Zelig
A Freezing Summer
In 1982, my college friend Ruth Beckman notified me that they were doing a massive cattle-call for background for the Woody Allen film Zelig. It was a bitter February, but the scene, obviously, was set in the 1920s in the summer: a ticker-tape parade, plus another scene.
The parade was filmed behind the K-Mart on Route 17 in Paramus, New Jersey. It took maybe 30 or 50 minutes to film, and between takes we were able to put on our parkas and other weather outerwear. When it was time to shoot, all winter wear dropped to the ground behind us. As the film was done as documentary style, in grainy'ed black and white, and with the angle looking down at the open-top car, the winter clothing is not seen... nor are anyone's feet or faces for that bit.
We were all transported to a farm relatively nearby, either still in Paramus or in Summit, where the title role is put on display by his profit-seeking sister. In the finished film, Ruth is visible while for the camera the sister displays promo flyers. In a wide shot, I am just able to pick out myself, but not sure how easy to point it out as a frame grab.

O Brother, Where Art Thou?
On the backlot
This was a nice long night shoot filmed on the Warner Bros. backlot. As Baby-face Nelson is paraded down the street at night, followed by a torch wielding mob. In the scene I am far right of the screen (I was actually dead center within the mob, so an entire half of the mob are offscreen for the shot in which I am visible).

O Brother, Where Art Thou?
(2000)

City of Angels
TV series episode shoot
This was a early 2000 night shoot, filmed at the building at the north end of MacArthur Park, the interior of which can be seen in countless various TV series episodes.
For the City of Angels TV series episode To Halve or Halve Not a scene in which a homeless character, played by Ossie Davis, is mistakenly gunned down by police. I played a homeless person as well, along with numerous backgrounders from the casting company called the Wild Bunch. I found it amusing, not only were these burly guys extremely pleasant and personable, but mostly that several were meticulously keeping track of the meal penalties, as often is the case with night shoots.
Sadly, the TV series did not last beyond a second season, allegedly due to a biased ratings system.

Stanley's Gig
Walk on by...
This was an afternoon shoot in which I'm just a sidewalk pedestrian, but the lead role of Stanley, played by William Sanderson (then best known for being Larry from Newhart), rushes across to our side of the street, pushing the empty wheelchair to reacquire his charge, Marla Gibbs from The Jeffersons. William rushes by me, and I turn in surprise as to why he nearly ran over me.
While he introduced himself to me on set and we chatted for a time, I have also since come across the very pleasant and affable William Sanderson at commercial auditions. He was understandably disappointed the film was not released in theatres, but I'd conveyed that initially I had come across it on cable It has since been released on DVD.

Stanley's Gig
(2000)

Bad Blood Days
Perfidious film makers
My lovely friend Devon King (who at the time was working for the calling service to which I subscribe), called and asked if I'd be open, interested and available to playing a flesh-eating zombie for an independent short titled Bad Blood Days. As such would obviously be Way Cool, I accepted, and it was shot within a single Saturday.
[I am aware of the distinction betwee