Liberal Forum

AnnoyedLiberall » 15 Jun 2022, 7:05 am » wrote: ↑

15 Jun 2022, 7:05 am

I was almost an extra in the movie North Country with Charlize Theron. But, I wouldn't wear flannel. Oh well.
I loved Run for the Roses. When I was a kid I was obsessed with horses. I read Black Beauty when I was 5 or 6, and it was all over for me then. I always wanted to have a horse, but we lived in town. My oldest sister had them, and I would rid bareback all over her pasture. It was the greatest feeling in the world.

Annoyed » wrote:

24 Jan 1970, 2:03 pm

Rock » 14 Jun 2022, 5:52 pm » wrote: ↑

14 Jun 2022, 5:52 pm

I've been an extra in two movies. Both were centered around thoroughbred racing (makes sense since I live in the Bluegrass Region of Kentucky).

The first movie was Run For The Roses, a forgettable movie from 1977 staring Sam Groom and Vera Miles. The scene I was in took place during an auction. I've never been able to see myself although I'm in the crowd.

The second movie was the academy award nominated Seabiscuit. The match race between Seabiscuit and War Admiral was filmed at Keeneland Race Course here in Lexington in 2003 but the actual race was at Pimlico in Baltimore so they had to change some of the signage. My friend and I were in the infield wearing overcoats and fedoras. I was told to cheer for War Admiral since my birthday was an odd number. Even numbered birthdays were to root for Seabiscuit. During the race they show people running in the infield and cheering. I have the dvd of the movie and have slowed it down and never found myself. I'm also in the scene after Seabiscuit wins and the crowd is cheering him. I'm in that scene too I just can't find myself. But I'm in there I swear. 

 

I was almost an extra in the movie North Country with Charlize Theron. But, I wouldn't wear flannel. Oh well.
I loved Run for the Roses. When I was a kid I was obsessed with horses. I read Black Beauty when I was 5 or 6, and it was all over for me then. I always wanted to have a horse, but we lived in town. My oldest sister had them, and I would rid bareback all over her pasture. It was the greatest feeling in the world.

 

Huey » 15 Jun 2022, 9:23 am » wrote: ↑

15 Jun 2022, 9:23 am

I was never in a movie but I did get to meet Robert Mitchum when they were filming the a few scenes for sequel to the Winds of War. They filmed a could of the scenes at Tipton Army Airfield at Ft Meade.  They flew some WW2 planes in but had no acft tug to move them around.  Me and my buddy, both SGTs moved them around as needed.  The 3 scenes they had were probably a minute and half in the movie but took 13 hours to film.  

We got hungery and they allowed us to eat off of what the director called a Roach Coach.  It was a five star restaurant on wheels. We went in our hangar to eat and in walks Mitchum.  He asked if we were real or actors.  We told him real.  He sat down, talked to us for about 40 minutes and then he wanted to see our Hueys.

He was a real nice guy to us.

Rock » 15 Jun 2022, 9:39 am » wrote: ↑

15 Jun 2022, 9:39 am

Huey » 15 Jun 2022, 9:23 am » wrote: ↑

15 Jun 2022, 9:23 am

I was never in a movie but I did get to meet Robert Mitchum when they were filming the a few scenes for sequel to the Winds of War. They filmed a could of the scenes at Tipton Army Airfield at Ft Meade.  They flew some WW2 planes in but had no acft tug to move them around.  Me and my buddy, both SGTs moved them around as needed.  The 3 scenes they had were probably a minute and half in the movie but took 13 hours to film.  

We got hungery and they allowed us to eat off of what the director called a Roach Coach.  It was a five star restaurant on wheels. We went in our hangar to eat and in walks Mitchum.  He asked if we were real or actors.  We told him real.  He sat down, talked to us for about 40 minutes and then he wanted to see our Hueys.

He was a real nice guy to us.

That's really cool. I liked Mitchum and really enjoyed the winds of war, the TV series and the book. I shook hands with Charlton Heston when he did a book signing at a bookstore here.

When I was very young, 5 or 6 I think, the movie April Love (another movie about a horse) was filmed here in Lexington. Pat Boone and Shirley Jones starred. We watched a scene being filmed and when it was over we were driving away and saw Pat walking so we stopped and got his autograph. He couldn't have been nicer. 

 

GHETTOBLASTER » 14 Jun 2022, 6:15 pm » wrote: ↑

14 Jun 2022, 6:15 pm

To be honest I was never any good at hitting the super  high arc / slow pitch softball stuff...[embarrassed emoji]...
It's cool to see the players who can hit nothing but bombs off that high lob stuff....that's a grooved swing..!
If I was given the chance to bat in front of 50,000 fans and struck out... TRYING TO HIT THAT  NICKLE DIME LOB BALL ****.... I might just start walking towards Mexico to start a new life.  
OK..so picture yourself sitting in the stands at a MLB game and the House Announcer says over the PA System....

"HEY ZEETS  ..!! THE REDS ARE OUT OF PLAYERS AND THE  MANAGER  NEEDS YOU TO PUT DOWN YOUR BEER AND GRAB A BAT..!!! YOU ARE DUE TO BAT 3RD THIS INNING....!! IT'S GAME 7 OF THE WORLD SERIES  BUT DON'T BE NERVOUS...!!!  
OK, with that thought in mind have you ever heard of.........
Eddie Gaedel Stats | Baseball-Reference.com
The Story Of Eddie Gaedel, Major League Baseball's Shortest Player (allthatsinteresting.com)

AnnoyedLiberall » 13 Jun 2022, 2:54 pm » wrote: ↑

13 Jun 2022, 2:54 pm

1. I am related to the Kennedy's.
 

Huey » 15 Jun 2022, 9:47 am » wrote: ↑

15 Jun 2022, 9:47 am

One of the scenes was Mitchum coming down the stairs from a transport plane and getting in a jeep.  On the foot of the stairs the Jeep saluted and they would go to the Jeep.  Apparently they use local guys who have military equipment and were not actors.  

About 12 of us were watching the scene and the director (he seemed like an ***) said they had it.  My First Sgt runs over and says "No, NO NO, he saluted with the wrong **** hand!"  The director was about to tear into Top but when he saw the look, a look only a pissed of First Sgt can make, he quietly turned around, sat and called the actors back.

Zeets2 » 15 Jun 2022, 7:20 am » wrote: ↑

15 Jun 2022, 7:20 am

That's a great story!  I remember reading about him in Bill Veeck's book, "Veeck as in Wreck" when I was a kid.  Gaedel was before my time, but I definitely remember the stories about him and Veeck.  I think MLB outlawed using midgets right after the first game.  But Veeck had some amusing ideas, especially his exploding scoreboard when he owned the White Sox at Comiskey Park.  Do you remember that?  It would shoot off fireworks whenever a Sox player hit a homer.  He also relayed the story about Veeck's "moveable outfield fence" at Municipal Stadium when he owned the Indians.  He would raise or lower the fence before a series depending on whether or not it would help the Indians more, but I think that was eventually made illegal too.  Veeck was a character much like Charlie Finley of the Kansas City A's, who later moved them to Oakland.  Do you remember him and his attempt to use orange baseballs?  Or his mule mascot, Charlie O?  I think Finley was also instrumental in getting the designated hitter rule in place in the AL.

Terrific memories of when baseball was truly a game!

Blue Devil » 15 Jun 2022, 9:08 am » wrote: ↑

15 Jun 2022, 9:08 am

In the majors?  No.  I got an offer and played in the GCL.  It was incredibly humbling, and I realized I was not good enough to make a career of baseball.

Rock » 15 Jun 2022, 8:33 am » wrote: ↑

15 Jun 2022, 8:33 am

You actually saw Run For the Roses? I'm shocked. It didn't make much of an impact at the box office.
If you like horses Central Kentucky is the place to visit. You can tour most of the horse farms. And while you're at it take a trip on the Bourbon Trail. You don't have to like bourbon to appreciate the distillery tours.
Another fun fact. Back in the 80's my wife and I were on a private tour of Claiborne Farm in Paris, Ky and when we came to Secretariat grazing in the field the tour guide grabbed a handful of his tail hair, yanked it off and gave it to us. I saved that for years until in got accidentally thrown out several years ago.

Rock » 15 Jun 2022, 9:49 am » wrote: ↑

15 Jun 2022, 9:49 am

This is weird GB. Last night I was watching the Reds and D-Backs game and one of the announcers (Chris Welch) told the story of Eddie Gaedel's great nephew who was 6 foot 3 and was drafted by the Padres. This was years ago and he never panned out as a Major Leaguer.

Rock » 15 Jun 2022, 10:01 am » wrote: ↑

15 Jun 2022, 10:01 am

Wasn't Veeck responsible for Disco Night at Comisky Park? That turned into a disaster. And you're right about Charley Finley and his orange balls (Donald Trump's testicles, lol). I remember when he had that idea. Made sense to me. BTW have you heard of the minor league team Savannah Bananas? They're supposed to be a fun team.

Zeets2 » 15 Jun 2022, 7:20 am » wrote: ↑

15 Jun 2022, 7:20 am

That's a great story!  I remember reading about him in Bill Veeck's book, "Veeck as in Wreck" when I was a kid.  Gaedel was before my time, but I definitely remember the stories about him and Veeck.  I think MLB outlawed using midgets right after the first game.  But Veeck had some amusing ideas, especially his exploding scoreboard when he owned the White Sox at Comiskey Park.  Do you remember that?  It would shoot off fireworks whenever a Sox player hit a homer.  He also relayed the story about Veeck's "moveable outfield fence" at Municipal Stadium when he owned the Indians.  He would raise or lower the fence before a series depending on whether or not it would help the Indians more, but I think that was eventually made illegal too.  Veeck was a character much like Charlie Finley of the Kansas City A's, who later moved them to Oakland.  Do you remember him and his attempt to use orange baseballs?  Or his mule mascot, Charlie O?  I think Finley was also instrumental in getting the designated hitter rule in place in the AL.

Terrific memories of when baseball was truly a game!

Zeets2 » 15 Jun 2022, 10:47 am » wrote: ↑

15 Jun 2022, 10:47 am

I don't remember Disco night, but I certainly remember the Indians "10 cent beer" night promotion, which I think took place with Veeck as the owner of the Indians.  I remember that game was forfeit to the Rangers after rioting fans swarmed onto the field.  I looked up their Disco night which was indeed Veeck's idea and the riotous mobs at that promotion were similar, and caused the Sox to forfeit the second game of the doubleheader. 

Veeck was also know for his wild uniform designs of the White Sox as well  They once wore shorts as their uniform bottoms, and I remember that unique uniform style was ranked as the ugliest uniform ever, and I think they kept it for two years.

I never heard of the Savannah Bananas, but I think they were an independent, that is having no affiliation with a major league team.
 

 

AnnoyedLiberall » 14 Jun 2022, 7:08 am » wrote: ↑

14 Jun 2022, 7:08 am

I don't have a dick.
My point was that I didn't want the petty **** arguments between posters that so many threads devolve into.

Zeets2 » 15 Jun 2022, 7:20 am » wrote: ↑

15 Jun 2022, 7:20 am

That's a great story!  I remember reading about him in Bill Veeck's book, "Veeck as in Wreck" when I was a kid.  Gaedel was before my time, but I definitely remember the stories about him and Veeck.  I think MLB outlawed using midgets right after the first game.  But Veeck had some amusing ideas, especially his exploding scoreboard when he owned the White Sox at Comiskey Park.  Do you remember that?  It would shoot off fireworks whenever a Sox player hit a homer.  He also relayed the story about Veeck's "moveable outfield fence" at Municipal Stadium when he owned the Indians.  He would raise or lower the fence before a series depending on whether or not it would help the Indians more, but I think that was eventually made illegal too.  Veeck was a character much like Charlie Finley of the Kansas City A's, who later moved them to Oakland.  Do you remember him and his attempt to use orange baseballs?  Or his mule mascot, Charlie O?  I think Finley was also instrumental in getting the designated hitter rule in place in the AL.

Terrific memories of when baseball was truly a game!