Black Sheep

Black Sheep

     If memory serves, “Black Sheep,” like “Master of Disguise,” was a 3-day shoot, and I went to set, maybe twice, on the last day. We were at a very nice estate, on Potrero Road, in Westlake Village, which is northeast of Los Angeles, in the Santa Monica mountains. Westlake Village is also part of Thousand Oaks, CA. It was around an hour, from where I was living, depending on traffic. I did not spend the night there. I drove home, at the end of each day. 

     “Black Sheep starred Tim Matheson as Al Donnelly. A man running for governor. Chris Farley played his misfit brother Mike. Mike was always causing trouble, for Al. So Al gives Steve, played by David Spade, a job, looking after Mike. The film is a series of misadventures that threaten Al, and his campaign. Of course everything works out, in the end. There is a big surprise. A Hollywood happy ending. 

     A lot of so-called Hollywood movie critics did not like the film. Personally, I think movie critics, sometimes expect to much. Like when I heard someone say, that the remake of “Godzilla,” starring Matthew Broderick, probably was not Oscar worthy. What exactly did you expect? I expected to see a large, fire-breathing lizard, destroy a city. I got exactly that. I do not go to a “Godzilla” movie, looking for cinematic excellence. Hello! Is this thing on? This is a comedy, starring Chris Farley, Tim Matheson, and David Spade. It is supposed to be ridiculous. That’s exactly what it was. Anyway I did not want to analyze the film. I just wanted to enjoy watching it. I must admit, it was not easy. I liked Chris Farley, for being “over the top,” on purpose. He was good at it. Not easy to be loud, obnoxious, and funny, all at the same time, but I saw him do it. In person.* What a talent! In my humble opinion, this was a Chris Farley movie. Not long after it’s release, Chris Farley left us. I was honored to work on one of his films. 

     I spent most of “Black Sheep” in the extras holding area. A large tent, in a field, across from 874 Potrero Road. I was told that the field belonged to the “Dole Foods” corporation. If this was true, it was nice of them, to let us, use their land. The field had been plowed recently, so there were large dirt clods everywhere. The floor inside the tent was reasonably level, and I seem to remember a layer of straw, for us, to walk on. It would have been very hot, inside the tent, if production had not provided us with air conditioning. Someone actually said to me, “They just don’t want to get sued, if someone dies, of heatstroke.” I do not understand some people. “Could you please, just shut the f**k up, and enjoy the AC? Thank you very much!” I was in a business suit, so I was very grateful, for the AC. I am sure most everyone else was too. 

     They had porta-potties, for the extras, and a honey wagon, for the cast, and crew. If you were an extra, like me, you used the honey wagon anyway. I did not care if the production company, or elitist a******s, cared about it, or not. My friend Billy said it best. “If anybody asks you, what you are doing, in the honey wagon, just say, I have a rectal emergency. You will not be questioned, or scolded, any further, because I don’t care, who you are. If you are about to s**t your pants, all is fair.” The thought occurred to me that this philosophy is compounded, on a movie set, because of the very real possibility, that you could be about to s**t, someone else’s pants. I bet the wardrobe department would love you, for that! The other thing about saying you have a rectal emergency, is that it is very unlikely, anyone will ask you, to prove it. So take my advice. Use whatever bathroom is handy! Anyone who doesn’t like it, should consider the alternatives. Honey wagons are good for changing clothes too. They are often air-conditioned, or heated, and some even pipe in music. So enjoy! Might be the best thing, that happens, to you, all day!

     One of my fellow extras, was booked as a chef. White suit, big hat, etc. He was placed behind a banquet table befitting someone, who was running for governor. Some of the food, on this table, was fake, and some of it was real. The roast turkey was real. Or was it a goose? It was a big-a*s bird, and by the third day, it didn’t smell very good. It still looked good, and in Hollywood, looking good is all that matters. I cannot describe the smell, except to say, it was attracting a multitude of winged bugs. 

*See chapter 5 - Taboos

     

     Luckily, it was a really long banquet table, and the nasty bird was at one end, so we all tried our best to stay away, from it. I was a party guest, so I was not required to be near the table at all. Not so, for my friend the chef. He was placed there, and he remained there, for the entire shoot. Who says extras do not earn their money?  Good thing production never asked him to actually serve food, to anyone. That would have been fun! Bet we would have seen a lot of people, losing their lunch. 

     The other end of the banquet table had a selection of desserts, on it, and among them was a 3-tier chocolate cake, made of Styrofoam, and painted to look pretty real. It looked real, to me. I decided to have some fun. I picked up the ”cake,” and proceeded to carry it across the front lawn. I walked straight toward, someone I knew. When I got close, I pretended to trip, and pushed the cake forward, in the direction, of my target. As I mentioned, we were all dressed “upscale,” so some of our clothing was quite expensive. It was pretty funny, watching people scramble to get out of the way, whenever they thought, I might spill dessert, all over them. I repeated this, with several different people, and then I returned the cake, to the banquet table. Most production companies would frown, on an extra, playing with a prop, but nothing was ever said, to me. The cameras were not rolling, when I did this. Maybe they saw me anyway, and didn’t care. Maybe they thought it was funny too. Most comedy sets are pretty relaxed, and comedians are always a lot of fun, to work with, because laughter is everywhere. 

     My friend, Tony K., was also booked as a party guest, so this made the shoot, even more fun. At one point, we were supposed to react to seeing Chris Farley’s character, “Mike,” who had gotten himself stuck atop a large mobile antenna, attached to a news van. Tony said, “Let’s do a spit take.” When sound rolled, we had our champagne glasses, up to our mouths. On our cue, to react, we spat champagne, all over the lawn. When we cut, an assistant director came over to us, and said, “Don’t spit, on the next one.” I thought we were being reprimanded, for ad-libbing our own action, but Tony did not care. “This is great!,” he exclaimed. I did not think so. “Why?” “We are obviously on camera,” he pointed out, “Otherwise they never would have said anything.” I was unconvinced, but sure enough, when the film was released, there we were. Big as life. I still have a picture of myself, from that scene, that I was able to grab, off the internet. I was younger, and thinner, at the time, and I looked pretty good. Just ask my mom. She says I look like James Garner. 

     When Tim Matheson, came to set, I walked right up to him, and introduced myself. I told him that he, and I had played poker together, on “Fast Company.” He shook my hand, and thanked me for remembering him. I love actors who leave their ego at home, when they go to work. My colleagues could not believe I did this. Walking up to a principle actor, on set. I thought it was no big deal. Apparently so did Mr. Matheson. Gary Busey was also there, but I did not speak to him. My friend Wayne spoke to him.* This movie was a lot of fun. When Chris Farley falls, on top of Christine Ebersole, who was playing “Evelyn Tracy.” Al Donnelly’s rival, in his campaign for governor, he looks like he is trying to hump her, to death. It was pretty ridiculous. 

     We were all very tired, by the end of the third day. Tony k. was hobbling across the field toward his car, when I yelled, “Hey Tony, c’mere!” He hesitated, so I said, “C’mon man, c’mere!” He hobbled over to my car. “You going straight home?,” I asked. He was really beat. “Yes, why?” I smiled at him, “How much farther along, do you think you would be, if I hadn’t called you over here?” I immediately saw his middle finger. “I’ll get you, for that,” he promised me, as he hobbled off, to his car. The shoot was over, and the Governor’s mansion isn’t there anymore, but I still have my memories. I have pictures too. 

 *See chapter 23 -  Heard on set 3