I hadn’t seen or talked with Nancy for many years. Too many years. There had been a time when we talked several times a week and would meet down at the Taper. I was in charge of producing all the entertainment news stories for KCBS-TV News from 1980 into 1975, and in that time did many stories about Taper productions. She was always so sweet, so smart, so easy to talk with, and I so enjoyed my years of collaborating with her.

As often happens, life changes. I went on to new jobs, had kids, bought a house, lost jobs…and suddenly 30 years had passed since I had contact with Nancy. Over the summer, her name rolled through my mind and I thought that it was time to find her and resume our relationship. I saw she was still connected with the Center Theater Group, but then had to face some health problems of my own, which had me hospitalized for a time and suddenly my mind was on other things.

And then, five minutes ago, my wife gasps and tells me the news. And I felt crappy for not having made contact before it was too late for me to tell her how much of an impact she had upon my life.

So thank you for this beautiful remembrance and tribute. I just wish I had been able to say hello…

Joel Sanoff