My network television debut was on September 19, 1989. I was an extra in a bar scene on the fourth season premiere of "Matlock" on NBC. I was still in college and working summer stock theater in Manteo, North Carolina, when I learned that Andy Griffith was bringing the cast and crew of his series to Manteo (where he lived). All the actors and aspiring on the entire Outer Banks salivated at the oppportunity. This was the Big Time!
Now when I say "summer stock," it conjures up images of performing in "A Streetcar Named Desire"or "Guys and Dolls." But for me, this particular summer, the best I could do was performing at a living history historical site called the Elizabeth II and run by the state of North Carolina. A group of actors with sharp improvisational skills were hired each year to portray the crew of the 1588 English expedition to the New World. A replica of the ship was docked at the site and an encampment was set up down a path from the dock.
I played Randall Latham (we chose our names from the actual manifest of the expedition) and was a soldier at the encampment from June until August. Clad in authentic cloth and wool clothes, I sweated my summer away entertaining tourist by answering their questions and making fun of the way they walked, talked and dressed (because I was still in 1588, you see...)
So when "Matlock" came to town and began casting extras, most of the cast jumped at the opportunity. Two actors got to play reporters one day. The rest of us covered for their absence. About a week later, myself and two other actors got cast as barflies for two days of filming. Now the boss decided that enough was enough and we we not allowed to do the show. I was furious because we had covered for the other actors and now we were being denied our day on a real TV show set. Plus, I grew up watching "The Andy Griffith Show"and wanted to see him in person.
So when the morning came to film I (and my fellow two actors) called in sick to work. I told them I had "Matlock-itus." By the end of the shooting day, the boss found us outside the bar being used for filming and told us we could keep our jobs only if we came back to work the next day instead of continuing as bar extras. Only I refused to return to work. It was a good thing, too, because that was to day I was able to get my face featured in the shot!
I was sitting in a large room with chairs dubbed "The Holding Tank." This is were all the extras hung out until they were asked to come to the set. The first setup of the day was a camera dolly down the bar stopping at guest star Jeff Wincott and the bartender. Primo visibility for an extra. Well, they looked us all up and down and picked the three they wanted at the bar. I was not among them. About ten minutes later, one of the assistants came back with one the chosen actors. he was too tall and made the guest star look very tiny. They asked for someone who was 5'8". To my surprise, no one raised their hand, so I did. I'm 5'10" plus wearing cowboy boots that add another inch, but I figured unless they measure me, why not? I may be 5'10" but I can play 5'8"!
So I got the bar stool next the Jeff Wincott and drank real beer all morning long during each take. After lunch they poured me one and told me to stop drinking the "props." So after lunch the stunt men come in to film a fight scene with a knife, then the guest stars step back in to film the close-ups. I loved the entire day and made sure my face could be clearly seen in between guest stars Casey Biggs and Christopher MacDonald! (Remember, if you can see the camera, the camera can see you.)
In the end I kept my living history job, made me network TV debut and got to be on a set with Andy Griffith. Andy was not friendy I remember, but after all he was not "Andy Taylor" on the set, he was Andy Griffith, a working actor and star of the show. He could be friendly in real life, but this was work.
Whenever I catch the episode on TV, I always watch the first 15 minutes to see my scene and remember just how important and special that day was.
I'm just saying...
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