BS: Have you been in a Movie?

Subject: BS: Have you been in a Movie?
From: harpgirl
Date: 05 Jan 05 - 07:54 AM

I was home sick yesterday watching "Gettysburg" (to see Sam Elliott, of course) and I noticed all those grizzled extras. Have you been in a movie and what did you have to do? Speaking get you SAG membership? Of course, Bob Dylan and a few others of our famouse lurkers should post!

Subject: RE: BS: Have you been in a Movie?
From: GUEST,Mingulay
Date: 05 Jan 05 - 08:13 AM

My one and only screen appearance was a little more unusual than an extra. In the early 70's I was a marshall at drag racing events in the UK, at a meeting we held at Silverstone Chrysler Motor Corp. were making a promotional film called "Drag on a Hot Summer's Day". I had been walking through the pits and been given a tee shirt, the front of which was emblazoned with a picture of a pair of naked breasts and the words "We have the nicest bodies", the back bore the name of Kirby Buttera who were a Californian maker of fiberglass racing bodies. Proudly sporting this creation I walked back to my position on the start line and was spotted by the film director who asked me to turn round and walk back again so that I could be filmed. I thought that the scene would end up on the editing room floor, so imagine my surprise when I found the Chrysler stand at the following Motor Show showing the film complete with the tee shirt.

Subject: RE: BS: Have you been in a Movie?
From: sian, west wales
Date: 05 Jan 05 - 08:24 AM

I was in a little independent Canadian film at the end of the 70's: I think it was issued under the title, "Dr Woman". I played a nurse who was being tried for distribution of condoms somewhere around Ottawa (Roman Catholic Church bringing the case against her). It was only a quick scene, no lines, but took all day in an abandoned court house in London, Ont to film. To make matters worse, my sister (who I swear hates me, Ma; honest she does!) was the wardrobe supervisor and she dressed me in this thin little black crepe number and I nearly froze m' tits off! Never did see it ...

More recently, I was production co-ordinator on a film nominated for a Best Foreign Film Oscar in ... 1994? But I wasn't 'in' it.

sian

Subject: RE: BS: Have you been in a Movie?
From: Little Hawk
Date: 05 Jan 05 - 09:08 AM

Naw...I don't think so...just some TV here and there. I do know a woman who got to be an extra in Dylan's dreadfully bad movie, "Hearts of Fire", though. Not Bob's fault, really, but it was a terrible movie.

Subject: RE: BS: Have you been in a Movie?
From: Rapparee
Date: 05 Jan 05 - 09:12 AM

Several. I buy a ticket, some popcorn, a drink, and take a seat.

Subject: RE: BS: Have you been in a Movie?
From: JennyO
Date: 05 Jan 05 - 09:45 AM

Not me, but a boy I know was in a movie starring Yahoo Serious, called "Mr Accident". Yahoo Serious played a character called Roger Crumpkin, and Branden played him as a child here. Scroll down to the bottom, where there is a picture of him, and this description:

Roger Crumpkin's father (David Hoey) ejects him from the family "Us Crumpkins are parts people! We don't make things up we take things to pieces, always have, always will. No dinner and you can stay out here until all this imagination nonsense is washed out of your silly little head!"

Heartbroken Little Roger (Branden Zandstra) "I never used my imagination again."

Subject: RE: BS: Have you been in a Movie?
From: Roger the Skiffler
Date: 05 Jan 05 - 09:53 AM

Contrary to scurrilous rumour, I was NOT John Hurt's body double in The Elephant Man. Sadly my finely chiselled good looks and natural charm have eluded casting directors the world over. Must go, time for my dose of reality.

RtS

Subject: RE: BS: Have you been in a Movie?
From: Gervase
Date: 05 Jan 05 - 10:04 AM

Was in a dire TV series once, in which the lead was Tim 'David Archer' Bentinck prancing around on a horse.
As a mere specialist extra I didn't have any lines and just had to make lots of bangs and smoke and sometimes appear dead. None of which was a problem. The food - both in qauality and quantity - was superb, and the pay wasn't bad either.
As a specialist I didn't need an Equity card (the UK equivalent to SAG), so no major career doors opened (thank gawd - because, food and tea aside, film-making is the most balls-achingly dull procedure, and those involved seem largely to be twats).

Subject: RE: BS: Have you been in a Movie?
From: kendall
Date: 05 Jan 05 - 10:55 AM

About 20 years ago I was the narrator in the worst movie ever made. It was titled LOBSTEROIDS, a tale about a mad scientist and a vandal who fed steroids to a tank of lobsters and they went nuts and killed people who listened to rock music. The pay sucked, but I liked the thought behind the story. Fortunately, it was never released.

Subject: RE: BS: Have you been in a Movie?
From: MMario
Date: 05 Jan 05 - 11:10 AM

I was in an independent comedy short a few years ago titled "The Spectator" - I got to play "1st man in line' - waiting to get into a sports bar; got to toss the main charactor to the back of the line when he tried to cut in front, growl at the camara; and had one of only lines in the whole 10 minute production - "I'm IN!" when the bouncer lets me into the bar.

Subject: RE: BS: Have you been in a Movie?
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 05 Jan 05 - 11:14 AM

I played a detective in The Glory Boys - a Rod Steiger made for TV sort of thing.. Steiger was a professor, he had been delivering a speech on the environment that could save humanity, and somebody shot him. Steiger had been shot and was staggering down the front of a building and I had to look like a security heavy. It was in Leeds two weeks before Christmas. Everybody was freezing their knackers off apart from Steiger who was in his caravan as much as possible. I brought my gloves I was so cold.

they handed me a revolver, and Steiger wisely noted, you can't wear your gloves now. I remember I was working with another extra who was the one who came into a room, switched the light on and smiled - because it was Dulux paint. There were two other nutters both ex army, one who reckoned he was ex SAS, another who wanted to deck him cos he thought he was bullshitting.

Anyway a man with a clipboard came up and said - okay we've got the fire engines ready to make it look as if its raining. but we won't switch the water on til we shoot it, we'll just walk through our positions.
Steiger said, you walk through the positions. I'm just walking down the stair, I will hold the spectacles like this, so get the shot, and when you're ready to shoot, come and get me.....

Silence, then okay okay we go for the shot....

After that film I always took reports of Joanna Lumley's great intellectual powers with a pinch of salt. She had to run down the steps and shout Its a grey cortina! pointing after the escaping villains. Like I say there were fire hoses going and it was freezing, she runs the steps and shouts its a red cortina!
Then she did it again.
and again. got the colour wrong three times.

Anthony Perkin of Psycho fame was there . My chief memory of him was that he was very short sighted, almost to the poiint of bumping into things.

However I didn't do much of this sort of stuff, Bernard Wrigley would be the man to ask, and Jack Hudson of course.

Subject: RE: BS: Have you been in a Movie?
From: Wesley S
Date: 05 Jan 05 - 11:18 AM

I was on "60 Minutes" once. They did a story on a church in Casa Dega Florida where they talked to spirits from "the beyond". We went to check it out. I hope we didn't giggle too much.

Subject: RE: BS: Have you been in a Movie?
From: Schantieman
Date: 05 Jan 05 - 11:27 AM

My dad nearly played a corpse in Eyes Wide Shut.

They made him up to look dead, gave him a plastic breastplate so he couldn't be seen breathing and he had to spend the whole time they were shooting his scenes lying motionless in bed. They put him up in a posh hotel in London AND paid him. What's more, they didn't use the shots!

BUT,

My mother invented CRACKERJACK! pencils. (I realise that that this will mean nothing to our transatlantic brethren...)

Steve

Subject: RE: BS: Have you been in a Movie?
From: GUEST,heric
Date: 05 Jan 05 - 01:28 PM

I was in Russian Roullette. Not the pathetic and forgotten two star one from 1992 -- the forgotten two and a half star one from 1975. You can see me playing the saxophone in the turnaround at the end of Lion's Gate Bridge.

I was also in Rocky IV as the body double/stunt man for the Russian fighter in the boxing scenes.   

Oh, wait. No, that wasn't me.

Subject: RE: BS: Have you been in a Movie?
From: mack/misophist
Date: 05 Jan 05 - 01:45 PM

No.

Subject: RE: BS: Have you been in a Movie?
From: Metchosin
Date: 05 Jan 05 - 02:03 PM

Do educational documentaries count? I was in an NFB film for once. I wasn't allowed to appear in the laboratory footage, as they selected me as the person who was illegally removing plant material from an Agriculture Canada quarantine area.

Subject: RE: BS: Have you been in a Movie?
From: WFDU - Ron Olesko
Date: 05 Jan 05 - 02:12 PM

I was almost in Tootsie. (No, not wearing a dress!)   I worked for the production house where most of the film was shot. They had extras, including some of the people that worked in the facility, in the background of some of the shots.   There was one street scene where I was in the area, but I didn't make the final cut!   

Having worked in "behind the scenes" part of the television industry for the past 25 year, I can attest to the fact that is is dreadfully dull and routine.

Subject: RE: BS: Have you been in a Movie?
From: Metchosin
Date: 05 Jan 05 - 02:31 PM

Some of it isn't Ron.

I have a very good friend who accompanied and baby sat for her friend who was once Liza Minnelli's makeup artist in Mexico for the filming of Lucky Lady.

My friend assured me it was a real eye-opener. Howwever, she also assured me that Gene Hackman was ever a consumate gentleman and very professional, quite apart from the rest of the crowd, something I would have expected.

Subject: RE: BS: Have you been in a Movie?
From: Donuel
Date: 05 Jan 05 - 02:43 PM

No but my aunts son has been in over a hundred films. His name is Gene Hackman.

Subject: RE: BS: Have you been in a Movie?
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 05 Jan 05 - 02:48 PM

I wasn't in a film myself, but I was caricatured in one.

Back in the late 1970's I worked as a National Park Ranger at Ellis Island. It hadn't been restored yet, it hadn't been much of anything yet except they shoveled the worst of the debris from the collapsing buildings out of the way and constructed barriers and covered walkways to keep people along specific corridors that we were to lead tours through. Lots of stairs, uneven pavement, cracks, and slick spots, but it was facinating in its decrepitude. Keeping visitors safe in there was a challenge.

Meredith Monk conceived and directed a film called Ellis Island in which actors were dressed in period costumes, placed in a tableau and filmed, and then they began to move. I think it would go from sepia tone to color when they began to move. Anyway, it was an interesting project, and they got permission to film at locations around the island, but tours went on as normal. Monk was to accomodate our tours, but he kept running heavy camera and electrical cables through the tour area, moving barriers, and making a lot of noise. I was the supervisor of the interpretive staff, so I was the unlucky individual to ride herd on his group. After a while we were not hitting it off well at all. I finally called my boss (located in an office on nearby Liberty Island, inside the statue) to come talk to him, and the stinker quick had all of his stuff up and out of the way by the time Mike got there. My boss could see what was happening, though, and was pretty good about it. I think in the end he had some of the maintenance or protection guys hang out more with them and keep the tour route clear. But Monk decided to add me into his movie. There were "modern" sequences edited into the story line, and he introduced a woman character, not exactly in uniform, but with a distinctive almost-stetson hat who grimmaced through her scenes, always leading a handful of people around. It really was very funny, it certainly cracked me up, anyway, but I'm probably one of very few who got that joke.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Have you been in a Movie?
From: Metchosin
Date: 05 Jan 05 - 02:55 PM

Well if you ever see him Donuel, you can assure him that there are at least two women in Canada who think he is a phenomenal actor and regard him highly as a person as well FWIW. Although, the movie Lucky Lady was a bit of a throw away.

Subject: RE: BS: Have you been in a Movie?
From: Skipper Jack
Date: 05 Jan 05 - 03:03 PM

Yes, I was in a movie!!
It was Peter Sellars "Only Two Can Play" I was actually sitting behind some of the stars in the Public Hall in Briton Ferry, in Wales, UK. The building was disguised for the part!!   It was the concert scene in the film. I didn't have to say anything, just sit there as a member of the so-called audience right behind the man himself.

Subject: RE: BS: Have you been in a Movie?
From: Rapparee
Date: 05 Jan 05 - 03:31 PM

Now, if you include television...yes, several times. Starting when I was in second grade (about 7 years old) when I was part of performing duo -- we did something with brooms while we recited a poem or something.

And I've had a radio show off and on, mostly off.

My friend, the late Roy Brocksmith, was in many films, plays, and TV series. He played the drama critic in War of the Roses, he was in the TV series Picket Fences, and others. His son continues to act.

I, both brothers, my sister, and my father all acted in Little Theatre. Some years ago my hometown group presented Bleacher Bums, in which both my brother and his son appeared -- making three generations who trod the boards with that group. My brother told them, but the group didn't do anything with what could have been a nice publicity hook.

Subject: RE: BS: Have you been in a Movie?
From: open mike
Date: 05 Jan 05 - 04:27 PM

i mayhave appeared in a t.v. news cast as a fire fighter
(not acting--just doing my "part") when they filmed an
accidcent scene or fore i was responding to.

i did not see the news cast because i wqs out in thter field
dealing with the situation.

several friends and neighbors have been extras in Clint Eastwood
films...he has done a couple in this area. the Klansman and Hang
"em high.

our fire engine was on stand by in a scene that was shot for a t.v.
movie about Ruby Ridge, Every Bended Knee or some thing like that.
We were there for the scene with the burning crosses...spooky! i
forget if it ws randy quaid or dennis quaid who played on of the
parts. They built a cabin for a prop and we were able to salvage the
lumber to use for "cribbing" for our reescue squad...wooden blocks
which are used to stabilize a vehicle during rescue operations.

i also have been on t.v. playing guitar with a hammer dulcimer player who was the subject of a special documentary.

also been on the radio several times...as well as my monthly show,
Crossroads, which i have been doing for a couple of years now!!

Subject: RE: BS: Have you been in a Movie?
From: Justa Picker
Date: 05 Jan 05 - 04:29 PM

Yes.

I played the monolith in "2001".

Subject: RE: BS: Have you been in a Movie?
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 05 Jan 05 - 04:41 PM

If we're going to seque to friends, then I have at least one of those. My late friend Dorothy Pope was the niece of the character actor Jacques Aubuchon. He was in a lot of televison and film over the years. I think he was the gruff man in the Sunsweet Prune commercials--"I warn you in advance, I'm not going to like your prunes" (it was written by Stan Freburg).

SUNSWEET This Stan Freberg spot opens with an arrogant man saying, "I warn you in advance, I'm not going to like your prunes." He says prunes are both pitted and wrinkled. A hand holds out a box of Sunsweet prunes and the man discovers they don't have pits. He finds them sweet and moist, but still complains about the wrinkles. Closing stentorian VO: "Today the pits, tomorrow the wrinkles."

Unfortunately, they don't document old commercials the way they do film, so I can't swear to it that this is Jacques because I can't find any images from the commercials.

I have been interviewed (tv, radio, newspaper) for news stories a number of times over the years. It usually had to do with parks where I was working.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Have you been in a Movie?
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 05 Jan 05 - 06:01 PM

No but my sister has been in a dreadful New Zealand soap called 'Shortland Street'... and she was the model for the orc makeup in Lord of the Rings

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: Have you been in a Movie?
From: pdq
Date: 05 Jan 05 - 06:27 PM

While visting southern Arizona in the early 1970s, I ran into the film crew for "The Hellstrom Cronicles". One gent asked if I could help find some impressive species of insects to film. Three of the specimens I collected made it into the movie's final version, including a rinocerus beetle which dug it's claws painfully into my hand during filming.

Subject: RE: BS: Have you been in a Movie?
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 05 Jan 05 - 06:45 PM

segue. Gotta remember to proofread. arrrgghhhh.

Subject: RE: BS: Have you been in a Movie?
From: JennieG
Date: 05 Jan 05 - 07:18 PM

No although I've been on TV. But I have a peripheral brush with the LOTR movies - the Hobbiton village is on the sheep farm owned by my third cousin's cousin.
I haven't met my third cousin's cousin.
I haven't met my third cousin (our great-grandmothers were sisters)
but I have met my third cousin's wife!

Cheers
JennieG who once went to NZ

Subject: RE: BS: Have you been in a Movie?
From: GUEST,.gargoyle
Date: 05 Jan 05 - 07:37 PM

A couple movies - but several (two award-winning) plays.

Sincerely,
Gargoyle

Subject: RE: BS: Have you been in a Movie?
From: Emma B
Date: 05 Jan 05 - 07:42 PM

Many many moons ago, in the days of Swingin' London. I was filmed shopping in Carnaby Street for a short "Look at Life" but as it was shown with "Emmanuelle" I was too embarressed to go and watch it!

Subject: RE: BS: Have you been in a Movie?
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 05 Jan 05 - 07:56 PM

I don't know if this counts. I was once in a police training film. About 20 or 25 years ago I had been an actor in several local community theatre productions, all strictly amateur stuff. The film was my only paying gig. I got $25 for an afternoon's work. I can't remember how I got the job. Somebody who knew me must have recommended me. I know I didn't audition. I wasn't even looking for work. I had to take a day off from my regular job to do it, so it was a net loss. It was worth it for the experience.

I appeared in only one scene, but I actually had some speaking lines. I played a "witness" being questioned by a police officer. I hadn't witnessed an actual crime, but had seen a "suspicious" person leaving my apartment building after a rape had been committed there. When I saw the final edited version of the film, it turned out that only a couple of my lines were audible at the beginning of the scene. After that, my dialogue was just background while a "voice-over" explained proper police procedure.

They used real police officers to play the roles of policemen. Everyone else was an actor—but, like me, an amateur or nearly so, with no particular knowledge of police procedure or crime. I'm rather sure, though, that the script was written by someone who had done considerable research. I think the film (which was one of a series) was an early attempt to raise the consciousness of police officers (who were almost always male in those days) about rape, to dispel some of the sexist myths and prejudices that were then common, and to get policemen to treat rape victims with some sensitivity and respect. But I'm also rather sure that whatever procedure was considered advanced in those days has now been superseded, so my film has probably gone to landfills by now.

I don't even remember the name of the film, or the name of the production company.

Subject: RE: BS: Have you been in a Movie?
From: Peace
Date: 05 Jan 05 - 08:01 PM

If you recall seeing the James Bond movie, "Goldfinger", and you remember the scuba diver who got shot with that speargun--that wasn't me. I have never been in a movie unless you count the footage filmed by a certain federal agency in the US at a WEB Dubois Club convention in early 1966 or 1967. I had my middle finger in the air while looking at the camera.

Subject: RE: BS: Have you been in a Movie?
From: The Walrus
Date: 05 Jan 05 - 09:05 PM

I've been an extra in a couple of TV series: a somewhat unconvincing gunner & musketier in 'By The Sword Divided' (and English Civil War series) for the BBC and a Recruiting Serjeant / Platoon Serjeant / Drinker in an estaminet in an episode of 'In Suspicious Circumstances' for Grenada TV.

Walrus

Subject: RE: BS: Have you been in a Movie?
From: PoppaGator
Date: 05 Jan 05 - 09:26 PM

Two stories, one personal, one second-hand:

About 15 years ago, when I was unemployed for an entire summer, I took my then-ten-year-old son Cassidy to an open audition for extras in a Hollywood movie about to be shot on location in New Orleans. The working title was "Baby Blues" -- when the film (a real stinker) came out, they had changed the name, and I can't remember that name at the moment. (It was so bad, it never appeared in a threater in the city where it was shot -- went straight to video.)

Dennis Quaid and Kathleen Turner played former CIA agents who retired when they had a baby. They're on vacation in N.O. when some kind of incident happens leading to a very weak, stupid plot.

Cass was hired and (at first) I wasn't -- but rules required that underage extras be accompanied by an adult guardian at all times. So I went along, having nothing better to do and needing any possible income for the household. We went every day for about a week.

Cass had a pretty big scene walking down the central isle of the French Market (local farmer's market) when he gets pushed out of the way by a charactrer played by comedian Larry Miller. Cass was and is a big fan of comedy/comedians -- he's in New York right now, trying to make it as a standup -- and he knew and admired Larry Miller's work -- until he saw him in action as an actor, putting on a terribly bogus New Orleans accent and generally putting on a weak performance.

This went on for a couple of days, and I got to know some of the young ADs (assistant directors), and kept asking to be given an extra role, since I was hanging around anyway. I did finally get hired, and appeared *way* in the background, walking on the opposite side of the street, during the sequence shot at the French Market, which made it into the final cut. Cassidy is right in the middle of the screen and of the action for a good 4-5 seconds, but I'm in the background of the next scene only very briefly, identifiable only because I remembered what color clothes I had been wearing.

I got a call on the third or fourth day, inviting me to an overnight shoot on Bourbon Street. At the audition, I had filled out a questionnaire wherein I was able to mention that I played guitar, and I was "cast" as a street musician. No higher pay than any other extra, but plenty of hours (overnight), and maybe a better chance of showing up recognizably on screen.

They carefully posed and lit me under a streetlight with my guitar, directly across Bourbon Street from a bar. The camera was inside the bar, pointing directly through the door towards me. Of course, the scene being filmed involved characters inside the bar, with the shot set up so that the street, as seen through the wide double doorway, would serve as backdrop. When the clapper came down and the guy shouted "Action," crowds of people started walking in the street in both directions, and I couldn't even see the camera. I'll never know whether I was visible at all in the scene, since it didn't make it into the movie anyway.

Next, that same evening, they had a shot where Dennis and Kathleen are walking down Bourbon Street in the midst of a crowd, trading three of four lines of dialog. As always, there were multiple takes with interminable waits between them, and Ms. Turner complained that some extras she bumped into in the crowded street were runbbng up against her or feeling her up or somthing. Since I was carrying a big dreadnaught-size hard case, I was recruited to walk next to her and block off anyone else who might make contact. So for an hour or so, I functioned as Kathleen Tuner's lacky/bodyguard, and exchanged a little small talk -- and got paid for it. Big whoop. Of course, this scene didn't make in ino the final film, either.

One morning Cass and I showed up and it was raining. We were told that the scheduled scene requiring crowds of extras was cancelled for the day, and that they would shoot an indoor scene instead, which would require one adult male "stunt extra" who would be paid at a higher rate, not for speaking a line, but for getting hit over thehead with a breakaway bottle.

I was one of several volunteers, but didn't get the part. I talked with the lucky winner the next day, and he said he had a headache from getting hit so many times for so many "takes." The fight was staged in the very picturesque Saturn Bar on St. Claude Avenue, for those few of you who know the place, and the extra got knocked upside the head by actor Stanley Tucci.

Oh yeah -- I also made a few extra bucks allowing my car to appear (as a parked car, in the background -- an automotive extra) during two days of shooting.

My final day working as an extra was strictly audio -- they were filming the opening scene, a party at a Garden District mansion, featuring a good solid New Orleans brass band as live entertainment. Forty or fifty of us extras were there to be party guests. I never got into a shot, but the entire group was assembled around a microphone to clap and sing along with the band. That bit *did* make it into the final cut, playing with the closing credits.

I can tell you from experience that the moviemaking process is *excruciatingly* slow; they spend an hour or more setting up for a shot that might last for a minute or two on screen, and then proceed to film it a dozen or more times. Another bit of inside dope that I learned: "craft services," which means catering (food and drink) is available to everyone on the set at any time. If you have a legitimate reason to be there, whether you're the star or the director or a lowly extra or a guy making a delivery, you can get anything you want, at any time, cooked to order,for the asking.

Other story:

The Ray Charles biopic "Ray" was shot almost entirely in New Orleans last summer. It was a significant event for the local economy, because the film is not set in New Orleans, and they didn't use any of the obvious cliche only-in-New-Orleans settings. Instead, different neightborhoods and buildings were used to represent locations in Seattle, Dallas, Indianapolis, New York, Chicago, etc. etc.

Music writer Jeff Hannusch, aka Almost Slim, was asked to allow his *house* to be used as a location, and agreed. It appears in the film as the Seattle home of a woman club-owner who sort of nurtures and also exploits the young Ray Charles. Quite a few scenes were filmed inside and outside his house. Jeff devoted two or maybe even three of his monthly columns in the local Offbeat magazine to his account of the experience. He'd never do it again; the invasion of the film crew alientated all his neighbors, and the money wasn't worth the aggravation.

If you take the time to Google Jeff's name, you'll find the titles of his two or three authoritative books on New Orleans R&B music. You *might* even find back issues of Offbeat with his tales of turing his house over to Hollywood, but maybe not.

Subject: RE: BS: Have you been in a Movie?
From: number 6
Date: 05 Jan 05 - 09:36 PM

Nope.

But our house was in a movie. They filmed some 'B' movie (what else do they film in T.O.) on our street when we lived in Toronto.

Subject: RE: BS: Have you been in a Movie?
From: coldjam
Date: 06 Jan 05 - 12:05 AM

Aw PappaGator, I thought that movie was cute! One of my favorite lines comes from it, "Bad idea Morty."

I was/am? in an educational film that everyone who gets arrested, and is waitng for arraignment (in a certain city), is forced to see. So if someone recognizes me,I know they been up to somethin'!

Subject: RE: BS: Have you been in a Movie?
From: Peace
Date: 06 Jan 05 - 12:18 AM

THAT'S where I saw you.

Subject: RE: BS: Have you been in a Movie?
From: LadyJean
Date: 06 Jan 05 - 12:35 AM

I was in a short, independent film called "Boot Cut Slacks". I've never seen it. I'm not sure I want to. It's about infertility, and, while I keep my clothes on through the entire picture. (That was one of the few things I asked the director before I was cast.) I spend much too much time talking about sperm. Then there's the dream sequence, which involves plumbing fixtures. There's also the scene where the director plays my brother Weasel, which we shot several times because the old egotist liked playing the role so much. I'm easy to spot. I'm the only woman in the picture. But I don't think a lot of people have seen it. I hope a lot of people haven't seen it. I got into it because I was in a rut. Ruts are dangerous places to be.

Subject: RE: BS: Have you been in a Movie?
From: Jim McLean
Date: 06 Jan 05 - 02:17 PM

I was in 'The Wonderful World of the Brother Grimm' shot in Germany, 1960/1. I was playing the pipes around Europe at the time, with a Danish friend who played the drums, and met Lawrence Harvey who asked us to play at his birthday party. We managed to get bit parts for a few weeks and often went out with Harvey and his then wife/woman Joan Cohen who was head of Columbia Pictures but we didn't know that at the time. I didn't even know who he was when we first met and only did the 'gig' for the free booze and food. Glorious days!

Subject: RE: BS: Have you been in a Movie?
From: Cluin
Date: 06 Jan 05 - 02:25 PM

Do security camera videotapes count?

Subject: RE: BS: Have you been in a Movie?
From: PoppaGator
Date: 06 Jan 05 - 05:34 PM

coldjam -- do you remember the name of that movie? Please let us know so anyone interested (i.e., myself) can look it up and rent a copy.

*Maybe* it was released as "Baby Blues," but I think that that title (the one I remember) was the temporary "working title" and was changed by the time it was released.

I'm amazed that *anyone* saw that stinker, let alone still remembers it. But you're right -- the line about "Morty" (a hapless bad guy who called himself "Muerte") was definitely in there.

Bad as the movie may have been, the experience of participating in its creation was great -- especially sharing it with my boy.

If you'd like to see Cassidy at age 10, the French Market scene is fairly early in the film; he's wearing a yellow T-shirt and a blue Mets cap and is highly (though briefly) visible as he gets brushed aside by Larry Miller's character. If you'd like to see him at age 25, he's headlining the comedy show at the Telephone Bar in the East Village in Manhattan, every Thursday night until further notice except Feb 4, when he'll be visiting home for Mardi Gras week.

Subject: RE: BS: Have you been in a Movie?
From: GUEST,Jim
Date: 06 Jan 05 - 06:56 PM

We're all in a movie baby, right here and now and tomorrow? well that's another day.

Subject: RE: BS: Have you been in a Movie?
From: Guy Wolff
Date: 06 Jan 05 - 07:50 PM

When I was a kid someone wanted to do a film about a friend of ours who did this great circus for kids out of wire and home made toys ,Sandy Calder was his name.I remember how bright the lights were and some kids playing mumbly peg out on the porch afterwards but I dont know if its the movie they use at the Whitney of Calder's Circus .
                     I did help with the sound track of a Danish Cartoon movie called "Snow White and the Seven Dwarves " in the spring of 1971. Something Im quite proud of . I played congo drum in some of the more energitic parts of the film ! Ive never seen it in America but them I wouldnt go into the sort of stores that might have it for sale ..With that band I also did a gig on a Danish TV show called " Milk and Honey" . Sillyness and Youth !! ..
                      Someone did a documentary movie on Lui Collins and me in the first half of the 1970's . I heard it won some library awards here in Connecticut ..
                     I have done some sound work for TV . My favorite was a pirate segment for Martha that I offered them some concertina with bass drum . I used "A Chanters Tune"with lots of cuts and dotts (syncapated)..
                     I would love to hear about Mudcatters (musicians) who have done sound track work as well ..
                     Bill Sables must have been on the front side of a movei camera at some point ..
                     My eldest son was a Amish Farmer beaten up by some "Small People on a World Wrestleing tv Add Last year .He also did one that was a take off of the moveu Fight Club for the same group .Funny stuff !

                         All the best , Guy

Subject: RE: BS: Have you been in a Movie?
From: coldjam
Date: 07 Jan 05 - 12:00 AM

I am pretty sure the movie was titled "Baby Blues".I will now have to re-rent it to look for your kid!

And something jogged in my memory and I remembered I was in an independent film in the '70's about Mormon persecution. Never saw it, but I remember I didn't have shoes and as I was running away from the bad guys I stepped in some cactus and said some very un-Mormon like things!Fortunately sound wasn't a part of that scene.Hmmm, and I don't remember being asked back?!

Subject: RE: BS: Have you been in a Movie?
From: DonMeixner
Date: 07 Jan 05 - 12:31 AM

My Fiddle players brother is Andrew Davoli, he was Knock Around Boys and The Sopranos (He got killed, no surprise there.) He always comes to hear the band when he is in Syracuse. That is my close brush with celluloid greatness.

My daughter will graduate with her MFA in theater/scenic and technical design (theatre for the Brits) and she said she'd introduce me to Sigourney Weaver. As soon as she meets her herself.

Don

Subject: RE: BS: Have you been in a Movie?
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 07 Jan 05 - 12:30 PM

Manitas dances to the fiddle playing of the cute young fiddler from 'The Wicker Man'... how cool is that?

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: Have you been in a Movie?
From: GUEST
Date: 07 Jan 05 - 01:03 PM

Coldjam, that movie was called Undercover Blues.

Subject: RE: BS: Have you been in a Movie?
From: coldjam
Date: 07 Jan 05 - 01:48 PM

Ahhh, right. So much for my memory.

Subject: RE: BS: Have you been in a Movie?
From: RangerSteve
Date: 07 Jan 05 - 08:09 PM

I played a black-face musician in a movie that only had a working title at the time, and I forget what it was. As far as I know, it never got released. It wouldn't have been a major film anyway.
I had to wear a green satin jacket with tails, and huge yellow satin bow tie and a derby. The scene took two nights to film, and I got paid fifty dollars, which in 1976 was a big deal.

Subject: RE: BS: Have you been in a Movie?
From: freda underhill
Date: 07 Jan 05 - 08:55 PM

I have a couple of starring spots similar to brucie ("I had my middle finger in the air while looking at the camera")

one was a few years back when our government was trying to break the unions.
the waterside workers union dispute with Patrick's There were big strikes on at the waterfronts in Sydney, and i went with the solidarity choir to sing at the waterfront, first thing in the morning, to support the striking workers.

As the bus came past (tinted windows so you couldnt see inside) full of the non union "scabs" i and lots of others followed it in, yelling, shaking fists and waving the finger etc. the next morning at work several colleagues told me they saw me on the news the night before, someone had been in the back of the bus filming and there was a big shot of me waving my finger blasted across three tv channels.

another such experience was in 1974 when i got married (the first time!) it was a hippie wedding in the botanic gardens in sydney - with some musicians called the White Company (rainbow hats, pipes, fiddles and a sitar). no one had had a wedding in the gardens before, and it was filmed for the news that evening. someone else was there filming as well.

sixteen years later an old family friend was head of a government department in Canberra. he was taken on his first day in the job to check out the local security headquarters. he told my father there were photos of my wedding in the gardens amongst others on the notice board. apparently there were "people of interest" there and they used it as an opportunity to photograph them all. My father's friend was a little unnerved when he saw them - he was one of the guests at the wedding!

Subject: RE: BS: Have you been in a Movie?
From: Cluin
Date: 08 Jan 05 - 01:59 AM

Do high school amateur porn videos count?

Subject: RE: BS: Have you been in a Movie?
From: kytrad (Jean Ritchie)
Date: 08 Jan 05 - 03:21 PM

The next time you see, "Next of Kin" (come on- admit you've watched it!) look for the old lady (me) sitting in the Kentucky porch-swing, with her handsome nephew (Patrick Swazy) standing behind her with hand on her shoulder...Helen Hunt is playing the fiddle (violin here) for us.

Just wanted to see what being in a Hollywood movie is like, and boy did I learn...never did so much waitin-around in my life. Endless stories here, but I won't subject you to them. Maybe I'll 'write it up' sometime.

Subject: RE: BS: Have you been in a Movie?
From: Linda Kelly
Date: 08 Jan 05 - 05:55 PM

My knees appeared in Young Scientist of the Year, my friend John played a tree in a Doctor Who episode; I was in the cage on TISWAS and my brother was in an episode of Dallas when Pammy and Sue Ellen went looking for Mark in Hong Kong and they used the British Military Hospital in Victoria -oh and an aunt (by marraige) had a cousin called Hazel Court who was a B film actress in the 1950's -I can tell your all impressed.

Subject: RE: BS: Have you been in a Movie?
From: Cluin
Date: 10 Jan 05 - 09:03 PM

Do police stakeout "sting" operations count?

Subject: RE: BS: Have you been in a Movie?
From: Fred Maslan
Date: 10 Jan 05 - 09:53 PM

I was poking at the desert table in the wedding scene in the movie "Georgia" one of the more boring experiences in my life. The movie wasn't all that good either.

Subject: RE: BS: Have you been in a Movie?
From: harpgirl
Date: 10 Jan 05 - 10:14 PM

So garg...how about a few more clues?

Interesting variety of experiences...I figured Cluin would say something like that! those limey bastards! (He is a limey bastard isn't he?)

Subject: RE: BS: Have you been in a Movie?
From: Rapparee
Date: 10 Jan 05 - 10:28 PM

I was supposed to be in a US Army training film once. It was to be on refueling tanks from the air: a tanker would drop a hose to the ground, and the tanks would be refueled as the plane circled above -- picture a cone standing on its point.

I wasn't among those who went out to try this, but the film was never made. Seems like they dumped a couple hundred gallons of gasoline (petrol) all over the Wisconsin woods, so the Army dumped not only the film but the whole idea.

I found out later that the Army also tried the aerial refueling idea by dumping fuel bladders off the rear loading ramp of a C-130. Picture a large water ballon dropped from a couple hundred feet up and you get the picture about why this, too, wasn't a Good Idea.

Subject: RE: BS: Have you been in a Movie?
From: GUEST,.gargoyle
Date: 10 Jan 05 - 10:30 PM

I was including Cluin's cats.

Sincerely,
Gargoyle

http://www.imdb.com is too easy to trace - unless the base is debased and less than credible....on more than one account.

Subject: RE: BS: Have you been in a Movie?
From: Cluin
Date: 10 Jan 05 - 11:34 PM

???


Another deleted post, garg?



No. Not a Limey bastard. A bastard from this side of the ditch.

Subject: RE: BS: Have you been in a Movie?
From: 42
Date: 11 Jan 05 - 06:00 PM

I was an extra in a really bad movie shot in Toronto about 20 years ago with Bob Dylan as a washed up old musician.

Listened to the same tune a hundred times and have never felt the same about Dylan since.

Also co-"starred" last year in a short indie production called "The Folk In Me" by up and coming filmmaker Olivia Duck.

jen

does that qualify?

Subject: RE: BS: Have you been in a Movie?
From: sixtieschick
Date: 12 Jan 05 - 01:50 AM

After being disappointed about not appearing in the film, "Monterey Pop," Pennebaker finally decided to make it up to me. Just to get me in, he did an entire film featuring the complete footage of Jimi Hendrix's performance. And there I am, in an audience shot.

Subject: RE: BS: Have you been in a Movie?
From: Shanghaiceltic
Date: 12 Jan 05 - 03:24 AM

Not exaclty a movie but I was asked about 12 years ago to choreagraph a fight sequence for a French medical dressing advert.

This was filmed in a studio on the south side of the Thames across from Chelsea London and the fight sequence had to be between a man and a woman dressed in soemething resembling Japanese armour.

Rosie and myself used bokken, wooden practice swords which are similar in shape (but not weight)to a Japanese katana.

For armour a standard kendo armour had been taken and adapted and covered with the said product, we also found out later that some French french letter boxes had also been added.

As our faces were covered with masks the cameras had no face shot. It was a knackering day as so many cuts were taken. I saw the end result and right at the end off came the helmets to reveal two beautifull people which were not Rosie or I, we were far too ugly for the French sticking plaster & letter people. But we did get a nice fee for the day.

Subject: RE: BS: Have you been in a Movie?
From: Crystal
Date: 12 Jan 05 - 12:16 PM

I've been on tv!
First time was "Webwise" I was pretending to be terribly interested in our school website (HAH!) and was hit on the head with a giant spoon by Kate Humble.
The second time has me staring vacantly at the camera talking in a very flat, terrified voice about how interesting the Globe theatre is!

Not very inspiring I'll admit!

Subject: RE: BS: Have you been in a Movie?
From: Cats
Date: 12 Jan 05 - 12:47 PM

I haven't, but Jon has been filming this week for a Docu - drama called 10 days to Victory, about the last 10 days of WW2 seen through the eyes of a series of different people. It'll be on the Nat Geograhic channel in May. He's a POW and had to spend most of the afternoon in stripey pyjamas on the floor of a barn, dying. There's a good close up of his hand and foot!!!

Subject: RE: BS: Have you been in a Movie?
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 12 Jan 05 - 02:55 PM

I've been on BBC Radio 4, the pictures are much better. I was interveiwed by Leslie Thomas (Stand up, Virgin soldiers) for a piece about the artworks created by officers of the Raj, and what happened to Kitchener's Aide de Camp, his (?)grand nephew who had his head cut off and stuck on a pole at the gates of Khartoum.

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: Have you been in a Movie?
From: Coyote Breath
Date: 13 Jan 05 - 12:15 AM

I wasn't in a movie but two of my serigraphs were! In the George C. Scott movie; "Hard Core" when he goes into the hippie free paper's offices, my posters are up on the wall, 1.5 seconds of fame!

I actually got paid!

CB

Subject: RE: BS: Have you been in a Movie?
From: GUEST,harp
Date: 13 Jan 05 - 07:51 AM

comeon garg...I need more clues than just the IMDB.

Subject: RE: BS: Have you been in a Movie?
From: GUEST,Rapaire
Date: 13 Jan 05 - 09:00 AM

Actually, I can be on TV any time I want to be. The Library here has a show on the local public access channel (it's even fairly well watched!) and as the Director of the Library, well....

The only time I ever starred in a movie was a very low budget production and I kept my socks on....

Subject: RE: BS: Have you been in a Movie?
From: PoppaGator
Date: 13 Jan 05 - 12:04 PM

Thanks to a tip from anonymous "Guest" above, I just put "Undercover Blues" in my Netflix queue.

If you're located in the continental US, you might be interested in the simple and painless Netflix DVD rental concept. (This is an unsolicited endorsement.)

http://www.netflix.com/Default

Subject: RE: BS: Have you been in a Movie?
From: GUEST,Branden Zandstra
Date: 30 Jan 05 - 09:31 PM

I am seriously Branden Zandstra! Me! Yes ME! If you want to contact me then e-mail me at [e-mail]. And don't try any funny stuff I have the state of the art vet antivirus, firewall 5.0 and mailwasher pro!

Subject: RE: BS: Have you been in a Movie?
From: kendall
Date: 31 Jan 05 - 03:31 PM

Ok, so, who are you?

Subject: RE: BS: Have you been in a Movie?
From: GUEST,SKIPY
Date: 31 Jan 05 - 05:32 PM

Made it onto Malteese TV whilst pretending to drive a 1/2 track, dressed in British uniform c/w steel helmet (several people where throwing sand in my face & rocking the vehicle in an attempt to make it look like it was moving!
Sadly the 1/2 track was american but painted in German colours after being left behind by a film crew & given to the Malta War Museun (1975).
That was me that was dressed not the 1/2 track.
Skipy

Subject: RE: BS: Have you been in a Movie?
From: JennyO
Date: 31 Jan 05 - 08:44 PM

Kendall, I mentioned Branden earlier in the thread. He's a boy I know who was in a movie. Haven't seen him now for about a year as he and his mum live several hours' drive away. He's a pretty cool kid - must be nearly 13 now. I'm rather pleased to see he's found his way onto Mudcat.

Jenny

Subject: Hey Coyote Breath
From: GUEST,Cats
Date: 16 Mar 05 - 11:41 AM

Are you by any chance Sandford Mark Barnes? If so I need to talk to you about Caleb ASAP. Please call me or e-mail me at [e-mail]. Thanks.

Cathy R.

Subject: RE: BS: Have you been in a Movie?
From: fat B****rd
Date: 16 Mar 05 - 02:44 PM

I just picked up on this thread. The late Pipemaker Dave Williams and two friends can be clearly seen in the film "Blow Up". In the Yardbirds scene. They allegedly kept grabbing Jeff Beck's broken guitar and annoying the film makers.

Subject: RE: BS: Have you been in a Movie?
From: PoppaGator
Date: 16 Mar 05 - 03:02 PM

Following up on fB, I can also tell about musical acquaintances who made an appearance in a notable movie.

Three of my favorite fellow streetsingers in New Orleans back in the early 70s were three elderly black gospel singers, one man and two women. One of the women was huge and the other very small; the smaller lady played the guitar. I never learned their names, but saw them almost every day and occasionally sang a song or two with them.

They appear in "Easy Rider," when the main characters are in New Orleans for Mardi Gras. (The filming would have been a year or two before I first met them.) They are seen only briefly, but are heard at great length, as the background music for the entire acid-trip-in-the-cemetery scene.

I always wonder if they got a decent paycheck out of it. Probably not.

****************

PS: A couple of weeks ago, I rented "Undercover Blues" to see my son as a 10-year-old extra once again. (See above.) Thanks to DVD technology, I spotted one additional appearance of his face that I hadn't noticed before: At the very beginning, the opening shot, of the "chapter" or "scene" in which he appears in the French Market crowd, the side of his head fills the entire screen, slightly out of focus, as the background to a close-up shot of Kathleen Turner.

Subject: RE: BS: Have you been in a Movie?
From: Metchosin
Date: 16 Mar 05 - 03:14 PM

Oh I forgot, my daughter and I were in a scene, few years back, on the Wonderful World of Horses, which airs sometimes on Discovery Channel. We were shown fording the Panther River on horseback.

Subject: RE: BS: Have you been in a Movie?
From: CStrong
Date: 16 Mar 05 - 08:03 PM

I'm in a crowd scene in Groundhog Day, shot almost entirely in my town, but I can't find me.

Subject: RE: BS: Have you been in a Movie?
From: jeffp
Date: 17 Mar 05 - 09:43 AM

I had an opportunity to be in Gettysburg, but I couldn't take the time off work. They used Civil War reenactors as extras and put out a massive call.

I did, however, act in a couple of short movies made for Public Access in Loudoun County, VA. I learned from that experience that acting is not what I want to be doing. It's a frightfully boring way to spend a couple of days.

Jeff

Subject: RE: BS: Have you been in a Movie?
From: Terry Allan Hall
Date: 17 Mar 05 - 11:24 AM

I've been in several, in very small roles, but the only two worth mentioning were "Outlaw Blues" w/ Peter Fonda, where I'm the stoned-looking "cow-freak" guitarist in the party scene...I'm on for about 3 seconds...

The other was a truly horrible "dice-and-slicer" called "...And I'll Spit On Your Grave", a horror flick about a bunch of Hell's Angel-types meeting a family of inbred cannibals in the hills of West Virginia...I'm the biker who, in attempting to get some "oral loving" with the wrong cannibal-cutie, gets an important part literally bit off...(the one and only time I actually watched this flick, the special effects were almost too intense!)

The others were even less impressive, hence the Oscar people passing me over yet again!

Subject: RE: BS: Have you been in a Movie?
From: open mike
Date: 17 Mar 05 - 12:08 PM

http://www.imdb.com

if you go there you will find that it is the
Internet Movie Data Base

Subject: RE: BS: Have you been in a Movie?
From: M.Ted
Date: 17 Mar 05 - 03:01 PM

Yes, on Monday, in fact--I spent the day as an extra in Mel Brooks new film version of "The Producers"--it will be released in December--

Subject: RE: BS: Have you been in a Movie?
From: LadyJean
Date: 18 Mar 05 - 12:16 AM

I went to prep school with Eve Gordon, who has had parts in a number of films. We were even in a play together, though she wasn't very good back then.
The star of our school productions was a classmate of mine who was Molly Picoun's niece. She looked exactly like her famous aunt. But she couldn't act. Someone at some time had told her to face the audience and say her lines nice and loud. That was the beginning and ending of her acting skills. She was painful to watch. But she was cast in school plays and community theater because of her famous aunt.
Of course when she got out into the real world, she wasn't quite so successful. Last I'd heard she'd married an investment banker.

Subject: RE: BS: Have you been in a Movie?
From: Little Hawk
Date: 18 Mar 05 - 12:25 AM

Yeah. I'm the guy who yells..."I AM SPARTACUS!!!"

The line I really wanted badly, though, was: "I AM NOT AN ANIMAL!!!!!!"

I quit the movie industry in disgust shortly after that. A day later William Shatner arrived. The rest is history.

Subject: RE: BS: Have you been in a Movie?
From: Little Hawk
Date: 18 Mar 05 - 12:33 AM

Gad! I just read the description of the movie "Lobsteroids"...purportedly the worst film ever made...but it wasn't released!

Too bad William Shatner wasn't cast in that one to rescue it, cos then it would have made it to the silver screen for sure, and probably earned some real notice.

He would have been cool in "Hearts of Fire" too...as Dylan's corrupt manager.

Subject: RE: BS: Have you been in a Movie?
From: GUEST,Anna Benton
Date: 04 Jan 06 - 09:16 PM

Hey JennyO... where are you from?

Subject: RE: BS: Have you been in a Movie?
From: kendall
Date: 04 Jan 06 - 09:36 PM

I was narrator and singer in a documentary titled "Fence in the water" it was about the Maine sardine industry. I sang Gordon Bok's MRS. McDONALDS LAMENT.

Also appeared on Charles Kuralt's ON THE ROAD, and on CBS tv The Today Show.

As Kytrad said, waiting was the biggest part of it. Never been paid for doing nothing before.

Subject: RE: BS: Have you been in a Movie?
From: Susan A-R
Date: 04 Jan 06 - 10:05 PM

I was in a laundry detergent commercial in the 70s. 3 days of filming for a 60 second commercial, and I was definately an extra. Nte even sure they used the spot.

I was recently interviewed at length in an independent film called "Beyond 88 Keys", because the film's about my husbnad, Michael Arnowitt,a pretty amazing concert pianist. It is mighty strange to see your head up there on the screen, looking to be as tall as you are, and not great to have those little mis-spoken phrases coming back every time you see the film. The filming of the doccumentary was pretty painless for me. They just filmed me and interviewed me while I was at work, making wontons and talking about Michael.

Subject: RE: BS: Have you been in a Movie?
From: GUEST,SunnySister
Date: 04 Jan 06 - 11:18 PM

It's great that this old thread was brought back- interesting reading!

I was in a few movies as an extra but never, to my knowledge, did I make it to the screen. Editors had it in for me, I guess. I was in the grocery store as a shopper in the only movie people might remember "My Blue Heaven" with Steve Martin. I was living in San Luis Obispo, California and going to university there and the casting directors came in and took over the place. A lot of fun to do.

I was also in a few commercials when I was a child, one of them pretty famous around the US at least. I was in an Heinz Ketchup "Anticipation" commerical when I was about 6. I was given acting lessons to keep me out of my parents hair while they went to marriage counselors. I had a lot of talent and was doing really well starting out, such as this commercial and then, sadly, my parents decided to divorce and my mother couldn't afford the lessons anymore so I had to stop. Besides, a lot of my charm at that point was how cute I looked with my two front teeth out :) When they grew back, I have a big ole gap that made me not as film-worthy.

I will say that what I remember of filming that particular commercial is one of my best childhood memories. My mom and my brother (who was about 7 1/2 at the time) came with me to Griffith Park (or however it's spelled) in Los Angeles. The shoot was done there in the park and it was set up as a big long picnic table. I thought it was strange that we were told that we could "look" like we were eating the food but that we should not. After about what seemed like a million takes, I could understand why they had that rule! The crew were very nice to me and it seemed very abstract because the music was not there to give the message. It was just me, grabbing for the bottle of ketchup and then pouting until, overhead, the ketchup appears and I am happy. Very simple acting and a beautiful summer day to shoot. Afterwards, my mom, brother and I went to the train museum and played on the old trains. A great day and a great memory.

--SunnySister

Subject: RE: BS: Have you been in a Movie?
From: Celtaddict
Date: 05 Jan 06 - 12:08 AM

My husband and I are the "American tourists" in front of the US embassy at the start of "The Amateur," just before the girl in the red beret goes in and the terrorists take over.
In the unlikely event that you see this movie, you can say to whoever is beside you, "That's funny; I thought this was supposed to be in Munich. The streetcars are supposed to be blue." The story takes place in Munich and Budapest, and they shot it in Vienna because Vienna has parts that look like both, but the streetcars there are red.

Subject: RE: BS: Have you been in a Movie?
From: Kaleea
Date: 05 Jan 06 - 12:19 AM

The only feature length film I was in I was one of a "couple" of hundred extras. It was in the mid 70's, with some falling "stars" like Artie Johnson & I can't remember who else, that did some movie about a car-aka horseless carriage. They filmed some scenes out in a wildlife refuge near Lawton, Oklahoma & invited people with period costumes to show up. Because I was in & had made a costume for a production of Oklahoma, the director of that production let me & everyone else know that extras were needed for the film. As I recall, we got $20 per day-for 2-3 days, & signed some papers that no one read including me. (I think I was about 20 or 21 & never read anything I signed back then)   I don't think any of our faces were recognizable on film. I only saw some of the daylies, and had moved before it was shown at a theatre in Lawton--and not too many other theatres in the world.
The name of the film was something other than we were told. It was a box office flop. I don't know if it was even on tv. Pathetic, huh?

Subject: RE: BS: Have you been in a Movie?
From: Fullerton
Date: 05 Jan 06 - 10:11 AM

I appeared in 51st State ( I believe Samuel Jackson co-starred :) )

I can be seen in THREE FRAMES of the car chase scene (if you use a magnifying glass I am a clear blur)

I appeared in british soap opera Hollyoaks playing tin whistle. Long tracking crane shot!Good money. Fixed a mimeing band of musicians for Hollyoaks too. yes mimeing.

I played an Orange lodge drummer in a TV movie about the Holy Cross school drums and my hands got a close up.

I got a full face close up, with artificial mostache, playing my dear old mandolin, in ukrainian national costume!!! - in a film about poor Stefan Kiscko. Played real music there..... well, we mimed to a track we previously recorded. Great tunes. Great food - the onset catering was terrific - and we ukrainian musos pigged out. When we got on the set we handed platefuls of food to eat during shooting. After each take the food was taken away and we were given ANOTHER plateful of food. I can clearly be seen gesticulating with a gherkin in this movie.

I've played on the soundtrack of a few more films and TV progs.

HOT TIP FOR MUDCAT WANNABES!!!.

Casting and extras agencys frequently need people who play weird instruments- they set a scene very effectively. Lots of THEM here on mudcat!!!!!! Approach an agent and ask to be put on there books. - DO NOT PART WITH MONEY IN ADVANCE not a penny - It should work that the TV company pay your agent, then the agent sends you your percentage. Make sure someone on the set (Director's runner) knows your name and agent. And do not part with one penny/cent/drachma before you get the job. The agent pays YOU. YOU should never, ever, ever pay the agent!! It's good fun.

Subject: RE: BS: Have you been in a Movie?
From: leftydee
Date: 05 Jan 06 - 10:50 AM

Zamboo, who is a occasional contributor here, wrote a science fiction classic called "Moon Trap". It starred the guy that played Chekov (Shatner's sidekick) on Star Trek. I know he still gets a check now and then from it too. Ever seen it?

Subject: RE: BS: Have you been in a Movie?
From: M.Ted
Date: 05 Jan 06 - 12:33 PM

Fortuitous that this thread came up--I just saw the new, musical version of The Producers", and I am in it, in about five different shots--as a member of the theater audience for "Springtime for Hitler" and "Prisoners of Love"--I am wearing Barry Goldwater-like glasses, have a midwestern-type Chipmunk smile, and am tall--admittedly not a big role, but, as my wife pointed out, I am in more shots than Brad Oscar--

Mel Brooks set up a special deal with the non-profit organization Food Change, casting those who gave contributions of a certain amount as extras in the theatre audience scenes.

It was a long, busy day because many of those ten second audience shots were done and redone as many as 15 times("More applause", "Less applause", "Some of you, stand up", "Too many standing, this time, only half of you stand up". "We didn't get that last take, let's do it again")--and I met a lot of people who make a sort of hobby of being extras(they do get paid, but the going rate is about the same as you get as a folksinger), who gave me tips on how to ply the trade--

Subject: RE: BS: Have you been in a Movie?
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 05 Jan 06 - 12:57 PM

wow I wasn't going to bother, I will now

Subject: RE: BS: Have you been in a Movie?
From: JennyO
Date: 09 Jan 06 - 06:01 AM

From: GUEST,Anna Benton - PM
Date: 04 Jan 06 - 09:16 PM

Hey JennyO... where are you from?

I'm from Sydney, Australia. Why do you ask?

Subject: RE: BS: Have you been in a Movie?
From: Paco Rabanne
Date: 09 Jan 06 - 08:22 AM

99 is the new 100.

Subject: RE: BS: Have you been in a Movie?
From: Leadfingers
Date: 09 Jan 06 - 08:42 AM

NO and 100 !!

Subject: RE: BS: Have you been in a Movie?
From: ranger1
Date: 09 Jan 06 - 10:40 AM

I've never been in a movie, but Message in a Bottle was shot at the beach where I was a ranger at the time. I got to see just how annoying Hollywood people are up close. It was my job on one particular day to make sure that they adhered to the rules of the park (HA!), like staying out of the dunes so as not to damage them. This also happened to be the day that Kevin Costner and half of the film crew got stranded on Fox Island because they didn't listen to us local yokels about the tide and the speed at which it comes in. They called Marine PAtrol to come rescue their expensive star and got told: he can wait until the tide goes back out just like anyone else. They eventually bribed a lobsterman with enough money to be worth risking getting his boat bashed in on the rocks to go out and rescue poor Mr. Costner.

Subject: RE: BS: Have you been in a Movie?
From: Severn
Date: 09 Jan 06 - 11:53 AM

To bring things back to the beginning of this thread, I was one of the thousands of little gray speks running up the hill during Pickett's charge in the "Gettysburg" movie. That part of it was filmed in one week using volunteer re-enactors working for free. Money was donated by Ted Turner for battlefield preservation and such. We were fed well by Mr. Turner and we all lived in our tents, just like in a authentic encampment, in the style we would have done at a weekend re-enactment. Our unit actually did a two day march into town over the original route for authenticity's sake, sleeping in a barn overnight.

It was a lot of endless hurry-up-and-wait and standing in formation for long hours at a time (an authentic Army practice if there ever was one) until people in charge re-shot scenes countless times.

For the charge itself, all the Cornfed-Irate soldiers picked papers out of a hat with a number from one to ten that indicated how far up the hill you got and a scenario like "Die" or "Fall back in retreat" or "Get over the stone wall and be captured". Mine said to get halfway up the hill, suffer a head wound and stagger back toward the medics in the rear.

I was only there there for the volunteer week, but a few of my friends were up there for some of the rest of the time, for which they got fed and paid, tax free, I think, and since the construction trade was in a pronounced slump that summer, that was the main source of income for a couple of them at the time. They, out of all the 9th VA boys that were up there, appeared in close ups, rather than a mass charge.

The original working title for the movie was "THE KILLER ANGELS", like the novel it was taken from, and that's what it says on the free T-shirts they gave us, but they must have thought it sounded too much like a Roger Corman biker flick or something, and they changed it.

Subject: RE: BS: Have you been in a Movie?
From: Bill D
Date: 09 Jan 06 - 12:19 PM

my wife's (Ferrara) painting was in a major movie! When they recreated the Washington Post newsroom for making "All the President's Men", they hung real artwork owned by the Post on the walls, and in one scene where Robert Redford runs in, you see him, from a distance, pass a piece that was bought by the Post from a show she did. Every time the movie plays, we try to watch that 3 seconds of 'fame'.

Subject: RE: BS: Have you been in a Movie?
From: Bunnahabhain
Date: 09 Jan 06 - 06:37 PM

I've been in a 30 second trailer here in Scotland, trying to dance Blooms of Bon Accord, on sloping cobbles without music and with the sun in our eyes, somewhere in Edinburgh castle, with some presenters in the middle of the set. The glamour!