Friday, July 3, 2015

Scott Hubbell - 2015 Lifetime Achievement Award







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Scott Hubbell and I met 40 years ago on the beach in Santa Monica.  We were both very young lifeguards and had a great deal in common.  In addition to sharing our love of the ocean, beach, water and rescue, we shared our dreams with each other.   Mine was to create a television series about “lifeguards”… and Scott was instrumental, not only in the creation of the series but ultimately in it’s execution - over a period of 14 years.   He was one of the first people to say… “hey, good idea” when most people didn’t really think “a tv series about lifeguards” was a very good idea… and he was THE first to extend a hand to help me make my dream come true when it came time to shoot something.

Over a period of years from 1988 to 2002 we produced 289 episodes of “Baywatch” together.   Scott was in charge of everything from the parking lot to Catalina!  Water craft, Air craft, Scuba, Stunts, Fire, Explosions - and the most important thing PEOPLE!

If it happened on the sand, in the water, under or over the water, I went to Scott first.  It was Scott that was ultimately responsible for the creative and successful production and execution of action sequences in the series…

This was the case when we shot the very first 3 minute “Baywatch Promo” in 1988 which ultimately helped sell the series to NBC, all the way to the final episode in our final year in Los Angeles.   When we moved Baywatch to Hawaii in 1999 it was Scott who introduced me to his own successor… one of his best friends in Hawaii, Brian Keauleana.  

Over the course of my years with Scott, we had one injury of significance - a broken ankle (Annie Ellis!).  Not a bad safety record for one of the biggest action/adventure series of it’s time.  Scott supervised the production of over 500 action sequences - just for Baywatch - not counting all of the other television and feature film work he has done over the years.

One of the things I admire most about Scott is his character, integrity and honesty… If I had to do something “risky” he would find a way to do it safely or he would talk me out of attempting it.   If we did it, and it was successful, which happened most of the time, Scott was no-where to be found.  If it was NOT good, Scott was there with his hand in the air saying “it’s my fault - and here is how we can fix it.”

He is, without a doubt, the most talented and experienced producer of beach and water action I know of.   He remains my first call when I do anything near the water because, he not only has my best interest in mind but has a safety record that is unparalleled.   He is a great friend and a great producer… but he is a lifeguard first and foremost.
 
 Gregory J. Bonann

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*** Congratulations to Scott on this well deserved recognition. Many thanks to Dave Story for sharing this background information with all of us.

10-4

"County Recurrent" News

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