BY BRIAN O’KEEFE

“You look absolutely beautiful!!”, one said to the other.  It was one angelic beauty not calling the kettle black…but acknowledging the other angelic beauty in front of her.

They each said the exact same thing to eachother.  And they were honestly honest.   Despite the fact that both were veterans in on-camera poise..this was truly spontaneous affection.  

Two incredibly accomplished women who each pioneered at least two lines of work…and happen to be….at all times…staggeringly gorgeous.

Olympic swimmer, actress and Hollywood glamour girl Esther Williams…and broadcaster, poet, human jewel and beloved Kentucky girl Diane Sawyer. 

It was a dream shoot…like so many in my Triple Seven luck-laden career.  “Have Diane swim and spend the day with Esther Williams”…Bring two great cameramen.  Mix.  Bake. Delicious television. 

The interview itself was incredible…so honest and unfiltered and pointed….yet adorable about holding her breath underwater, synchronized swimming and Hollywood and its men: actors, directors and husbands!  She had four husbands most famously Fernando Lamas. (A nugget my childhood hero Jean Drago would often pepper my afterschool snack with). She brought synchronized swimming into American sports and pop culture. A mermaid style genre of film centered completely around her.  And noone else.

Having produced many long interviews that often claimed 5 to 7 minutes of morning television (now unheard of)…this rare chat with a Hollywood legend would be the most anyone heard from this woman in decades….and was perhaps her last public appearance before her death last year. 

The interview was just the appetizer!  Afterwards we headed to Esther’s backyard large almond shaped pool. A dream destination for any swimmer.

And before my eyes…one of the most glorious, giggly, enchanting and slightly goofy swim/dance/tango/flutterkick duo ballet of sheer beauty  ever  recorded by moving film or video- ever.   They giggled, flutter kicked into the afternoon…and yes both radiant in chlorine water and bathing suits.  

I remember Diane’s instant idea  immediately afterwards. ….to have the music from the old movies score the top of the piece  and take us into the piece and interview… making this project a dream from beginning to end with one of my favorite editors in the WORLD  Dan Recalde polishing it with…..what I call his Jerusalem Glow.

Speaking of Jerusalem Glow….it was what I called the special filter-sheen-burnished polish GLOW that one human being miraculously applied to video that I shot to make our Diane Sawyer pieces from yet another Lucky Triple Seven assignment: “Brian, you need to come to New York and then Jerusalem to put together Dianes own Where in the World:  JERUSALEM special broadcast.   (That weird loud fleshy clasp sound followed by a faint “ouch”  is me pinching myself even 8 years later in disbelief at my  career luck)

But the glow…the glow was created by one of the most talented editors in television: Dan Recalde, an Argentinian with the heart of gold and equally dolce de leche edit instincts.   With an unmatched talent for making television segments stunning and often breathtaking.   In the dog eat everybody world of television news and egos that ate Atlanta…his competitors call him the BEST.   I remember having lunch with my old friend and top exec at NBC News Alex Wallace…and her awe that I had this unheard of Triple Seven career life of being an LA producer with a NY editor.

Now, back to “JLM”:  And listen, despite its centuries of strife, division and pain,  Jerusalem….”JLM   JLM ” as my Inner Mary Claude or Inner Yael Lavie (another one in the world talent) would call it….is already outright one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen.   Dan made every shot beyond beautiful.    Hence the TV glossary term Jerusalem Glow which is really the Recalde Glow  . 

Long before Jerusalem I would often fly to NYC from LA just to edit with him…sometimes weeks at a time.    For Charlie Gibson’s  and then Diane’s goodbye from GMA. ( that Lucky 7 phone call/email again: “Brian,   you need to live in NYC For two months to produce Charlie/ Diane’s goodbye pieces)….

In fact I’ve been blessed in May and then June  recently with Dan edits…but with all this reminiscing……I think I’m due a NY Jerusalem Glow edit soon.