At 80, She’s Still Getting Her Act Together

An actor’s resume always features a bushel of credits. A listing of Estelle Busch’s television work includes parts in “Thirtysomething,” “The Patty Hearst Story,” “Divorce Court,” “General Hospital” and “Busty Dusty.”

Busty Dusty?

“Oh, that,” the actress says, laughing. “That was for the Playboy Channel! It was a raunchy thing!”

Something about “Busty Dusty” reminded Estelle, still laughing, of another production, another role.

“Oh! I did a scene with O.J.!”

Not just a scene, but a love scene.

Now, it was disappointing to learn that Estelle was not O.J.’s love interest. But then, Estelle just celebrated her 80th birthday and this wasn’t a remake of “Harold and Maude.” But if you happen to attend an O.J. film festival someday and catch the obscure cable production “First & Ten,” pay attention to the scene in which O.J. and his paramour seek romantic refuge in the women’s room. The lady in the stall who can’t help but eavesdrop--that’s Estelle.

It’s true that these may not be the roles of a lifetime, but then Estelle Busch’s first love is the stage, not TV or film. And while it’s also true that her name may not be as familiar as, say, Jessica Tandy’s, Estelle Busch has just as surely lived a life in the theater. After 72 years acting, directing, producing and teaching--as well as a considerable amount of agitating--Estelle may qualify as a grand dame of Equity waiver theater, those humble, no-frills productions that under union rules may play before no more than 99 seats.

For the past 16 years, she’s presided over the operations of the Synthaxis Theatre Company, a North Hollywood-based group known for staging youth-oriented and women-oriented works. She is now busy planning for the day when Synthaxis moves into the expanded Lankershim Arts Center, in the heart of the NoHo arts district, which radiates from the crossroads of Lankershim and Magnolia. Synthaxis teamed with the Road Theatre Company, the Martin Dancers and the Los Angeles Printmaking Society to form a coalition selected by the City Council over other applicants to occupy “the Lankershim” to provide service to the community.

For the next few months, the Lankershim will remain occupied not by artists, but by construction workers who are renovating the interior of this landmark, a prime example of streamline moderne design. The renovation includes the remodeling of bathrooms and the addition of an elevator to enable people with disabilities to reach the second-floor theater--Synthaxis’s future home.

When we met at the Lankershim the other day, Estelle provided me with a stack of letters showing how, 15 years ago, she was active in the campaign for the City Council to designate the building a historic landmark. Even then, Synthaxis was hoping to move in.

“So now, here we are,” she says. “We’ve come full circle.”

Patience paid off. Estelle, who first took the stage at age 8 in New York’s Yiddish theater, seems to take the long view. She is an ardent, relentless promoter who exhibited the energy of someone 40 years younger as we walked up and down the long staircase at the Lankershim and then strolled up to Eagles coffeehouse.

Estelle, who was widowed in 1970, also looks much younger than 80. Although she basks in the compliments, her youthful appearance isn’t always an asset. Her agent sends her to audition for little old lady roles--but Estelle is usually cast as someone in her 60s. She may have to wait until she hits 100 to get those roles.

In the meantime, one solution is for Estelle to cast herself. The Lankershim’s upstairs theater is a small space--Estelle envisions seating for 48--but it will do fine. She envisions community acting workshops and a variety of productions.

Next spring, Estelle anticipates stepping back on stage in “A Woman’s Place,” the one-woman show in which she portrays seven prominent women in U. S. history. She suggests that this play, created with her longtime friend Alice Josephs, may represent her finest work. She glows describing the response “A Woman’s Place” has received since its premiere in Scotland in 1979 at the National Festival of Women’s Theatre. Another point of pride is “Window Panes,” an examination of the lives of five older women amid today’s youth-oriented society. Josephs collaborated on that work as well.

Offstage, she has made many contributions. She was instrumental in organizing the Pact Theatre in 1969, the Los Angeles Theater Alliance (serving as its first administrator) and the group Women in Theatre. Synthaxis is a member of the Valley Theatre League.

It’s the sort of career that inspired the City Council to recognize her birthday by presenting Estelle with one of those handsome framed documents heavy with calligraphy and the word whereas .

The resolution commends “this extraordinary and uniquely creative individual for her lifelong commitment, keen professionalism and numerous contributions to culturally enriching our lives and enhancing the quality of life in the City of Los Angeles.”

The council listed 11 “whereases” to celebrate her many achievements.

Alas, they forgot to mention “Busty Dusty.”

Scott Harris’ column appears Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday.