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is to have the Producer's and Director's visions up on the screen !" - - Badger |
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Badger in
Stealing Stanford er, Say Uncle um, that is to say Uncle No wait now it's back to being Say Uncle and, d'oh, now they've changed it again from The Promise to You Promised now it's finally
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![Geoffrey Gould theatrical 8x10 [click photo for better view]](http://img217.exs.cx/img217/7682/geoffreygould5wo.jpg)
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Monday, March 26 2001:
I got a call from Glen at Central Casting regarding my availability for an interview the next day for a movie (as "usual" the title and relevant information was not revealed), as well as my availability (if booked) for an April 10th shoot. |
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As always I arrived for the interview (as I would for a shoot) about a half-hour early. A pleasant surprise: pleasant Jim Goldthwait was running things! I'd had the honour of working for Jim twice before: first for the feature comedy Dude, Where's My Car? and then for an episode of Sabrina the Teenage Witch.
[Dude, Where's My Car?
is available on DVD at
deepdiscountdvd.com.
On the DVD audio commentary
(chapter 15)
is a direct reference to my Dude web page
]
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![Jim Goldthwaite [click image to enlarge/view]](http://home.earthlink.net/~realbadger/jimgoldthwaite.jpg)
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Apparently in this comedy (then still) titled Say Uncle, I would be one of numerous grooms in a montage of Failed Marriages of one of the female characters. The distinction this time being, my character actually would have a name: Mr. Leon. |
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We were informed the director as being actor (and Kids in the Hall alumnus) Bruce McColloch. We were brought in two and three at a time. I went in with a rival actor (up for the same role) with the distinctive if-I-had-a-name-like-that-I'd-change-it surname of Flunk (or Phlunk). Flunk has a distinctly different look than I (slightly older, definitely taller and balder), but as it was indicated through Jim that Mr. Leon would be made-up to be rather flamboyant I wasn't sure which route they'd want to go with it. |
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Very affable, Bruce put us at ease making jokes about his hair being a Shatner-esque wig. He inquired as to the Most Fun [Acting] Job on which each of us had worked.
Bruce indicated there was a "lot of work" (implying, I would think, if one of us didn't get the Mr. Leon role, that that actor could yet be booked as background or such). |
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Friday, March 30 2001:
I came home from my day job to two messages on my machine: one from Steve at Central that I had been selected to play Mr. Leon
(yay
!),
and asking for me to call to arrange a wardrobe fitting.
The second call was from Joyce Cogan (doing the film's wardrobe).
I left a message on Steve's voicemail confirming I got his message, and that I'd heard from and would call back Joyce.
Joyce verified my measurements and we arranged my wardrobe fitting for Tuesday April 3rd.
She indicated the flamboyant nature of Mr. Leon that the outfit would be "Prince-like," (not to be confused with royalty: we're talkin' the Artist now known again as Prince, formerly known as The Artist Formerly Known As Prince
).
Of course when I hear words like "flamboyant" and "ruffled shirt" in the same sentence my mind goes to Jon Pertwee as Doctor Who
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Tuesday, April 03, 2001: I got to the fitting where I met wardrobe coordinator Joyce Cogan. They narrowed it down to two outfits: one had ivory pants and an aqua/cyan ruffled shirt and same-colour jacket. The other was brown leopard-like pattern with amber coloured beads. They preferred the aqua/cyan outfit, but were aware that Bruce may want the brown one. Monday, April 09, 2001:
The other day at the Orlando Jones 7Up Race Car commercial on which I worked, I met an extra who put me onto the
EIDC
online at which one can see what films are being done On Location (as, to film, they need permits).
As it turned out, I got a page from Angelique from Central indicating my calltime was 10am and the number for the information details line, I called it, but it was about something totally different.
Concerned, I tried calling Steve but got a voicemail.
Thankfully I still had Joyce Cogan's number, and she gave me Central's number (the one for which I had being no longer in service).
I got hold of Angelique who assured me the information line would be updated and to check in after 7pm.
She'd neglected to mention that in her message. |
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I immediately checked it: apart from the update that the film was now "only" titled
Uncle
(formerly it was titled Say Uncle, and according to my research, it was originally titled
Stealing Stanford
), the location at which we were to arrive was the Methodist Church at Wilshire and Plymouth, and that from there we'd be shuttled to the location.
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Tuesday, April 10, 2001:
Via the #210 bus I arrived at Wilshire and Plymouth at 10:40am.
I was taken to make-up where I was worked on by Dave.
At one point, star
Megan Mullally
came in for a slight touch-up for the scene she was doing (one of the weddings) in the church.
Just as lovely in person, she pleasantly introduced herself to me and was pleased to learn I was her Mr. Leon.
Dave was working on me diligently, and as Megan went to leave she admired the make-up done on me thus far and, tapping my shoulder, told me she'd see me in a bit.
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![Megan with Bruce's dog [click image to enlarge]](http://home.earthlink.net/~realbadger/megan.jpg)
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![As Mr. Leon [click image to enlarge]](http://home.earthlink.net/~realbadger/uncle002.jpg)
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I figure it took about 50 minutes for the entire make-up, and flamboyant it was!
Apart from the facial make-up, I was given huge false eyelashes and heavy eye make-up.
One of the ladies began to work on my hair, and while I indicated my having been told I'd be in a wig, they concurred just using my own hair should be (comically) sufficient. |
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Lunch was called, and the lady who worked on my hair walked me over to the line to make sure I was fed.
Prior to my being made up, I'd managed to get in a slight nap, but as lunch began to wind down, everyone began packing up for the Big Move, indeed, to Dockweiler Beach to the west of LAX.
I was rushed through wardrobe (surprisingly I was not asked for my voucher, which usually is standard procedure).
I changed, and hastened onto the bus.
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![Badger as Mr. Leon with added boutineir [click image to enlarge]](http://home.earthlink.net/~realbadger/uncle003.jpg)
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Once there, I was taken directly to set.
That is, right on the sand where they'd set up.
Nothing fancy: just standing there.
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After a few rehearsal passes they were ready for filming.
I noticed in the distant background was the Department of Water and Power, its two slightly ugly chimneys rounding out the surreal nature of the scene.
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![Megan Mullally as Patty with Badger as Mr. Leon [click image to enlarge]](http://home.earthlink.net/~realbadger/uncle001.jpg)
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I forget if it was during a rehearsal or during the first take, but Megan began to add stretching forth her hand to me as she began her vows.
Bruce liked the move, and had me mirror it.
So Megan's hand comes up, and my hand meets hers, palm to palm.
Megan suggested tears, so between takes Dave came over and gave her from each eye a glycerin tear.
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Bruce McColloch is one of the best directors with whom I've worked.
While efficient, professional and knowing what he wants, he was always pleasant and amusing, making little quips with his suggestions.
As I stood there with my flamboyant make-up, at one point he mentioned I'd been chosen for my "manliness."
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![Director Bruce with Megan and Badger [click here to enlarge/view]](http://img45.exs.cx/img45/6800/brucepattyleon4iz.jpg)
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Megan and Bruce allowed a photo or two with me, and at one point Megan noticed Bruce's dog, a good looking white standard poodle named Lulu, was at the set.
The gate was checked and everything was wrapped for the day.
We got back to the church at 5:00pm.
Not realizing the weekly Tuesday meeting of mine had been cancelled, I bused straight to there when, had I checked my pager messages, I'd have been able to go straight home within about 90 minutes (instead of those 90 minutes getting me to my friends' place in Glendale)
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Note: a pleasant addition; the next day I noticed that in the "adjustments" area of my voucher the A.D. signing me out added "+$25" without telling me she'd done it, nor did she note on the voucher as to why it was added.
I do not know if it was a make-up bump or the fact I was "so featured" or what.
As Mr. Leon is mentioned verbally by name at least, personally I'd love to see my name actually listed in the film's credit crawl
Wednesday, August 08, 2001:
While waiting for the birth of
Rowan Lydon: Seiter
at the Seiter domicle, and updating for William the
web page regarding the birth
as it progressed, I checked out my
Internet Movie Database entry
to learn, to my surprise, that Say Uncle had gone through another title change, to The Promise.
Sunday, February 10, 2002:
Doing some checking and such, I found that somehow the URL to this page was removed from the
IMDB.
Before resubmitting it, I checked the one link still there.
According to a site called
Box Office Prophets,
the film has gone yet another title change:
now apparently titled
You Promised,
even though the
IMDB
entry was still calling it
The Promise.
The
Box Office Prophets
site entry also gives it a current release date
of
August 16, 2002
Tuesday, March 05, 2002:
American release date confirmed at its
Internet Movie Database entry,
which also indicated the current umpteenth re-title change, to
Stealing Harvard
Monday, March 25, 2002:
Updating site pages here to reflect 2002 Oscar
wins
and
losses
(for the two nominated films on which I worked),
on happening to check the
Stealing Harvard
entry: the American release date at its
Internet Movie Database entry
now indicates October 11, 2002.
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| Friday, June 21, 2002: | |||||||||||||||
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Just surfing about, I checked the Stealing Harvard entry: the American release date currently indicated for this feature now is Friday, September 13th, 2002 |
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The
Box Office Prophets
site lists the updated date, as well as confirming the film's loss of the lovely Linda Cardellini as she was too busy on the Scooby Doo movie.
| Wednesday, August 21, 2002:
Like many people online nowadays, 99% of my email is spam.
I have Message Rules on my Outlook Express, but a lot still makes it past those rules.
Normally I just highlight All I Receive, de-select personal emails (and Post Listings I want to read), and hit DELETE.
This morning an email from Sony Pictures (to which I subscribe and whose emails at which I occasionally glance) had an intriguing heading:
So I am finally able to add that link to this page
Thursday, December 24, 2002:
While researching some other stuff (due recently for getting book on
The Untitled John Hamburg Project,
rehearsing and shooting next week),
I came across the fact that the release date for the
Stealing Harvard DVD
is February 18, 2003
(with a bottom line price of $20.34 with no shipping charges).
Alice's
Jack and Karen World
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Friday, September 13, 2002:
A brief temp job "introduced" me to a merchant who pre-sells movie theatre tickets to specific theatre chains for lower than the theatre's own matinee prices.
I had one for Mann Theatre and due to errands had me by The Plant in Van Nuys, I used it for the 7:30pm showing.
During the day I'd read the near-uniform negataive "reviews" blasting the film, mostly as it stars Tom Green.
Well, the film was not that bad.
Jason Lee should have received top billing (Green does), and Green remarkably is toned down from his normally unwatchable'ness.
Unfortunately, not a single one of the Megan wedding sequences is used in the finished film.
Now, "there's always the DVD," should it have Deleted Scenes, "but" the film does have numerous outtakes after the credits are concluded, and after sitting through the film, they're quite worth it.
So, my "big close up" is Not Here (in the theatrical release).
As I said, the possibility exists for it to be in a Deleted Scenes selection of the DVD, so I may check out that.
But at least I did enjoy the experience and the day on which I worked the film, and I have the photos taken at the time.
Maybe if the gods look down and smile, maybe I'll get to work with (any of) them again
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Thursday, February 06, 2003:
Still $20.34 at
DeepDiscountDVD,
the
DVD product description
of Stealing Harvard
at the
Sony Pictures
site states the following extras:
Update:
So I will be renting the DVD to see if my montage is one of those shown deleted scenes
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