Keeping It Reel: An Actor's Blog

June 30, 2013 Hunched over my fake booze, holding my fake cigarette, I waited for the call of action from director Nelson McCormick. The scene being shot would involve two Dallas patrolmen coming into Ruby's Carousel Club. There would be a short exchange. I gathered it was going to be something along the line of the two cops revealing that Oswald was going to be transferred later on that day. They would reveal the time and location thus setting up the scene in which Ruby walks directly up to Oswald and shoots him point blank range. Sounds like a quick shot. Right? Actually there would take after take, from a variety of angles. Cameras would be moved and lights would be adjusted.  We, the extras, were removed and taken to a holding area. Then we were brought back in and then we were taken back to the holding area.  For the last shot, the cameras were situated near Ruby and the two cops. Aside from the bartender Tony, I would be the only other actor on set. Me. The lone...

June 30, 2013 I was awake late Friday night...or to be exact....early Saturday morning....partly because I was still trying to cool down after the improv show earlier Friday night and partly because I was waiting for a phone call from my wife who was on her way to New Jersey.  I looked down at my phone and noticed that I had missed a call from about 12:45.  I didn't recognize the number. I listened to message from the assistant to the casting director for Killing Kennedy . I was instructed to respond to an email in regards to my availability for an 8:45 A.M. call time later that morning.  I  of course responded with an enthusiastic "I'll be there." Looks like I was heading back to Camelot.  Trick was, I had to get my sleep which was going to be near impossible seeing as my mind was racing.  I did finally manage to drift off. Luckily I had set two alarms and somewhere between 6AM and 6:11AM I awoke knowing in just an hour or two I would once aga...

June 30, 2013 UPDATE.  I auditioned for a commercial on Friday afternoon. It was a quick trip to Charlottesville to Erica Arvold Casting to try and land the role of 'Dad' in a heating and air conditioning spot.  If I get the role, I will drive back to C'ville for a one day shoot.  Still waiting to hear.   UPDATE. Not much on the to-do list Friday except for a family friendly improv show with West End Comedy at HATTheatre. 

June 26, 2013 So about 4 weeks ago, my wife Fawn and I were cast as, big surprise, husband and wife, for an upcoming episode of the A&E True Crime series Killer Kids .  We were cast through a local agent and thought it would be cool to be able to perform together...on camera...for a nationally broadcast show.  The episode we shot will tell the story of Cody Posey.  Click on the words Cody Posey below to read the story. Cody Posey Not a happy tale, to be sure. I would be playing a real villain, not a villain in the sense of sinking your teeth into a juicy role like a James Bond villain, but a villain based on a real man who was a true bastard...sex addict...porn enthusiast. A challenge, for sure, to convey such a monster through a physical performance only. There would be no dialogue.  Most of these shows are presented as flashbacks with voice-overs.  It was a long day, about 12 hours, but we completed filming in one day.  ...

June 17, 2013 PART ONE I'm gonna work my way backwards with the next two posts. There was just so much going on the last two days.  First off, I wrapped on the promo shoot for Killing Kennedy yesterday at about 4:30P.M.  Here's what I know to this point and this information comes from Rob Lowe himself...so it has to be true! He was most emphatic when he told us. I remember because when he told us the promos were going to air on the FOX Network during football games I responded with "Oh really?"  His immediate response was "Oh fuck yeah. This is going to be huge, man." So the promos should start airing a little before but most definitely during football season leading up to its air date on November 22 to coincide with the anniversary of the assassination.  Here is the link for Killing Kennedy on IMDB. If you want to see who is playing who and other bits of trivia. Just click on the word 'Kennedy' below: KENNEDY Anyway, like I said, ...

June 17, 2013 Rob Lowe and I Yeah.  That's what I said.  'Rob Lowe and I.' Here are our moments together on the set of the promo shoot for Killing Kennedy as best as I can remember them: There are always moments before ACTION! is called when the director sets up the shot. He goes over the scene with the film crew, the principle actors and all of the background.  In the scene we shot yesterday a room at the PBS station had been transformed into the hotel room where JFK is preparing to make a speech. He is talking to his speech writer. He is flanked by two Secret Service agents. Jackie is sitting with her secretary and makeup person. There is a flurry of activity in the small room.  The director approached me and told me there would be moments during the scene when I would approach The President and whisper in his ear something Secret Service-like.  He then got The President's attention and said "Rob. This guy is going to come over to you every now an...

June 11, 2013 Filming started today on National Graphic Channel's Killing Kennedy .  My call time was 8:30...or a 5 or 10 minutes earlier if possible. So of course I was there at 8.  Always early.  Never late. It's how I roll.  I arrived wearing my 1960's white shirt, black pants with no pleats and the skinniest black tie I could find. My outfit was the result of running around town for four days. I  was clean shaven and had all my required identification.  Upon arrival I walked over to the wardrobe trailer where I was immediately handed my costume for the day.  Surgical scrubs. Isn't that just the way? Guess I could always go as Agent K for Halloween. I was directed to a trailer...not mine...but a trailer marked 'MEN'S DRESSING ROOM' (no chances of bumping into Rob Lowe in there) where I could change clothes.  I changed into my scrubs-at least I would be comfortable and waited to be brought to set with the other background actors who h...

The adventure begins! (cue Theme from Raiders of the Lost Ark!) Yes. I am opening another chapter in the book of my life, which, as most of you remember, is a pop-up book.  Tomorrow (Holy crap! Tomorrow!) I begin work as an extra , a performer in a film who typically appears in a nonspeaking capacity, usually in the background, in National Geographic Channel's Killing Kennedy .  Killing Kennedy is based on the book Killing Kennedy: The End of Camelot by Bill O'Reilly and Martin Dugard. The 2012 non-fiction book is about the 1963 assasination of U.S. President John F. Kennedy.  Killing Kennedy will be directed by Nelson McCormick and will star Rob Lowe as J.F.K and Ginnifer Goodwin as Jacqui. And well...me as The Doctor . Uh. Not that Doctor, Dr. Who fans. I will not be replacing Matt Smith on the popular BBC show.  Well. Not yet anyway.  I don't know which doctor I will playing. There were so many in the trauma room when JFK was brought in af...

Starting a new adventure today. So I've decided to start a new blog .