For Those Who Never Got to Spend Time With David Dillon, Here's Your Opportunity

Last night, I ran into noted doc director Mark Birnbaum at a little shindig Lodge owner Dawn Rizos threw in conjunction with the release of good friend and once-and-future Observer contributor Josh Alan Friedman's latest tome, the autobiographical Black Cracker. Mark -- who's directed such films as Larry v. Lockney,...

By Robert Wilonsky

June 9, 2010

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Last night, I ran into noted doc director Mark Birnbaum at a little shindig Lodge owner Dawn Rizos threw in conjunction with the release of good friend and once-and-future Observer contributor Josh Alan Friedman's latest tome, the autobiographical Black Cracker. Mark -- who's directed such films as Larry v. Lockney, The Big Buy and is doing the SLANT 45 film for the North Texas Super Bowl XLV Host Committee -- mentioned that back in '06, he and Manny Mendoza had interviewed The News's architecture critic David Dillon for their film Stop the Presses.

The interviewed occurred in September of that year, shortly after Dillon had taken a buyout. Dillon spoke passionately about the need for a newspaper to "articulate a vision for the city, to sketch out a future" upon his exit from the paper, for which he'd written since 1983. "It's a civic undertaking," he said, "not just a moneymaking undertaking." He also discussed at great length his role at the paper, how he was hired, and how Dallas has changed since the '80s.

Mark and Manny didn't use the interview in Stop the Presses, but they kept the video, of course. Mark asked if I'd like to share it with the Friends of Unfair Park, some of whom have spent the better part of the last week mourning Dillon's death of a heart attack at his home in Amherst, Mass. I said yes, absolutely. He sent it late last night, and I've posted it on the other side. Our thanks.

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