 |
"They've been feverishly rewriting it to do a tribute to Al," David Winning, the show's most frequent director, said last night.
That episode likely will include a poem written by Waxman.
Before shooting began yesterday, executive producer Stephen Brackley read Waxman's poem aloud and honoured him with a moment of silence.
"We gathered all the crew together before we started shooting," Winning said, "and Steve talked about Al. He said, 'We've lost our star and a light has gone out for the show.' He really was our anchor."
He described the mood on set yesterday as "horribly sad" and said everybody was stunned by the news.
Just two days earlier, Waxman shot his last scenes as Judge Othniel, a celestial being who decides whether the souls of the newly dead proceed or return to Earth to relive a crucial moment of their lives.
He apparently told no one that he was having heart surgery the next day.
Ironically, that final episode is about heart surgery.
"He kept it a secret from everybody, because I think he wanted to make sure that no one was upset by it," said Winning, who added that Waxman seemed physically sound and was in great spirits on Tuesday.
They talked about Pier 27, a TV series about immigrants that Waxman wanted to make and that he wanted Winning to direct.
"We had a good chat and he seemed totally fine, totally with it. Nailed all the lines, as usual. He's a one-take wonder," Winning said. "I was giving him a big hug. I wish I'd hugged him harder."