chuckography

Oh, yeah. Adam Sandler and I in Savannah....

I sent in some paperwork and several photos to the Extras Casting people working on The Do Over movie.

Surprisingly, I got a response that they liked my look.

I was invited to be a "hospital visitor" in the Adam Sandler movie being filmed on the campus of the Savannah Technical College.

Two hour drive, $15 to fill my gas tank and pack 4-5 complete changes of clothes.

Arrived a little after 11 am and prepared myself  to wait.

This was not my "first rodeo."

Last year I was an extra - also in a hospital setting - as a patient in an open-back gown, pushing an IV bag on a stand.

That was IDENTITY, a pilot for CBS that did not get picked up.

I remembered a 12-hour day at the old Navy Hospital in North Charleston.

Paid to wait with perhaps only 2-hours of actually assuming our atmosphere/background person positions, then going through it quite a few times.

But, this time I got lucky and sat next to Michael Curry, a Savannah fire fighter, who had  a great tale to tell. He's in the green scrubs as an orderly.

Michael had already posted it on Facebook, but he went through it again for me.

A friend of his is the Sales Director at Ruth's Chris Steak House and asked if he would like to help deliver a $1400 food order to the Adam Sandler plane at the airport.

"Well, heck yeah," he responded and "can I bring my son Cole?" 

He even convinced security - and the pilot - that it would be easier to load the food if he drove out onto the tarmac.

So now,  instead of sitting in the general aviation terminal to wait, he, the lady from Ruth's, and his son,
were going in and out of the posh plane that belonged to Sony Productions, Inc,

He also got a nice shot of his car - with its distinctive personalized tag - next to the private luxury jet.

This was a great story and a pleasant way to kill time as we waited for the call to move over to the active set.

Quite a few people had been called in for this 25th day of shooting of a 43-day script.

Additional footage would be shot in Puerto Rico, I was told, when I asked Chad Darnell, the Extras Casting Director.

Actually, Savannah had stood in for a P.R. bar crowded with 400+ extras  recently!

Oh, wait a minute.

 I left out the best part about Adam Sandler and his family and friends showing up and agreeing to pose with Michael and his son and Randi Hempel. the Ruth's Chris sales marketer.

A $1400 food order for the 15 people on board the plane was quite a nice order.

And a swell guy from Hollywood made it even nicer.

Many, many years ago I worked for Universal Studios in L.A. and met and worked with some charming and delightfully talented people.

Also a few jerks.

I was a publicist for the brand new Studio Tour and was available for odd assignments when the studio bigwigs threw a party or function, usually when it was held on "my" Back Lot.

My worst ever assignment was handing name tags to the arriving guests at a outdoor gala. Most were gracious but more than a few "stars" ignored me and my stinkin' badges. One muttered as he passed "..as if people need to be told who I am!"


I could mention his name but he has dropped from public view. A long time ago.

Ok, back to Savannah.

After wardrobe picked two complete outfits - from head to toe - from the assortment I brought, I was told to put on the first one and go to make-up.

The hair stylist lady looked up, smiled and said "Your hair is fine just as it is." 

I liked that affirmation. Made me feel good.

Then the Make-up guy gestured for me to sit in his chair in front of the lighted mirrors.

He mentioned a pink spot right beneath my nose (I had seen that earlier. It was like a blemish that appears on your face just before the Prom.)

He also covered a spot on the tip of my nose and then used his magic to make some softening touches on the many wrinkles around my eye.

He didn't work that area too long.

This could have been a heavy duty assignment and I was simply an extra.

A grateful one though.

Went back to the table and watched as a large ice chest was brought in.

It was filled with an assortment of bottled colas and I found me a nice cold water. Another addition while I was in make-up, was many bags of chips, sweet rolls, peanut butter crackers and even some energy bars.

My snack of an apple and water was interrupted when the Casting Director pointed to me and a lady seated nearby and said to come with him.

We passed through the school campus bookstore area and were taken outside beneath a sign that said Savannah General Hospital.

Sandler's stand-in was at the wheel of a bullet riddled truck and camera angles and reflectors were adjusted as Sheila Cochran and I stood, waiting in the shade.

Sheila was known as a good performer and was told to scream in surprise when she and I spotted a bloodied disheveled man with a compound fractured right arm staggering toward us to enter the hospital.

 We came out the door, excited and happy from just seeing our daughter's new baby. We walked right toward the camera, the injured man stumbled past and Sheila SCREAMED!


I was told to comfort her on camera and we would scurry off toward our car.

We did this three times. CUT! Steven Brill, the Director, pronounced it perfect.

No cameras are allowed on the set so Sheila and I recreated it back in the staging area.

We were taken back inside the air conditioned lobby and Adam Sandler came to her and said "You nailed it!"

He patted me on the back, shook my hand and added "Nice job. You did great."

Ate a delicious craft services meal and then changed into my second outfit for an interior scene. The extras casting director took me aside and said I could head on home. 


He told me my face was so prominent in the scene outside, that I could not now be used in a crowd scene.

I liked the sound of that!

They liked Sheila and her scream so much, they promoted her on the spot. From extra to "featured." 

She is an aspiring actress so I am pleased for her.

Me? I headed back up to Charleston, feeling it had been a fun and exciting day.

I got to actually chat with a noted actor who is a nice guy. I have my fingers crossed we don't end up on the cutting room floor.

Sheila deserves to be in that film. Yeah, you bet I'll go see it too.

Maybe I'll check out our new Ruth's Chris Steak House here in the Holy City.

(Click on the photos and links for more details,)

*No I did not take the picture of Adam. Found it online.

Labels: #Adam Sandler, #Chad Darnell, #Director Steven Brill, #Michael Curry, #Randi Hempel, #Ruth's Chris Steak House, #Savannah Technical College, #Sheila Cochran, #The Do Over movie

posted by chuckography @ 3:07 PM