Romantic Comedy by Brett Halsey Wins 2024 Short Dramatic Film Script Contest

Internationally-known film and TV actor Brett Halsey (left), a 16-year Laguna Woods Village resident, is the winner of the Video Club’s 2024 Short Dramatic Film Script Contest, according to Tom Nash, contest chair. Halsey’s 20-minute script, “Twilight Time,” a romantic comedy, will be the sixth produced in the club’s Short Dramatic Film series.

Nash said the project is currently in post-production as the Video Club team seeks crew members and begins the casting process. Brett Halsey will direct. Shooting in mid-fall is anticipated. For more information or to volunteer to work on the project, contact Nash at tomnash36@gmail.com.

A Golden Globe winner and member of the Spaghetti Western Hall of Fame, the Santa Ana-born Halsey began his career as a teenage page at CBS TV Studios, was accepted into Universal-International’s actor-training studio, and was later signed by Universal. During the ’50s and ’60s, he appeared in numerous motion pictures, eventually playing featured and co-starring roles in such films as “To Hell and Back” (1955), “Return of the Fly” (1959), and “Follow the Sun” (1961).

In the 60’s, Halsey began a 10-year stay in Italy, appearing in many Italian films, He returned to TV work in the U.S. in the early 70s, appearing in “The Young and the Restless,” “Fantasy Island,” and many other series. At age 80+, the stalwart character actor continues to be seen in films such as ”Club Utopia” (2013) and “Risk Factor” (2015).

Halsey is also known as a film-acting teacher, writer, and director. He spent six years teaching “Acting and Directing for the Camera” at the University of Costa Rica, has published seven novels, and written several screenplays. His best-known novel is “The Magnificent Strangers”; his latest, published this year, is “A New Year’s Eve Ball of Fire.” All are available at Amazon.com. He also wrote the screenplay for the 1991 film, “Safari,” directed by Roger Vadim.

All films in the Video Club’s Short Dramatic Films series, begun in late 2018, can be seen on the club’s YouTube channel. Go to YouTube.com>Video Club of Laguna Woods>Playlists>Short Dramatic Films.