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Had a brush with Hollywood?

Mark from Plano

One of the Regulars
Messages
123
Location
Dallas, Texas
My brother-in-law. Not famous (yet), but working:

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1357236/

http://www.cicadarestaurant.com/max.php

Also does lots of commercial work. Has starred in commercials recently for ReMax, Circuit City, Kia, Harrah's Casinos. Has upcoming commercials for Coke Zero (to run during the College Basketball Playoffs, he plays "Coach Zero") and Ford.

EDIT: I also went to college with a couple of guys that are writers in Hollywood. One wrote for Letterman, then had a show on MTV, then wrote and produced on Full House, then wrote Chris Farley's last movie, the very bad "Almost Heros".
 

NoirDame

One of the Regulars
Messages
291
Location
Ohio
I was a driving extra in a small independent film that also hired my car.

I used to work in the Halle building in Cleveland where Spiderman 3 was shot.

Oh, not to mention I have been through Public Square countless time where part of A Christmas Story was shot.
 

Spiffy

A-List Customer
Messages
388
Location
Wilmington, NC
Well, my college campus was used in Dawson's Creek. Downtown, they've shot: One Tree Hill, Surface, Dawson's Creek, Matlock, Blue Velvet, Bolden, Black Knight, The Dangerous Lives of Altar Boys, Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood, Domestic Disturbance, Empire Records, Firestarter...Wilmington optimistically calls itself 'Hollywood East.'
Personally, I've been to a bar where Steve Buschemi and Vince Vaughn got in a fight and Vince got arrested (although I didn't live here at the time). I also saw Jason Schwartzman shopping downtown while they were filming The Marc Pease Experience. A lot of my professors were hired in from the film community and have worked on productions that have shot at the soundstages downtown as well as in local homes, businesses, etc. I've also had the late Frank Capra Junior as a guest professor and every year at Christmas the university makes a big deal about screening It's a Wonderful Life.
Outside of Wilmington, on a post-graduation trip to Paris, our tour group ran smack into the Pirates of The Caribbean II premiere. We waited around for a few hours and ended up seeing Johnny Depp and Orlando Bloom go inside.
 

Lincsong

I'll Lock Up
Messages
6,907
Location
Shining City on a Hill
So I'm sitting in the Stardust showroom in Vegas waiting to see Don Rickles perform. Tommy Lasorda sits down in the booth right below my table. Next to him in another booth are a couple guys from The Soprano's. Then in walks Larry King who signed the tickets at the people's table next to mine. At another Don Rickles show, John Stamos and his friends were sitting a couple booths from where I was sitting. When I was 15 I was walking through the lobby at MGM (now Bally's) in Vegas and the Smother's Brothers passed me in the opposite direction. One time in Honolulu in 1990 FOX was filming some goofy show in Ala Moana Beach Park and I watched the filiming of it. When it was on television I saw myself in the background. Oh, yeah when AMC had some series that was being filmed at Caesar's Palace in Vegas I followed them around while they were filming scenes in the casino. I got in the background in a couple of those.
 

KY Gentleman

One Too Many
Messages
1,881
Location
Kentucky
I was in a hotel lobby in about 1978-79 when a huge commotion occurred in the lobby. I went to see what was going on and there was Ali! The champ!
I got his autograph and a kind word. He was (is ) The Greatest!
 

Spiffy

A-List Customer
Messages
388
Location
Wilmington, NC
I just found out that the SFX coordinator for the senior film that I'm working on did the special effects for Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan!
 

AmateisGal

I'll Lock Up
Messages
6,126
Location
Nebraska
skyvue said:
I

And this next long list comprises people that I encountered either on the street, in a restaurant (whether I was working or dining), or at various events around town. I was within a few feet of every person on this lengthy list, and I've placed an asterisk by the names of the people I actually had an encounter with (and about whom I have an at least semi-interesting tale to tell -- if anyone cares to hear a specific story, just ask):

Oooh, I would love to hear about your encounter with Dana Andrews!
 

old yazoo

Familiar Face
Messages
60
Location
Portland, OR
Part of 'Into the Wild' was filmed here in Portland, not 2 miles from my house. I stood around and watched Sean Penn do his directing thing.

Also, one of my vintage dresses and I were extras in an indie short period film called 'Berlin.' Takes place on the brink of WWII. Coming out soon!
 

skyvue

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,221
Location
New York City
AmateisGal said:
Oooh, I would love to hear about your encounter with Dana Andrews!

Back in the 1980s, I had a buddy from back home (Oklahoma) who worked as a salesman for a video company, and he was going to be in Washington DC for a trade meeting -- one of those events with all the booths and, often, a star (or former star) as a featured guest in the booth.

He invited me down and got me in on a company pass, so while he was working, I worked the room for all the freebies and autographs I could get.

I don't recall which company had brought in Mr. Andrews, but it was kind of sad that his booth wasn't getting much attention, at least not when I go there. I noted the time he was scheduled to appear, and I think I was the first person to stop by when I arrived about fifteen minutes later.

He autographed a photo for me and answered a couple of questions. He seemed kind of shy and, beyond that, not that pleased to be there, but he was nice enough.

As I understand it, he had a tough go of it in his later years.

I've seen so many more of his movies now than I had then, I wish I could have a second crack at chatting with him.
 

Alex Oviatt

Practically Family
Messages
515
Location
Pasadena, CA
Never been an extra but one of my big regrets (...I've had a few) was that I just happened to go to the races the day they were filming crowd scenes for the movie Seabiscuit at Santa Anita. They were literally handing out fedoras! Baron's fedoras. I could not commit to staying the whole day so I did not join the "extras" in the stands and the infield and now I wish I had done it. I did watch the races from a box and it was really something to see: wall-to-wall fedoras, just like it must have been back in the day....
 

AmateisGal

I'll Lock Up
Messages
6,126
Location
Nebraska
skyvue said:
Back in the 1980s, I had a buddy from back home (Oklahoma) who worked as a salesman for a video company, and he was going to be in Washington DC for a trade meeting -- one of those events with all the booths and, often, a star (or former star) as a featured guest in the booth.

He invited me down and got me in on a company pass, so while he was working, I worked the room for all the freebies and autographs I could get.

I don't recall which company had brought in Mr. Andrews, but it was kind of sad that his booth wasn't getting much attention, at least not when I go there. I noted the time he was scheduled to appear, and I think I was the first person to stop by when I arrived about fifteen minutes later.

He autographed a photo for me and answered a couple of questions. He seemed kind of shy and, beyond that, not that pleased to be there, but he was nice enough.

As I understand it, he had a tough go of it in his later years.

I've seen so many more of his movies now than I had then, I wish I could have a second crack at chatting with him.

Thanks so much for sharing. I think he was quite an alcoholic for a time, but I don't know much more than that. He's one of my favorite actors.
 

skyvue

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,221
Location
New York City
AmateisGal said:
Thanks so much for sharing. I think he was quite an alcoholic for a time, but I don't know much more than that. He's one of my favorite actors.

No problem. I like him, too, and wish it had gone better for him late in life.
 

Mark from Plano

One of the Regulars
Messages
123
Location
Dallas, Texas
AmateisGal said:
Thanks so much for sharing. I think he was quite an alcoholic for a time, but I don't know much more than that. He's one of my favorite actors.

I have a cousin named Dana who was named after Dana Andrews. Obviously my aunt and uncle were big fans...or at least liked the name for their son.
 

AmateisGal

I'll Lock Up
Messages
6,126
Location
Nebraska
Wow. He did have a tough time of it when he was older.

From Reel Classics (who took the info from his obituary, so it's pretty reliable)

"Toward the end of his life, Andrews suffered from Alzheimer's. He finally died of pneumonia on December 17, 1992 in California, leaving behind the memory of those average-Joe, leading men of the 1940s (sometimes disillusioned but usually honest) he had played so well."

Anyone see his movie Boomerang where he plays a district attorney? How is it? I searched on Amazon for it and it was $50!
 

Hamsterjeep

New in Town
Messages
32
The Wingnut said:
I've met Cliff Robertson, too. I've got a picture buried somewhere of me in AAF service dress shaking his hand.
AJ, Allow me...
BriansHPphotos323.jpg
 

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