Bobi Tallinger, Joan Leonard’s daughter, shares a personal portrait of life at home with Dutch — one built on everyday moments, quiet humor, and affection.
She remembers working nights as a bartender while spending her days with her mom. “Every day, no matter what we were doing, we had to be home by noon,” she says. “Mom had to make lunch.” They’d sit around the kitchen island with tuna sandwiches, tackling the daily crossword together — “three people trying to do one puzzle,” she laughs.
Leonard often read his day’s work aloud, and Joan became his first editor. “She always chimed in about his female characters — ‘Oh, she wouldn’t say that,’ or, ‘What if she said this instead?’” Bobi says. “She never told him what to do, just asked, ‘What if?’ And he listened. She gave those women more spice.”
In one of the video’s best moments, Bobi talks about becoming “Bobby the bartender” in Stick. Dutch had watched her work nights at the bar, quietly observing without taking notes. Later, he told her he’d used her in the book. “He was real flattering about the character,” she says. “It was a thrill.” When Stick was filmed, Dutch flew the whole family to Florida to watch Burt Reynolds shoot the scene. Afterward, he introduced her to Reynolds: “This is the real Bobby,” he said.
She closes simply:
“He was a wonderful man, and I miss him. He was supportive, he listened, he loved deeply, and he respected people. He didn’t take things for granted.”
