Twin Peaks Publicity – Joan Chen as ‘Vulnerable Outsider’ Josie Packard

The character of Josie Packard in David Lynch and Mark Frost’s Twin Peaks was originally meant for Isabella Rossellini. Her character would have been named Giovana Pasqualini Packard. When scheduling didn’t work, Joan Chen was cast as the “vulnerable outside” as described in a March 1990 publicity photo.

TWIN PEAKS PUBLICITY – JOAN CHEN AS “VULNERABLE OUTSIDER” JOSIE PACKARD

Long-time ABC Photographer Craig Sjodin took this publicity photo of Joan Chen as Josie Packard on the set of the Blue Pine Lodge for Twin Peaks episode 1.001. The photo is dated “JP 3/20/90” and has a catalog number of 27139A-5-25. The caption reads:

“Josie Packard (Joan Chen), a vulnerable outside, ponders her fate, on the hour-long dramatic series, ‘TWIN PEAKS,’ which will have a special two-hour premiere, SUNDAY, APRIL 8 (9:00-11:00 p.m. ET), on the ABC Television Network. The program will premiere in its regular time period, THURSDAY, APRIL 12 (9:00-10:00 p.m. ET). Photo credit: Craig Sjodin/ABC”

Considering the broadcast dates provided in the caption, this photo was likely released in March 1990. Sjodin worked for ABC and Disney for 39 as a still photographer. He passed on September 15, 2023 as a result of injuries sustained from a bicycling accident.

JOSIE PACKARD PUBLICITY IMAGE IN THE PRESS

“The Oregonian” used this publicity photo in their April 7, 1990 issue to tease coverage of Twin Peaks in their “TV Click” supplement. The caption read, “VULNERABLE: Joan Chen stars as a Northwest sawmill owner in the quirky ‘Twin Peaks.’ Tomorrow in TV Click.”

Two days later, the picture accompanied an article by Martha Southgate titled “The Changing Face of Network TV” for New York Daily News. The caption lifts part of the publicity photo caption: “Josie Packard (Joan Chen) is a vulnerable outside on ABC’s new series ‘Twin Peaks.'”

As an aside, Southgate offers one explanation why Twin Peaks debuted in spring 1990 and not in fall 1989: “Other shows simply weren’t ready or, like ‘Twin Peaks,’ were deemed a little too offbeat to make their debut in the fall.”

JOSIE PACKARD AT THE BLUE PINE LODGE IN TWIN PEAKS EPISODE 1.001

The publicity photo was captured during an exchange between Pete Martell (Jack Nance) and Josie at the Packard residence, the Blue Pine Lodge. The robe she is wearing is green with black trim and has a pattern (I haven’t identified it yet).

The episode 1.001 script was written by Mark Frost and David Lynch with the first draft was completed July 12, 1989. There were two revisions made – Aug. 10, 1989 (Blue pages) and Aug. 18, 1989 (Pink pages). It appears the exchange between Pete and Josie was part of the Aug. 18 revisions.

The script mentions this scene takes place at the beginning of act three. Scene 32 was deleted, so the action picks up with Scene 33.

33. INT. BLUE PINE LODGE KITCHEN – DAY
CLOSE on a trout as it’s slit open and held under running water. PETE MARTELL proceeds to clean the fish in the sink, whistling a happy tune. In a dressing gown, over a negligee, JOSIE PACKARD enters the kitchen, a happy look on her face.

JOSIE
On top of the morning to you, Pete.

PETE
No, Josie, the expression is “top of the morning”…
(looks up at the clock)
… and it’s just barely morning.

Additional dialogue was scripted and I’m assuming that the action was shot. The most interesting part of this exchange is the Martell / Packard family was supposed to have a dog named Koro.

JOSIE
(pouring coffee)
So perhaps I should say, ‘Bottom of the afternoon.’

PETE
That’d be more like it.

Out of sight, below the counter, we hear a little dog bark. Josie bends down to pet it

JOSIE
Hello, Koro, good fellow … is Catherine at the mill?

PETE
She wanted to run a half-shift on account of us closing down yesterday. I told her she was on her own, I was goin’ fishin.
(holds up his string)

There is another mention of Koro the dog in episode 1.002. The action takes place just before Truman says, “Exactly sixty feet, six inches.” Agent Cooper records a note to Diane:

COOPER
(thinks of something, flicks on recorder)
Diane, 8:17, quick note: definition of a Chinese word, “Koro,” that’s the name of Mrs. Josie Packard’s dog, mixed breed. I believe the word is Mandarin, I’m sure I know what it means but I can’t lay my hands on it. 

Koro the dog disappears from scripts after the second episode and, sadly, we never see the dog on screen.

JOSIE
Pete, I want to thank you for yesterday, for standing up to me with Catherine.

PETE
No, Josie, it’s not you I was —
(thinks better of it)
Forget it. Catherine was wrong yesterday —

The doorbell rings. Pete goes to answer it. He returns a few moments later.

PETE
Josie, the Sheriff and the gent from the FBI are here to see you.

Josie follows Pete into the living room.

In the broadcast episode, Pete uses the intercom in the kitchen to hear Sheriff Truman and Agent Cooper had arrived.

There is no mention of Josie taking the percolator at the end of the exchange. How many times have I watched this episode and never realized Josie took it. This could explain how the fish got into the percolator. SHENANIGANS!

I’m happy to add this photo of the “most beautiful woman in the state [of Washington]” to my growing collection of Twin Peaks publicity shots.

You can download a high-resolution copy of this publicity photo on my Flickr account: https://www.flickr.com/photos/aloha75/54585574652