can tell from the sounds that it isn’t her …
Steadman and Hayward exchange a look.
The scene cuts to Laura’s Bedroom where Hawk (originally named Bernie) and Mr. Palmer have a brief exchange. In the script, Hawk finds the video camera in the closet, not in a box.
Back to the living room…
INT. PALMER LIVING ROOM – DAY
Steadman continues to gently question Sarah.
STEADMAN
Can you remember, Mrs. Palmer … did she make or receive any phone calls?
SARAH
I heard her phone ring once.
STEADMAN
About what time was that?
SARAH
I don’t know who it was …
The phone rings. Steadman looks at Andy, who goes into the kitchen to answer it.
STEADMAN
Do you recall the time?
SARAH
I was combing my hair …
STEADMAN
You ware getting ready for bed.
SARAH
Yes. Leland was just coming home …
She fades Sandman realizes the interrogation is effectively coming to an end. The doorbell rings. Janice moves to the door, opens it and admits FATHER CLARENCE HUTCHINSON, a rumpled, white-haired Episcopalian minister.
Notice how the script spells his name as “Hutchinson.”
FATHER CLARENCE HUTCHINGS
So when Janice leaves the scripted scene, she goes to the door to find Father Hutchings played by Frank Roberts. He even gets a credit at the end of the Pilot Episode. Yet he is never actually seen.
WHO IS FRANK ROBERTS?
Finding information about Frank Roberts was tougher than finding Special Agent Chet Desmond after he went back to the Fat Trout Trailer Park for the Blue Rose. The image above comes from IMDB.com but that’s about all I could find. He appeared in a handful of television shows including an episode of Northern Exposure, and he played “Laura’s Dad” in Homeward Bound – The Incredible Journey (1993).
Sadly, I have never located any image of Mr. Roberts as Father Hutchings, but he has an exchange with Janice and Sarah in the script.
JANICE
Father …
FATHER CLARENCE
(nods, quietly)
How is she?
Janice takes his hat and coat.
JANICE
She’s been asking for you.
Clarence moves into the living room Steadman rises.
FATHER CLARENCE
(nodding to the other men)
Sarah?
Sarah looks up It him. Blinks. He takes her hand, sits beside her.
SARAH
There’s no more pain now, is there?
CLARENCE
(gently, soothing)
Our thoughts and prayers guide her to her rest.
And she is at peace, Sarah. The peace of the just
and the good.
Sarah sits back, finding some comfort in his words. Returning from the kitchen, Andy signals Steadman over to him.
ANDY
(quietly urgent)
That was Lucy. Got a call from a guy works up at the mill, Janek Pulaski. Says his daughter didn’t come home last night. And she didn’t show up at school today either.
Off Steadman’s concern …
The scene cuts to the Packard Saw Mill and we never see Janice or Father Hutchings again.
By episode 1.003, “Father Clarence Hutchings” gets a new name – Reverend Clarence Brocklehurst from Twin Peaks Episcopal – and is played by Royce D. Applegate.
I’m assuming all of these scenes were shot in March 1989. What I would give for one look at these Missing Pieces.
