TV and Movies

[Judaline]

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@MamaWick wrote:

@Judaline  I am sure I have posted about this before.  It was in 1982.  My older sister was a casting director in Atlanta.  She worked on many films...Smokey and the Bandit (1 and 2) and Sharky's Machine among others.  She also worked on TV shows and made for TV movies.  Many things were and are still filmed in Georgia.  

Anyway, I was visiting one spring while she was working on a TV movie called "Maid in America" about a man (Alex Karras) who applied for a job as a ladies maid/housekeeper in the home of a single mother/lawyer (Alex's wife, Susan Clark), whose father (Fritz Weaver) and grandmother (Mildred Natwick) lived with her.  He wasn't hired because he was a man, so he sued and won the job.  It was a comedy.  

My sister asked if I wanted to be an extra and...well, yeah.  We were told not to talk to the stars.  Susan was a snob.  Alex was a big friendly Teddy bear.  Fritz was very friendly as was Mildred (call me Millie) who was a hoot!  Millie even borrowed my purse for a scene.  

It was an interesting experience, but I definitely wouldn't want to make a career out of it.  

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What fun!! I always liked Mildred Natwick for some reason. I remember my mom liking Fritz Weaver. Sounds like a good movie. I wouldn't have seen it 'cause I don't care for the two main stars.

Did your sister ever mention anything about Burt Reynolds? (I'll take any crumb you can throw me?)

ETA Do you have a tape/recording of your movie? You should! How would I know you if I saw you?

[BarbiHollywood]

@MamaWick  Have you taken a look at the SAG-AFTRA Extras booklet that I mentioned yesterday?  Google it when you have a few minutes to peruse.  I thought it was very interesting.  I'd love to be an extra one day.  In fact, when I was trying to find out who the entire case on Days is on some NBC site, it listed how to apply, who to contact, etc.  If I lived in LA, I'd be all over it.  Friends of mine who are "in the biz" were actually extras on our silly little show.  I'm sure I've shared that story with everyone more than once.  I was more excited about it than they were!!   Yes, just as you say, you need to bring "busy work" to help the time pass.  If an extra speaks five words or more, there's a bonus in their pay.  They are required to be provided with a seat, privacy if there is a wardrobe change, meals, and if they have to travel they get $ for that.  That info was from 2014, though.  Stuff like that.  The term "omnies" was something I had never heard -- it's when a group of background extras need to be in a scene and seem like they're talking using (can't recall the exact term here) undetectable words.  I think it was Lisa Rinna who once said that people sometimes say "peanut butter."

Yesterday's show -- THE ONE FEMALE EXTRA was the nurse who came to take Paulina to surgery.  In my opinion, she didn't come across as natural.  You could see how tiny the set is because they could barely turn the wheelchair around.

More later.  Gotta get my day started.  HAVE A WONDERFUL DAY, ALL!

[BarbiHollywood]

@Judaline   I like how you think!  Let's do it!!

I just posted as part of a post mostly to @MamaWick that THE ONE FEMALE EXTRA was the nurse who took Paulina to surgery yesterday.  She's the one who plays about 5 or 6 different background people.

Just wait, I WILLLL find out who they all are.  I'm going to pull out all the stops and ask all my contacts.  

[BarbiHollywood]

@MamaWick I remember you telling me about this, but I don't remember you saying that your purse was used in a scene!!!!!!!!!  Love it!!!!  Very cool, very cool!!!!

I have an uncle who was Director of Photography or Cinematographer or something like that on Smoky & The Bandit in 1983 and other movies like that -- Caddyshack, many Baywatch episodes, Police Academy 5.  I always envied my cousins because they were on these sets often.  When my oldest son was about three, we came to FL for vacation and we were invited to the set of Thunder in Paradise with Hulk Hogan and Chris Lemmon (Jack's son).  Chris Lemmon's wife was there too, we started talking about NY, blah blah blah, she mentioned she had a friend in NY who she lost touch with, she mentioned her name.  Turned out that I worked with the girl and I put them back in touch.  Crazy but true.

[Judaline]

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@BarbiHollywood wrote:

@Judaline   I like how you think!  Let's do it!!

I just posted as part of a post mostly to @MamaWick that THE ONE FEMALE EXTRA was the nurse who took Paulina to surgery yesterday.  She's the one who plays about 5 or 6 different background people.

Just wait, I WILLLL find out who they all are.  I'm going to pull out all the stops and ask all my contacts.  

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Wow, you're important!

[MamaWick]

Give me a few days to look for some of the memorabilia and pictures I have.

[MamaWick]

@Judaline...you don't like Alex Karras? Oh, what a shame. He was so nice, so funny, so caring. I don't know why he fell for Susan Clark, who was the polar opposite of his personality.

[Judaline]

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@BarbiHollywood wrote:

@MamaWick I remember you telling me about this, but I don't remember you saying that your purse was used in a scene!!!!!!!!!  Love it!!!!  Very cool, very cool!!!!

I have an uncle who was Director of Photography or Cinematographer or something like that on Smoky & The Bandit in 1983 and other movies like that -- Caddyshack, many Baywatch episodes, Police Academy 5.  I always envied my cousins because they were on these sets often.  When my oldest son was about three, we came to FL for vacation and we were invited to the set of Thunder in Paradise with Hulk Hogan and Chris Lemmon (Jack's son).  Chris Lemmon's wife was there too, we started talking about NY, blah blah blah, she mentioned she had a friend in NY who she lost touch with, she mentioned her name.  Turned out that I worked with the girl and I put them back in touch.  Crazy but true.

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What a neat story! I love it!

[Judaline]

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@MamaWick wrote:
@Judaline...you don't like Alex Karras? Oh, what a shame. He was so nice, so funny, so caring. I don't know why he fell for Susan Clark, who was the polar opposite of his personality.

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I don't DISlike him. Just not someone who would make me want to see this movie-and I DO dislike her.

The more I think about it, I think I DO remember you mentioning your one day stardom and me asking the same question about Burt Reynolds, hahaha. I'd still like to see your memorabilia. 

[MamaWick]

Harris has no family, but he lists Ava as his emergency contact, basically his next-of-kin since he has no family.  Yet they won't let her in or give her information.  His emergency contact most likely includes POAs.