Sea Biscuit

Sea Biscuit

     I worked on “Sea Biscuit,” in 2 different locations. I cannot remember where I worked first, so I will start at the train station, in Fillmore, CA. I do not know if it was a working train station, but it sure did look nice, to me. It was kept very well. We were all booked as spectators, hoping for a glimpse of our hero, as he got off the train. We were on the loading dock, and one of the horses decided to take a dump. Suddenly, being on the dock, wasn’t so good. The smell was pretty strong. It was sort of a confined area, too, because of the crowd of people. There was no escape. Production got some people, to clean up the mess, so the show could go on. Alas, it was not to be. One of the horses did not like the distance, from the loading dock, to the ground, and would not come any closer to us. Period. So production got another horse, with more courage, and the show did go on. Working with animals is not easy, but some animals, take direction better than a lot of people I know, including me. 

     During a break between shots, Jeff Bridges came, and stood on the platform of one of the 1930-ish rail cars. He said hello to everyone, and asked if anyone had any questions. I did not have a question, but I did have a comment. I stepped closer to him, and said, “The very first set, I ever went to was “Blown Away,” on the back lot at “Universal Studios.” He smiled at me, “You been doing this awhile.” I nodded, and said, “My dad used to say, about the depression, a loaf of bread was only 10 cents, but nobody had a dime.” Mr. Bridges nodded, and said, “Sometimes we forget how lucky we are.” He shook my hand, and said, “Nice to meet you.” He then turned his attention, to another extra. If I saw him again today, I doubt he would remember me. It’s ok, because I still remember him. 

     I worked at least 2 weeks, at the Santa Anita racetrack, in Arcadia, CA. We were assigned staggered call times, and mine was usually one of the earliest. Production often does this to make things easier for the hair, makeup, and wardrobe departments. We can’t have 400 extras, clamoring for their wardrobe, all at the same time. I usually arrived early, to set anyway. It was still dark outside, when I got there. I could get dressed, eat breakfast, and then sit in the stands, and watch the horses, while they were training. The track was lit well enough, for the horses to get their morning exercise. Some of the horses were not in the movie, but they were being stabled at Santa Anita, and they needed their workout. 

     I was booked as “The salt of the Earth.” A polite way of saying I was poor, and broke, all the time. Not a hard role to play, for me. Betting the rent money, on the ponies. In reality, I have never bet money, on a horse race, in my life. I knew little, or nothing about it, but I had heard of “Sea Biscuit” before. When we were kids, we watched the triple crown races, in our house, and they always spoke of Sea Biscuit, as well as other famous horses. We were placed on the infield, which is inside the oval, the horses run on, and in my opinion, the best way to view the race. We could have easily gotten mud, thrown on us, by the running horses. We were very close, to the action. They put a camera, directly on me, as I screamed for the horse to run. I was yelling like a madman, and I knew they would notice. They could not get angry, because my direction was to yell for the horse. So I did. VERY LOUDLY! As I said before, they put the camera, right on me. The footage is not in the film. If it is, I could not find it, and believe me, I looked. I hope it was not destroyed, or deleted. I screamed so hard, I lost my voice. Maybe the footage is in a “Gag Reel” somewhere. Maybe the camera wasn’t even on. One can only hope.

     The elite spectators, in the upscale clothes, sat in the stands, near the clubhouse. Sometimes Production would put expensive clothes, on rows of inflated extras. It was a row of 4 heads, and torsos, that were designed to sit on the chairs, in the stands, while the seat was still folded up. If you were in front, and looked directly at them, you would see only from the chest up. They had male, and female faces. Production only had to put hats, on them, and VOILA! Instant extra! Production would place live extras, in with the inflated extras, to make the crowd look more realistic, but if you are not able to tell which is which, the director is a good one. He or she, will not offer you a chance, to yell, “Call the Continuity Police!”  There are a lot of cardboard people in “Waterworld,” but they are not so easy, to find. “Sea Biscuit,” was the first, and only production I ever worked on, that had Blow-Up extras. 

     Depending on what we were shooting, we would walk under the track, or across the track, or around the track. I worked all over, the entire complex, that is Santa Anita race track. The salt of the earth was on the infield, and it was pretty hard, to point the camera, at the track, without catching a piece of the infield, and we had to be there, because we had already established ourselves, on film. Production did shoot many scenes, at the track, that the salt of the earth was not needed for. I know this because I was there. I do not believe I got sent home, because the camera was not on me. Production kept me there, and paid me, working or not. That was very nice, of them. 

     I also worked inside, at the betting windows. I stood in line. Then I stepped up, to a window, and pretended to place, a bet. Next I walked off, out of frame, and loitered, unless I was told to cross again. Production does this a lot, in order to keep the scene busy. Most people do not pay attention, to this type, of thing. Their focus is, and should be, on whatever the director wants. On “Catch Me If You Can,” I am visible, at least 3 times, in the same scene. Your focus is on Leonardo Di’ Caprio. He is flirting with a pretty bank teller, so he can take things, from her. Production wants the bank to appear busy. So I pass by camera, several times. We did the same thing, on “Sea Biscuit.” Just another way to make the crowd, look bigger, than it really is. 

     I remember speaking with Bill Dance, about “Sea Biscuit.” He was concerned, about production, having wardrobe, for me. I assured him, it would be ok, and he booked me. I look great, in the wardrobe, they gave me! I was complimented several times. I still have a picture, from that film. A lot of people complained about everything. We were treated pretty well, I thought. Once you are a non union extra, on a Spielberg film, you get spoiled. On the other hand, if you were a non-union extra working on “My left hook,” “Ed,” or “Ali,” you would appreciate working on “Sea Biscuit.” Every time I heard an extra bitching, I would say, “Maybe you would rather work for Disney.” This usually shuts them up. I ate a hot breakfast, every morning, without being asked, to pay for it. Lunch was a box lunch, but it was a good box lunch, from a real deli. Production accommodated the vegetarians, as well. I got a croissant, with so much ham inside it, I had to take some out. I still ate it. Some extras were saying they should get a hot lunch, like the union members, cast, and crew. Sorry pal. You are a non-union extra. Eat the box lunch, and shut the f**k, up! Or you could go home. Or you could bring something to eat, from home. It’s pretty simple. While we may be required to feed you, we are not required to cater, to you personally, because you are not paying for lunch. If you want to pay for lunch, you can have whatever you want. See? Very simple. 

     The same guy who got thrown off the set of, “AI,” got thrown off this set too. This time he got into a fight, with another extra, about money. He later told us that he had found better work, after getting thrown off of “Sea Biscuit.” One of my colleagues remarked, “Yeah, right. He got booked as a power bottom in a gay porn flick.” There were about a dozen people who were always getting into trouble, all the time. I mean real trouble. Fist fights, drunkenness, theft, and sexual harassment should not happen, but they do. I was always amazed at how often these people would show up, on set. I always figured if I got thrown off set, for fighting, I would have to give up extra work. After what I have seen, I wonder. Sometimes it’s production, and casting. You don’t book rival gangs, on a cattle call. Not a good idea, I don’t care how many people, you need. I have never caused production, or casting, problems, such as these, but I have witnessed it. Someone tried to steal, from us once, on “Waterworld,” but my friend Jesse, caught the guy. He is very lucky, we did not beat him severely, and put him in a dumpster. 

     I heard a rumor, on the set of this film, that someone had taken unauthorized photos, of  Tobey Maguire, in costume, on the back of his famous horse, and sold them to a publication, without permission. I also heard this extra got into big trouble for it. The camera sees everything, and if you can see it, it can see you, so before you do something really stupid, maybe you should re-think this idea. I hope, whoever it was, suffered a beating, jail time, and a fine, for making the rest of us, look bad. Unless, of course, this is just a rumor, and it never really happened. 

     It took production, quite awhile to get the cast, crew, and extras, all in place. I spent many hours in the extras holding area, playing UNO. UNO is a popular card game, often played, by extras, to pass the time. Once, when production was setting a scene, instead of sending us, “Back to Holding,” probably because it was to much trouble, to bring us out again, they kept us exactly where we were. Then they gave a microphone to Tobey Maguire, and did an impromptu Q&A, with him. First we had to get all the young, screaming girls, to shut up. Then they picked one, to ask a question. Her question was, “What made you become, an actor?” How original! How perfect! This would not have been my question. My question would have been, “Can you settle an argument, for me, and my colleagues? Some of us say that because of the insurance, and the fact that you are “Spiderman,” you cannot ride on a real galloping horse. Yet we know of people, more famous, and worth more money, than you, who have no problem, riding a horse, at full gallop. Is this rumor true?” There are scenes, in this film, and I know, without a doubt, there is no friggin horse, and that ruined the movie, for me. Not the first time either. There is a scene that is a cheat, in “Space Jam,” but I’ll never tell because it might ruin the movie, for you. The price of extra work.  As the Vietnam Veteran, once said, “If you had been there, you would know what I’m talking about. “ I cannot speak about Vietnam, but as for “Space Jam,” and “Sea Biscuit,” not only was I there, but so were several hundred of my colleagues, and we all know what really happened.

     “Sea Biscuit,” was a lot of fun. 2 weeks of work. I averaged 80 bucks, per day. Did not have to buy food, while working on this film, except for the weekend, when we did not work. I have seen the film, and I think I am visible, at least once. I did not like the film, because it took so long, for the title character, to enter. Seemed more like a movie about the people around the horse, and not the horse. Just my humble opinion. I wanted to see more of the horse. I really liked Fillmore, CA too. I bet if you live there, you do not hear gunfire, or helicopters, very often. I would certainly hope so. I hope everyone I worked with, is alive, and well, and have gone on, to better things. Many thanks to Bill Dance, for booking me. My favorite movie, featuring a horse, is “Hidalgo.” I worked on that movie too. One day, at Hansen Dam, in the San Fernando valley. Stayed in extras holding, all day. Got paid anyway. Gotta love show business!