What’s the best way to describe my experience of being interviewed for “The Will,” an Investigative Discovery series on Cable Channel 271? Well, it’s like being stuck in an MRI machine, staring at the top of the less-than-roomy cylinder for 2 ½ hours.  I’m not complaining, but wasn’t prepared when the French-Canadian camera man sat me on a small stool where I stared at a camera lens placed 12 inches in front of my face, surrounded by bright, eye-straining lights.  Instead of the lens, I concentrated on the face of the director, a charming British chap.  Charming British Chap (CBC) asked me many questions, which I tried to answer enthusiastically.  After over an hour, I tended to “space” and forget the question, at which time, CBC called for a break and a do-over, saying, “Welcome to Hollywood, Suzanne!”

I knew at that moment, movie starring was not my forte and I’d gladly watch Sandra Bullock and Julia Roberts light up the screen, with a deepened respect for their professionalism in this business.

The Investigative Discovery film crew almost came to Bothell in April to shoot the episode. Since they were filming a Bothellite, I suggested a couple of our neat hotels.  The crew, based in Montreal, Canada, chose instead to rent a condo for two days in Ballard — guess they wanted to see the Locks and dine at Rays Boat House and who could blame them! So, I travelled to Ballard for the shoot.  As it turned out, the quiet in this condo was a must-have for the sound engineer, who signaled for a stop in production whenever an airplane flew overhead, a motorcycle drove by or I crumpled Kleenex in my sweaty palms.

The story

My Great Uncle Art Hadley, inventor of the expansion bracelet, worn today as an expansion watchband, gained considerable wealth with this genius invention.  He was also the family “character.” He loved beautiful women, drank bootlegged booze, and drove fast sports cars…during The Depression, mind you!  Art Hadley was also brother and complete opposite to my most prim and proper Grandmother.  In 1887, this British family emigrated from South Africa and landed in Providence, R.I., America’s jewelry capital at the time. Art Hadley later created The Hadley Jewelry Company, where his expansion bracelet was born.

Flash forward 116 years when my brother, cousins and I received a letter in the mail saying we would inherit part of Great Uncle Art’s estate.  Reading further, I came to the line, “At this time, it is unlikely that you’ll be inheriting…”

So why even bother sending the letter and raising hopes!

We cousins would not go down without our day in court and sought a second opinion from Attorney John S. Pfarr, a trust and estate lawyer we stumbled across on the Internet. Great Uncle Art’s estate “battle” would endure a six-year legal roller coaster ride through the court system, arriving at the portals of the U.S. Supreme Court.

John Pfarr and I captured our memories of this convoluted case in our book, “The Inventor’s Fortune Up For Grabs.”  Now it looks like readers will get a chance to meet the book’s cast of characters in person on television this fall.  I’ll keep you posted on our Web site, www.theinventorsfortune.com, as to show time and date. The book can be ordered through Amazon.com.

Suzanne G. Beyer is a Bothell resident.