I always hoped I would see Fred again since we lost touch in 1990.  Now, a year and a half after the fact, I learn I can only see him in the world to come.  

What an amazing guy!  We worked together at 20th Century Fox in the Sound Effects Department in the early to mid 1980s thanks to his recommendation. Yes, Fred was funny!  Great to be around. He used to imitate radio guru Roy Masters. "Get my tapes. Get my Records," he would say in an English accent. 

 I visited him at his Burbank house when he was married to Ruth and his sons were toddlers.  They lit up when their dad was around. They loved each other dearly. 

What a loss that Fred Judkins is gone!

Shortly after Fred left Echo Films to work for Tom McCarthy in Features, he asked me to the movies to see "Fatal Beauty" with Whoopi Goldberg. I thought it was a strange choice, as I wasn't a huge Whoopi fan and the movie had gotten bad reviews, but I was hoping Fred would get me a job with Tommy so I said "Sure!" 

We had dinner at the Hamlet across the street from the Chinese, which was something neat you could do in those days before the movie. During dinner I kept imitating the TV commercial for "Fatal Beauty" in a bombastic announcers voice: "It's that WACKY WHOOPIE!" Fred thought this was hilarious. When we walked across the street to the box office, Fred said to the agent: "Two tickets for THAT WACKY WHOOPIE!"

After we sat down in the theater but before the film started, I turned and said: "Fred, why are we seeing this movie?"

"Because I cut the motorcycle chase," he answered matter-of-factly.

MY FRIEND DERF

What to say about my friend Derf.

Pal. Mentor. Champion. Kindred spirit.

I met Derf sometime around 2012 when I was working in the movie department of a big record store on Sunset Blvd. He was irregular. Sorry, typo. He was a regular at the store. A chap with a sparky brain and a unique, oddball sense of humour. I immediately liked him. Over my many years working at that location, I forged a few close friendships, some co-workers, some customers… Derf and I quickly formed a connection. At first glance one might think us an odd pair of pals. On the surface, pretty different. Derf being a multiple award winning, stalwart name of the Hollywood film and television industry; and me, busying myself with alphabetising the DVD’s and laserdiscs of those films and shows in a record store down the road. We were different ages, eras, nationalities, beliefs… heights. However, as I got to know Derf better, it swiftly became apparent that we had a hell of a lot more in common than not.

We both made our own films as kids. We both loved stop motion animation, fantasy films, classic sci-fi. We both collected soundtrack LPs and loved B-movie monsters and robots. We were both arguably too old to collect action figures of these famous creatures, but we did so with abandon, along with movie books and magazines about the making of these masterpieces. Record stores have a knack of bringing folks like us together. We bonded over a mutual love of the music of Bernard Hermann, the monsters of Ray Harryhausen, the twists of Rod Serling and the shocks of Alfred Hitchcock. A not so cool thing we shared was terrible tinnitus! (thanks for the supplement suggestions Derf!)

Beyond the many films and shows we shared our fandoms with, Derf tipped me off to so many other artists and movies that I had never heard of. Even animators, and I thought I know most of them. He was the curator of his own encyclopedic cranial database, which was a quarter of a century older and deeper than mine. He had such damn good taste, and went down such interesting worm holes. At the store, Derf would covertly deposit movies in my ‘staff picks’ section, knowing full well I would see them, deduce the culprit that left it there, and take them home to watch. Then we’d shoot the poop about them the next time he came into the store. He never picked a turkey either, obviously. I like to think I recommended a few things to him too, though if I did, they’re lost in the list he shared with me.

Being a chap from the UK countryside, I was quite out of my depth when I first moved to LA, it felt grimy and intimidating. Derf was an invaluable insider - he showed me the good bits. He tipped me off to cool free events or places to go, like the Bob Peak/Drew Struzen art exhibition at Forest Lawn Cemetery. He told me about Magnolia in Burbank, a street which had all year round Halloween stores, vintage toy shops like Blast From The Past and movie memorabilia stores like Creature Features. Incidentally, when one of my paintings of King Kong was featured in an art exhibition at the latter, Derf came along to show his support. Through Derf’s filter, LA started to feel more like a place of magic, history and culture rather than something out of a John Carpenter movie.

Often, when Derf popped into the shop I would covertly show him video clips on my phone of the various creative projects I was undertaking outside the confines of retail. Robot builds, animated music videos, or clips from a stop motion animated comedy show I was toiling away on. He always seemed genuinely interested in the clips. He got and he dug my humour. He would always check in on my progress. Derf’s interest in my art was a confidence booster as I truly valued his opinion, respected his aesthetic and knew he truly got it. Derf championed me without a doubt. He sometimes overly complimented my stuff to the point it made me feel embarrassed. Maybe he knew it would take that kind of tactic to get through. Even now, if I feel a lack in confidence at my ability to create or see things through, I have Derf’s constant, unwavering faith in me in my back pack, I am lucky to have the echoes of his voice in my head.

Derf’s sense of humour was sometimes so abstract the only recourse was to be abstract back. I remember one time he lay down flat on the mezzanine floor in the DVD aisle of the store. It was performance art. Was it madness or was it genius? Is there a difference? He was frequently hilarious. Quick as a flash with all sorts of perfectly timed comedy gold. Occasionally, I feel Derf’s jokes housed thinly veiled truths about moments in his life that he found painful or difficult, or for which he still felt sadness. I like to think that us riffing and goofing about those things took the wind out of their sails and helped him smile. I might just be projecting. Sometimes his self deprecation would bug me, he would make jokes about his hair loss, saying that he looked like Tor Johnson from Plan 9 From Outer Space. I would get defensive on his behalf and not join in. I’d quickly grab a random compliment from the air and bat it back at him, even though he wasn’t fishing for one. Perhaps I was a bit of a champion for Derf too in that way. I hope it got through and that he knew how the folks that loved him, saw him. A cool looking dude, snazzy baggy casual, a man with stories and the art of charm. He had survived so much, so well, so long.

I have many fond memories of hanging with Derf at Paramount. He seemed to love me visiting as much as I loved to visit. We’d shoot pool, talk movies. He would encourage me to raid crafty. It was snack central. He let me sit in on some recording sessions, which was fascinating, he was so animated when he worked. The atmosphere he created for the voice actors was so lively, fun and creative. Derf loved giving golf cart tours, I probably did it 5 or 6 with him, inviting various chums sometimes. One very happy memory I have is of Derf and I climbing high up the inside of one of the street facades at night and looking down on the film set below through an open window. I was imagining possible camera shots and scenes as Derf explained how much better it looked when they hosed it down as though it had rained. The visual magic of the reflections of car and street lights in the water on the surface of the road.

I found Derf a little old fashioned sometimes, in his patter and theology. I remember my friend Katie and I visiting Derf at Paramount one time to shoot some pool in the break room. Derf was speaking in a somewhat out of date way about women, referring to them as beautiful dames, that kind of thing. I would blush, feeling guilty by association. Afterwards in the car, I apologised to my female friend, if she had found any of Derf’s terminologies a little dated. Of course, Katie bloody loved every second of it and I clearly underestimated Derf’s charm.

When he retired from Paramount, Derf invited me and my girlfriend at the time, Alyssa as his guests. An outdoor party, I think at some race track. Sunshine, live music, beer and food! You bet Derf! He down played it so much I didn’t even realise it was his retirement party until it was almost over. I remember he pretty much only talked to us. He wanted to get three chairs and just sit with us on the periphery of the action, kinda just not be involved. We weren’t fans of crowds and didn’t know anyone but Derf anyway so were more than happy to form our own little bubble with him. An exclusive little club. The cool kids. I saw a man, perhaps, jaded with the industry, but who never lost an ounce of passion for what he did within it. When Derf left LA it felt like the end of an era, it was sad. I was going to really miss seeing my buddy on the regs. I suggested we watch movies together whilst hanging out on FaceTime. So our hang time became digital, as it had with my family back in the UK. I learnt so much from his live commentaries, more than hanging out with my buddy, it was like a bespoke film school.

When Derf visited LA in March 2022, the first thing we did was go to a very exclusive and somewhat upmarket restaurant that he recommended on Sunset Blvd named ‘Denny’s’. Derf talked of wanting to take the trip to LA a couple of times a year from here on out, especially what with the world having not long opened back up from you know what. I was stoked to hear it as I missed hanging in person. I had a friend who worked at the Academy so I got us tickets to the new Academy of Motion Picture Arts Museum. Derf brought his buddy too and the three of us spent some hours there, looking at the original Rosebud from Citizen Kane, Bruce Lee’s jump suit from Enter The Dragon, the huge original backdrop of Rushmore from North by North West. I am so very glad we had that last adventure together. The trip to the Academy Museum would be the last time I would see him in person, and it is such a special memory. Finally I got to show Derf some old movie magic.

I feel like Derf lived in his own reality, well, I suppose we all do, but his was particularly fun to spend time in. As I grieve my friend, I am comforted by the plethora of happy memories we managed to accumulate over the years. I will remember him as I knew him. A man for whom it was Christmas all year round. A dear friend who was in my corner. A wonderful kook.

I only, perhaps selfishly, wish he could have stayed around longer, I miss him incredibly already as I feel we had so many more chats to have, so many more films to watch and so much more goofing to do…

But hey, nobody’s Derfect.

Love you mate and I’m really gonna miss you, I will always cherish your friendship.

Safe travels and enjoy the journey.

Your pal Neil

   It was New Year’s Eve, 1980 at a church party for young couples when I was introduced to Fred Judkins, the man who would change the trajectory of my life forever! Little did I know that my ambitions and set goals for my future would take an entirely different direction than I had planned or envisioned. Fred was the mission’s director for Valley Baptist Church in Burbank, California, and I was the church’s new music director. Fred knew I wrote songs and was trying to “polish” my art all the time. He asked if I would be willing to write some songs for a mission’s musical that would be performed by puppets. I did not feel compelled to do so and had absolutely no inspiration, but I agreed to see where God would direct me. After weeks of no inspiration the exciting new songs started to flow from me almost “uncontrollably” and were amazing!!! The puppet presentation written and directed by Fred was amazing as well! I sat there the Sunday morning it was performed and was literally “blown away” by what was presented by Fred’s directing and the overwhelming response of the audience!

Another four years had passed when I was at another church where the previous choir director was big on doing children’s musicals and the church wanted me to direct children’s musicals as well. I talked with Fred about resurrecting the script and adapting it for a children’s musical. He was more than willing and came up with a script that would make a major impact in the children’s musical world as well as Fred’s and my relationship. The musical was “The Mission Connection”. My life had taken a turn in an incredible way. Fred Bock Music Company published “The Mission Connection” in 1992. Performed by my own children’s choir, it premiered at Music California to over 1,000 music directors from around the country and premiered at the Los Angeles Music Festival to some 300 children’s choir directors.

With all this success, I started my own publishing company, Rainwater Music Company, and Fred and I started cranking out musicals on an average of two a year. Of those musicals, about 40% were for adults/teens and around 60% were for children. The children’s musicals would be the only ones that were published. Fred was always loaded with incredibly creative ideas and unconventional ways to take a story and blend in humor, surprise and spontaneity while presenting valuable lessons of God’s truths. We created a play in various ways. Sometimes Fred would give me suggestions and even lyrics for songs and/or suggest song titles, or I would have songs written and Fred would brilliantly weave the songs into a coherent play which flowed naturally and never seemed contrived. Fred could write and create an amazing story from any song or songs I gave to him and make the story sound perfect, funny, and well-crafted.

Churches and schools all over the country and around the world were performing these musicals and loving them! So many people were hearing the gospel message and Christ was being glorified! There were locations outside of the USA such as Turkey, Australia, Canada, Mexico, England etc. where children were performing our plays. I had a missionary friend who had gone to the Philippines and when he walked into the church (around 10 years ago), lo and behold the children were rehearsing one of our plays!

I started a home school choir program in Sacramento using and performing only music and plays written by Fred and myself. The choirs grew to over 265 children and teens within an eight-year period, yielding 5 different choirs in three locations which thrived for many years! These children professionally recorded our musicals and Fred would mix all the dialogue together adding over-the-top, wonderful sound effects.

A portion of my choir flew twice to Washington State to premier our musicals “The Not-So-Silent Night” and “Samson, the Day God Brought Down the House” to 350+ choir directors. Both musicals literally “brought down the house” with praise and applause. The sound engineers (who had been running the event for 15 years) said they had never seen kids so talented or plays so well written and performed! This was the response from the audience and the people running the convention as well. I would soon be out giving seminars to children’s choir directors around the country (something I never envisioned doing) in Georgia, Florida, Ohio, Minnesota, Texas, etc. In the year 2,000 Azusa Pacific University (my alma mater) honored me with their “Inaugural Hall of Fame” award from their School of Music, an award cherished and only possible because of Fred’s partnership in my life.

At the time many of these musicals were first published, they were on the Children’s musical best seller list, many of which were the 3rd, 4th or 5th best-selling in the country. This is a remarkable accomplishment, coming from my little company, which was in competition with all of the huge, major companies (Word, Lillenas, Brentwood etc.).

Many of those children who participated in my programs (well over 1,700) still contact me as adults and tell me what an impact our plays had on them and that they continue to affect their faith in Christ, as well as their love and knowledge of scripture and Biblical stories.

Many (I’m talking “hundreds”) of Music directors over the years would contact me and tell me our musicals were the best musicals they had ever done and were their kids’ favorites as well. Many would say their kids learned our musicals faster than any musical they had ever done before!

People will ask me what my personal favorite musical is, and that is hard because I think they all are so well- written and not lacking in any way. I cannot find any flaws. However, I do have my very favorite scripts by Fred, and they are: “Check Out That Star”, “The Not-So-Silent Night”, “Samson…”, “The Jittery Journey of Jonah”, and our last complete musical together, “Night at the Bible Museum”. Those are published works. My two favorite non-published adult/teen musicals are “Nevermore the Same” and “Esther and the King”. I consider every musical a precious gift from God, and a gift from Fred as well.

For this last Christmas, I sent my newest musical, “A Typically Untypical Week in Bethlehem”, to Fred to see if he could make any improvement in the script. He had many suggestions and changes for a portion of the script, which I adapted. He helped me with some song lyrics as well. Fred was so excited about this new musical that he tried to figure out a way to come see it. It didn’t work out, and sadly it was premiered the weekend that he passed away. His enthusiasm for it however was very inspiring!

Around October of last year Fred started rewriting one of our older works which had not been published, and he was fervent about getting me the new script, the last copy which he faxed a week before his death.

Fred loved the Lord with his whole heart, and it was his ambition to see the gospel shared with as many people as possible. We would meet on Zoom every Sunday at 5pm and share what was happening in our lives and Fred would end it by showing me a short clip from one of his favorite movies.

Fred’s writings have had a major impact on literally tens of thousands of people and will continue to inspire and direct people to believe in Jesus and be saved for eternity. This is what Fred lived for and this was his major achievement and legacy in life. I am so thankful God blessed me with such a gifted friend and writing partner. I considered him my best friend and miss him terribly!!! 

My deepest condolences to all of Fred's family, work colleges, and friends. I was blessed and had the privilege, to share some great rides with Fred. I knew him for 2 years.

I will forever be impacted by the gift of knowing Fred as my Brother in Christ. He was always kind, encouraging and appreciative. He stood boldly for his adoration and faith in our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Fred was quite a Bible scholar. Fred also shared stories about his career and family. He loved his family tremendously. I will remember Fred's faith in Jesus Christ and his bold proclamation of it. Fred knows of the place that transcends this earth - heaven! To all who knew and loved Fred, remember the talks of Jesus Christ he had with you. Remember the things he told you, for they are true.  I share with you now what Fred knows to be the most important thing you will ever hear. I am certain he shared it with you. His greatest desire to have you in heaven with him.

For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that who ever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved - John 3:16-17

Frederico, 

we will miss our neighbor and the fun conversations.  In a day and age of texting and emails you taking the time to chat with us in person and the bad ass nick names you gave us haha  will never be forgotten.  My fondest memory was our trip to the St Nicks Christmas store a few years back. I have never seen a human be so excited for Christmas and it was infectious.  Miss you buddy. 

Your neighbor Carlos