[David Miscavige] is a leader without parallel, I would say.… When LRH found someone to take over, when he left, he just couldn’t have found anyone better in my opinion. He’s widely admired and respected. Gray Levett
Video Transcript:
I have very, very, very strong views on Mr. Miscavige. I had the privilege of meeting him when I was working in Hollywood in the early ’80s. I didn’t know him. I was at the old Author Services Building for a meeting at 2 o’clock in the afternoon. And I had arrived and the person I wanted to see wasn’t yet available for me. So, I was sitting in the waiting area reading and having a cigarette. And time ticked on and, out of the corner of my eye, I realized after a while someone had come into the room. And I heard my name mentioned and suddenly someone came over and said, “Excuse me, are you Gray Levett?” I said, “I am.” And he said, “Hello, my name’s Dave. What’s the purpose of your visit?” And I said, “Well, I’m here to meet this particular individual. We’re working on a project.”
And he said, “What time did you get here?” And I said, “Just after quarter to 2:00.” He said, “Oh you got here early.”
And I said, “Yes, I did,” and I said, “but I was raised to always be on time. To be punctual.” And he said, “So was I. What time do you make it now?” And I said, “I don’t know, sometime, 2:15. Something like that.” He said, “Yes.” He said, “Excuse me.” And he disappeared and a few minutes later a staff member came out, looking on edge, put it that way. And apologizing profusely to me for keeping me waiting. And I didn’t think anything of it. I thought he’d been stuck on the phone or something.
Anyway, we had our meeting. About an hour later I was leaving. Going down in the elevator and Dave, as I knew him at the time, as had been introduced, and later knew who he was, that he was Mr. Miscavige. He said, “Hold the elevator.” And we rode down together. And he said, “How did your meeting go?” And I said, “I think it went very well but thanks to you.” And he said, you know, he said, “I follow Mr. Hubbard’s policies to the dotted ‘i’ and the crossed ‘t,’” and he said, “and very much including the policy on manners.” And I said, “I can see that you do.” And we discussed etiquette really, and how I’d been raised in England and used to have to go to etiquette classes.
So, a number of years later I find myself at Saint Hill and at one of the Charity Concerts. And I was talking to a famous actor that I had brought along. And there was a tap on my shoulder, and so this was probably 18 years later. And he taps me, there’s a tap on my shoulder, I turned around and it’s Mr. Miscavige. And he said, “1981, Author Services, our discussion on manners.”
I was staggered that he would remember. And we had a great catch-up. And he asked me to introduce him to my guest. And he gave him a validation as an actor that was so extraordinary the guy rocked back on his feet.
A number of years ago, I think about ten, it’s about ten years ago now that my sister, my younger sister sadly passed away, and her name was Susie and we’d been very close as brother and sister and it was quite a big hole in my life at the time.
And there was a memorial service at Saint Hill and I was astonished to see that there was this enormous bouquet of flowers that the Chairman of the Board, Mr. Miscavige, had sent over for Susie, which was very touching. And then I was handed a letter from him asking me if I was okay and if I needed anything, to get in contact with him and I was very touched by the compassion and considering how many people he must meet in his life.
To have taken that much trouble, it meant a huge amount and it shows a side to him that not only do we have the benefit of his leadership and his direction and all of the things that that had bought us, we also have someone who’s very caring and immensely able and, you know, during my life I’ve met some very, very, very capable people. I don’t think I’ve … well I know I’ve never met anybody that’s as capable and caring as him. And I think we’re in fantastic hands.
I have a friend who’s fairly high up in the business world on an international level. And he’s come to a couple of events with me and seen Mr. Miscavige talk and he’s met most of the world leaders, and he said to me, “I think he’s like Superman, Gray.”
And he said, he is extraordinary and he can hold an audience for hours, talking—and which is extraordinary in itself. But he’s also immensely approachable and very, very human.
And he seems to have that ability that Kipling talks about, the ability to talk to anybody, you know, and to be at home with the highest or the lowest. And that’s, that’s a remarkable ability—and make them feel at ease.
And—but when he’s talking to you, you feel like you are the only person in the world. It’s the attention is straight on you. And there’s not often that you get that in life, particularly from someone who has the responsibility that he has. But he appears to wear it so lightly.
He’s a leader without parallel, I would say. When LRH found someone to take over, when he left, he just couldn’t have found anyone better in my opinion. He’s widely admired and respected. And you have the confidence that when he says we’re going to do this, it’s going to happen. He’s an extraordinary person and he’s very, he’s also very well loved. And that’s extraordinary in a leader. And I know I use this term a lot but I can’t think of a better word to describe him. He’s an extraordinary person.
