Humble Hollywood star inspires students

Jan Selman met Arthur Hiller recently and now believes his resume, impressive as it is, is not as remarkable as his "generous spirit and integrity."

"It's obvious that he's been extremely successful in his field, but today I saw what a gracious and wonderful person he is with everyone he meets," said Selman, chair of the University of Alberta Department of Drama

"He's an example that it doesn't matter where you're from, if you have the talent and drive then you can make it anywhere. He's a big name, but he's also just a real person, really down-to-Earth, and it was encouraging just to meet him." Scott Olynek, third-year fine arts student

Selman spent a day on campus with Hiller, who was in Edmonton to receive an honorary degree from the U of A Nov. 21. Hiller, who turned 79 a few days later, grew up in Edmonton and attended the U of A for a few years before moving to California and becoming a director of films and television shows, including Love Story, Silver Streak, and Gunsmoke. He has also served as president of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences.

Hiller sat in with a group of about 75 acting and directing students and faculty in the "actor's corner" in the U of A Fine Arts Building. He watched two students perform audition monologues and then offered words of advice to improve their presentations.

"He has an acute eye for truthful acting, and a gentle and generous way of expressing his vision," Selman said.

"He gave me good leaping points - ideas I can explore for further study," said Scott Olynek, a third-year fine arts student in acting who performed a monologue from Magic Juice by Lawrence Russell. But more than Hiller's practical advice, Olynek appreciated Hiller's "personality and experience."

"He's an example that it doesn't matter where you're from, if you have the talent and drive then you can make it anywhere," Olynek said. "He's a big name, but he's also just a real person, really down-to-Earth, and it was encouraging just to meet him."

During the question-and-answer session that followed, Hiller was asked to reflect on the breaks he needed to succeed in the entertainment industry. "After he explained his own history, he said you have to be both busy and lucky to break into the business," Selman said. "You have to knock on thousands of doors, if necessary, and they won't always open for you, but when one does open, he said you have to be really good. I liked that."

Hiller attended a reception in his honour at the U of A Timms Centre for the Arts, which was filled with Hiller's many Edmonton friends, as well as local actors and directors. He was at the Jubilee Auditorium to receive his honorary degree and address the 2002 fall graduates in the U of A Faculties of Agriculture, Forestry and Home Economics, Graduate Studies, Law, Medicine and Dentistry, Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Rehabilitation Medicine.

In his convocation speech, he urged the graduates to "embrace and help the causes and needs of our society. Don't let affluence be your only goal...And don't wait for the days of retirement [to give back to society]. Don't wake up at age 50, rich...and empty. Do it now," he said.

For his own life-long dedication to public service, Hiller received the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award at the 2002 Academy Awards. He recently agreed to serve as the honorary chair of the Victoria School Foundation for the Arts in Edmonton, the high school he attended more than 60 years ago.

"From Arthur's professional life to his many community and philanthropic activities, it is evident that he has a long-standing legacy of giving back to society in very widespread ways, and it's truly been an honour to have him back on campus for the past two days," said U of A President Dr. Rod Fraser.