I played a Russian army officer. I remember the director chewing me out in Japanese and with animated gestures, because I was not standing with as rigid and military a posture as was expected of an army officer. I was on set with many of the lead actors: Chuck Connors, well past his "Rifleman" days, quipped between takes: "Not bad for fourteen grand a day." Bo Svenson: He carried a whoopie cushion and sidled up to people, making fart sounds, which he thought was hilarious. He also took a lot of pride in showing us his underwater demolition license. George Kennedy: Self-absorbed, sullen and forbidding, spoke with no one. Those three were all really big, tall men. Edward J. Olmos: Nice guy, friendly, engaging. Cec LInder: Liked to play poker between scenes. A very elegant gentleman, exuded mentshlekhkayt. Olivia Hussey: Stayed in her dressing room most of the time, listening to Bob Dylan on a cassette-player. One time, she made her way to the set to watch a scene being filmed and said "hello." She was a breathtakingly beautiful woman, famous for being in Zefirelli's "Romeo and Juliet."
This, I'll never forget ( and no disrespect intended): Local Toronto actor Ara Hovanessian was cast in a small part. He had a dressing room with his name written on a piece of paper tacked to the door. Figuring it would be a positive career move -???- he tore off the "essian," and re-named himself there and then. I can still that crudely ripped piece of paper in my mind. Ah, show-business . . .
Wolf Krakowski Kame'a Media: www.kamea.com
