Quadriplegic Actor/Writer Jim Troesh (HIGHWAY TO
HEAVEN)
Writes, Stars in a Sitcom Pilot Guest-Starring
Two-Time Emmy Winner Bryan Cranston (BREAKING BAD)
What do two-time Emmy Award winner Bryan Cranston, (Breaking Bad, Malcolm in the
Middle)
tossing grapes in a quadriplegic's mouth, gorgeous bikini models, and an
amorous illegal alien have in common?
They
all collide in "The Hollywood Quad", the hilarious new semi-autobiographical
TV pilot written and produced by, and starring Jim Troesh, the quadriplegic
actor best known for his portrayal of the disabled attorney on TV's "Highway
to Heaven" starring Michael Landon, and for writing the recent
theatrical release about a black Jesus, "Color of the Cross."
Currently
being shopped around Hollywood, the TV comedy pilot is based on Troesh's successful Internet
podcast "The Hollywood Quad" chronicling his journey toward
success in Tinseltown.
Troesh
says the laughs come fast and furious yet are gently woven with a few
poignant moments that color his unique story.
The only actor/writer/director with his disability in the
business, Troesh has learned --
using comedy to show his truth -- how to succeed in a world where glitz
is often chosen over substance.
"Quadriplegic
is a scary word, " said Troesh.
"The tension is palpable the moment I roll in an executive's
office. They wonder if I
can do the job, if I can work long hours.
They're worried they might say or do the wrong thing.
I found out early on that the best way to disarm their initial
qualms is to make them laugh. Everything
changes once they get to know me."
"By
producing my own pilot and putting it on the desks of every show runner
in town, it answers all their questions before they ever ask.
Plus it gives them an opportunity to get to know me before they
meet me."
Troesh
plays himself in a Seinfeld-esque story that opens with his girlfriend (Cali
Ross) walking out on him after catching him at the Wrap Party of a promo he shot with bikini models. The
conclusion finds Troesh at a pitch meeting with Burton Melrose
(Cranston), a network executive who makes every possible faux pas when
interacting with a disabled person.
Troesh
hopes "The Hollywood Quad" will be snatched up and made into a
series in the very near future and he is currently shopping his show to
executive producers all over Hollywood.
