Last Looks, Final Touches

Last Looks, Final Touches

     I would preface this chapter, by saying it is about people, and things, I wish, never to forget. For the people named herein, it is an honorable mention. Most of them were honorable people, and working with them, was an honor. I hope they are all alive, and well. Some may still be in show business, and some, I am still in touch with. If I have forgotten anyone, please don’t take it personally. I am a child, of the seventies, and as such, I am lucky I can remember anything. I will start with people first, and then move on to things, because people are more important. Presented in no particular order.

Deep Space Doug - So nicknamed, because he was often booked on the TV show, “Deep Space Nine.” I have a picture of him, taken when we worked together, on “Waterworld.” He is wearing a toilet seat around his neck.

Big Bad Brad - A very soft spoken man, with the ability to make us laugh, until we cried. Last time I saw him, was on an episode of, “The West Wing.” 

Big Mike - Another gentle giant, I worked with, on “Waterworld.”

Jesse - He was, and still is, my friend. I worked with him on many different things. We were roommates for awhile, and his was the last wedding, I attended, other than my own. I miss him.

Billy - Another good friend, who I worked with, on many different things. We were also roommates, for awhile, until he got a real job, and moved out of California.

Dancing Bear - A regular guy, until you hand him a guitar. He was a one-man show!

Georgi - Mentioned her in, “Master of Disguise.” She was, is, and always will be very special, to me. 

Chandra - Took me home, and introduced me, to her mother. No, we did not sleep together. We just enjoyed each others company. 

Victoria - Worked with her a lot. She used to feed us breakfast, all the time. I hope she is well. 

Gilbert - Victoria’s husband. He and I are both visible in, “Gang of Roses.” Many thanks, to him, for letting me use the computers, at his other job.

Anna - Loaned her my coat on, “Little Nicky.” She was dressed as a hooker, and looked about to freeze to death. Months later, I saw her on “A I,” and she kissed me, for remembering her name.

Yolanda - Worked with her on many things too. “A I, Pups, Sex and the City,“ etc. She once remarked that men were not very thoughtful, at gift giving anymore. So I said, “Tell me your measurements, and I will get you something nice.” She told me, so I got her a brand new jogging suit, with shoes, a jacket, sports bra, everything, and I shipped it to her house. She was thrilled, to death, and even bragged to her friends, about it. I told her I just wanted to shatter her faith in human nature. I hope she is well and happy.

John - I already mentioned him. So what? He treated me right, so I’ll mention him again. Get over it.

Mario - Was, and is, a good friend of mine. We are still in touch, and we still play UNO sometimes. 

Anthony - Same as Mario, except that at this writing, we are neighbors. We all met years ago, when our calling service sent us to a strip club. He is also no longer working, as an extra.

Big Tall Paul - Wanted a pay bump, for everything. Loved to say, “You musta bumped your head.”I have a picture of us, taken on the set of, “Pistol Pete.”

Dave the Weatherman - So called, because he had a degree in meteorology. I have a picture from the film, “Buddy.” We also worked on “Seven,” and “Asphalt Man,” among others.

Gayle - Worked with her on, “That Thing You Do!,” and “Reunion in Hazzard County.” She and I became friends, when we discovered we both had back problems. Last I heard, she was bedridden. I hope she is well, and not hurting. I have a picture from, “That Thing You Do!” 

Gary - Could have been a photo double for Robert Redford. I have pictures from, “Champion.”

Greg - The opera singer, who sang, for us, on “A I.”

Tony K. - My first show-biz friend. He is still my friend. If we worked together, fun was guaranteed. He also took me home, to meet his family. Don’t even go there. We met on the forgettable, “My Left Hook.”

Johnnycab - Ask him how to get anywhere, and he knew several different ways. I have a picture from “Carnivale,” and “American Pie 2.” I also met his family.

Shirley - Worked with her on “Carnivale,” too. She gave other work to myself, and Johnnycab. We cleaned her house. She fed us, and paid us well. Nice lady!

Darren - Threw the Frisbee, with him, on “Visiting Day.” Everyone thought he looked like Jon Bon Jovi.

Phyllis - We worked on “Virtuosity.” She also gave me work, dog-sitting at her house, when she was out of town. 

Sande - She told my fortune 20 years ago. Some of it, came true.

Carolyn - We shared similar problems, and solutions.

Chucky B. - I teased him about his hairdo. “Hey man, you have a dead spider, on your head.”

The Twins -2 young, and pretty sisters, who let me take their picture, on a commercial for Heineken beer.

Angel - A very nice man. Worked with him on “Torque,” and “Sea Biscuit.” I have a picture of myself, from the movie, “Torque.“ The bike, I am sitting on, belonged to Angel.

Larry - A guy I brought to set one night, when casting was looking for people. We both played homeless, in the film, “Strange Days.”

Cathy - She and I worked mostly on independent films, but we both got soaked, pretty good, on “War of the Worlds.” 

Mike B. - He gave me my first screen credit. For makeup.

Stephanie - Worked with her on, “Alien Nation.” People kept saying, she looked like Whoopi Goldberg. I disagreed. I think she looks BETTER than Whoopi Goldberg.

Jerri Lynn - The last woman, I danced with, on set.

DP - We worked together, on a music video, and made it into a national publication. Outstanding!

Frances - Worked with her, on “A I, Little Nicky,” and others. She went on vacation, and brought me back, a souvenir, from Paris! Another nice lady!

Evelyn - Her and I got along, because we disliked, the same people.

Jerry - The hippy pilot, from “Independence Day.” We  shot a film, at his house. We all played dead.

Aixa - I never knew where she was going to turn up, but I was always happy to see her. 

Linda - We got all dressed up, for “Inventing the Abbotts.” I have pictures. 

Anne Marie - Worked with her once. Then she moved away. Was it something, I said?

Tim G. - We worked on “Alien Nation.” They made him, an alien, because they liked his head.

Celia - On her birthday, I put her name, in lights, at the “Alex” theatre, in Glendale, CA.

Elizabeth - She bought a gift, for my son, and I only worked on set, with her once. She helped me get other work, fixing cars, for people she knew. 

Ellen - Met her on “Waterworld.” we also worked on “Alien Nation,” and “Life With Louie.” We were roommates, for awhile, and I met her mom. No, we did not sleep together. Get your mind out of the gutter, and come down into the sewer. With me. 

Pretty Ricky - “Master of Disguise.” He actually had business cards made, with “Pretty Ricky,” on them. I have a picture, from “Master of Disguise,” with him, and Georgi. 

The Danimator - We were working at a strip club, and he was chasing one of the girls. The director said he was to animated. My friend Anthony said, “You are to Danimated.” So we started calling him, “Danimator.” If you haven’t figured it out, by now, his name is Dan. I hope he, and his wife, are happy, and well. I worked with Dan, on “A I, Omega Code 2, and Pups,” as well as many others. I also made up his face, for Halloween, one year. I have many photos. Miss you lots, buddy.

Di - We worked on “Carnivale,” and “Champion,” as well as others. I once repaired her car, on set, and I will never forget the night we rode the Ferris wheel, of death. No, we did not sleep together. 

Ron - Once said to me, “You purty boys, get all the work.” He worked way more, than I did.

Lurch - My friend, from Austria. He always reminded me of Lurch, from “The Addams Family,” 

Rico - Took  40 bucks, from me, in a poker game, on set, one night. The film was, “Lucky Numbers.”

Jacque - She was another, who could turn up anywhere, and make you happy, to see her. I have a picture, taken at a Hollywood Halloween party, with her, and my friend Anthony. I hope she is happy, and well.

Colleen - I have a picture of her from, “Most Wanted.” She is playing a bag lady, and wearing my clothes. I told you, production liked my wardrobe. 

Mary - What a happy face! Girls like her, are so rare! You wonder if they ever get mad, about anything. I only worked with her once, on “The Winner,” and I was lucky enough, to get a picture. 

Elena - Worked with her on “Little Nicky,“  and “Ali.” Production wanted to cut, her hair, for “Starship Troopers. “ I am glad, she did not let them do it.

Janna - A young, pretty girl, I worked with, on “Champion.” I hope she is happy, and well. She introduced me, to her mom, at a Hollywood party, and for the last time, NO! We did not sleep together!

Pam - Janna’s mom. I do not remember, ever working, on set, with her, but because of her daughter, we became friends. I hope she is happy, and well too.

Jimi - So nicknamed, because we all thought he looked like Jimi Hendrix. Never knew his real name. I was on the set of “Nurse Betty.” When Morgan Freeman arrived, on set, he announced that the set was not “cosmopolitan” enough. Next thing, I knew, Jimi, and 2 other people, of color, showed up, for work, that day. I told Jimi, he should thank Mr. Freeman, for the work. Believe it. Or not.

     There are others, I’m sure, but please forgive me, I cannot remember everyone. So that’s it for the people. Now it’s time for things. Also in no particular order.

     I remember taking the “Road Runner” shuttle, from the parking lot, when I worked at “Warner Bros. Studios.” I don’t remember, how I came to ride it, the first time. But I’m sure it was another extra, who told me about it. We were always sharing this type of information, with each other. When you got aboard the shuttle, the driver would ask where you were going, and he would tell you the best stop on the route, for you to get off the shuttle. I was usually let out about 1, or 2 blocks, from the set. This was still a helluva lot closer, than walking to set, from the parking lot, which I have also done. So thanks, to the Road-Runner shuttle, for giving me a little lift, first thing in the morning. I bet I am not the only one who misses this ride.

     Sometimes we got to blow s**t up! In “Rattled.” production blew out the side of a mountain, unleashing thousands of pissed-off rattlesnakes. In “Most Wanted,” we blew up a car, and in “Blown Away,” a large truck. My friend Tony k., got to blow up a water fountain, in one of the “Batman” movies. Gunfire, and explosions, were always a lot of fun.

     I miss the elaborate sets, we sometimes worked on. The oil tanker on “Waterworld.” It looked, and felt, pretty real, to me. The set at the Arboretum, on “Little Nicky,” that was supposed to be Hell, on Earth. The fantastic recreation of Wilshire Blvd., for the film, “Volcano.” Some of my colleagues said they wished they could have seen the Screen Actors Guild offices, getting destroyed, but no such luck. The ruined city in ‘Escape from L A.” The ruined city in “ Strange Days.” There are many, many, many more. The sets of “Carnivale,” and “A I.” My hat is off to the talented people, who design, and build these sets. 

     One day, when I was working on “Waterworld,” a man came around to the extras holding area, selling “Waterworld” T-shirts. They featured a cresting wave, and said, “Waterworld Surf Team.” Myself, and some of my friends, bought shirts, for ourselves, and vowed to go to the film, on opening night, with the purpose of ruining the film, for everyone around us. I think 4, or 5 of us, showed up, to the same theatre, on opening night, my friend Ellen, and I, among them. I was wearing my “Waterworld” T-shirt, and when I paid for admission, to the theatre, the cashier lady, said to me, “Would you like to register, to win a “Waterworld” T-shirt?” I pushed my chest, at her, and tugged at my shirt. “Not very observant are we?” She was clueless. We went in, and the theatre was empty, except for us. It was still a lot of fun. Somewhere, since then, I lost my “Waterworld shirt. Oh my God! I lost my shirt! It was only special, because of the memories, it carried. 

     I also miss the many surprises, that often occur, on set. The first surprise is who is working with you. I almost always saw someone, I was happy to see. The second surprise, was catering. You never know, what’s for lunch. Garden hose water, (Gatorade commercial) and a pretzel bar, (My Left Hook). Then again, it could be prime rib, and fresh asparagus, (A I) or lobster, (Boston Public). Reality was usually somewhere between these examples, but it was always a surprise. The next surprise, was that you never knew what you might be asked, to do. “Sir, these 2 young porn stars are going to have sex, at your table. We need you to make sure, the one closest to you, doesn’t fall off. It’s a small, flimsy table. Is this ok, with you?” Surprise! You are working with naked girls today! I was once booked as a dock worker, and production gave me a 15 dollar cigar, to smoke, on camera. Surprise! There were many other surprises. I have not even scratched the surface. 

     The best surprise of all, was the unique experience, working in show business provided. I met, and worked with people, from all over the world. Different cultures, attitudes, and beliefs, both religious, and political. I worked with a Japanese woman, who said her family was locked up, in this country, during World War 2, just for being Japanese. I also met people who needed help, with their paperwork. Then there was the really stupid ones, usually guys, who never brought a pen, to work, every day, without fail, no matter what, you f*****g a*****e! You have placed me in a bad situation. If I loan you my 30 dollar “Space Pen,” I run the risk of never seeing it again. If I don’t, I must become an a*****e. “Hell no, you can’t borrow my pen! Gimme 20 bucks, I’ll loan you my pen.” I get this response, “You must be crazy! I’m not giving you 20 bucks. Keep your friggin pen!” To which I reply, “Now the cost is 40 bucks. Do I hear 50?” I have had this conversation, on set, more than once. I have seen, and heard, and experienced things, and met people, I would never have met otherwise. It was the promise, of a new adventure, every day. Sometimes that promise, came true, in ways, I could not have possibly imagined. My friend Paul, once told me, God had plans, for me. It’s a good thing, I don’t know, what they are.