Catch Her—If You Can

Geri Mars Acts Up On (and Off) Screen

Geri Robalik (B.A., communications) always had a little ham in her. As a child, she'd mimic Lucille Ball or whoever else was on the tube. Life took her to California State University, Fullerton for a degree that focused on radio, TV and film, then into scriptwriting and public relations. All such pursuits were on the wrong side of the camera. The ham was bottled up—but not forever. After her mother died and her marriage failed, she decided it was time to try acting as a career. A few years ago, Robalik became Geri Mars, at least on the screen. She played a TV reporter on The Practice, a racist teacher on Seventh Heaven and filled numerous other TV roles on different series. She appeared—fleetingly—in Steven Spielberg's Catch Me If You Can. Didn't recognize her? Her specialty—for now—is small "character" roles, which often blip by in seconds. Leonardo DiCaprio hurries past her at the airport. At the bank, she conducts business behind him as he tries to pawn a necklace. At shoots, Robalik-Mars carries the tools of an actress in a garment bag: wigs, wardrobe, makeup, anything to give a role a bit more panache. "I like anything that allows me to stretch my acting muscles. I don't like to be pigeon-holed," she said. Where did the name Geri Mars come from? "There was a great character actor, probably still around, named Kenneth Mars. It's a great name, Mars. You can't misspell it. You can't mispronounce it." The days are long—12, 14 hours—and the credits often tiny. But Robalik-Mars hopes to leave a bigger mark on cinema, back on the other side of the camera. She wants to write and produce films, in addition to starring in them. She's working on 10-minute shorts, plus a full screenplay, The Conjurer. She calls it The Matrix meets Pleasantville meets Little Caesar. Sounds out of this world. Maybe a new start for the 30-something CSUF grad who calls herself Mars. STORY BY JOHN WESTCOTT / IMAGE BY HUGH RYONO