» By: Murphy James

Part One of Two Parts.

Lights! Camera! Action! Hold ‘em! Fold ‘em!

If the average American is ga-ga about the Texas Hold ‘em craze, how do you think the movie stars, who can afford to drop r-e-a-l-l-y big bucks at a friendly Saturday night poker game, feel about it?

They feel so good that some are taking private lessons from the pros. Several, like Ben Affleck and Tobey Maguire, have actually won big tournaments.

* Let’s start with Ben, who took lessons from top pro, Annie Duke, and “Welcome Back, Kotter’s” Gabe Kaplan, now a Vegas poker professional. Affleck is the real deal, besting 90 players including fellow actor, Tobey Maguire, on his way to a $356,400 win at the October, 2004 California State No Limit Hold ‘em Poker Championship in Los Angeles.

* Matt Damon. Matt and Affleck won Academy Awards for writing “Good Will Hunting.” Matt plays No Limit,Texas Hold ‘em poker, enters the World Series of Poker each year, but has not yet attained Ben’s success. He and Ed Norton starred in a poker movie classic, “Rounders.” Shortly after making the 1998 movie, Matt entered his first World Series of Poker, plunked down $10,000 and found himself seated at a table with the biggest name in poker, Doyle Brunson. Matt didn’t last very long.

* One of the few Jennifer’s that Ben Affleck hasn’t dated is Jennifer Tilly. Nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role for her part as a hopelessly bad actress in Woody Allen’s 1994 pic, “Bullets Over Broadway,” Jennifer has a couple big wins. Her first was a prized World Series of Poker event, The Ladies World Poker Championship, which paid $158,335. Savoring her victory, she said that this was “better than winning an Oscar.” She followed this up with a World Poker Tour Ladies Night victory, taking home another $25,000.

* Vince Van Patten. Vince is best known as the co-host (with Mike Sexton) of the Travel Channel’s popular “World Poker Tour.” A child actor, a world class tennis player, a director, a TV star, and a poker player, Vince is known as “King of the Hollywood Home Games,” a regular meeting of actors, comedians, writers, and other movie folk who play serious poker for serious money. He and fellow actor and poker player, James Woods, sponsor an online poker site, HollywoodPoker.com.

* Gabe Kaplan. Vinnie Barbarino / John Travolta played opposite a teacher by the name of Kotter / Gabe Kaplan. Can you believe it has been 30 years? Yes, it’s the same guy. Kaplan grew up in a card-playing family and took his love of the game to a new level when he moved to Las Vegas to become a poker pro. Though he still does stand-up comedy, his first love is poker. When not playing, he is a TV commentator on poker shows. His “official” poker biography goes like this: “Gabe Kaplan is a proud graduate of P.S. 161 in New York City. He lists his occupation as a marine biologist and thoroughly enjoys armadillo races. His nickname is ‘Pookie’ and he collects a modest residual paycheck for his days on Welcome Back, Kotter.” Funny, huh? Not so funny was a paycheck he picked up in the 2005 World Series of Poker for $290K.

One piece of advice. Beware of actors at your table. Because, after all, what is a bluff, but good acting?

Stay tuned for Part Two.

© 2005 Murphy James

Murphy James is a freelance journalist specializing in the gaming industry. He has been published in men's magazines, gaming publications, business journals, and newspapers. His website is http://www.murphyjames.com His email address is murphyjames@murphyjames.com.

His most recent interviews have been with poker pros Barry Greenstein ("Ace on the River") and Jen Harman (one of the players in the richest poker game in history) about their philanthropic activities, and gambler, author, and teacher, Jerry Patterson ("Casino Gambling"), about his blackjack, craps, and roulette systems.