Newsdate: Wed 05 March 2014 – 8:06 am
Author Elizabeth Kaye McCall Dishes on Meeting Alan Young (Wilbur), Her Obsession with “Mister Ed” DVDs, and Life with the Real Talking Horse Who Inspired Her New Children’s Book RAJALIKA SPEAK.
Elizabeth McCall, Dani Bowman, Eitan Beth-Halachmy at Horse Expo
Elizabeth Kaye McCall talks about meeting Alan Young (Wilbur) and life with the real talking horse who inspired her book RAJALIKA SPEAK.
© 2014 by Elizabeth Kaye McCall
It’s a rainy day in L.A., one apparently intent on settling the score on Southern California’s months’ long drought in a nonstop burst from the heavens, this final Friday of February, 2014. “Lots of people know I’m crazy about the entertainment side of the horse industry,” says the author and journalist who went from writing about horses in film and equestrian spectacles, to working in it with clients like Cavalia to Arabian Nights.
“When I came back to L.A. after touring North America with Cavalia—I was the show’s horse industry liaison,” she quickly explains, “I started watching ‘Mister Ed’ DVDs late at night, but never just one episode, usually five or six in a row. It was fascinating to really see the trick training that went into that show and how the same tricks translated into different story lines. I loved ‘Mister Ed’ as a kid, but never did I appreciate it as I do now.”
Q - How did you happen to meet Alan Young, who played Wilbur, the only human “Ed” talked to?
A I first interviewed Alan for a “Special Horses” article I wrote for Cowboys & Indians in 2010. A couple years ago I met him in person. The interview was filmed, however, it’s yet to air.
Q - What?
A Long story, but it remains one of my absolute all-time favorite interviews. We really hit it off. He’s so funny. He survived a shipwreck when he first came to North America! It’s in his book, Mister Ed and Me and More! Alan also worked with virtually every big name in Hollywood. He had some wonderful Ed stories. And, I got to show him the little video of my talking Arabian stallion. He got a kick out of that.
Q - You’ve got a what?
A - I actually have a straight Egyptian stallion and he “speaks on request.” Started about three months after I got him in 2008. He’s off the charts intelligent. I can ask him to “thank” the blacksmith for a nice job and he will. His latest is a “huh” sound that’s embarrassingly like me. Anyway, someone I greatly respect, urged me to write a “talking horse” book. When I finally set the creative process in motion, it turned into a fictional piece told from the horse’s perspective."
"Along the way, I met a teenage girl with autism and her own animation studio, who wanted to illustrate my book. We met a couple years ago, thanks to the Los Angeles Times Book Festival, and both live in the L.A. area. Her name’s Dani Bowman. She’s now 19 and a freshman in college.
Q - So, is the book out?
A Yes! It officially debuted at Horse Expo Pomona in early February. I was one of the authors featured in the Book Corral. Turned out really cute. We went all out for the Expo. The book’s titled RAJALIKA SPEAK. We had a very cute video book trailer playing of Dani and I visiting the real RajaliKa. He was doing his talking, stuck his nose on my iPad to “choose” an eBook, instead of a hard cover version."
"There were also coloring pages for kids with actual illustrations from the book.. stickers of characters. Dani was animating one of the illustrations from the book on the spot at the Expo. That was fun to watch. Pretty neat chain of events ... a real talking horse inspires a fictional talking horse, that gets animated with the real talking horse’s vocals.
Q - Sounds like the Talking Horse of a New Generation . . .
A - That’s it! Look out Mister Ed. There’s a new talking horse in town.
Q Where can we get the book?
A - Online! RAJALIKA SPEAK is at the best eBookstores on the planet. It’s live now on Amazon Kindle, Barnes & Noble Nook and Apple iBooks.
Q - This was fun. We’ll have to do it again.
A - Right. What did you say your name is?
Q - I’ll just give you my email. Tell your friends they can find out anything here: rajalikaspeak@gmail.com
About Elizabeth Kaye McCall
Elizabeth Kaye McCall is an author, journalist and media consultant based in Los Angeles, who specializes in the horse industry, travel, and entertainment.