My Chance to Meet ‘The Chance’
- SANDIP SOPARRKAR
Life&More- 2
- 8 minutes read
By Sandip Soparrkar
This Bobbie Shaw Chance interview comes from Sandip Soparrkar’s recent trip to the United States, where he met the former beach party star who now coaches Hollywood actors.
Bobbie Shaw Chance is an American actress and acting coach, born Barbara Shaw, known for 1960s beach party films such as Beach Blanket Bingo. She runs the Hollywood Actor’s Showcase in Los Angeles with her son Richie Chance. In this interview with Sandip Soparrkar, she talks about her career, her studio and her interest in Bollywood.
Bobbie Shaw Chance interview: key takeaways
- She started out as a dancer and actress and appeared in 1960s beach party films.
- She runs the Hollywood Actor’s Showcase studio with her son, Richie Chance.
- She loves Bollywood song and dance and wants to link Hollywood and Bollywood through online sessions or a student exchange.
- Her advice to young artists: follow your dream and share your talent generously.
Who is Bobbie Shaw Chance?
Bobbie Shaw Chance (born Barbara Shaw) was a singer and dancer in Las Vegas before American International Pictures cast her in the beach party film Pajama Party (1964). She went on to appear in Beach Blanket Bingo, Ski Party and How to Stuff a Wild Bikini (all 1965) and The Ghost in the Invisible Bikini (1966), and she shared the screen with Buster Keaton in Beach Blanket Bingo. In the 1960s she was credited as Bobbi Shaw. Later, she and her husband, Lawrence Chance, opened the Hollywood Actor’s Showcase, which she runs with her son, Richie Chance.
Here are excerpts from our conversation:
Were you always artistic? Bobbie Shaw Chance on her early years
Yes, I always loved the Arts, be it Acting, Music or Dance they were my language, my spirit. As a girl in school my friends and me would play African drums and dance for hours. At the age of 17 I was cast in 2 Broadway Shows “Anything Goes” and “High Button Shoes” opening in Las Vegas. I simply loved being on stage entertaining and bringing joy to people. Soon Hollywood came calling and I was put under contract to a Major Film Studio and starred in 6 Films known as “Beach Blanket Bingo” or the Beach Party Films, soon followed a series of Independent Films and Hollywood’s 1st Comedy Improvisation Group. So life has been a beautiful ride.
Tell me more about your famous and iconic acting studio: Hollywood Actor’s Showcase
I opened my acting studio “Hollywood Actors Showcase”, 30 years back, I feel happy that it is an iconic studio today. Here actors are driven hard to reach dazzling heights. Richie Chance, my multi talented son is the CEO of RAW. He runs Hollywood’s best online acting sessions now, offering actors the opportunity to do the work and to Showcase their online work for Hollywood’s top Producers/Directors/ Casting Directors/ Talent Management and Agents. I am happy to see my Hollywood A lister star students like Scarlett Johansson, Ryan Reynolds, Brad Pitt, Jennifer Aniston, Sir Anthony Hopkins, Drew Barrymore, Giovanni Ribisi, Stephen Dorff, Kathryn Morris and even the Kardashians.
Note: the names above are as stated by Bobbie Shaw Chance. Public profiles credit her with coaching actors including Scarlett Johansson, Drew Barrymore, Giovanni Ribisi and Stephen Dorff.
Her studio, Hollywood Actor’s Showcase, is based in the Los Angeles area and runs weekly showcases where actors can be seen by casting directors, agents and managers. Her son, Richie Chance, is an actor, producer and acting coach who works alongside her at the studio.
Have you heard of Bollywood? Bobbie Shaw Chance on Hindi film acting and dance
Oh! I simply love Bollywood films, their song and dance are so unique. Also the style of acting in Bollywood is so different from Hollywood and it is extremely interesting. You know, Sandip, one of my goals is to bring “Hollywood acting style” to India’s talent via online sessions run or even a student exchange program if that is possible. And I want to get Bollywood dance to my Hollywood acting classes I think this exchange will work wonders for both Hollywood and Bollywood.
What is keeping Bobbie Shaw Chance busy now?
Dance will never leave me, as that is my life, but now I don’t dance professionally I dance for myself, as it is the calling of my soul. I am currently directing a TV Pilot called “The Fixer” starring Gershom Sikaala. I am still following my passion of acting and I recently starred with Bruce Willis and Megan Fox and Emile Hirsch in “Midnight in the Switchgrass”.
Midnight in the Switchgrass is a 2021 crime thriller directed by Randall Emmett, in which she plays a character named Barbara.
Advice for young dancers and actors from Bobbie Shaw Chance
Yes, after the success of my shows, films and also after receiving 3 Humanitarian Awards and various Hollywood Awards, people started to come to me for advice. And all I say to talent everywhere is, “Follow your dream! no matter what! It is your gift from the universe, Talent wants to be shared, Dance, Music, Acting, feed our souls but, we must be generous and brave by sharing our gifts, bringing joy into the lives of others.bringing joy into the lives of others.”
That is the heart of this Bobbie Shaw Chance interview: generosity, hard work and the courage to share your talent with others.
Bobbie Shaw Chance: frequently asked questions
- Q: Who is Bobbie Shaw Chance?
A: Bobbie Shaw Chance, born Barbara Shaw, is an American actress and acting coach known for 1960s beach party films. She now runs the Hollywood Actor’s Showcase. - Q: Which films did Bobbie Shaw Chance appear in?
A: She appeared in Pajama Party (1964), Beach Blanket Bingo, Ski Party and How to Stuff a Wild Bikini (all 1965), The Ghost in the Invisible Bikini (1966) and, later, Midnight in the Switchgrass (2021). - Q: What is the Hollywood Actor’s Showcase?
A: It is an acting studio in the Los Angeles area, opened by Bobbie Shaw Chance and her husband Lawrence Chance. Actors train there and present showcases for casting directors, agents and managers. - Q: What does Bobbie Shaw Chance think about Bollywood?
A: In this interview she says she loves Bollywood films and their song and dance. She hopes to bring Hollywood acting style to Indian talent through online sessions or a student exchange.
Read next: Sandip Soparrkar on Padma Shri Roshan Kumari, our interview with Siddhant Issar, and more interviews on Life & More.
Sandip Soparrkar is a World Book Record holder, a well known Ballroom dancer and a Bollywood choreographer who has been honoured with two National Excellence awards and one National Achievement Award by the Govt of India. You can read more of his columns on Life & More.
2 Comments
I still dream of Bobbie’s class to this day. This morning in fact, waking up in tears as she was talking to me, and I went back to the acting class laying down in the back of the class just in so happy to even be on the grey carpet again. I honestly consider Bobbie to be an angel on this earth if ever there was one even to the like of my own mother. “I’ve wasted so much time.” I know yet, trying to make the most of it by improving the lives of others. A trait Bobbie shows the world is possible. Though that is just me getting in my way again, I realize no matter what the instrument I have within must be used and Bobbie is the angel on earth to let so many people realize that. It is a great sadness that I haven’t stayed in contact but that is also just an egoic construct. A wildfire taking away our family home with no insurance made four years go by in a blur but we strive back and life gave me a purpose in that. There is so much you have taught me in life Bobbie and I will love you forever and hope in this timeframe however, I may have you grace me with your presence again even if just for one last batch of goodness to take with me for the remainder of it. I dont think I have ever felt more true blue about another person in this life and I say if indeed there is a multiverse, any possibility of another life after this Bobbie I pray to the God(s) to everything that makes things is what they are that I may find your spirit again. You are a walking angel on this Earth.
I still dream of Bobbie’s class to this day. This morning in fact, waking up in tears as she was talking to me, and I went back to the acting class laying down in the back of the class just so happy to even be on the grey carpet again. I honestly consider Bobbie to be an angel on this earth if ever there was one even to the like of my own mother. “I’ve wasted so much time.” I know yet, trying to make the most of it by improving the lives of others. A trait Bobbie shows the world is possible. Though that is just me getting in my way again, I realize no matter what the instrument I have within must be used and Bobbie is the angel on earth to let so many people realize that. It is a great sadness that I haven’t stayed in contact but that is also just an egoic construct. Now if I may switch from talking about Bobbie to talking directly to Bobbie…There is so much you have taught me in life Bobbie and I will love you forever and hope in this timeframe however, I may have you grace me with your presence again even if just for one last batch of goodness to take with me for the remainder of it. I dont think I have ever felt more true blue about another person in this life and I say if indeed there is a multiverse, any possibility of another life after this Bobbie I pray to the God(s) to everything that makes things is what they are that I may find your spirit again. You are a walking angel on this Earth, and the best part is all those who you touched will teach that same spirit forever. That is what makes me so happy in knowing your lessons will always live on like a masterwork of art.
-Preston