Wanna be in the movies? Think again.

[Guest Texas Old Car Guy]

I can't go to a movie that has old cars or Model A Fords in it without commenting to my wife all the things I see wrong with the car (ha). Two taillights is one of the most common things wrong if it's supposed to be an era movie when the cars were nearly new; as most old car guys know, Model A's only came with a single taillight on the driver's side. Over the years as we have restored the cars many owners have added a passenger side taillight for additional safety and thus they show up in period movies with two taillights. They also frequently show a Model A in a night scene with sealed beam headlights brighter than day; and as those of you who have owned a Model A know, the 50 candlepower headlight bulbs leave something to be desired - I've had to get out of my car at night and walk to the front to double check that they were actually on!

I've had my Model A's in several movies and have always required that they hire me as an extra to drive them; talk about a lot of "hurry up and wait" and reshooting the same scene five different times and then you see the final movie and you either ended up on the cutting room floor or they edited the scene so severely that all you see is your elbow sticking out the window in a quick drive-by scene. Of course you have bragged to all your buddies and their wives about being "in a movie" so they come to the premiere with you - you get to shout "Hey, that's my elbow that just went by."

To be honest, most production/property managers who are in charge of the old cars think of Model A's as merely "props" in the movie and they don't care if the car gets banged up or whatever. That's why I have always had a personal policy that if my car is used in the movie, no one but me drives it - most actors don't know the first thing about starting one or what double clutching is.

One of my Model AA trucks has been in three movies and a couple of TV commercials and I have turned down several other requests to use him because they wanted to do such things as load him on a flatbed lowboy trailer and haul him 300 miles away to use it in an oilfield scene and planned to load his bed with oilfield pipe - I can imagine them using a forklift and just dropping the heavy pipe onto his bed. He is a low mileage unrestored original Stakebed and they couldn't pay me enough to use it without my being there to watch what they do to it.

I was in a Hallmark Hall of Fame made for TV movie called "An American Story" filmed in the Dallas area and the plot was that all the good guys in this small town had gone off to fight in WWII and while they were gone the evil corrupt Boss Hogg-type politicians took over their town. My main scene was to carry about 30 well-armed guys in the bed of my truck and rush up to the town hall/jail to overthrow the current regime of politicians. Unfortunately the scene was shot in the middle of the night around 3:00 am in December when it was about 25 degrees outside and the actors (extras) in the bed of my truck kept stamping their feet to stay warm and broke out several of the original strips of bed wood. Everything went as planned and I watched while they reshot the scene from another angle with the guys getting out of the bed of my truck while a special effects guy from behind the camera used a slingshot to shoot little fireworks explosives (like kids throw on the ground and pop) at my truck. They were exploding as they hit the front bumper and fenders and the spark made them look like bullets ricocheting off the truck. They then applied decal bulletholes all over the truck. Not a really big deal until the director walks over and casually asked, "Is this your old truck?" I replied proudly, "yes, it is." He then said, "Would you mind if we actually shot out one of your headlights?" I immediately answered, "Would you mind if I F_ _ _ ed your wife?" He dropped his jaw and I said, "This old truck probably means about as much to me as your wife does to you; no you can't shoot out the headlight. This is an original unrestored 80 year old truck with the original headlights - I can't just go down to Western Auto or Pep Boys and buy another headlight." He walked away with no comment.

The truck was in another movie and they decided his fenders and hood were too shiny and wanted to "age" the vehicle. They used a pump up sprayer like you apply garden weedkiller and sprayed water in a fine mist all over the truck, then came back and shoveled fireplace ashes all over it to dull the finish for the camera. Took forever to clean it up after that episode.

The truck was also used in a CBS made-for-TV movie called "Dallas, The Early Years" which was back when the Dallas TV show was so popular - it was to be a flashback showing how the Ewings got all their oil money back in the 30's. They really wanted to use my truck because it was not restored and not too shiny so I negotiated a pretty handsome fee for its use plus being paid as an extra to drive it. They built a replica of an old oil field with lots of wood derricks and then ran 1/4 inch copper lines with small holes in the line about every 12 inches. The copper line was intertwined and wound around the wooden derricks and their plan was to pump gasoline through the line and at a predetermined time set off an explosion resulting in a huge mushroom-like fireball. They rehearsed the scene over and over all day long and were set to blow everything around midnight. They had several firetrucks on location, ambulances standing by, even a medivac helicopter waiting if needed, etc. and cameras set up to capture the scene from several different vantage points - remember they only had ONE TAKE to do it since they were blowing everything up. Well, you can rehearse with actors all day long who know what to expect but they didn't tell the MULES that were there pulling the wagons what was coming. I parked my modern car about a hundred yards down the dirt road to watch the fireworks and it kept being delayed and delayed, etc. until around 2:00 am there was this gigantic fireball mushrooming into the air and (as you probably can guess) silhouetted against the fire I saw a team of runaway mules pulling their wagon without a driver, nostrils flared, panicked and stampeding down the road toward me at a full gallop followed by that heavy old wagon. What to do? I thought well, this is how my life is going to end being run over by a team of runaway mules and a heavy wagon in 1986; I could just see them coming up and over the hood of my new Mercedes and through the windshield into my lap. Then at the last minute thought to flip on my headlights and flash them on bright and at the last second the mules veered to my left and ran into the rear of a new Chevy Blazer parked beside me. Their heads went through the rear window and the tailgate was severely crushed by the impact of their chests hitting it and the truck was moved about 20 feet from where it was parked but the mules survived and then staggered around for a few minutes probably thinking, "What the hell was that?"

If you ever get offered the opportunity to have your Model A used in a movie, yes, it's kind of cool to think you'll be a part of Hollywood but I'm pretty sure if you do it once, that will be plenty. Just make sure that they pay you for the use of your car and then pay you as an extra to drive it - don't let it go to your head that maybe Tom Cruise or the like will be driving your car unless you want to replace a couple of gears in your transmission (ha). They'll have you get to the set at 6:00 am and sit around while they rehearse all day and might shoot a 5 minute scene at 4:00 pm. Yes you get to eat with the actors and director, gaffer, sound guy, cameraman, entire crew, etc. but the catering is not always that good on location.

One more comment since it appears that I'm telling my life story - did you ever see the movie "Places in the Heart" with Sally Field and Danny Glover? That was filmed in Waxahachie, Texas, just south of Dallas. It's a depression era movie and Wikipedia describes the movie: "Places in the Heart is a 1984 drama film that tells the story of a Texas widow who tries to keep her farm together with the help of a blind white man and a black man during the Great Depression.

Places in the Heart opens in Waxahachie, Texas in 1935 to scenes of the town and the sounds of a church choir singing "Blessed Assurance". Edna Spalding (Sally Field), places the final dish at the table. As the dinner begins there are reactions to gunshots in the distance. Sheriff Royce Spalding has a chance to eat a few bites before deputies come calling. At the railway yards a young black boy is staggering around obviously drunk, firing off a revolver. The Sheriff approaches cautiously and calls him by name, "Wylie". The boy tosses up his bottle and tries to shoot it, then fires off two more rounds before the gun misfires. Impulsively the boy points the gun at the Sheriff and pulls the trigger. Spalding, shot in the stomach, falls to the tracks. He is taken back to his home and his lifeless body is laid on the kitchen table. The scenes change to Wylie being dragged down the streets coming to rest at the Spalding home in view of Edna and her two small children Frank and Possum."

The producers contacted me about using my Model AA truck in the movie scene where the black kid was dragged down a white rock caliche road behind an old truck. Fortunately for me at the time I had removed my gas tank to have it boiled out and told them I couldn't do it right then; they asked if I knew anyone else in the Dallas area who might have an old early 30's truck they could use and I gave them the name of a friend of mine who owned a 1929 International stakebed. His truck drug the kid's body down the white rock road until the black kid was "white" covered with dust. That scene involved the Ku-Klux-Klan and I'm definitely glad that my truck doesn't have that particular claim to fame.

It's a great movie otherwise, I recommend you renting it if you haven't seen it.

Fred

<!-- / message --><!-- sig -->

Edited May 13, 2013 by Texas Old Car Guy (see edit history)

[MarrsCars]

"Would you might if we actually shot out one of your headlights?"

<!-- / message --><!-- sig -->

This might be my favorite post of the year so far. Thanks, that was a fun and informative read.

I have to agree with you on everything, all the same reasons you also never let a film crew use your house! I've worked on the production side and can confirm regular and sometimes extensive damage to cars and private homes because they are considered "props" or "locations." If the production is repainting your house or buying you furniture that you can keep then it's a judgment call but my family had a 71' Challenger we pulled from a film shoot because it was overheating. It wasn't worth the risk. The production is insured ideally but even then you're the one left picking up the pieces. Wise words and well said!!!

[Guest Texas Old Car Guy]

Mr. MarrsCars:

Thanks for the kind remarks, writing the story brought back many memories. It wasn't until I saw your "quote" from my story that I realized I had made a typo using "might" instead of "mind." That hotshot Hollywood-type director proved my theory that old vehicles are considered nothing more than just props, regardless of sentimental value, rarity or condition. I used to cringe and yell at the TV back as a high school kid watching The Untouchables when they would blow up a 1920-30's truck supposedly carrying illicit hooch in a pretend convoy of Capone bootleggers. Yeah, back in the 50's that truck probably cost the production company a hundred bucks so they didn't care - considering what WWII did to all the old trucks which were crushed for scrap for the war effort, old trucks are much more rare than old cars. Cars were scarce during the war and people pampered them and tried to keep them running since they weren't making any new ones; trucks on the other hand were usually owned by a business and driven by a careless employee - they wore them out and abandoned them to the scrapyard where they ended up being crushed for battleship steel. Luckily for me, my '31 Model AA Stakebed (Henry) was well taken care of and had been put up on blocks for about 40 years when I bought him in 1982; he had 36,000 original miles and all original paint. The engine has never had the head removed and I've now rolled the odometer up to 40,000 miles. That's 4,000 miles of driving in parades, movies, commercials, etc. in 31 years - just dawned on me that it comes out to an average of about 129 miles per year since I've owned him. Maybe I should see if J.C. Taylor or Hagerty Insurance would like to refund part of the premiums I've paid them all these years for "lack of usage."

Thanks again,

Fred

Edited April 28, 2013 by Texas Old Car Guy (see edit history)

[Marty Roth]

Having used our old cars in a great many film and video projects, I completely agree with your comments, and would only add that anyone considering allowing a car to be used ensure that the production company provide an insurance rider for the value of your car, naming you as the insured, and also insuring you against any damage your car might cause to others.

I well remember Brooke Shields as a young girl riding with the hookers in "Pretty Baby" in the back seat of my '34 Buick, and Charles Durning in my 1952 Caddy convertible, and many, many others. I was always paid well, and my daughter got to drive and meet some acting luminaries as well. I've met or had lunch with Lillian Gish, Jack Warden, Richard Thomas (John-Boy Walton), Sharon Gless, Ceasar Romero, Sean Penn, and many others.

Edited April 28, 2013 by Marty Roth (see edit history)

[Guest Texas Old Car Guy]

Marty:

I think being "paid well" for having your car in a movie directly relates to the scarcity or rarity of the car and how they intend to use it - if it is a "feature car" which the lead actor will be using and will be in several different scenes, the price goes way up. They probably compensate you more for a 1930 Packard Touring car that might be prominently featured in the movie much more than a common Model A Ford which would more than likely be used in "background scenes". There are lots of Model A's out there which were referred to as the "common man's car" and accordingly there should be many of them used in street scenes from the depression era.

I personally got to change part of the script in the Dallas movie - the writer came up with a scene where the Ewings' nemesis Digger Barnes had hit his first big oil well and went out and bought a brand new classy red Cadillac. I suggested that if he really hit it big they should have him buying a Duesenberg and called a friend of mine who brought his green Duesy out for the filming. They agreed and the scene showed Digger driving up in his new green Duesenberg.

I've met quite a few notable actors as well; some are still on their rise to stardom including Brad Leland, the actor from Friday Night Lights. I enjoyed standing around a burning trash barrel trying to stay warm while waiting for the next scene with actor Hoyt Axton (who in addition to being an actor, wrote the song "Jeremiah Was A Bullfrog"); we stood there silently watching the fire burn in the barrel trying to keep from freezing to death when a spark flew out and caught the grass on fire - we promptly stomped it out and he said, "Kind of reminds me of my first marriage". I asked, "How's that?" He replied, "Fire went out."

The last movie I was involved with had three of my Model A's in it and starred Tyson Beckford, the handsome black Ralph Lauren underwear model; most of the gals in our Model A club wanted to hang around the set for some reason.

Fred

Edited April 28, 2013 by Texas Old Car Guy (see edit history)

[Guest bofusmosby]

Fred, great post! Very interesting. I remember seeing your truck in the "American Story" just last year. Years back, there was some interest in using my house for a horror movie, but nothing ever came of it. I must admit I would have been a nervous wreck worring about the condition of my house being in after the filming. It sounds like this would be a lot of fun, but the possible damage would make you earn every penney you made just from the worry factor.

Marty, I also remember seeing your car in the movie "Pretty Baby". Great looking car!

[Guest Texas Old Car Guy]

Jim:

There are other movie situations that might make you wonder why you got involved - a friend's house in McKinney, Texas was the feature location for the movie "Benji". The house used in the cult horror film "Texas Chainsaw Massacre" was moved from Round Rock, Texas and has an interesting story; it was moved to Kingsland, Texas, restored and is now a restaurant. They discovered its "twin" and moved it to Georgetown, Texas where I live and it is restored and used as a dentist's office. How's that for irony - while the dentist is drilling he can talk about the Chainsaw Massacre (is there a difference?).

Here's what the house looks like today: Texas Chainsaw House - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The friend whose house was prominently featured in Benji still has people driving by and occasionally they'll stop and ask to see the inside. Ahh, the cost of fame!

Fred

Edited April 29, 2013 by Texas Old Car Guy (see edit history)

[jpage]

I really prefer the movies from the '30's when it comes to cars and "Feel". They just can't seem to duplicate the right look today when doing "period movies". The old movies look right, cars, buildings,clothes and hairdos because they are right. Too many anachronisms in today's movies because it's not the 1930's anymore! Just can't replicate the "feel". Ever notice that there aren't many Model A's in those old '30's movies. Police drive the old Lincoln phaetons and the gangsters drive old Dodges ,Buicks ,Caddy's Etc. Gangsters wanted expensive rides ,not the "poor mans car"! Alot more diversity in car brands and types! Clothes look right and most of all the manner in which they speak. The dialog to me seems too contrived in today's films. Also,no firey exposions when one of the cars hits a pole and when they are riddled with bullets, they are! I did know a local guy that had a '30-'31 Plymouth,a really nice looking car. I lost touch with him untill about 8 years ago and asked if he still had the Plymouth. He told me that he had sold it to a movie company making a period gangster film I think in the eary '90's. The car met it's demise when it was driven off of a pier into the bay in one of the movies chase scenes. Sad end to a neat little car! Just can't see needless distruction of hard to find cars like that for the sake of money! JMO

[Guest bofusmosby]

Fred, interesting like you posted, thank you! My house was always known as the haunted house of the area, so maybe that was part of the interest. Kids are afraid to come to the door on Halloween. When using your old cars for the movies, did they ever ask you to do (or allow) something that got you so upset, you drove off the set? These producers haven't a clue when it comes to things like that.

jpage, I completely agree with you about the distruction of a fine old car. They could always find an old "heap" somewhere, reassemble it just for the looks, and have that one go into the water. On the car you referred to, what a horrible ending to a fine old car!

[CarFreak]

I've used many of my vehicles in movies, commercials and tv productions and never had an issue.

What I can't figure out Texas Old Car Guy, is why you would allow them to do some of the things you mention? And if its so terrible, why do you continue to participate especially with a low mileage original vehicle that you seem to be trying to preserve?

The vehicle coordinators I've worked with have always been upfront on what the vehicle would be used for and ask permission for any actions prior to doing so. The ones I've worked with previously know ahead to provide a Certificate of Insurance without me even asking.

[Guest Texas Old Car Guy]

CarFreak:

"What I can't figure out Texas Old Car Guy, is why you would allow them to do some of the things you mention?"

Not sure what you are asking - if you read the original posting, the only thing that might have damaged my original truck was them actually shooting out the headlight which I obviously strongly objected to. The fake bullethole decals peeled right off.

My main objective in writing the story was to make other old car guys aware of some of the possible pitfalls involved in participating in a movie with their vehicle - it's not all glitz and glamor with the midnight filming in cold weather and all the hurry up and wait and then discovering that your scene was cut out by the editor. Everyone should have the opportunity to do it once and then decide for themselves if they want to do it a second time.

Fred

[Guest marlin65]

Many years ago,so long ago I forget the year I and my Corvair Greenbrier van were involved in the filming of "Cadillac Kid".I had just finished the van,paint only a few weeks old.After countless takes they got what they wanted.They told me return to the production tent to get my check and the next thing I know I have 7 crew members and their equipment piling into my fresh original interior.Luckily no damage was done but they were amazed that it could hold everything and that 84 horse engine could move it!

[Marty Roth]

Fred,

You are correct about being better-paid when the car is either rare, and/ or a "hero/feature" car. This may be the case when the lead actor/actress is seen in the car, or possibly drives it.

Background cars may be the more common models, will earn less, and are often referred to as Non-descript vehicles. They will either be parked, or may drive by the scene being filmed, and may do so over, and over, and over many many times.

No matter which category our cars fall into we should always be properly insured at the cost of the production company, naming ourselves as the "insured", and be given a copy of the policy or rider.

You should always be paid as a "Picture Car Driver", find out the daily/hourly rate, and be paid time-and-a-half for overtime, typically beyond eight hours/day. Typically you will pick up this check at the close of every day.

Ascertain that you'll be fed with the crew, not with the "extras" who are generally not treated as well.

A not-released film about the Chessman brothers who founded Chess Records (they discovered Muddy Waters and Etta James) decided that the brothers would each have a new 1954 Cadillac convertible. They used mine at an exceptional rate for several days, and I helped them find another comparable one for the filming sequences. At one point we actually had to show mine being driven by one of the brothers so I taught him to drive it, and how to properly respect the Caddy. I was in the back seat the whole time, but not visible from the angle of the camera. That same production also used our Packard for a few days, also at an exceptional rate.

When our 1934 Buick, 1952 Cadillac convertible, and 1963 Impala convertible were used as background in "RAY", the film about Ray Charles which was shot here in New Orleans, we were also treated quite well. We were also invited to several parties along with the actors who enjoyed New Orleans as a "Party-Town". Our '58 Bel-air was featured in Estate-Planning and Life Insurance commercials, and when the director wanted to have it look "aged" in a "many years later" scene, they were going to scoop mud from a ditch and spread it on the car. My wife made certain that it did not happen, and suggested instead that they very carefully apply a coat of wax to the car but not buff it off until after the shoot, and then pay to have the car professionally detailed afterward. This was completely acceptable to the money man, and to my wife, as well!

My first Made-for-TV Film was a great many years ago with David (Trimacar) and his '09 Sears and '10 Hupp. To this day, I appreciate that he included me in the venture and got me started in the industry.

All in all, the industry has been a shot in the arm to our community, and I've enjoyed it as well.

[Graham Man]

I agree with almost everything said so far. I have had two cars in “Public Enemies” and one car in the soon to be released Superman “Man of Steel”. 14 hour loooooong… days, a couple hundred $ a day (my cars have always been background cars) they will throw in travel money and hotel money (reimburse only) if you ask, and they want your car. I never leave the keys in the car, and insist I am the only one to drive them. If you think the director does not care about your car, what about the 20 year old, told to move your car, who has never heard of a standard transmission?

I have had a great experiences, but I look at it as a vacation, my wife and I go together (she like the actors, I like the old car guys). I was able to drive my 1933 Graham on LaSalle street downtown Chicago, 60 old cars and 150 extras dressed up like 1934. I was awestruck; it was 1934 from inside my Graham. The last time my Graham saw that scene was when she left the Bird-Sykes Graham dealership a few blocks away on Michigan Avenue in 1933. My couple hundred buck pay, bought me a time machine back to 1934, what is that worth?

http://www.winonadailynews.com/news/article_80372273-2b69-5283-a08c-171db0d00650.html

Edited April 30, 2013 by Graham Man (see edit history)

[plymouthcranbrook]

My 80 Volare is also in the Man of Steel Movie as well as a Bollywood show and two TV Shows. Chicago Code and the other one I have forgotten. Always a back round never a feature. I have been paid well. A friend has a company who supplies cars for productions. Never a problem, for the Bollywood show they came and picked it up on a flatbed and then returned it the same way. And the gas tank always comes back full. I am happy with the experience.

[Studemax]

My problem with old cars in new movies is, the patina is 50 or more years old when the car was only supposed to be between 5 and 10 years old. Hollywood folks are a dumb lot, for the most part - if you ask me.

[MarrsCars]

My problem with old cars in new movies is, the patina is 50 or more years old when the car was only supposed to be between 5 and 10 years old.

You would hate Driving Miss Daisy then! Every time she gets a new car, one of the ongoing plot points, you see the wear in close-ups.

[Graham Man]

You bring up an interesting point about the aging of the cars. I am not sure if it is lack of interest from the art guys or something else. I guess it would be a good question for Michael Mann. I spent almost two weeks on the set of “Public Enemies” the attention to detail was astonishing (about 300 crew members a day of filming). Every day my wardrobe had to be approved even when I was not on set. So it is not from lack of trying. I was able to get to know the “picture car crew” pretty well. They have a daunting job today finding cars. For "Public Enemies" they interviewed over 250 owners of 1933-4 Fords before finding a single original car! Almost all of the original cars were owned by retired people (met some great people and great stories). After the first day of waiting around for 14 hours they went home, never to be seen again (I did not blame them, even my wife was done). My guess is in the not too distant feature you will not see any old cars in the movies, they will most likely be computer generated… that will be fun to watch.

[Dave@Moon]

Patina and wear is an issue on movie cars, but it's even more important to get the right year cars!

The (GREAT!) movie Argo is a prime example. I wish I had been the vehicle consultant on that shoot, or at least that they had one. Those cars were almost aggressively inappropriate to the era (1980) that the story took place. Only 2 background cars that I saw (both noted on IMCDb.org: "Argo, 2012": cars, bikes, trucks and other vehicles ) were less than 5 years older than 1980, and several major vehicles (including Ben Affleck's very nice '64 GTO) were WAY too old to have been working vehicles at the time. The CIA parking lot, including the staff cars, looked like a cheap used car lot in Tuscon rather than the daily drivers of professional people in 1980.

[MarrsCars]

My guess is in the not too distant feature you will not see any old cars in the movies, they will most likely be computer generated… that will be fun to watch.

Baz Luhrmann's remake of The Great Gatsby has computer generated Duesenberg throughout the trailer. I'm sure they used a real or replica car for close-ups but the driving was clearly too much to ask for such an old and valuable vehicle.

I just found this great link on Hemmings, it also shows the trailer for the film at the bottom for comparison.

New “Great Gatsby” movie trailer gives us first look at his (anachro | Hemmings Blog

[Graham Man]

Unfortunately the “Great Gatsby” days are long gone. In the book 50 mph (1922) is just insane speed! I can imagine swerving to avoid horse carts was interesting since you are never sure where they will go. I would guess average road speed was somewhere around 5mph. Almost all the cars are hand built, no bumpers, acetylene headlights, rear brakes only, mud roads, 3 inch wide tires. I hope they do try to recreate the book rendition of after the big party when the drunks are all trying to get there 1920 cars started and get home. The picture is New York 1922