Nick Nolte, Susan Sarandon, Mark Singer, Clint Howard & Bryan Cranston, some of the people I've met.

     In 1992 I had heard that a movie was being filmed in our town. Lorenzo's Oil starring Nick Nolte, Susan Sarandon and Peter Ustinov was being filmed in and around our old Avonworth Junior High School and a house they had created across the street. They had a casting call and I decided to go down and try to be in the movie. I was cast as an extra and I was pretty excited. Well, that was until I realized that extras wait around, A LOT! 
 

     It took about an hour or so to set up a shot and then they would run it several times and then move onto setting up for another shot. What's really crazy is that they don't always shoot it in chronological order. I don't know how they ever keep things straight. We found things to keep ourselves busy but I found watching them set up shots and their attention to detail to be amazing. Plus paying attention also gave me the opportunity to see and even meet the stars. Nick Nolte was very nice, Susan Sarandon not so much! 

     One of the coolest things was watching as crew attached gold and orange leaves to the trees around the school to make it look like fall and then another day create snow on the ground to make it look like it was winter. Besides the filming in and around our old school they also shot an Easter Prayer Vigil scene in the Heinz Chapel on the campus of the University of Pittsburgh. I actually saw myself in the final cut of the film which was a lot of fun. 

Can you spot us among all of the cardboard people?

     Now bit with the film bug I decided to try it again when they were filming Sudden Death starring Jean-Claude Van Damme . This time I invited my friends Dave Patton, Charlie Grabe, Tom Harwell & his wife, Joe LoBue, Reid Joyce and Chucky Martin to go with me and we had a great time. Dave's mom Sandy even got in on the act and ended up being chosen as a vendor. The movie was mostly filmed in the old Civic Arena. We had a fun time. They even crashed a helicopter on the ice by dropping it through the retractable roof. We watched it live and it was spectacular. My friend Charlie Grabe actually got a piece of the Plexiglas windshield covered in jet fuel as a

Ross Mallinger

memento. I had one of the cardboard cut outs they had created to fill in the seats that didn't have real people. I kept that thing for years. We never did meet Jean-Claude but we did meet the boy that stared as his son, Ross Malinger. He was very nice. The movie was filled with action and was so fun to be a part of. 

     One of the coolest and closest experiences I had with movie stars was on a lower budget film being shot on Mt. Washington, a town that overlooks Pittsburgh. The movie is called Street Corner Justice starring Mark Singer from the Beastmaster films, Clint Howard (You know, Opie's brother) and Bryan Cranston from Malcolm in the Middle and most recently the critically acclaimed Breaking Bad.

    

     This amazing night started when I was watching them film a particular scene involving Mark Singer chasing somebody on foot and in the process having to slide across the hood of a yellow cab. The crew had put some oil on the hood to make it slick and when he slid over the hood he had oil allover his jeans. Having to go and change into new jeans the director started yelling at the crew to fix this problem. Being a little gutsy I made my way over towards the director and politely exclaimed I could solve the problem with something in my trunk. I explained I had a special Dri-Wash formula spray that we used at the Citgo station that I worked at to clean cars without water and that it would make the hood like glass. He was very curious and said ok, you're on! After polishing the hood I told him it was ready and he told a fresh jeaned Mark to give it a try. He shot across the hood like he was shot out of a cannon. The director smiled from ear to ear and said great job! 

Clint Howard

     The next thing that happened was another crew member came over to me and asked if they could use my teal colored Chevy Beretta in a chase scene and that I would be paid to use it. I said sure. All of a sudden about a half hour later here comes my car screaming around the corner being driven by Clint Howard who was playing a rapist being chased by Mark Singer in an unmarked car. My heart skipped a beat and I wondered if I had done the right thing letting them use my car.

Bryan Cranston

     After the scene was shot several times my car was returned to me unscathed. As the director called for the production to break for dinner he called me over and invited me to have dinner with them in a local Chinese restaurant. I happily said I'd love to and I got to eat and hobnob with the director, Mark Singer, Clint Howard and Bryan Cranston as well as other cast members. I sure wish I had a cell phone back then!     

     I've had several other opportunities to act and sing with famous people in my 50 years starting when I was 11 and Jack Gilford (the Cracker Jack guy) played Tevye when I was in Fiddler on the Roof put on by the Civic Light Opera at Heinz Hall. At the same we were rehearsing Fiddler, they were rehearsing the next show in the schedule staring  Ken Berry from Mayberry RFD & Mama's Family to name just a few. Both were really nice guys and very approachable.

Wired for Sound with Chuck Aber

     When my quartet Wired for Sound did a professional production of Music Man in Pittsburgh Harold Hill was played by Chuck Aber, better known to most as Neighbor Aber from Mister Rodgers Neighborhood. Fred Rodgers even stopped back stage to visit during one of the shows. Both amazing and classy men. 

     Several years later my wife, son and I were attending a Light Up Night party at the William Penn Hotel and the Joe Negri Combo was playing holiday favorites. Joe was also on Mister Rodgers and is a well known jazz musician in the Pittsburgh area. I had met him several times before and he knew I sang so he invited me to come up and sing a song. What a great and unexpected experience that was. Later that same year I was asked to perform a special song and do a little acting with a special guest at the Easter Seals Charity Ball in the same hotel. Little did I know that I was going to be going head to head with the "Soup Nazi" Larry Thomas from Seinfeld. 


Joe Negri and I

     I've met past managers of the Pittsburgh Pirates ~ Chuck Tanner and Jim Leyland and Jim actually sang a song with my quartet at the time Hourglass. I even did a singing telegram for Pittsburgh Steelers great and Hall of Fame inductee Lynn Swann's 40th birthday! 

     Although I will probably never be famous I have really enjoyed my opportunities of being around and meeting famous people.


Gearing up for holiday cookie trays!


Peppermint oreo truffles

    The Peppermint Oreo Truffles. I had these amazing treats for the first time last year. All I can say is MORE! They are so rich and delicious and with the added peppermint and white chocolate they look the part for the holidays.

     The Peppermint Oreo Truffles have Cream Cheese, Oreo Cookies, White Chocolate and Candy Canes.


decorated Nice 'n' Soft Sugar Cookies

     Break out your cookie cutters for the second cookie which is a Nice 'n Soft Sugar Cookie that stays soft rather than one of those that gets rock hard as they cool. Included in the recipe is a perfect icing to decorate the cookies with.

     Just a couple more days until Thanksgiving so if you don't have your Turkey you better get it today and get it in the fridge to start defrosting.

Thanks for reading and have a great day.

Ron