Have You Been in a TV Show or Movie?

[Jumptheshark]

It's true - I started doing background work a few years after I moved to Vancouver in 1992. It was a fun way to make some extra cash on my off days as a bartender. I lucked into a few small acting parts ( right time and right place ) and got my 6 credits and then became a member of ACTRA and UBCP ( Union of BC Performers ). Almost everything I have done on screen has been of the " don't blink or you will miss me " type of roles. Surely you all remember my most well known part of Cop #3 on a season 5 episode of X-Files which is where I had the famous " Here's those files you wanted Jim " line. Anyway - because of what COVID has done to the bar business here in Vancouver my only work these days is in the film & TV industry where I go to auditions and do background work, small acting jobs plus Stand-In and Photo-Double work. It's a great industry to work in but the one big down fall is you never really know just when you are going to work as things are always getting changed at the last minute. Most people in other industries know how much they are going to work each week and how much their take home salary is going to be. In my case I can work 1 day a week or 5 days a week and depending on what my job is I can actually make more money for a 1 day week then I would for a 5 day week.

Because of this thread I will be offering a 25% off special on my autographed head shots to most HFBoards members ( Maple Leaf fans will still pay full price ) until the end of February. Send me a PM for details. Please note that this special offer is only for autographed 8x10's - personalized requests will be charged the regular price of $99.99 or 2 for $198.95.

It will interesting to see what happens to all the CW shows filmed in Vancouver when the sale goes though. Two of my buddies where in the middle of setting up the offices for the reboot of babylon 5 when it got delayed. Officially they are saying it is to ensure they have the proper funding in place. Unofficially it is because of Nextar Media group are the ones who look to be the ones buying the network and one of their buying points is move the CW shows back to the USA and if that happens--quite a few Vancouver shows could be moved.

As you know--most Vancouver shows start shooting in Mid June or early July and that is one reason they are usually renewed early in Jan---we are nearly in March and no news yet. I am still in the UK so I am getting my info from the business side of things in Vancouver from friends who work behind the scenes(I thought you had blocked me after I told you your show got cancelled just as you got promoted) and the way they are talking the CW offices that usually go year round--are already working at 1/2 speed of what they usually are.

 

[BostonBob]

I am still in the UK so I am getting my info from the business side of things in Vancouver from friends who work behind the scenes(I thought you had blocked me after I told you your show got cancelled just as you got promoted) and the way they are talking the CW offices that usually go year round--are already working at 1/2 speed of what they usually are.

Hmmmm......I honestly have no recollection of that. Maybe you're getting me mixed up with somebody else ????

 

[BostonBob]

I forgot to add earlier that I just got hired to be a regular Background Performer on a show called Blockbuster. Randall Park is the star ( or at least one of them ) and it is scheduled to shoot from February 28th to May 6th. I am supposed to be a regular bar patron on the show so maybe it's going to have a " Cheers " type feel to it. Hopefully I can get a lot of days on this show and start making up for a crappy 2020 as far as employment income goes.

 

[Jumptheshark]

Hmmmm......I honestly have no recollection of that. Maybe you're getting me mixed up with somebody else ????

You were on Alcatraz and if not got renewed I thought you were being upgraded to being a day player--they brought back Fringe for a final 13 over Alcatraz as I recall

 

[BostonBob]

Hmmmm......I honestly have no recollection of that. Maybe you're getting me mixed up with somebody else ????

You were on Alcatraz and if not got renewed I thought you were being upgraded to being a day player--they brought back Fringe for a final 13 over Alcatraz as I recall

Damn - that was definitely me. I honestly don't remember that conversation but it must have happened. Memory is said to be the second thing that starts to go when you get older.....I forget what the first thing was.

 

[BostonBob]

For those that are interested - here is the " Current Film and TV Production List " for Vancouver: https://www.ubcpactra.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Active-Productions-2022-02-18-09-22-54.pdf

 

[Babe Ruth]

Boston Bob on the site is an actor who did a lot of FOX/CW for awhile

I did a lot of extra work between 1990 and 2000 in Vancouver

Cool.. you or Bob ever get any extra work on The Outer Limits.. that was my favorite '90s Vancouver series.
I noticed they recycled a lot of filming locations and good supporting actors..?

 

[BostonBob]

Cool.. you or Bob ever get any extra work on The Outer Limits.. that was my favorite '90s Vancouver series.
I noticed they recycled a lot of filming locations and good supporting actors..?

I've actually got a very funny Outer Limits story. On an episode titled "The Sentence " I was brought in to be an onlooker for a courtroom scene. This episode had a very interesting premise - due to heavy overcrowding in the prison system David Hyde Pierce ( the brother on " Frasier " ) played a scientist who had come up with a formula that when given to a prisoner would mentally and physically serve their entire sentence in a short amount of time. Unfortunately the shot is given to a prisoner that was innocent and he ends up dying due to a bad reaction from getting the shot. So David Hyde Pierce is charged with killing the guy and goes to trial. For some reason the local actor that was supposed to play David Hype Pierce's lawyer that day is a no show. This was back in the mid-90's - there were no cell phones so nobody knew where this guy was. So they shot everything they could without the lawyer being needed but then they were forced into making a decision. Fortunately I had decided to wear my one good suit that day so they plucked me out of the courtroom crowd, gave me a briefcase and sat me beside DH Pierce. I think he must have thought I was an actor too because he started chatting me up and telling me that it was his first time in Vancouver and if I had any suggestions as to what he could take his family to see. So my one big scene is when the judge comes back with her verdict and gives DH Pierce a long prison sentence. DH Pierce looks at me and says " We must appeal " and is then dragged off by the courtroom deputies. So I then throw some papers in my briefcase and exit the shot. We shot the scene a couple of times and then they started moving the cameras and lights around. DH Pierce then stands up and says to the Director " Would you say that my character is a successful scientist ??? " and the Director responds that he is very successful. DH Pierce then says " So why have I hired a mute to be my lawyer ??? " and the Director say that I am just a Background Performer and they are not going to upgrade me to Actor. So right then DH Pierce whispers to me " I don't care what he says - you say something to me before I get dragged off ". So now I'm thinking that this could turn out to be my final day in the business if I go against the Director but then DH Pierce gives me a little wink and says " Go for it " which gives me some newfound confidence. Now I've only got about 30 seconds to think of something " lawyerish " to say. So they start shooting again and when DH Pierce says his line " We must appeal " I say " I'll get right on it " and then grab my briefcase and exit the shot. There is complete silence after they cut and I walk back to my chair so I figure that the Director was blown away by my acting skills and is already planning on making me the lead in his next 3 shows. But as soon as I sit down I hear the Director say " Excuse me son - what is your name ??? " and I respond with " Bob....Bob Arthur ". And I will never forget what he said next - " Well Mr. Arthur - I want you to keep in mind that we are paying to see you today.....not to hear from you ". I looked at DH Pierce hoping he would tell the Director that he actually told me to say something but suddenly DH Pierce seemed more interested in the room's wallpaper pattern then backing me up. At least I ended up getting upgraded from GE Background ( probably about $22/hr back then ) to SOC ( Silent on Camera ) which was about $33/hr. If you ever get a chance to watch this episode there is a good close-up shot of me as they are dragging DH Pierce away. And I have no proof but I heard through the grapevine that the actor that was supposed to play the lawyer that day had just broken up with his wife or GF ( maybe both ) and had gotten sh*tfaced the night before so he ended up sleeping through his alarm and agent's frantic phone calls.

Outside of that episode I seem to remember getting some regular background work playing an astronaut in another episode with Robert Patrick , a prisoner on an episode with Ralph Waite ( the Dad on " The Waltons " ) and a cop / deputy on a couple of different episodes.

 

[Jumptheshark]

For those that are interested - here is the " Current Film and TV Production List " for Vancouver: https://www.ubcpactra.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Active-Productions-2022-02-18-09-22-54.pdf

I am surprised that Blockbuster is filming in Vancouver. When it was announced it was said it would be filmed in LA or NYC

 

[Jumptheshark]

Cool.. you or Bob ever get any extra work on The Outer Limits.. that was my favorite '90s Vancouver series.
I noticed they recycled a lot of filming locations and good supporting actors..?

I mostly worked on stephen j cannell studio productions

 

[BostonBob]

I mostly worked on stephen j cannell studio productions

Did you ever work on The Commish ???? I was a regular cop on that show for the last 4 seasons and even got my 2nd and 5th acting credits on it.

 

[Jumptheshark]

Did you ever work on The Commish ???? I was a regular cop on that show for the last 4 seasons and even got my 2nd and 5th acting credits on it.

You mean the show with one of the most down to earth friendly guy who ever step on a set in Vancouver? I worked on it twice in the production office when they did their over night shoots on multiple locations in the same area. I worked on the show in mid 1994--this was when Cannell productions pulled several long term members and put them on several pilots that were being filmed--so they needed extra bodies to make the trains run on time. While Cannell productions had issues--they were nothing like the mayhem that insured on the shows that Cannell has on that Fox were filming at the sometime. I did a couple of days a few times on the show was really nuts. Only nice person on the set was Holly Robinson. Dustin Nguyen was always annoying. And you could tell the DeLuise boys came from a Hollywood family in the way they carried themselves. Mostly professional unless Mr Mean and Grumpy was on the set and the set was closed to all but essential crew--I assume you know what show and who I mean

He should teach a master class at how to treat production crews and extras.

I assume you know who I mean. At least with a guys I worked with he was always great and up beat

 

[Babe Ruth]

I've actually got a very funny Outer Limits story. On an episode titled "The Sentence " I was brought in to be an onlooker for a courtroom scene. This episode had a very interesting premise - due to heavy overcrowding in the prison system David Hyde Pierce ( the brother on " Frasier " ) played a scientist who had come up with a formula that when given to a prisoner would mentally and physically serve their entire sentence in a short amount of time. Unfortunately the shot is given to a prisoner that was innocent and he ends up dying due to a bad reaction from getting the shot. So David Hyde Pierce is charged with killing the guy and goes to trial. For some reason the local actor that was supposed to play David Hype Pierce's lawyer that day is a no show. This was back in the mid-90's - there were no cell phones so nobody knew where this guy was. So they shot everything they could without the lawyer being needed but then they were forced into making a decision. Fortunately I had decided to wear my one good suit that day so they plucked me out of the courtroom crowd, gave me a briefcase and sat me beside DH Pierce. I think he must have thought I was an actor too because he started chatting me up and telling me that it was his first time in Vancouver and if I had any suggestions as to what he could take his family to see. So my one big scene is when the judge comes back with her verdict and gives DH Pierce a long prison sentence. DH Pierce looks at me and says " We must appeal " and is then dragged off by the courtroom deputies. So I then throw some papers in my briefcase and exit the shot. We shot the scene a couple of times and then they started moving the cameras and lights around. DH Pierce then stands up and says to the Director " Would you say that my character is a successful scientist ??? " and the Director responds that he is very successful. DH Pierce then says " So why have I hired a mute to be my lawyer ??? " and the Director say that I am just a Background Performer and they are not going to upgrade me to Actor. So right then DH Pierce whispers to me " I don't care what he says - you say something to me before I get dragged off ". So now I'm thinking that this could turn out to be my final day in the business if I go against the Director but then DH Pierce gives me a little wink and says " Go for it " which gives me some newfound confidence. Now I've only got about 30 seconds to think of something " lawyerish " to say. So they start shooting again and when DH Pierce says his line " We must appeal " I say " I'll get right on it " and then grab my briefcase and exit the shot. There is complete silence after they cut and I walk back to my chair so I figure that the Director was blown away by my acting skills and is already planning on making me the lead in his next 3 shows. But as soon as I sit down I hear the Director say " Excuse me son - what is your name ??? " and I respond with " Bob....Bob Arthur ". And I will never forget what he said next - " Well Mr. Arthur - I want you to keep in mind that we are paying to see you today.....not to hear from you ". I looked at DH Pierce hoping he would tell the Director that he actually told me to say something but suddenly DH Pierce seemed more interested in the room's wallpaper pattern then backing me up. At least I ended up getting upgraded from GE Background ( probably about $22/hr back then ) to SOC ( Silent on Camera ) which was about $33/hr. If you ever get a chance to watch this episode there is a good close-up shot of me as they are dragging DH Pierce away. And I have no proof but I heard through the grapevine that the actor that was supposed to play the lawyer that day had just broken up with his wife or GF ( maybe both ) and had gotten sh*tfaced the night before so he ended up sleeping through his alarm and agent's frantic phone calls..

Bob, very cool. I remember this episode (I watched the series religiously when it was in syndication). I always noticed episodes that were actively masquerading as American locations (for obvious aesthetic reasons, usually larping as Washington & Oregon). Your courtroom scene had a Washington state flag.. so I guess it was a Washington state pen where the episode was set.

For whatever it's worth, I actually thought the '90s series was better than the original black & white Outer Limits. It was a damn good show..

 

[tarheelhockey]

As a youth I was an extra in a background scene of the forgotten Whoopi Goldberg movie "Eddie".

The Madison Square Garden scenes were actually filmed in Charlotte. I was there for the climactic scenes where they beat the Hornets to make the playoffs, and then Whoopi makes a dramatic speech. It was a lot of fun, partially because the Hornets were the bad guys. They were hugely popular at the time, so the crowd of extras was cheering them in between takes and then carefully directed on the timing and volume of their boos during filming. They kept the crowd energy going with games and giveaways similar to what you'd see at an actual NBA game.

Also, not that he was actually in the movie, but my oldest son was a finalist for this role:

When we showed up to the first round of auditions, we knew literally nothing about the movie. I want to say the working title was something like "Tall Wide and Handsome" so we didn't even know it was about racing. It was a shock to see Will Farrell and John C. Reilly walk through the door. Knowing absolutely nothing about the plot or character, they hand my 6-year-old a piece of paper with some lines to read into the camera:

"The teacher asked me what the capitol of North Carolina was and I said Washington D.C. and she said you’re wrong. So I said, “You got a lumpy butt”, and she got mad and yelled at me and I pissed my pants. And I never changed my pee pants all day. I’m still sittin’ in my dirty pee pants."

At this point I'm just like, what the **** is going on here

 

[archangel2]

2 episodes of the Beachcombers

 

[PK Cronin]

I ended up on a paranormal show that's still running. It was a speaking role, but completely volunteer. The whole experience was bizarre. They used my real name so I don't want to list the show. One of the guys I met was cool, the other guy was completely disinterested and standoffish.

 

[kook10]

I have a couple tracks of library music that have been used in all sorts of reality tv shows. I still get small BMI checks in the mail after almost 20 years for them, mostly courtesy of the World's Dumbest.... series. God bless them as they keep chugging along and don't bother to update the music.

 

[Babe Ruth]

I mostly worked on stephen j cannell studio productions

You ever do any work on Wiseguy (?)
I loved that show, and didn't realize until many years later as a grown adult, that was a Vancouver show. They did a good job simulating north Jersey/NYC area.

 

[Jumptheshark]

You ever do any work on Wiseguy (?)
I loved that show, and didn't realize until many years later as a grown adult, that was a Vancouver show. They did a good job simulating north Jersey/NYC area.

Wiseguy was right before my time. I heard horror stories from the crews about how Wahl changed between season 1 and season 2. One guy I got to know over time was director Bill Corcoran on a show called Hope Island and he was very friendly and said of Wahl something along the lines "Not all people are cut out to be leads in TV shows and can not handle the pressure that comes with it." Wahl was in something like 95% of each episode and it was tiring on him. Wahl was a NY actor and reportedly had the NY attitude. He had made a couple of real good movies and in talking with Corcoran, after the Steelegrave episodes--the show was no longer the show Wahl has signed on for and fought with the producers for the next few seasons.

Why was Wahl fired? Official word around Cannel production office was that he cause too many delays(that is the one thing the production house hated--it was suppose to run fast and tight). However, I started in Cannel in late 1990 doing odd things and sometimes being an extra. Talking with some people--Wahl was injured in either a motor bike accident or car accident and the producers rushed him back. The only reason why I was kept was because I had nothing tying me down--so if I got a phone call at 6 am to be in a car to the Kamloops or Powell River--I just went without question. The problem I ran into was one of the guys who ran the crew I mostly worked with did stuff he was not supposed to do and I so me and about 5 other guys were all guilty by association and we were more or less crossed off the work list in about 98--I picked up a few gigs--but not as well paying as with Cannel(which did not pay a lot but there was perks)

 

[Jumptheshark]

The only time I get to point at the screen as say "yeah--that's me" is a movie called Time Runner. Mark Hamill and Brion James(great guy who who died too young)--if you watch the movie I am in a few scenes filmed around the plaza of nations in Vancouver

 

[reckoning]

I've actually got a very funny Outer Limits story. On an episode titled "The Sentence " I was brought in to be an onlooker for a courtroom scene. This episode had a very interesting premise - due to heavy overcrowding in the prison system David Hyde Pierce ( the brother on " Frasier " ) played a scientist who had come up with a formula that when given to a prisoner would mentally and physically serve their entire sentence in a short amount of time. Unfortunately the shot is given to a prisoner that was innocent and he ends up dying due to a bad reaction from getting the shot. So David Hyde Pierce is charged with killing the guy and goes to trial. For some reason the local actor that was supposed to play David Hype Pierce's lawyer that day is a no show. This was back in the mid-90's - there were no cell phones so nobody knew where this guy was. So they shot everything they could without the lawyer being needed but then they were forced into making a decision. Fortunately I had decided to wear my one good suit that day so they plucked me out of the courtroom crowd, gave me a briefcase and sat me beside DH Pierce. I think he must have thought I was an actor too because he started chatting me up and telling me that it was his first time in Vancouver and if I had any suggestions as to what he could take his family to see. So my one big scene is when the judge comes back with her verdict and gives DH Pierce a long prison sentence. DH Pierce looks at me and says " We must appeal " and is then dragged off by the courtroom deputies. So I then throw some papers in my briefcase and exit the shot. We shot the scene a couple of times and then they started moving the cameras and lights around. DH Pierce then stands up and says to the Director " Would you say that my character is a successful scientist ??? " and the Director responds that he is very successful. DH Pierce then says " So why have I hired a mute to be my lawyer ??? " and the Director say that I am just a Background Performer and they are not going to upgrade me to Actor. So right then DH Pierce whispers to me " I don't care what he says - you say something to me before I get dragged off ". So now I'm thinking that this could turn out to be my final day in the business if I go against the Director but then DH Pierce gives me a little wink and says " Go for it " which gives me some newfound confidence. Now I've only got about 30 seconds to think of something " lawyerish " to say. So they start shooting again and when DH Pierce says his line " We must appeal " I say " I'll get right on it " and then grab my briefcase and exit the shot. There is complete silence after they cut and I walk back to my chair so I figure that the Director was blown away by my acting skills and is already planning on making me the lead in his next 3 shows. But as soon as I sit down I hear the Director say " Excuse me son - what is your name ??? " and I respond with " Bob....Bob Arthur ". And I will never forget what he said next - " Well Mr. Arthur - I want you to keep in mind that we are paying to see you today.....not to hear from you ". I looked at DH Pierce hoping he would tell the Director that he actually told me to say something but suddenly DH Pierce seemed more interested in the room's wallpaper pattern then backing me up. At least I ended up getting upgraded from GE Background ( probably about $22/hr back then ) to SOC ( Silent on Camera ) which was about $33/hr. If you ever get a chance to watch this episode there is a good close-up shot of me as they are dragging DH Pierce away. And I have no proof but I heard through the grapevine that the actor that was supposed to play the lawyer that day had just broken up with his wife or GF ( maybe both ) and had gotten sh*tfaced the night before so he ended up sleeping through his alarm and agent's frantic phone calls.

Outside of that episode I seem to remember getting some regular background work playing an astronaut in another episode with Robert Patrick , a prisoner on an episode with Ralph Waite ( the Dad on " The Waltons " ) and a cop / deputy on a couple of different episodes.

Thanks for sharing. That is honestly one of the best stories I've ever heard in all my years on this site. I just looked up episode on YouTube to watch that scene.

It's too bad DHP didn't back you up, but at least you can say you were on a TV show beside an Emmy winner.

 

[GreatSaveEssensa]

My son and I (along with a few hundred others from my town) were in Goon as members of the crowd during a couple of the hockey game scenes. It was actually extremely boring and we spent a few nights of 12hrs just sitting there. It was shot throughout the night so minor hockey could still go on during the day. If I had to do it over, no way I would.

Also my dad was an extra in the BMX movie RAD that was shot in Alberta in the 80’s. It was one of my favourite movies as a kid and I grew up thinking it was one of the coolest things a dad could do.

 

[PK Cronin]

I ended up on a paranormal show that's still running. It was a speaking role, but completely volunteer. The whole experience was bizarre. They used my real name so I don't want to list the show. One of the guys I met was cool, the other guy was completely disinterested and standoffish.

I forgot to add, the weirdest part about my experience was that they didn't give me any lines and we just did a bunch of continuous takes. It wasn't at all like you see on television or in the movies, with cutting and a director intervening, very little direction overall. At one point I just started varying up my responses because there was no direction for how they wanted me to answer.

The whole thing happened because they contacted my boss, who asked for volunteers to be on the show and interact with the hosts, and I said I'd do it if nobody else wanted to. I guess nobody else wanted to. I do have an IMDB credit, so that's cool.

 

[BostonBob]

Thanks for sharing. That is honestly one of the best stories I've ever heard in all my years on this site. I just looked up episode on YouTube to watch that scene.

That's me wearing the blue suit.

 

[Jumptheshark]

Here is one story of working as a "production" assistant on TV shows in the 90's in Vancouver---There was a show called Viper. The show split time between LA--Vancouver--Calgary--with most of the 2nd season shot in Calgary.

This was not a Cannell studio production--but their shared our office in West Van when they shot in Vancouver . One day we had an actor(due to what happens I can not mention his name)--he stormed into the offices pissed off that no one had picked him up at the airport--he was supposed to be the prime baddy in a 3 episode arch of Viper. I was fairly new, recognized the actor and did not want to be in a war zone so early. I called my unit manager and said what the problem was. He paused and said "put him on the phone" I passed the phone to the actor and he started yelling at my boss.
He said/asked "what do you mean I am supposed to be in Calgary?" he said it very slowly and was not happy. He did not jump on the plane and go to Calgary--he went back to LA. Turns out a lot of actors had been signed to guest on Viper when it still shot in LA and not all were happy to be told they were going to Calgary to film but other actors jumped at it.

I also worked as a production assistant on a show called The hat Squad--what a production assistants job is to more or less be a gopher. to get yelled at, try to get the trains to run on time, make sure everyone knows where they are suppose to shoot and make sure everyone has the right shooting script (different shooting scripts would have different colours). There was one job I never had and I am happy I never had. Tracking down talent when they go missing. I would not say shooting in the 90's in Vancouver was nuts--but the studio had a special unit just for this. Part of this unit was also damage control. Actor Ray Sharkey could have been a great actor--but he had personal demons and they ended up costing him his life. He was shooting Hat Squad in Vancouver when everything went sideways. We were half way through filming an episode that was suppose to feature Sharkey in the 3rd act. I got a call at about 6am (usually in office at 7 to 730) and I was told not to come in the office as something had happened and all calls were being sent to LA. Sharkey had been busted from getting illegal substances mailed to him in his hotel. He got sacked, sent back to LA and Kim Coates replaced him. Why did they close our offices for a few days. They were hiding the tracking unit and had sent them all to LA or somewhere. During Sharkey's arrest it was suggested by someone who worked in the hotel that Someone on the tracking crew may have been supplying actors with certain substances to help control them. So the police wanted to talk to certain people and were already at the office questioning the shooting the crew that were there to pick up their rigs and other things.. They were not from the Hat Squad shoot there were from another shoot and had no idea what was going on. During the confusion that took a few days to sort out Cannell did a reorganization of certain personal--they swapped out the Tracking crew with another crew from a movie company that shot a lot of Vancouver. So when the different police departments finally tracked down the tracking Unit--they did not realize they were talking to the wrong guys

For years the Vancouver police department had a wall of shame of pictures of both male and female actors sleeping things off in the drunk tank---this became well known and one reason production crews sometimes got away with stuff was due to the fact the different production houses knew about it and would use it as leverage to get away with stuff. The problem was when after the undisputed bad boy of Vancouver "jumped" ship and left the show--someone from the VPD sold a few photos of him sleeping it off in the drunk tank on several occasions. This ended badly for a few people