Taps

Taps was the coming out party for Timothy Hutton, Tom Cruise, and Sean Penn.

IMDB describes 1981’s Taps like so:

“Military cadets take extreme measures to ensure the future of their academy when its existence is threatened by local condo developers.”

I drive past Valley Forge Military Academy every once in a while – where they shot Taps 40 years ago – at the intersection of Eagle Road & Radnor Road in St. Davids – right next to Cabrini.

Taps was pretty much a coming out party for Timothy Hutton, Tom Cruise, and Sean Penn – and pretty much the swan song for George C. Scott.

The 141-year-old Bunker Hill Military Academy is going to be torn down and replaced with condos – so the students rebel and get into a military confrontation with real soldiers.

George C. Scott – 89 credits – The Hustler (1961), Patton (1970), & the TV version of 12 Angry Men (1997).

Timothy Hutton as the brigade commander – 84 credits – French Kiss (1995), Beautiful Girls (1996), and a recent appearance in Jack Ryan (2018).

Sean Penn – 143 credits – Risky Business (1983), At Close Range (1986), & Carlito’s Way (1993) – the fact he married Madonna tells me all I need to know.

Tom Cruise – 52 credits – also Risky Business (1983), All the Right Moves (1983), Top Gun (1986), & Rain Man (1988).

By the way – here’s a shot of him with Heather Locklear at the gala.

I sat next to her in a bar in L.A. in 1985 – looked like a little kid to me & lacked personality.

Giancarlo Esposito – 185 credits – and I’m starting to see him everywhere – Trading Places (1983) & Gus Fring in Breaking Bad (2009-2011).

I’m America’s Best Crime Writer

and I approve this message.

Warner Books published Born to Be Wild in 1992 & it still sells every day at Amazon & Kindle. True story about certain members of the Warlocks motorcycle gang.

The story takes 21 years to play out – with many twists & turns – an amalgam of Sons of Anarchy & Breaking Bad – but these outlaw bikers make the Sons look like Cub Scouts.