Brownsville man friends with award-winning director
BROWNSVILLE – Perhaps you’ve rooted for a favorite actor during an awards ceremony, or had seen so many of their movies that they felt like an old friend. Hugh Rawson of Brownsville had that experience Monday night during the Golden Globe Awards, but that’s because the producer of the Best Dramatic Picture is an old friend of his.
“It’s strange. When you’re first in the business you dream of yourself walking up as they say ‘and the winner is…’ Then you see one of your friends going up to get an award,” Rawson said.
In this case, it was producer Jon Kilik for the movie “Babel.”
“I knew he was up for the award. We were going nuts here,” Rawson said. “The director kept talking, so we never got to hear (Kilik) talk. He got escorted off the stage. I guess that’s a good way to be kicked off, being escorted by Arnold Schwarzenegger on crutches.”
Rawson has known Kilik for decades and worked with him when “Maria’s Lovers” was filmed in Brownsville in 1983.
“In knew him from New York. We were friends and we worked together a lot when I was in the business. He was the second assistant director on Maria’s Lovers, which meant he handled the actors on and off the set,” Rawson said.
Rawson met his wife, the former Colleen Mammarella, while working in Brownsville on “Maria’s Lovers.” He continued to work in the film and television industry and Colleen joined him in New York. Rawson said he specialized in low-budget features, serving as an assistant director. Among his credits as an assistant director are Crocodile Dundee II and Terminator 2, as well as the television series “Tales from the Dark Side.” He also served as a key production assistant on Crocodile Dundee.
“We moved back (to Brownsville) in 1991 to open the slot car raceway, National Pike Slot Car Speedway,” Rawson said.
The speedway closed in 1995. Rawson also worked as a Brownsville police dispatcher before the Fayette County 9-1-1 system was put into place. Rawson says he thinks about the film industry all the time, but numerous health problems have prevented him from continuing to pursue that dream. He has maintained his friendship with Kilik, however, talking to him just a month ago.
“I’m excited for him. I think it’s great. I live vicariously through him,” Rawson said. “They talk about six degrees of separation. I’m only one degree of separation from him. That’s great.”
In addition to winning the Golden Globe for Best Drama, Babel also won three awards at the Cannes Film Festival, including best director. In all, it has won 10 awards and been nominated for 55 others, and Oscar nominations will be announced Tuesday.