June 1981 - San Francisco Police Officers Association

SAN FRANCISCO POLICEMAN -Page 24 June 1981He walks a beat by nightand treads the boards by dayReprinted S.F. Examinerby Ken WangBob Geary, Bob Geary. Morris puts themThe name ring a bell? He's through his method calledthe San Francisco cop who "being." Like being aran for supervisor and tomato, being King Lear,sheriff and headed the being in love.STOP the Sewer Tax Geary has made a coumovement.What's he up ple of films recently. Oneto? Tag along, is, "Dial 911", a TV movieHe's still walking the for CBS. "I met the probeatout of Central. NorthBeach is his beat.. Hechecks out of the stationnext to the KeystoneKorner, the jazz club, andheads down Columbus,past the chic coffee houses.Put a cowboy hat on himand he'd be a western heroas he hits Broadway. Lean,hard, a bushy mustache,thumbs hooked to hisgunbelt.He talks to Joe, themanager at City Lightsbookstore, a cabby waitingfor a fare in front of ElCid, and Omar, the doormanwith the fez at theCasbah, where the bellydancers undulate.The officer's hat is onlyone of many that Gearywears. He's also a professionalactor and model.He belongs to the ScreenActors Guild and theAmerican Federation ofTelevision and Radio Artistsunions. It's whatseparates the pros from theamateurs. No SAG/AF-TRA cards, no work. Howdoes he find time? "I workthe midnight shift, from 10to 6 in the morning. Itgives me time," he said inan interview. It was threein the afternoon and hewas out of uniform, wearinga sharp, palomino colorthree-piece suit.It all began five yearsago when a friend with theSan Francisco Opera gothim a non-speaking part inFrancis Coppola's "TheVisit of the Old Lady," aversion of Friedrich Durrenmott's "The Visitor.""I played the role of thegigolo," he said. "It wasmy baptism as an actor."Geary, who works out ata gym in the Sunset, wherehe lives, has bulging, ripplingmuscles. He was nextseen as a Nubian slave,carrying Cynthia Gregoryout on stage on hisshoulder in "Aida.""Last season I was oneof the guards that tore outthe eyes of Piacido Domingoin 'Samson andDelilah'," he said. This isthe big scene where Samsonis blinded and thewhole temple comestumbling down.Geary studies with EricMorris, a drama coachwho comes up from LosAngeles Saturdays to teacha small class."He coaches JackNicholson," he said. "Wework out scenes with twoor three persons,sometimes a monologue.Bu,t no singing, no .dancing."Around The CflockCOURTESYTOW SERVICE752 296OSan Francisco 94121ellow Cab26-2345DEPENDABILITYducer at City Lights a yearago. We were talkingabout Germ anphilosophers, deepthinkers like Nietzsche andSchopenhauer. He wastalking and I was listening.And he said he'd call mewhen he had a part. Pro-ducers seldom call back, movie made with a grantbut he did. I played a cop from the French governwhoarrests a hooker ment, directed by Sarahplayed by Meredith Baxter Mondale, niece of theBirney. In real life, I've former vice presidnt.made a number of arrests, It's about a young coubutnever a prostitute." pie who go to France andHis biggest film role was meet an old lady who's ain "Old Acquaintances" a grape picker. "Come seePORTOLA JEWELERSJewelry & Vatches RepairedDia,ñonds Re-md'ijnted.2706 San Bruno Ave. Gustavo SamarribSan Francisco, CA 94134 . 468-303'1C-__i_);'—- 1WholesaleIII1794 Haight St.(at Shrader)For Wholesale info call;759 Third St.(at King)3801 -24th St.(at Church)open 24 hic.us," they invite. When theold lady does, the coupleare divorced. Geary is thefriend of the lead played byClayton Day, who's big insoap operas.But the turning point forGeary may be a TV pilot,"Broadway Spectacles,"just wrapped up byDirksen-Miller, local producerswho put on the FabMab shows at theMabuhay Gardens."It's sort of a 'Laugh-In', 'Saturday Night Live'with skits and music. I'mAttilla the Hulk, aphilosophical maintenanceman," he said.Geary didn't decide totake up acting seriouslyuntil recently, although heand his twin sister used to"go from house to house inthe neighborhood puttingon shows for a penny. Theypaid us to go away."This was in Oakland,where his parents still live.At St. Francis, the Salesian'ssummer camp inWatsonvile, and at BishopO'Dowd High School inOakland, Geary was insuch plays as "The Man inthe Grey Flannel Suit."He graduated from St.Mary's College and earneda masters degree in educationat the University ofSan Francisco. Now 41, hehas been a policeman since1963, but left in 1966 tojoin the fire departmentand returned as a cop in1972."I taught physical edand science as a substituteteacher while I was afireman," he said. It wasmostly at Lincoln HighSchool.Now he's tapering off onhis political pursuits andconcentrating more on hisacting and modelingcareer. But he's still activein the Stop the Sewer Taxdrive.He got involved when hereceived his water bill. "Icomplained and they toldme there was nothing Icould do about it," hesaid. "So I did somethingabout it. Now we havethem trimming the'Cadillac version' from$2.3 billion to $1.5 billionand we're still fighting,"he said.Geary has won fourmeritorious awards, twofor disarming suspects,two for rescuing people.He dove into the Bay torescue a man from drowningand in 1978, while hewas campaigning, rescueda man from a fire."That was the toughest.I spent two days in ahospital for smoke inhalation,"he said.He gets a lot of ribbingfrom his fellow officersabout his acting, but hedoesn't mind. "He's aa. good6'iiefficer said.