Tony to Say, Anthony to Write

BY AARON KLEVON, TUFTS STUDENT 1995-1999, ACTOR, LOS ANGELES, CA
I remember very distinctly the first time I ever laid eyes on Tony. I was attending a reception at Tufts, for freshmen who were interested in the Theatre Department. I had asked around, and all the upper-classmen told me, "You should introduce yourself to Tony Cornish..." Milling around the reception I sheepishly asked someone if they could point him out. They pointed across the room to a man speaking with a couple of graduate students, and though I could not hear what he was saying, I found his manner so distinguished and authoritative, that I was terrified and couldn't bring myself to approach him.

A day or two later I tracked down Tony's phone number, gathered my courage and gave him a call. I knew he was to direct the first faculty production of the year, and I wanted to make a good impression. Tony answered the phone in his unique accent, and I said, “Hello, is this Tony Cornish?” “Anthony Cornish,” he sternly corrected. My heart sank into my ankles. I had barely been at Tufts a week and already I was managing to tick off the major faculty. I was sure I could kiss my chances of working with him goodbye. Anthony Cornish answered all of my questions politely, but without pleasantry.

As it happens I was soon cast in Anthony Cornish’s production of “Stage Door” and I arrived at rehearsal armed with the knowledge of how correctly to address Professor Cornish. As I opened the door of Tufts’ Balch Arena Theatre the very first thing I heard was a student shouting, “Tony!” and then another, “Hey Tony how’s it going?” I looked down at the stage and saw ‘Anthony Cornish’ gabbing away with a group of students, seemingly unfazed by the blatant and repeated misuse of his name. Confused and a little perturbed, I could only conclude that one had to earn the right to call the man ‘Tony.’

Later I would later learn that as with many things Tony simply had very specific ideas about how and when his name should be used. Always ‘Anthony Cornish’ for official purposes, always ‘Tony’ in the familiar. Never ‘Tony Cornish’ “There’s no such person,” he would say. As I got to know Tony, he became one of the most influential people in my entire college experience. He became my faculty advisor, and we worked together often during my time at Tufts. Of my friends here in Los Angeles, those of us who know him speak of him (and impersonate him) so often that his name and manner have become familiar to many who never even met him. I know I will tell stories of Tony for the rest of my life, and I will always consider him a mentor and a friend.