MovieChat Forums > Stripes (1981) Discussion > Bill Paxton was in this

Bill Paxton was in this

posted 15 years ago by rrollins66
21 replies | jump to latest

He is listed in Stripes simply as one of the Soldiers. However, if you look closely, he is "Lee Harvey" the one Bill says tried to "make it" with a cow. "Lee Harvey, You are a madman. I want to party with you."
Then they show a quick close up of a very young Bill Paxton. The only way you can tell it's him is by the gap in his smile.

If anyone has any proof it's him, I'd love to see it. I am sure it's him, but when I mentioned it before, I thought I was going to get stoned.

I just tell them to "lighten up Francis"

[–] josborn828 15 years ago

You can get stoned of you want to but to quote Mr. Mackey, "Drugs are Bad!" Paxton is in the scene you mention but he doesn't play Lee Harvey, he is the soldier lying in his bunk. He is easy to spot because after the army haircut (if you want to call it that) he looks alot like he does today. There are three good shots of him:
1) When Sgt. Hulka sets back down in his chair after telling Psycho that one of these men might save his life one day, Paxton is in the top left hand corner of the screen lying on the top bunk.

2) He is also seen in the same spot when Ox is telling why he joined the army.

3) He is also seen when Winger is telling why he joined the army, on his bunk of course.

He is also in the scene where Sgt. Hulka first addresses the men in the auditorium. He is the fourth person in the front row wearing a yellow jacket and has huge freaked out 70's hair (mich worse than 80's hair). He is blocked for most of the scene by Sgt. Hulka's body (yellow jacket wearing a gold wedding ring), but you can make his face out in two quick shots.

REMEMBER, DRUGS ARE BAD!!! JUST SAY NO!!!! LET HE WHO IS WITHOUT SIN TAKE THE FIRST TOKE!!

[–] KnatLouie 15 years ago

Thanks for the info! I was wondering where the heck he was, and at one point also thought he might've been "Lee Harvey".. that is, until I saw the scene again, and noticed it was clearly not him! I wonder who that guy was, by the way, lol.

If anybody could post images from that scene, it would be great :)

[–] mynamesdignan 15 years ago

Speaking of guys that are not Lee Harvey or Bill Paxton. I'm a big fan of the shield but never knew that one of the biggest tools on that show Ben Gilroy was Cruiser until tonight.

[–] RobBase086-1 15 years ago

You are correct about that because Bill Paxton is playing a regular soldier in this. You would call that as a cast extra even though he does not have any lines in the film unless he is in ranks and answers as a platoon. "Yes Sargeant or something like that.

Dedicated to USA UP ALL NIGHT and the fans of the show! www.deefilmroll.com/usa-uan/

[–] josborn828 14 years ago

I know this is off topic but Kevin Costner first two roles occured during this same time. His first role was in Night Shift with Henry Winkler, Shelly Long, and Michael Keaton. He is seen during the frat party that takes place in the morgue, he is easy to spot once you realize he is there. He is in the Congo line and is also in the group that celebrates when the boy loses his virginity.

The Second film he shows up in is The Big Chill. He originally had a speaking role but they decided to leave his character being dressed by the funeral home. He is the one who killed himself and brought everyone together.

Like I said, it is off topic but it is fun seeing stars when they were just actors and they both take place around the same time frame.

[–] RobBase086-1 14 years ago

That is cool to hear. Yes it is always interesting to see people who we did not know at one time used as extras in films and then later as someone big and important on screen later on.

Dedicated to USA UP ALL NIGHT and the fans of the show! www.deefilmroll.com/usa-uan/

[–] jejozi 11 years ago

Like Anthony Edwards, Nicholas Coppala, a.k.a. Nicholas Cage, Eric Stoltz and Forrest Whitaker in Fast Time At Ridgemont High. Also, the actress who plays Mrs. Vargas, the wife of the science teacher, is the woman Phil Spector is convicted of murdering.

This will be the high point of my day; it's all downhill from here.

[–] RobBase086-1 11 years ago

Fast Times At Richmont High is a classic from the 80's and I loved it!

Dedicated to USA UP ALL NIGHT and the fans of the show! Http://www.usaupallnight.webs.com

[–] koffeenkreame41-1 9 years ago

You can get stoned of you want to but to quote Mr. Mackey, "Drugs are Bad!" Paxton is in the scene you mention but he doesn't play Lee Harvey, he is the soldier lying in his bunk. He is easy to spot because after the army haircut (if you want to call it that) he looks alot like he does today. There are three good shots of him:
1) When Sgt. Hulka sets back down in his chair after telling Psycho that one of these men might save his life one day, Paxton is in the top left hand corner of the screen lying on the top bunk.

2) He is also seen in the same spot when Ox is telling why he joined the army.

3) He is also seen when Winger is telling why he joined the army, on his bunk of course.

He is also in the scene where Sgt. Hulka first addresses the men in the auditorium. He is the fourth person in the front row wearing a yellow jacket and has huge freaked out 70's hair (mich worse than 80's hair). He is blocked for most of the scene by Sgt. Hulka's body (yellow jacket wearing a gold wedding ring), but you can make his face out in two quick shots.

Awesome! 

"I'm the ultimate badass,you do NOT wanna f-ck wit me!"Hudson,Aliens😬

[–] tjgrad88 14 years ago

Yes, he that is Bill Paxton. He did not have any dialogue and thus was not given a name for the film. (edited from earlier post, I had to go back and watch it)

[–] jefgg 11 years ago

I would like to see a list of other famous actors whose careers began with small non-speaking roles. I am sure there are plenty.

[–] jpgiuliotti 11 years ago

Bruce Willis is noticeable (with full head of hair) in the courtroom audience during Paul Newman's closing summation in "The Verdict".

[–] jefgg 11 years ago

Selma Blair was in the 1997 movie "In & Out" as Cousin Linda. She is in the scene of the large family watching the Oscar Awards at the beginning of the movie. She is in the credits, but does not speak. Maybe her dialog was cut. She was also in the wedding scenes.

[–] [email protected] 11 years ago

Woody Allen's 1971 film 'Bananas' has very young, uncredited Sylvester Stallone and Danny De Vito appear as a muggers/thugs on a subway train.

[–] jefgg 11 years ago

I remember seeing Sylvester Stallone on a subway, but not Danny DeVito.

The 1974 movie "Death Wish" featured many actors in very small roles who went on to become very famous. Jeff Goldblum was "Freak #1". Christopher Guest makes one of his earliest film appearances as a young police officer. Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs had an uncredited role as one of the Central Park muggers. Paul Dooley was uncredited as a cop at the hospital. Olympia Dukakis was uncredited as a cop at the precinct. Denzel Washington was uncredited as a mugger in an alley.

[–] tbirdman-1 11 years ago

Bruce Willis is also seen briefly in 1980's The First Deadly Sin when
he is walking out of a bar while Frank Sinatra is entering. Though
Willis had no dialogue.

Lorenzo Sunny Florida

I'm James "Sonny" Crockett!

[–] jejozi 11 years ago

Bill Paxton also appeared briefly in Terminator. One of the three hoods at the observatory.

This will be the high point of my day; it's all downhill from here.

[–] tbirdman-1 11 years ago

Yes I do remember him in that brief role too. Thanks for the
reminder.

Lorenzo Sunny Florida

I'm James "Sonny" Crockett!

[–] MurphAndTheMagicTones 10 years ago

Paxton was also in Commando as the guy manning the radar when Schwarzenegger and Rae-Dawn Chong were flying the plane. He was also in Alien and Predator, killed both time by the title character.

The big shocker to me for Stripes was Tim Allen playing the soldier with the mortar; the one who asked Stilman what coordinates should be set.

---
"If that woman packed her bags & left me I don't know what I'd do...first."---Norm, "Cheers"

[–] shopkins1999 10 years ago

That was Timothy Busfield in the mortar scene, not Tim Allen.

[–] tplast 10 years ago

by rrollins66» Fri Nov 21 2008 08:38

.... if you look closely, he is "Lee Harvey" the one Bill says tried to "make it" with a cow

I don't think that was Bill Paxton in that scene. He might look similar to that character called Lee Harvey.

Bill Paxton was definitely in that mud wrestling bar scene. Just after Bill Murray announced/shouted that Ox would do it for $415 and some cents, everybody was cheering. Paxton was one of those GIs in class A uniform seated at an adjacent table doing the loud cheering.

I don't remember recognizing Paxton in any other scene than that one.