NEW YORK (A.W.)—On Feb. 2, Eric Bogosian, the star of “Law & Order” and the now cult-classic “Talk Radio,” spoke to an audience of about 100 people at the Cornell Club in New York about his artistic career, his Armenian background, and his research project on Soghomon Tehlirian, the assassin of Talaat Pasha, the mastermind of the Armenian Genocide.
The event, “Searching for Tehlirian,” was organized by the New York Chapter of the Hamazkayin Armenian Education and Cultural Society, and was the inaugural lecture of the Hamazkayin Arts & Letters Series.
Following brief opening remarks by Avedis Hadjian, chairman of Hamazkayin of New York, Bogosian, whose distinguished acting career and trajectory as a writer and playwright make him the most renowned Armenian American actor of the day, started by talking about growing up in Watertown, Mass. “My grandfather used to say that the whole world is Armenian because we all are descended from Noah,” he said to general laughter.
Bogosian invited the audience to view in a new light those Armenians who, like him, grew up generally detached from community institutions, yet who are as Armenian in their own way as those more involved in their activities. As his artistic career began to take off, he explained, he faced pressures to change his last name to something less “ethnic” and more appealing to the mainstream public. “You are only going to get roles as a terrorist,” he was told, which didn’t deter him.
“When are you going to do something about the genocide?” Armenian Americans have asked him. “When are you going to write a play with an Armenian theme?” He never felt compelled to write something about those issues without the capacity to dramatize it.
Then, as the dramas of the Balkan wars were unfolding in the 90’s, Bogosian suddenly felt the connection to his own history. “When I saw what was going on in Serbia, I realized this is what happened to my own family,” he said. So he set out to look into the genocide and focused on the story of Soghomon Tehlirian.
Bogosian’s initial intent was to fictionalize Tehlirian’s assassination of Talaat in Berlin on March 15, 1921. As he delved deeper into the topic, in the process amassing a library of more than 1,000 volumes on Armenian history and related issues, Bogosian discovered new angles to the genocide plan and the plot to kill the masterminds of the genocide—plans that remain relatively unknown. He saw the Armenian drama in a geopolitical context that involved Germany, Great Britain, and the race to control Caspian and Middle East oil, including Calouste Gulbenkian’s role.
These and other new findings nudged Bogosian towards turning his project into a non-fiction book, which will likely come out later this year or in early 2013 as he continues his research and field studies. His research includes an interview with Sylva Natalie Manoogian and unsuccessful attempts to see documents by her father, Armenian poet Shahan Natalie, the mastermind of “Operation Nemesis,” which aimed to kill the authors of the Armenian Genocide. “It’s a secret,” Natalie Manoogian told him about his writings on the covert operation, by which Armenian activists killed Djemal Pasha, Said Halim, Talaat, and others.
Perhaps Steven Speilberg and Steve Zailian will join forces with Eric Bogosian and come up with an epic movie about the time of the Armenian Genocide’s centenary.
(MiG, this is not directed to you, but to the general armenian public)
i keep reading about spielberg and the armenian genocide movie…
why does everyone seems to think that only spielberg can successfully make such a movie ?
there are other legitimate options too out there, imo
peter jackson ? hughes brothers ?
Now that is a GREAT idea…
I say MANY WELL KNOWN ARTISTS, ENTERTAINERS, MUSICIANS, DIGNITARIES should come together and create a concert in gigantic proportion in commemoration of the Armenian GEnocide’s centenary.. to raise awareness even more.. this show can be televised around the world because it will be the BIGGEST celebrity studded shows ever…
It seems Mr. Eric Bogosian ,amongst many books he has read on Armenian issues, he missed a more contemporary book.
That by author Jack Hashian(now deceased) ex state Dept. functionary,who wrote book entitled ¨ m a m i g o n ¨ . When I write word contemporary, I wish to convey that this book (true and fiction mixed) deals with what transpired in WWI and specifically in Western Armenia.
The story in it is so much more suitable to a present day public, that prefers modern action and also indirectly touching upon the massacres ,lootings, rapes, house burnings etc., that took place in Ottoman Turkey.
Mamigon himself a character that wholehearted served in the ottoman army,learnt German from german officer instructor and a Turkish officer as Mamigon´s buddy, that later betrays him etc.,
A fantastic story that starts in Ottoman turkey , ending up on Boston streets will captivate the audiences and ABOVE ALL GAIN MORE FAME FOR OUR ARMENIAN ACTOR ERIC.Whereas Tehlirian´s (w/due respect and honour to him) is reminiscent of our latter day ¨angry Armenian Yougnmen¨ performing ¨correctioanl acts of violence¨.Whereas the Mamigon film would go to show Armenian character as loyal to friend and country-but betrayed totally and viciously by counterpart- the Tehlirian´s is more factual and we have plenty of these,that aare in libraries documents state archives etc., but with no one paying attnm: to them..
People(great majority ) of today globally crave to see action and movies such as ¨Schindler¨s List¨…I wonder if Mr. bogosian will get hold of said book and read it. Also I invite others to read it and see for themsselves,the difference.
If he makes a motion picture about Tehlirian, it must include his acquittal. Because the most momental thing about it, was German missionaries that where in the Ottoman Empire had massive amounts of testimony and newsreel footage about the deportations and death marches. At the trial in Berlin, they presented it, and this is what led to his acquittal. Motion pictures can entertain, but they can also inform, and this is a subject matter people need to be informed about.
Very good.
I hope Eric stays away from Armenian “reconciliation” groupies. They will ruin his work.
I want to see something hardline, and I think most Armenians agree with me.
Bag the artistic baloney.
i think assassinating talat & the others was a mistake;
they got off too easily.
if i was handling the whole thing, i would have them all kidnapped just to begin with…
Zailian is the script writer of Schindler´s List,an expert at that.As to the film that m a m i g o n would make,it is not am artistic baloony or ¨reconcilliation¨this last one wrong word should be concilliation to begin with we NEVER CONCILLIATED WITH THE TURKS AND WILL NOT UNTILL THEY OFFICIALLY ASK FOR FORGIVENESS AND MAKE AMENDS…
IT IS THEN THAT IT WILL BE DUBBED AS CONCILLIATION….
Talat was already CONDEMNED TO DEATH-by ottoman turkish military tribunals(please go rad fact book of prof. Vahagn Dadrian and Taner Ackcam just published(for 2nd time) first time by only Pro. Darian.it seems people are incognizant of facts here…or are they kids who do not study history books and are here just to discuss, things that need study before engaging in such. A kid napped person -if not WORTH (BECAUSE ALREADY JUDGED AS CULPABLE) CANNOT BE TRADED ..WHAT IS MORE THE aRMENIANS AT THAT TIME WERE IN NO WAY IN A POSITION TO ASK FOR RANSOM???? OR ANY SUCH COMPROMISE. From whom the Mustafa Kemal ´s Republic of turkey that was SUPPORTED NOT ONLY BY EX-ENEMIESW(Russia, WHO GAVE ALL THE GOLD AN AMMO ,THINKING THEY COULD ,I.E., lENIN AND sTALIN BRING mUSTAFA TO THE THEN BURGEONING COMMUNIST CAMP)BUT ALSO BY wESTERN ENEMIES, THE English, Asutralians, who had fought against them at Galipoli and lost…however now wewre on the side of the Turks…
History has been a toy in the hands of those playing with it,my version.Otherwsie how can they overnight become allies or friends.
With one exception though, so they won´t think this Armenian does not speculate well. The OIL factor, nowadays called the energy factor was the reason and is that commands nations to become friends or Foes…or at the least adversaries…
We are a long way from being counted upon as usefull ALLIES…TO THOSE WHO ARE AFTER THOSE factors…UNFORTUNATELY.
THAT IS WHY we can only reply upon us ourselves…
Please enter and read my modest articles at … http://www.armeniannews.info….click on top left corner¨Users Articles..
Take care…
I think it is safe to assume our people have had many heroic moments in recent history that would be both an incredible stories to share and entertaining. The Tehlirian story from the fatherland to Boston to Berlin has an international thriller personality while telling an important story. One day soon, our people will break through the political ceiling that has prevented a major studio release of the Armenian cause. Our celebrities are becoming more vocals. More directors and screenwriters are gaining influence. The plight of the Armenians and our history is a more mainstream topic on the world stage. It is another dimension of our endless pursuit of justice.
Amen to that Stepan jan…
gaytzag:
It took me quite a while to find a copy of Mamigon. You are right – It is a wonderful book. It is also superbly written. Hashian was a master with words. I am amazed if this book did not win awards.
thanks for telling us about it.