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Good Lord, this as meta as meta gets.

In 1960, four years after the original live PLAYHOUSE 90 broadcast of Rod Serling's REQUIEM FOR A HEAVYWEIGHT, the Director of that show, Ralph Nelson, wrote, directed and played himself in this docudrama about how Ed Wynn, who gave a career-changing dramatic performance in REQUIEM, was almost a disastrous washout in the role.

What is more jaw-dropping, is that this dramatization of those events feature many of the original participants, including Ed Wynn and his Son Keenan Wynn playing themselves! The show also features Rod Serling and Red Skelton playing themselves, and some of the other original cast members of the PLAYHOUSE 90 broadcast (Jack Palance must have been busy). This is incredible television drama in and of itself, even braver because it's true and told by the people who were there:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wrjD-MQF7Fc


RICHARD M ROBERTS

And Keenan Wynn as portrayed by Keenan Wynn is somewhat of a heel.

Rob Farr wrote:And Keenan Wynn as portrayed by Keenan Wynn is somewhat of a heel.

Actually, I think Keenan's performance here is amazing, he portrays himself as caring for and loving his Father, but also having to be brutally honest with him and being frustrated with him, while also dealing with the problem of being the Son of a famous celebrity.

I've always thought Keenan Wynn was a brilliant character actor, and the bravery of playing himself here very openly is downright incredible.

RICHARD M ROBERTS