I Was an Extra in This Movie

Back in November 1981, I had just been discharged from the US Army. My new wife and I had moved in with my parents who lived a few miles from Palmer and Waxahachie Texas where most of this movie was filmed, and where I grew up.

One day my Dad asked me if I knew who Robert Duvall was and I said "Of course - he was "Lucky" Ned Papper in "True Grit", and he was Colonel Kilgore in "Apocalypse Now"..." My Dad said "Well, he is filming a movie and your Mom and I are extras... if you two want to be in it, I can make a call.." so I told him to call.

We went to a motel in Waxahachie where the Extra casting was taking place and they told us to wear clothes that we would wear to church, and another change of clothes to film a different church scene.

So, the next Saturday the four of us went to the church where the scenes involving church took place and we spent the day watching a genuine motion picture production. It was interesting watching the director (Beresford) set-up the shots and interact with Duval, Harper, and the kid. We watched Duval get baptized 5 or 6 times, and we sang "Jesus Saves" about a hundred times.

I spoke with Robert Duval for a few minutes during a break, and he was very friendly. I told him that the big scene in "True Grit" (where he and the other bad guys face off with John Wayne on horseback) was my favorite movie scene of all time, and he said "Yeah, it's mine too!".

Talking with Mr. Duval was the most memorable part of the day we spent, but something else that happened is what meant the most to me. The production team had told all of us extras about a million times "Don't look at the cameras, even when we aren't shooting - NEVER look at the cameras!!"

During the scene where Duval, Harper, and the kid are leaving the church and are about to stop to talk with the preacher, as the scene opens my Dad and Mom are walking directly in the center of the shop. (Dad is wearing a brown suit). My wife and I are off to the right and my parents walk over to "chat" with us as Mr. Beresford had instructed them to do.

Well just as the shot ends, my Dad's head pops up and he looks over the top of my Mom's big hairdo... right at the camera... and it was never cut out!

The sad thing is, we didn't know he did this until we actualy saw the movie years later when it came out on Video. My dad passed away suddenly the next Summer, and I know he would have got a big laugh knowing him looking right into the camera, was seen by the Academy Awards people, the Canne' Film Festival, and all over the world! (if they even noticed!)

Sorry if this was long and boring, but it is a great bunch of memories for my wife, Mom and I, for which we were paid $50 each for 12 hours of work.

I would have done it for free.

Peace - Patrick ><>