MASON’S KISS
SWEPT A SHY ST. PETERSBURG GIRL OFF HER FEET
For some reason or other it seemed that Lane Davies, the actor who played the role of
Mason in SB, was stunned by the hospitality of Saint Petersburg hosts. A bodyguard,
banquets every night in the best restaurants of the city, a reception at the governor’s.
Everywhere – people delighted, applauding, asking for an autograph. In Pushkin Lane
had to leave autographs on his fans’ palms. In Ekaterininsky Palace, at the watchers’
request, he wrote in a bold hand on one of the screens, “To babushkas
(‘grandmothers’) from Mason.’
Q: When you were getting ready to start for Russia, did you learn any Russian words?
A: Spasibo (thank you), pozhaluysta (please / you are welcome), do svidaniya (good
bye), vodka (vodka), vino (wine).
Q: Have you had a chance to taste Russian vodka yet?
A: No, I’ve got concerts every night and I do not drink when I work. At receptions I’ve
had red wine that I prefer to other spirits.
Q: Which of the three vices are you mostly prone to: alcohol, smoking, women?
A: I drink little and do not smoke, so only women is left.
Q: What do you value in women most?
A: Education, wit, intelligence. To attract my attention a woman must be pretty, too.
Q: Is your wife Holly like this?
A: I would not have married her otherwise. I had been waiting very long choosing the
mate, it was hard. And only four years ago I met the woman of my dreams. She was
working for the Fox Television then, and now she’s staying home with our sons who are
two and three now, and helping me about the theatre.
Q: You are 43 now. What holds the first place in your life now?
A: My family. Theatre, TV and cinema is the second place, and music is the third.
Q: Lane, are you rich enough to buy a villa in Santa Barbara?
A: Oh no! Only oil makers can afford that.
Q: Where do you live?
A: In an hour’s drive from Los Angeles, in Ventura district. I’ve got a big house with a
pool and 6.5 acres of land.
Q: I know 5 of them are taken up by avocado. Why do you need so much avocado?
A: I understood I could not take care of my children, my theatre and all the land properly,
so I decided to plant avocado there, it’s unpretentious. When they are ripe, we sell some
and make some guacamole for ourselves – a mixture of avocado, tomatoes, garlic and
pepper.
Q: Lane, it was a surprise for us that you can sing…
A: I discovered music for myself in the musical theatre. I started participating in festivals,
musicals. Five years ago or so I released an album in the USA and a single in France.
Q: And do you thing lullabies to your sons in the evening?
A: Of course I do. Most often these are American traditional songs. On stage I usually
sing ballads and some rock-n-roll. I do not give singing concerts, however.
Q: Are you doing any filming now?
A: No, I’m rehearsing Don Quixote in a musical at my theatre. That’s why I’m growing the
beard, normally I go clean shaven.
Q: Is Holly a strict judge of your work?
A: Unfortunately not. She’s too partial.
At the last concert in Saint Petersburg Lane Davies surprised our lady spectators. He
invited them to ask questions promising to kiss the one who asked the best question.
Girls rushed to the mikes from all the hall: “Lane, is your wife the actress playing Lily
Light?”, “Could you pose nude for a magazine cover?”, “Could you love a Russian
girl?”. Lane answered, “No,” “My body’s all right”*, “We shall live and we shall see.” He
chose the most resourceful girl who, having gotten to the mike, asked shyly, “Could you
please kiss me?”
The kiss was long and tender. After it the girl was close to fainting and almost fell down
from the stage. And Lane, having presented the spectators with his radiant smile once
again, went to pack his suitcases. Moscowers (Muscovites) were already waiting for
him…
*(Olga’s side note: and much later I learnt it was a quote… - as he quoted it later in the
comments or elsewhere: ‘My body’s all right, but … in perspective and not in the light.’ )
SWEPT A SHY ST. PETERSBURG GIRL OFF HER FEET
For some reason or other it seemed that Lane Davies, the actor who played the role of
Mason in SB, was stunned by the hospitality of Saint Petersburg hosts. A bodyguard,
banquets every night in the best restaurants of the city, a reception at the governor’s.
Everywhere – people delighted, applauding, asking for an autograph. In Pushkin Lane
had to leave autographs on his fans’ palms. In Ekaterininsky Palace, at the watchers’
request, he wrote in a bold hand on one of the screens, “To babushkas
(‘grandmothers’) from Mason.’
Q: When you were getting ready to start for Russia, did you learn any Russian words?
A: Spasibo (thank you), pozhaluysta (please / you are welcome), do svidaniya (good
bye), vodka (vodka), vino (wine).
Q: Have you had a chance to taste Russian vodka yet?
A: No, I’ve got concerts every night and I do not drink when I work. At receptions I’ve
had red wine that I prefer to other spirits.
Q: Which of the three vices are you mostly prone to: alcohol, smoking, women?
A: I drink little and do not smoke, so only women is left.
Q: What do you value in women most?
A: Education, wit, intelligence. To attract my attention a woman must be pretty, too.
Q: Is your wife Holly like this?
A: I would not have married her otherwise. I had been waiting very long choosing the
mate, it was hard. And only four years ago I met the woman of my dreams. She was
working for the Fox Television then, and now she’s staying home with our sons who are
two and three now, and helping me about the theatre.
Q: You are 43 now. What holds the first place in your life now?
A: My family. Theatre, TV and cinema is the second place, and music is the third.
Q: Lane, are you rich enough to buy a villa in Santa Barbara?
A: Oh no! Only oil makers can afford that.
Q: Where do you live?
A: In an hour’s drive from Los Angeles, in Ventura district. I’ve got a big house with a
pool and 6.5 acres of land.
Q: I know 5 of them are taken up by avocado. Why do you need so much avocado?
A: I understood I could not take care of my children, my theatre and all the land properly,
so I decided to plant avocado there, it’s unpretentious. When they are ripe, we sell some
and make some guacamole for ourselves – a mixture of avocado, tomatoes, garlic and
pepper.
Q: Lane, it was a surprise for us that you can sing…
A: I discovered music for myself in the musical theatre. I started participating in festivals,
musicals. Five years ago or so I released an album in the USA and a single in France.
Q: And do you thing lullabies to your sons in the evening?
A: Of course I do. Most often these are American traditional songs. On stage I usually
sing ballads and some rock-n-roll. I do not give singing concerts, however.
Q: Are you doing any filming now?
A: No, I’m rehearsing Don Quixote in a musical at my theatre. That’s why I’m growing the
beard, normally I go clean shaven.
Q: Is Holly a strict judge of your work?
A: Unfortunately not. She’s too partial.
At the last concert in Saint Petersburg Lane Davies surprised our lady spectators. He
invited them to ask questions promising to kiss the one who asked the best question.
Girls rushed to the mikes from all the hall: “Lane, is your wife the actress playing Lily
Light?”, “Could you pose nude for a magazine cover?”, “Could you love a Russian
girl?”. Lane answered, “No,” “My body’s all right”*, “We shall live and we shall see.” He
chose the most resourceful girl who, having gotten to the mike, asked shyly, “Could you
please kiss me?”
The kiss was long and tender. After it the girl was close to fainting and almost fell down
from the stage. And Lane, having presented the spectators with his radiant smile once
again, went to pack his suitcases. Moscowers (Muscovites) were already waiting for
him…
*(Olga’s side note: and much later I learnt it was a quote… - as he quoted it later in the
comments or elsewhere: ‘My body’s all right, but … in perspective and not in the light.’ )
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Provided and Translated By Olga. Thank you!