Arnold’s Debut as Director

The Scene: The screening of Turner Network Television’s remake of “Christmas in Connecticut� Monday at the Directors Guild. The TV movie, which airs April 13, marks Arnold Schwarzenegger’s directorial debut in feature-length films. Yes, the Austrian bodybuilder, movie star, restaurateur, Kennedy in-law, and presidential confidant has gone on to Conan the Director.

Who Was There: The director and his wife, Maria Shriver; the film’s co-stars, Dyan Cannon and Richard Roundtree; plus 750 guests including Martin Landau, Edwin Moses, Carl Weathers, Jeff Berg, Al Ruddy, Chris Lawford, Lou Ferrigno and a number of Arnold’s director’s--Ivan Reitman (“Twins�), James Cameron (“Terminator�), John Milius (“Conan�).

Hollywood Logic: A lot of studio execs have lost out on a lot of money underestimating Arnold Schwarzenegger. At this point in his career, if Schwarzenegger wanted to star in “Hudson Hawk Takes Howard the Duck to Havana� somebody would listen.

Party Decorations: A mall operator’s idea of heaven--Christmas in April--with two decorated trees, Dickensian carolers, wicker angels, reindeer and sleighs. It was all shipped in from Oregon where, apparently, Christmas decorations spend the off-season.

Quoted: “He just does,� said Maria Shriver on her husband’s work ethic. “He’s a big one on ‘don’t think about it or talk about it--do it.’ �

Also Quoted: Executive producer Stan Brooks said when he and Arnold had disagreements, Schwarzenegger’s idea of arbitration was to say, “OK, let’s arm-wrestle over it.�

Vocabulary: “Package Position.� When a talent agency is the sole agent for a project and fills the cast with its clients. As in: “Even though ICM has Arnold for a client, they didn’t take a package position on the film.�

Observed: Schwarzenegger seems to gain energy from working the room. He flirts, remembers everyone’s name, poses for photos, jokes with the fire marshal; he’s a born politician. When someone said, “If Bill Clinton had your political skills, he’d be President,� Schwarzenegger replied, “If Bill Clinton had my political skills, he’d be a Republican.�