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How Hollywood Gave Andy Tennant to Rhinebeck

Episode 229: How Hollywood Gave Andy Tennant to Rhinebeck

Filmmaker Andy Tennant, who danced in Grease and studied under John Houseman, talks sinking sets in Thailand, raising triplets, and how he ended up in Rhinebeck

Show notes

Norm chats with filmmaker Andy Tennant, a dancer turned writer turned director who studied under the legendary John Houseman at USC, about moving from Chicago and Los Angeles to Rhinebeck, influenced by his wife, daughter, East Coast kids, and the Los Angeles fires. Tennant discusses raising triplets plus a fourth child while working internationally, then recounts the turbulent production of Anna and the King: losing Thailand locations due to government demands, rebuilding massive Thai sets on a Malaysian golf course, monsoon challenges, sinking sets, ballooning budgets, and the career fallout he calls "director jail." He explains residuals, union membership, and long-term collaborations with editors, composers, and crew, plus cutting 12 minutes from Hitch after audience feedback. Tennant shares early work as a dancer in Grease, his writing deal with Simpson and Bruckheimer, experiences during 9/11 while scouting Sweet Home Alabama, changes in Hollywood, current writing goals, family updates, and the short "Cat Story" that launched industry attention. According to IMDb, he is also very tall.

Produced by Norm Magnusson, Jennifer Hammoud, and Matty Rosenberg @ radiofreerhinecliff.org

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Andy Tennant

Andy Tennant

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