The Secret Life of John Chapman

A university president leaves the safe but dull confines of his college job to go out into the world for a new experience. After hiring out as a short order cook, and making a total mess of it, he is almost fired. The owner asks him if he really needs the job, and the professor admits he does not need it for financial reasons, but nevertheless, he does need the employment. Things pick up for him as he stumbles his way through a life that he it not equipped for when he meets and falls in love with a waitress. Different and well done.

I've had trouble watching The Secret Life of John Chapman solely because I was the cook in the movie. I started out as an extra but after the first scene with Ralph Waite I was made an actor. I had a full beard at the time and ad libbed the comment, "are you sure you've done this before" when Ralph had pulled the bread drawer out unto the floor. It would be fun to get a commercial copy of this movie. I have an old copy that I taped from its airing on TV. I'd like to get a better copy.

Has the movie ever been released? It's worth a look because of the way Ralph's character discovered that his perspective wasn't necessarily shared by his kids.

Jeff

This was a moving story that taught a powerful message.some of the basic argument of heredity or enjoyment is played out. The small town verses a big city is just one of the conflicts. Is every man capable to do any job? It bothered me that he just left people wondering about him when he decided to move on.this happens in real life and I guess it depicts a real situation. I'm not sure why it hasn't been rebroadcast or released in video.I have been search for quite awhile so I could show this to my children.I think it would challenge some preconceived ideas. When I moved I lost the copy that I had.If you could duplicate the copy I would really appreciate it.

I like the concept and story of the film but what I really like is that it is based off of a real man, John Royston Coleman. He was the president of Haverford University and father to five, and I remember one time he borrowed his youngest son's worn out coat and went out to live in the streets of New York City during record cold temperatures to gain some new perspective on the homeless. Truly a great man.