A million thanks to Bob and K for their kindness and effort!

This web interview was completed following the episode "Shaggy Dog, City Goat" on Homicide: Life on the Street, which aired on January 16, 1998. Questions were submitted by K to Bob Lau, who graciously agreed to this interview.

Bob Lau has worked on several episodes of Homicide, and during the recent airing of SD,CG, he delivered the summons to Lewis, Stivers, and Cox. And off camera, he also delivered the summons to Kellerman and Lt. Giardello.

Bob has worked for 16 years in the film and television industry. Most recently he appears as an extra in Wag the Dog, as a camera/video man. He has just completed working as an extra and precision driver on Enemy of the State with Gene Hackman and Will Smith. He has also been in other films, such as Broadcast News, In the Line of Fire, Pelican Brief, True Lies, Air Force One, Contact, Private Parts, & For Richer or Poorer.

Television shows he has appeared on include Snoops, Chicago Hope, & America's Most Wanted, among many others.

Q. Bob, thanks for taking the time to answer some questions for us. As you are finding out, there is quite a following for the show. Now, remember you're under oath here! First of all, you have worked on both television and film for a number of years. Which do you prefer and why?

BOB LAU: Quite a following? That's an understatement! I enjoy working both, but if I had to choose, I would say television. The network programming schedules deem a sense of immediacy a little more than feature film does, which keeps one on his toes. Because (as in the case of Homicide) they are on a weekly schedule, rather than a 75 to 90-day production schedule over several months, there is a significant overall reduction in downtime... sitting in a trailer or holding area, or being on-call a lot and never knowing when they're going to need you to work, day or night.

Of course, there are occasional changes in schedules with a weekly series, but since television scheduling is tight to begin with, the production crews and office people are on top of things and very efficient with scheduling and have a lot of consideration for the actors when things change. Also, in feature film, crews are temporary... most are working freelance on a day-to-day or weekly basis. There isn't the camaraderie and time for organizing that is present with a television series, where personnel are "permanent." During movie productions, actors are often "passed along" from one production assistant to another because the assistants have so many duties to fulfill. Usually, in a series, they can afford one person from the crew assigned to make sure your needs are met and that you need to be where you have to.

There just seems to be a little more regard for the actor in television (did someone say pampering?) which allows the player to concentrate on his work instead of running around on-location at a movie to find the doughnuts and coffee. There are so many setups in a day during feature film production -- things are moved around a lot and things change by the hour. At least in television, they must hold to a schedule as closely as possible and people know what to expect... that is, basically, knowing what's going on each minute of the production. Very seldom are there any unwanted or unsolvable surprises that hold up production for very long in television.

Q. You have worked with a number of professional actors and directors in the past. Who has influenced you and who do you admire the most?

BOB LAU: Steve McQueen, Francis Ford Coppolla, Holly Hunter, John Lithgow, Bob Zemeckis, and Dustin Hoffman.

Steve McQueen, simply because he was a favorite when I was a youngster.. Coppolla, Hunter, Lithgow, and Zemeckis, because of their talent and skills, but MOSTLY because they are "accessible." They don't look down on you or hide from everyone on the set. Instead they interact and mingle amongst the day players and extras and treat others as they would like to be treated. A simple "hello" from any of the major cast isn't a go-ahead to start following them around and striking-up conversations at anytime with them, but it does let you know they are aware of you and ackowledge your presence as someone else who's there to work.

On the soundstage for Major League II (where all the locker room scenes were shot), I found myself sitting and waiting, when I looked up and was all of a sudden a part of a conversation with Charlie Sheen and the director -- just the three of us sitting there on a couch. These are real people who don't act as if they're too good for you to be seen near them (yes, I have had some forgettable experiences of just the opposite type too).

And John Lithgow on the set of The Pelican Brief... he didn't care I was just a background player in the newsroom, he chatted with me as my fellow extras would have. I saw him crossing the street to get a newspaper since all of the "prop" newspapers on the set were old... people driving by honked and waved and he smiled and waved back and proceeded to get his paper.

Bob Zemeckis, besides being an overall great guy, made it worthwhile for me to return to the set of Contact, because I was previously booked for another job when a particular scene required another day of shooting that conflicted with it, and he made the situation agreeable to everyone involved. I was later re-hired for the job that I missed anyway. I have a lot of respect for his standing in the industry and for the apparent tactfullness that is used in his dealings to get what he needs.

Dustin Hoffman... only recently (although I grew up in The Graduate era) because I had the opportunity to see him work during Wag the Dog and how he posed questions to Barry Levinson and others. When he's working, he's VERY deeply involved in the production. For example, there's a shot in the movie with Dustin, Ann Heche, and Robert Dinero walking off the White House grounds to the street. Originally, a couple of takes were shot with them simply walking away from the White House. Not wanting to "mess with" the White House and bother them with the filming, they shunned Dustin's idea that the shot would be a lot better if they were actually coming out of the W.H. gate for the shot. Dustin proceeded to the guard house, and after a few intense minutes of wondering if the Secret Service was going to come and arrest everyone, the gates opened up for the movie! As one crewperson put it "There's one W.H. guard that won't have a job at the end of the day!" So, Dustin Hoffman (during this day and others) was observed to be continually aware of things to improve the shot/scenes and isn't afraid to convey his ideas and make them happen.... Clinton, Levinson, guards, or otherwise.

Q. You have worked with a number of directors in the past. What was it like working with Kyle Secor as director of the most recent episode, Shaggy Dog, City Goat?

BOB LAU: It was both a pleasure and honor to be working in an epsiode directed by Kyle. It's a great feeling to be associated with ANYONE... to be a part of what they're doing where you can directly witness the steps they're taking to enhance their own careers and watch them do what they enjoy. He knows what he wants in a scene... the look, the delivery, the "feel." It's very easy to become a "microdirector" and get caught-up in the moment and narrow the focus to something particular in that scene. The good director always has the overall mood and what he wants to convey in a story in mind, and can take the microdirection and make it all come together for a fantastic result.

Kyle is very open to discussion and ideas. A good director listens to his actors and crew people, and keeps an open atmosphere to allow creativity to do its magic. Who better than the people playing the characters can comment on what the character might do or say or how he/she may act than the actors themselves? Kyle both listened to comments and ideas and allowed the performers to "do their thing," and followed-up the execution of these ideas with the proper amount of acknowledgement and kudos, which keep the lines of communication and atmosphere open to further creative genius.

Q. You've had the good fortune of spending some time with the actors/actresses of Homicide. Could you give us some insight into what each of them are like when they are off camera?

BOB LAU: They are all very normal people like you and me; plus, in the case of this particular cast, they are very professional, nice, and sincere -- each one of them. I've had the opportunity to meet and chat with all of them except Andre and Yaphet. All of them have respect for those around them, whether it's a member of the public observing a shoot on a Baltimore street in their neighborhood, an actor working as a background player (extra) in a scene, or a day player in a scene they have dialogue with. A good indicator of this sincerety on the set (in a lot of daily situations anyway) is that, by the end of they day when everyone is tired and just wants to go home, and it's finally a wrap... they remember your name. Reed and Michelle display these characteristics a lot, but then, I have worked with them in more scenes in two seasons than I have the others.

The day after my scene with Reed for SD,CG (i.e. we didn't have any more scenes together), he approached me at lunch to say hello and gave a compliment on my work the previous day. Michelle made it a point to say goodbye at the end of the day, rather than just running off. I've asked for a photo with some of them in the past... and they didn't forget, even if they had finished shooting what they needed to, and I still had more to do -- they waited for me to complete my work. They could have easily just gone away.

Richard Belzer displayed this, in an exagerrated way, too. My first speaking role on the show last season was pretty exciting, of course. At the end of the day, I asked Richard for a photograph with him and a friend who was with me was rushing to get the camera out and ready. Richard just said "No rush, take your time." I know he took the time because he was, at that moment, in a rush to get to NY for the premiere of Get on the Bus...about the million man march, where he played the driver. He had a 3-hour drive ahead of him.

Clark introduced himself in the hair and make-up trailer in only the manner Clark (or Meldrick) can, "So, who we got here?" We talked about my ties to Toronto, his home town. Seda, the same... "Hey Bob, are we doing the stairs scene soon?" and we chatted about Oz.

During the course of shooting and waiting for the next setup, there are some brief moments for chatting, joking, or running out for a quick cigarette... it's just like being in an office and running to the cafeteria with your co worker for a soda. As a matter of fact, it HAS to be that way. When you're given a resposibility to perform a scene, professionalism is a must -- you're there to work, and all initial "star-struckness" you may have had immediately goes away.

Q. You had 3 pretty important scenes in SD,CG. Can you share with us how many takes it took to "nail" the lines, get the right camera angles, and deliver the message, etc?

BOB LAU: The "easiest" scene for me was serving Detective Lewis, because I had the fewest lines in that particular scene! We probably shot the scene about five times, only to get the different angles and to allow the cinematographer the freedom to try the things he thought might work -- again, a credit to Kyle for being flexible about trying people's ideas. There's always a rehearsal, sometimes two or three, for the actors...and at the same time, for the cameraman (Alex Zakrzewski) to practice what he's going to do and see where he can move to get the best angles. The rehearsals occur without any background players in the shot -- just the "meat" of the shot first, to make sure it's all going to work before the film starts rolling.

As you're probably aware, just about everything is shot out of order to save money (locations), time (who's there), or simply to resolve other production logistics. The first scene I shot was with Reed and Michelle at the M.E. Convention, just before her seminar/talk at the Sheraton Inner Harbor. This took a lot of timing and cueing. If you remember the scene, Cox comes around the corner to see Mike waiting to speak with her. She had to be cued from around the corner to time it with the background players passing through the hallway. Likewise, after their encounter, I had to be cued from around the same corner at the right moment to time it with their dialogue... to come running down the hallway.

At the start of the scene, we're all pretty much lined-up around that corner, Michelle, me behind her, and the extras surrounding us, who are also cued of when to round the corner. Although the area is quiet, one just can't take their own cues many times... we were 25 feet away and around a corner. You just can't hear them for an audio cue on your own, and must rely on the Production Assistants and/or Assistant Directors to let us know when to come around the corner (who get their cues over the headsets from where Kyle sits, where they CAN hear the dialogue, of course).

Some time was spent on this scene, as there were some minor changes in the dialogue, timing, and actions.... and for the better. The scene turned out much better than could be imagined by just looking at the script. One particular thing I recall about this scene is that, after a couple of takes, I was asked to not let the door slam behind me when I continued into the conference room after I served Cox because it was distracting to the "moment" of her opening up the papers I delivered, which I heeded. In the final cut, the sound of the door slamming was put back in, grabbed from a previous take, and actually enhanced that moment -- so what "seems to be" when you're shooting, may take on a different look in post-production editing.

My "first" appearance, to serve Detective Stivers, was actually shot last, and immediately after I did the scene serving Lewis (although the Lewis scene appears two scenes after I serve Stivers in the episode -- again, all out of order). There were about five takes of this scene... again to get the camera blocking and timing correct. A few pick-ups were shot (just picking it up in the middle of the scene). In all of my appearances, you may have noticed, I enter into the middle of a scene that's already happening (the "surprise" element most likely).

Now, this was shot at the end of a very long day, on a Friday. Crew people had to catch trains and be other places after the shoot, etc. Well, with this in mind, it caused me to lose a little composure. I concentrated more on getting it right and wanting to "ace" the takes to help everyone finish quickly, than I did on my delivery. I didn't ace it. I have to admit that about three of the pick-ups were due to my flubs, having trouble getting the word "civilized" out ("Thank you in advance for accepting this in a civiled and non-confrontational manner") ... then while having to concentrate on the delivery of this particular line, I was forgetting to hand the envelope to Toni Lewis right away, to allow her the time to open it to continue the scene! My apologies. Still, I think everyone made their trains. There was a car waiting right there outside at the bottom of the stairs there at headquarters, ready to bustle off one of the crew guys to the train station as soon as the day wrapped. Part of the saving grace for my "feeling bad" was... that I wasn't the only one! We're actors, but we're all human too.

Q. Assuming you had the script for several days, were any of the scenes rewritten or improvised, or did they stick to the way they were originally written?

BOB LAU: Reed Diamond actually added/ad-libbed "What do you want?" when I served Cox. It wasn't in the script, but he suggested the change because, by now, he "should" recognize me... from last season and from already being served in this episode. Some asked "why would he go out of his way to recognize him?" and Reed replied, "Because we've seen him about five times in the story already" (remember, this was actually the FIRST scene I shot, though my last appearance in the episode) which says a lot about Reed.... he knows the story line and where they are, despite the scenes being shot out of order, and he remebers I served him last season (Control) for the arson business. That's a true professional.... one who isn't just worried about just their role and work, but is seeing the overall picture, which assists in keeping the already difficult task of continuity in line. Of course, then, Kyle directed me to ackowledge Reed, so I threw in the simple, natural line to acknowledge him, "Detective" which Kyle Secor liked, and then buzzed by Kellerman to greet Cox.

I received two revisions of the script the week preceeding the shoot. The scene with Stivers... originally, I was to say "I don't peek, I just deliver. Have a nice evening." It was improved to "I don't read the card, I just deliver the flowers. Have a nice day." Note the evening vs. day. Possible previous oversight, maybe? It's another difficult thing that the writers/producers have to keep track of... the setting/time of day. The scripts have a page of "setting" type notes.... "the action begins on Day 1 and ends the night of Day 2" and "... all wardrobe and props should reflect the weather conditions of Winter in Baltimore," and what shots of "The Board" need to be done for the episode... like what the names are and under which detective's name they need to be written (or erased/changed from red to black).

Another change, again for the better... was my scene with Detective Lewis. Originally, the line was "Can either of you gentlemen point me in the direction of Detective Kellerman?" It was changed to "Do either of you gentlemen happen to know where 'MY OLD FRIEND' Detective Kellerman is at the present moment?"... of course, alluding to my serving him papers last season.

Now, one thing that remains a mystery... obviously the Process Server had tickets to Cox's talk and was "looking forward" to hearing her speak, and while there, just happened to have papers for her too. Why would a Process Server be attending an M.E.'s Convention in the first place? Now, there's one for you viewers to figure out! A budding detective or forensic tech, perhaps?

Q. Can you describe what your day was like when you filmed SD,CG? What time did you arrive, did you rehearse your scenes first with the cast, that sort of thing.

BOB LAU: [Rehearsals already covered above] I shot my scenes on the second and third of seven production days devoted to SD,CG. I was originally scheduled on a Thursday and the Friday the following week, but they totally swapped the Fridays due to weather. The first Friday was going to be spent shooting exteriors, but heavy rains came in, so they shot the headquarters interiors instead. Luckily I was available to accomodate the change.

All of the hotel and restaurant scenes were shot on the same day, and my scene with Reed and Michelle were the last thing to do that day. I believe my call was for 2 or 3:00 in the afternoon, with a "set call" an hour after my arrival -- to allow for hair, wardrobe, and make-up (and coffee and a doughut or two). It doesn't take too long to prepare, really. When you're taken to your trailer, your wardrobe is already laid out... everything but underwear! They also already have your measurements on-file from previous work, so alterations are already done, and the clothes are a near-perfect, if not perfect, fit.

As often occurs, the restaurant scenes took a little longer to do than anticipated, or there was a script change... I don't know, but I had a little longer wait before they were ready to shoot the Process Server scene. I killed a little time by going over my lines in the trailer, which was parked right there alongside the Sheraton Inner Harbor, if you're familiar with Baltimore, within site of Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Had some more coffee and chatted with the drivers who were with the production trucks, then went to the set to watch the end of the shooting in the restaurant and scouted the location where my scene was going to be shot. We shot it, I signed-out, and returned home -- as soon as I walked in the door, the assistant director called to give me my call time for the following day.... 3:00.

I was fortunate to be invited to the cast lunch, so arrived at 2:00 for that. Again, lots of downtime for me after that... more than the previous day, because they changed the order of the scenes they wanted to shoot... moving my two remaining scenes to the end of the day. I was tired of doughnuts and had a very nice lunch already, so I munched on M&Ms and other snacks... with coffee. When they got to my scenes... well, they were described earlier.. the rush to finish the day. I believe we wrapped around 8:00 that evening.

Q. When you are on the set, how do you and the cast spend the down time, between scenes that you are in and those that you aren't?

BOB LAU: The downtime is all a part of it. Things change and unforeseen things happen that can cause delays. Although rare that the shooting of a role such as the Process Server I played in this episode, which were relatively quick scenes, would go more than a few hours for the shoot, my attitude is that I'm there for an 8-hour day. So they had me, in my mind (on the second day) until midnight if they needed me (3:00 to midnight with a dinner break). I suspect all other players, regular cast and other day players, that they spend their time doing similar things in between scenes... hang out in their trailer, make phone calls, relax a little, go over lines, etc. No matter what one does during downtime, you have to be accounted for and let the person who's assigned to be your "keeper" know where you are at all times, because you could be called to the set to work at any given moment.

Q. Homicide is a show that really strives for excellence and quality. How did your experience on Homicide compare to other television shows that you have been on?

BOB LAU: Homicide, is considered, for this area, a "local" show of sorts. Of course, it's a network series, but compared to other television shows I've worked in, there is something strikingly different about Homicide. For the most part, the other shows I've been in are "location" shooting in the DC/Baltimore area.... it's not their home base, so the local actors are unfamiliar with the crew members, producers, directors, et al. They all come from NY or L.A. and they don't know us either. Working in Homicide is like having a happy hour at the local watering hole where.... "everyone knows your name."

Q. You've worked in many films and television shows, each probably somewhat unique in their cinematography approach. We hear alot about how Homicide is filmed with hand held cameras versus cameras on sticks (I believe that is the term for tripods!). How does that effect the way you work the scene? Does it seem more distracting as an actor or does it give you more freedom "to act" more natural? Any comments please.

BOB LAU: The hand-held shooting style of the show makes things SO much easier. Many feature films, especially since they're shot on 35mm with large Panavision cameras...well, they just have to use sticks or a large crane or camera jib. Using 16mm for Homicide, thus a smaller camera, allows the wide use of the hand-held style. It is a joy as an actor. For the most part, the players are hardly aware of the camera and can do what's natural. The cameraman has the freedom to get what he and the director need by moving virtually anywhere around the scene, and the actors don't have to think as much about where the camera is and which way they need to turn at any given time -- it is more natural to not have to "cheat" your body or a prop a particular way for the camera, the cameraman will get it since he can move around.

Q. You've had a chance to roam the streets of Fells Point and can give us some pretty good first hand information. Do you get any sense of the community's general feelings about the show being shot from there? Do they seem pleased, or maybe irritated with the disruptions in their day to day routines?

BOB LAU: The show has a good relationship with the local community and businesses. It's a relationship-driven business to start with, and when they mention The Daily Grind or Cat's Eye Pub and other businesses in the Fell's Point area, it's more than just a "thank-you" to the community for welcoming and accepting the production of the series in their town, it's an incorporation of their good relationship that has become part of the show itself. It's what makes Homicide "authentic" as opposed to many other shows that are totally fictional in the sense of places mentioned. I mean, how often do you see the real Governor and Mayor playing themselves in a TV series? That in itself is a display of how production in Baltimore and around the state is regarded by its citizens. As you may be aware, the cast also participates in an annual benefit for the local arts group, the Fells Point Creative Alliance, another example of their involvement with the local community.

You might think that many of the regular cast would remain "hidden" or reclusive while around the main set on Thames Street in Fell's Point. Not. The cast is so a part of the surroundings, you might happen to see Richard Belzer having a cup of coffee at one of the local shops, Kyle in a store to buy a newspaper, or Reed taking a walk along the dock. Baltimore welcomes the show with open arms. Not only does it provide the local folks (actors, freelance/contractual/permanent crew people), it is publicity for the city and draws tourists who get to preview the sites on the show.. and more patrons to all of the businesses. Many come to the area just to see the headquarters building, or maybe catch a glimpse of Andre Braugher -- and then they discover what a great (and historic) place Fell's Point is and spend lots of time there. It's a couple of miles to the Inner Harbor, but easy to get to via the harbor's Water Taxi. So, it's good for the economy and good for Baltimore and Maryland. They have a good thing going with their relations here... vistors and residents alike.

Q. We saw the episode SD,CG on 1-16-98. When was it actually shot and do you know when production will be wrapping up for this season and when it begin filming for next season?

BOB LAU: The Shaggy Dog, City Goat episode was shot between November 5th and 14th. Typically, there is about a 6 or 7-week turnaround from production, through editing, to airdate. Of course, there was a two-week period around the holidays when there was no show. Production for the remaining season's shows will continue through the third week in March, and then they'll resume filming about mid-July for next season.

Q. We now know that Homicide has been renewed for another season. If you are written into the script again, how far in advance would you be contacted about the part? Would you like to revisit this role again? Are people starting to recognize you as the 'guy who handed the papers to Lewis and Kellerman' and if so, what reactions are you getting?

BOB LAU: With my current status, I'm hired as a "day player" either on a daily or weekly contract. If I were written into the script again, I would probably be notified at least two to three weeks ahead of time, to check my availability, and to get me a copy of the script to begin learning my lines. I would gladly return to play the Process Server whenever I'm written-in.

I haven't had quite "that" much exposure on the show, but yes, I have been in public and people will hesitantly approach and ask "have I seen you somewhere before?" and it's usually because they're regular viewers of the show. They either proceed to "act out" your scene that they remember (I guess to prove they saw you on the show) or ask for an autograph, or both. It's an interesting phenomenon when they repeat your lines from the episode. How on earth do people remember these things?

Q. You've had some great experiences, judging from your bio. What type of roles do you enjoy and what do you look for in the future?

BOB LAU: I'm often booked for my look, which is sort of a "business" or "technical" type. I'm often cast as a reporter or media photographer type, or a supervisor or manager for industrial and educational programs. In the case of a "period" piece, like Washington Square (~1860s), I was cast as a coolie because of my Chinese ethnicity. I'm "used to" being cast as a reporter, but a near-future goal would be to have a regular, even semi-regular, role in a series where the character can be developed over a long period of time.

Although only two appearances by the Process Server in Homicide, it was a "progressive" step for the character, in that there were more appearances, more lines, and a little more room to "play" and begin to develop a personality for the role, however small. If there's a next time, and the Process Server gets a character name (let's hope), I'm sure the writers would allow a little more character development... if they want to, of course! I would welcome any recurring role, like in Homicide, or role in any series, again, that would allow my skills to develop a regular character and his personality.

My portrayal of the Process Server seems to "fit" with my capabilities, and I hope I have the opportunity to learn and experience more in-depth the next time around. This is something I would like to do as a medium-term goal. As for long-term, that will be determined by any opportunities I have the chance at. In the short-term, I continue to do extra work, day player roles in industrial and government productions, and an occasional commercial. As long as the phone continues to ring, I will pursue this field.

My background is in video production... directing, shooting, and editing, so I understand both sides of the camera, which I feel helps me understand what's happening, or aware of, all-around during production. I worked full-time in that field (and still freelance as an editor) for 13 years, all while acting part-time, then worked two years on a contractual basis in multimedia and distance education research, until I decided that I wanted to give it a shot and pursue the acting field full-time. That was just over a year ago. So, when the phone rings and they ask my availability, I can set my own schedule now, rather than having to ask the boss if I can get a day off!

Q. You have certainly been fortunate to have worked with a lot of great actors and directors. Who would you like to work for that you haven't and who would you like to work with again?

BOB LAU: As this business goes, as one "progresses," on one hand you're exposed to more opportunities, but you're also competing for parts with many talented people who are pursuing the same thing. It's analogous to graduating the best in your high school and going to college where everyone else was the best in his high school too. On the other hand, as you gain more experience and make more contacts, you gain further credibility of your skills, actually increasing your odds of being hired.

Chances are slim that it will ever happen, but I would like to do an in-depth scene with Tom Hanks or Jodie Foster. I could learn a lot from such experiences and from seasoned pros like them. I would like to work for Robert Zemeckis again in a feature for some of the reasons stated earlier, and I'd like the opportunity to work with Oliver Stone. I wouldn't, of course, turn down a "crossover" role onto Law and Order or a guest role on Touched by an Angel. But most of all, I would like to work with the Homicide crew again!

Two acquaintances of mine are having successful careers in this business, Paula Marshall and Courtney Thorne-Smith, and I want to follow in their footsteps. Paula started off with a role in Seinfeld, playing a college reporter who reported that Jerry and George were gay, to a regular role on Chicago Sons, starred in a movie with Bette Midler, and now has a recurring role on Spin City. Courtney, as you probably know, had a regular role on Melrose Place and is now on Ally McBeal, plus has had a handful of movies. A fellow local actor and colleague, Mike Willis, who has a recurring lawyer role on Homicide and had a role in Men in Black has been successful too. So, it IS possible and I stick with my high school motto to "find a way, or make one." If they can do it, I'll give it my best shot too.

Q: Thanks Bob, for taking the time to share your first hand experience with us about the show and cast from Homicide. I know you have been busy with a number of other projects. Anything you wish to share with us here or any other comments you'd like to make before we call it a wrap?

BOB LAU: I am honored to be asked to participate in this interview. I hope that Homicide fans will continue to support the show... watch, discuss, and enjoy. It is your loyal following that helped the execs decide to renew the show... don't believe it was based strictly on the NFL and Seinfeld situations. When it comes down to it, all financial aside, it is the viewer that keeps it alive. Build it and they will come, or when they're there already, keep producing. It works both ways.

Thanks to all of YOU for allowing me to express some of my thoughts, and I hope you found some of it enlightening and entertaining. It should be known that these statements and thoughts are solely my own, and do not reflect the thoughts of NBC, Baltimore Pictures, or anybody associated with the series, including the cast. I am not a representative of any of these entities -- I'm simply an actor pursuing work! So if any of you have any influence and have a desire to see the Process Server return, let the producers and writers know, okay?! If you think I should appear in other shows, write to them too . In return, I promise to do my best to answer future questions you may have about the show or the business, unless I get too busy -- but that would be a good thing. I will always be happy to share my experiences with this group. I refuse ever to become a person who gets too big for his britches, meaning I'll be "accessible!"

KM: I'm sure everyone joins me in wishing you a lot of luck in your career and we appreciate you taking the time to share your personal experience with us. We will be watching for you in future episodes of Homicide, as well as, in other television shows and movies. And to those that would like to make a comment to Bob Lau regarding this interview, please post to kmonroe@dhol.com. I will make sure the posts get to him.

SO, Guess THAT'S A WRAP, eh Bob?

BOB LAU: Yes... only for the day, though. We resume production in the morning.

Comments on this interview to K: kmonroe@dhol.com
Comments on this page to Raquel: RLMontoya@aol.com