Craig Chester: Montgomery Clift: The Sequel

Summary

Podcast Summary: "Montgomery Clift: The Sequel" by Craig Chester

Introduction

In the episode titled "Montgomery Clift: The Sequel," Craig Chester shares a captivating and personal narrative that intertwines Hollywood intrigue with supernatural encounters. Recorded live at The Moth main stage in 2010, during a night themed around "stories of the nearly and dearly departed," Chester's tale delves into his unique experiences connecting with the spirit of the legendary actor Montgomery Clift.

The Psychic Encounter

Craig begins his story by recounting his unexpected foray into the world of psychics. After directing his first film—a "big, gay, goofy, retarded romantic comedy" with elements like line dancing and R-rated humor—Hollywood showed interest in Chester, suggesting a potential career leap. However, uncertain about his next steps, he sought advice from a psychic named Reverend Catherine.

“So for 45 minutes, Catherine uses herself as like a magical human iPhone to receive text from beyond.” ([04:10])

During the session, Reverend Catherine revealed that Chester was being influenced by the spirit of a deceased gay actor and that his next project would revolve around this mysterious figure. When Montgomery Clift's name surfaced, Catherine confirmed his connection, setting the stage for the unfolding supernatural journey.

The Restaurant Encounter

Chester's intrigue deepened upon the premiere of his film in Los Angeles. At a restaurant, he conversed with a woman named Jozanne, whom he later discovered was another psychic. During their interaction, Montgomery Clift's presence became palpable.

“She goes, ‘I'm sorry, I have to interrupt all you guys. Craig, this Montgomery Clift guy is attached at your hip and he's saying, hold on, hold on, hold on.’” ([06:05])

Jozanne mirrored Reverend Catherine's earlier messages, suggesting that Monty was guiding him towards writing a screenplay about his life. This coincidence reinforced Chester's belief in the supernatural connection.

The Subsequent Communications

Following these encounters, Chester began receiving consistent messages and signs endorsing his connection with Monty. His landline died during a pivotal conversation, prompting him to move outdoors to his cell phone, where Jozanne provided a precise description of his surroundings—a bamboo fence and a red barn house.

“She says, he's going to talk about his life. Do you have a pen? He's going to start talking. You need to write this down.” ([07:20])

Chester complied, documenting Monty's messages. Nights were disturbed by Monty's lectures on integrity in Hollywood, and seemingly coincidental events, such as discovering that his friend Jack Larson (known for playing Jimmy Olsen) was in town, further solidified the mystic bond.

The Invitation to Monty's House

Chester's journey reached a critical point when he received an invitation from Paul, the longtime resident of Monty's former brownstone at 217 E. 61st St., to spend a night in Montgomery Clift's bedroom. Upon visiting, Chester found the house preserved as it was in 1966, the year of Monty's untimely death.

“And it's exactly like it was when he left it. It's Monty's wallpaper and Monty's tile.” ([09:15])

Engaging with Paul, Chester learned that the true circumstances of Monty's death were shrouded in mystery, with discrepancies regarding whether he died in his bedroom or bathtub.

Night in Monty's Bedroom

The climax of Chester's story unfolds during a midnight visit to Monty's bedroom. Immersed in the space, Chester lay in the bathtub, meditating on Monty's last moments. A profound realization struck him, linking Monty's infamous car accident and subsequent facial reconstructive surgery to his own experience with facial disfigurement.

“When you have an experience like that, you really sort of see how shitty people are because you have two different faces, but you see the world through the same set of eyes.” ([12:10])

This introspection fostered a deep empathy between Chester and Monty, leading him to understand why Monty had chosen him as the vessel for his story. As Chester left the bathtub, the supernatural interactions ceased, and Monty's presence receded, allowing Chester to return to his life with newfound clarity.

Conclusion

In the aftermath of these extraordinary events, Chester reflects on his continued career in television and the lingering connections with Monty's spirit. A final encounter with Jozanne revealed that Monty still sought to communicate, urging Chester to deliver a crucial message to Elizabeth Taylor.

“Elizabeth Taylor, if you're there, it's me, Montgomery Clift.” ([13:00])

Chester concludes his story with a blend of skepticism and awe, maintaining a balanced perspective on the paranormal while acknowledging the profound impact these experiences had on his life and work.

Closing Remarks

Craig Chester's "Montgomery Clift: The Sequel" is a mesmerizing blend of Hollywood lore, personal struggle, and supernatural mystery. Through vivid storytelling and heartfelt reflections, Chester invites listeners into a world where the lines between the living and the departed blur, creating an unforgettable narrative that resonates with themes of identity, destiny, and the enduring influence of past legends.

Notable Quotes:

• Reverend Catherine on Monty's Message:

  “None of what you're talking about is important. There's a spirit of a dead gay actor around you, and your next movie is going to be about this man.” ([04:30])

• Jozanne Revealing Monty's Influence:

  “Montgomery Clift guy is attached at your hip and he's saying, hold on, hold on, hold on.” ([06:10])

• Craig on Understanding Monty's Struggle:

  “When you have an experience like that, you really sort of see how shitty people are because you have two different faces, but you see the world through the same set of eyes.” ([12:15])

• Monty’s Final Message to Elizabeth Taylor:

  “Elizabeth Taylor, if you're there, it's me, Montgomery Clift.” ([13:00])

Conclusion

Craig Chester's enthralling narrative on The Moth podcast weaves a tale of fate, friendship beyond the grave, and the quest for authenticity in Hollywood. His story stands as a testament to the power of storytelling and the mysterious ways in which our lives can intersect with the legacies of those who came before us.

Transcript

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[Craig Chester]

Welcome to the Moth Podcast. I'm Dan Kennedy and the Moth features true stories told live without notes. All stories from the podcast are taken from our ongoing storytelling series in New York, Los Angeles and from our tour shows across the country. Visit themoth.org.

[Jay Allison]

Hi, this is Jay Allison up on Cape Cod in Massachusetts. Right now we're producing our second batch of stories for the Moth Radio Hour. Our first season aired on over 200 public radio stations around the country, which makes it a big hit by public radio standards. So we're doing it again. We're putting together five more hours of amazing stories hosted by the Moth team, distributed by PRX.org and featuring backstage interviews and other cool bits like we are inviting everyone in the world to pitch us their stories, including you podcast listeners. You can check the pitch [e-mail] to find out more about that. To hear the Moth Radio Hour on the air, contact your local public radio station and find out when they'll be airing it. We we hope you like it. Thanks.

[Craig Chester]

The story you're about to hear by Craig Chester was recorded live at the Moth main Stage recently. In 2010, the theme of the night was stories of the nearly and dearly departed.

[Paul Ruest]

So a few years ago, I directed my first movie, Sort of a big, gay, goofy, retarded romantic comedy with like line dancing and all this crazy stuff. Very R rated humor. And Hollywood saw my movie and thought maybe they could bring me out there and I can make big, dumb, goofy, R rated Hollywood movies. So I'd been an actor to this point. I never made any money and I thought, well, maybe I'll go out there. But I didn't know what to do. So a friend of mine suggested to go see a psychic on the brief side named Reverend Catherine. So I'd never been to a psychic before, but I thought, you know, what the hell? So I'm sitting across from her and I'm going on about my career and my life and the whole time I'm talking to her, she's looking over my shoulder at something that's not there. And finally she speaks and she says, none of what you're talking about is important. There's a spirit of a dead gay actor around you, and your next movie is going to be about this man. Who, who could this be? So I start throwing out some names. I'm like, is it Anthony Perkins? She's like, no, he's saying, I'm not Anthony Perkins. Is it Rock Hudson? She's like, no, he doesn't like Rock Hudson. Is it Montgomery Clift? And she's like, oh, he's jumping. That's me. That's me on Montgomery clifton. So for 45 minutes, Catherine uses herself as like a magical human iPhone to receive text from beyond. And Monty starts talking to Mile a minute. He's saying, you're having this life you couldn't have because you're an openly gay man and he was a closet case in the 50s. And you're going to write this movie about him. He's going to get you into this house that he died in in the Upper east side. And this is so exciting. He's been waiting this long time for this reunion and, you know, I didn't really get any of the answers, you know, any of my questions answered, but I left there and I kind of blew it off. So got to la, where my big gay romantic comedy premieres, and I go to this restaurant and I'm sitting with like, you know, a bunch of people. And there's this woman, Jozanne, sitting at the table and she's very sweet, she's a very suburban type of mom type person. And while we're talking, somehow or another, you know, people are talking about famous Hollywood closet cases and Montgomery Cliff's name came up. And when his name came Up. This woman, Jose, leans away like she's listening to something. She turns back to the table and she goes, I'm sorry, I have to interrupt all you guys. Craig, this Montgomery Cliff guy is attached at your hip and he's saying, hold on, hold on, hold on. He's talking a mile a minute. He's saying that you're having this life he couldn't have because of the time he lived in and he was gay and you're gay and something about a screenplay you're going to write for him and he's going to get you into this house that he died in. Now, this woman, Jose, happens to be a psychic. And she tells me everything that the woman in New York told me, verbatim, word for word. Jose is sort of like this. She's sort of the opposite of Catherine, the New York psychic. She doesn't charge. She just, you know, talks to dead people. She's been this way since she was 5. And she's sort of like a psychic Carol Brady, you know? So I go home, I'm kind of shaken, and I'm trying to find a logical explanation. They don't know each other at all. And the next day Jose calls me at home and she's like, hi, Craig. So listen, I was taking a bath and Montgomery Clift is here and he wants to get started on his screenplay. Now I'm in LA and I'm taking. I'm like, well, I'm very flattered that Monty would pick me, first of all, you know, but I was very busy. I had a really important pitch the next day at a studio for a female med wrestling comedy. And I was up for a Revenge of the Nerds remake. And also I was like, you know, wouldn't it be more sensible for Monty to pick like an A list writer, you know, like Paul Haggis or someone. And while I'm talking to her, my landline dies. My. My landline. So go outside to get a reception on my cell phone and I call her back. And while I'm talking to her, she. She goes, craig, are you outside? And I'm like, yeah. She's like, are you looking at a tree? And on one side of the tree the leaves are gone, and at the bottom there's like a bamboo fence and to the right there's like a red looking barn house. And she described what I was looking at. Now, I was in a temporary housing situation. She didn't know where I was. I met her once and she said, monty's giving this to you as confirmation this is real and you need to pay attention. She's like, he's going to talk about his life. Do you have a pen? He's going to start talking. You need to write this down. And I lied and said, yeah, I've got a pen, go ahead. And she takes a pause and she comes back to the phone. She's like, I'm sorry, Craig, Monty just told me that you're lying. So I get a pen, I start writing down what Montgomery Clifton is telling me. In the day I'm going on these dumb jobs to get these R rated comedies, and at night, Montgomery Clift is calling me giving me lectures about, about, like integrity in Hollywood. And out of the blue, like, you know, these people start appearing that Monty knew in my life. Jose was like, you know, Monty's saying, you've got to find some guy named Jack. Who's Jack? And I'm like, is it Jack Larson? He was Jimmy Olsen in the Superman TV show. And she's like, yes, yes, find Jack Larson. You know, I'm not a journalist. I don't know how to do this stuff. I go on peoplefinders.com there's like 60 Jack Larsons in LA. I go to sleep. The next morning, I wake up on my cell phone. There's a voicemail from my friend Michael saying, hi, Craig, it's Michael. I'm in town. I'm having lunch with this guy Jack Larson today. He was Jimmy Olsen in the Superman TV show. I don't know if you know who he is. And within 24 hours of Monty telling me to find Jack, I'm speaking to Jack Larson. This is how it was the whole time. Things would happen, people would appear. I go back to New York and right away I get invited to a cocktail party at 217 E. 61st St. Which is Montgomery Cliffs old brownstone where I was told I would go from the very beginning. So with an hour's notice, I go over to the house and I walk in. I'm sort of in a daze. And it's frozen in 1966. It hasn't changed since Monty died. And I meet this guy Paul, who's lived there for decades and knows all the secrets of Monty's house. And he tells. And I say, can I see the room where he died? He died in his bedroom, famously, this famous story of his death. And he said, oh, actually, no, he died in the bathtub. But nobody knows. It's not published anywhere. So I leave there, I call Jose and I say, she's like, what was the House, like, you know, And I'm like. It's exactly like it was when he left it. It's Monty's wallpaper and Monty's tile. And she. She says, what's the significance of the bathtub? He's saying, there's something about a bathtub. And then she says, you know, Craig, Monty just told me that he's been trying to get you in here for 20 years. And sort of this doesn't quite sink in. But a week later, I get an invitation from Paul, the guy who lives in Monty's house, and he says, listen, I know this may be a little morbid, but do you want to spend the night in Monty's bedroom? So the following Wednesday, I have a dinner party at Monty's house. My friends come over, and at midnight, they all leave, and I go up to Monty's bedroom, and I'm there. I've been led all this way. I'm in his bedroom, and I'm looking at the tub, and I'm thinking, oh, I've got to get into the tub. I mean, Monty would. I mean, he was a method actor, and he'd want to feel what it felt like to be him. So I go in the bathroom, I get in the tub, and I lay back, and I'm looking at this air vent, and it's this very sacred moment, you know, And I'm looking at this air vent, thinking that's the last thing he saw alive. And while I'm laying there, I'm thinking, you know, I remember what Jozan said about 20 years ago. He's been with you for 20 years? And then it hit me, like, my face. When I was 19, I had a massive reconstructive surgery to my face. I had a genetic disfigurement to my jaw, and I had a year's worth of operations to rebuild my face. Montgomery Clift had a terrible car accident at the peak of his fame. He was leaving Elizabeth Taylor's house, and he had a telephone pole, and his face was totally demolished, and his jaw was wired shut for months, just like mine was. And I thought, this is why he wants me. Like, when you have an experience like that, you really sort of see how shitty people are because you have two different faces, but you see the world through the same set of eyes. And I felt like, you know, I understood him in a way that maybe nobody else would. And wouldn't we want the person to tell our story be somebody who understands who we are? So I got out of the tub, and I was very Aware that I could stand, that I could leave and I could be, in a way, Monty's happy ending. I could live past 45. I could have a great life. I could be out after this. After the bathtub, it kind of died down. Monty left me alone and went back to my real life. And I'm not any more spiritual than I was before this started, by the way. I mean, I'm still completely living complete fear of everything. And so I go to LA and I work in television, and it's great. And then a few months ago, Jose called me and she's like, montgomery, Cliff's back. He's been waking me up the last two nights. And I'm like, you know, that's great. I'm really busy with my TV show. And she's like, he's saying, you've got to get to Elizabeth Taylor. Because there's something that Elizabeth Taylor knows that no one else knows that she knows. So I blow it off. I finish my job. The day after I finish my job, my cousin Chandra calls me from Texas. Now, I talked to Chandra like once every 10 years. We have nothing in common. She lives in a small town in Texas. She's got eight kids, and she calls me out of the blue and am I thinking of who died? And she says, I'm like, is everything okay? And she's like, well, this really scary thing happened here last night. I'm like, what? She's like, well, I woke up and there was a man in my bedroom. And I thought it was you. He looked a little bit like you. And he said he wanted me to tell you something. And I'm like, what? And she's like, he's kind of mumbling. And he said, my name is Clifton Montgomery and you need to tell Craig to hurry. So, Elizabeth Taylor, if you're there, it's me, Montgomery Clift.

[Craig Chester]

Craig Chester is an actor, writer and director. His memoir entitled why the Long Face Adventures of a Truly Independent Actor was published by St. Martin's Press and it's currently being developed as a series on Showtime. The Moth is a non profit organization, so consider supporting our free podcast by going to our podcast contribution page or by becoming a Moth member. And you can do [e-mail] and also moth stories are now available on itunes by running a search for the best of the Moth. To learn more about this and all of the Moth's upcoming shows and our corporate events and training program, Visit our website, themoth.org Our podcast host, Dan Kennedy.

[Paul Ruest]

Is the author of the book Rock on an office power ballad. Learn [e-mail] thanks to all of you.

[Craig Chester]

For listening and we hope you have a story worthy week. Podcast audio production by Paul Ruest at the Argo Studios in New York Podcast hosting by PRX Public Radio Exchange helping make public radio more [e-mail].