Saturday, June 18, 2016

MY DAD THE "MOVIE STAR"


My dad as a "Chief of Staff" in the movie


Not really. But he did have a minor role in an obscure, low budget and forgettable movie called Noon Sunday which was filmed on Guam in 1970.

Somehow my dad got to know the producer, an Australian named Terry Bourke. Dad mainly worked in production doing all kinds of things.

They didn't even use my dad's voice when he had his 15 seconds of fame appearing on screen. I remember giggling at the premier (at the AgaƱa Theater, where Staywell is now) when my dad's face popped up on the screen, both because it was unusual to see my dad look the way he did and because it was not his voice.

I remember dad would store some of the movie props at our house. We had some of them for years after the movie was made; junk which the production company didn't want. I especially remember the miniature jeeps which were used in the movie.

Noon Sunday involved a number of local bit players and extras, like Frank Cushing and villagers for the Umatac scenes. San Dionisio Church "blows up" in the movie! That miniature church was also stored at my house!





My dad's name in the credits


Here are some excerpts from the movie, beginning with my dad (again, NOT his voice) and Umatac scenes, including the blowing up of the church. Not since Magellan's visit in 1521 did the village see so much violence.