1969 - Fresh out of Amherst College in the National Touring company of "Forty Carats." The guy in the hat is legendary Broadway writer-director Abe Burrows, who also directed the original "How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying" and co-wrote 'Guys & Dolls.' Abe's son, James Burrows, directed almost every episode of "Cheers" and is one of the most successful directors working in TV today. When I auditioned for "Forty Carats" at Broadway's Morosco Theatre (which has since been torn down), Jimmy Burrows, who was the stage manager, read the other parts with me. The woman at left in the picture was the star of "Forty Carats," Barbara Rush. The play was about a forty year old woman (Barbara), who falls in love with a twenty-two year old guy (me). I doubt that any of us could have predicted that Barbara would eventually play my mother on "7th Heaven."