Location Managers Guild International

LMGI COMPASS | Winter 2020 • 27 We used my duck egg blue VW Beetle, as I donned a man's hat and gloves playing a non- speaking character. Traveling from each location, loving the phrase "blanket permit," I would drive, director in the passenger seat with the tripod legs sticking out the open window, and camera operator in the back holding the camera. We would pick spots, the director would wave his hands for me to start driving faster, then slower, etc. This went on for a day or two and then we had full crew for more shooting days. It was wonderful to know that in the end, it was a success and the producers got their investment back. Working on my first nonunion show was a gift, given you could do anything to help just get the show on the screen. I was asked to manage a series called The Littlest Hobo (NABET) which I continued on for five seasons. Comparable to Lassie, it was very popular all over the world but never aired in the US. With each episode, I gained good experience. Back then, there were no traffic cones; we had to use painted signs on posts and hammer them into the ground at the right intersection to guide the crew to location. I hand-drew all the maps and was first on set and last to leave. Chris Danton was the unit manager (now a successful producer) and we would get together each morning before call, and go over all the contacts, do introductions and get things rolling. Craft service was out of a panel van and consisted of a card table and one garbage can. I decided to use multi- garbage cans and went to a paint supplier and bought empty paint cans and put sand on the bottom for butt buckets, as most of the crew smoked in those days. There were no location equipment suppliers back then. Over those five seasons, we had many interesting stories and actors who make guest appearances. They didn't get paid a great deal but they had loads of fun. Donald O'Connor, Cameron Mitchell, DeForest Kelley, Keenan Wynn, Clark Johnson, Mike Meyers, Jeff Wincott to name a few. We interacted with actors back then—no bodyguards, no publicists, no rules. Sitting with Donald O'Connor was a delight; he told me all about his younger years and the studio system. Cameron Mitchell would be riding in a hunt episode so I had to The Littlest Hobo family Me and Charlie Peter and the hunt master on set of The Littlest Hobo arrange riding lessons to make sure he was comfortable on an English saddle. I picked him up at his hotel, we drove to the stables and spent most of that weekend around horses. He was a great rider and a true gentleman. He wanted to go to the track when the episode wrapped. My husband and I took him as our guest. He said he attended many races at Santa Anita with his "track buddies," Jack Klugman and Telly Savalas. He studied the Daily Racing Form, telling me my horse didn't stand a chance. I said he might be mistaken. He bet "on the nose" and my horse did come in by a few lengths—he won close to $1,000. Most actors who came to guest star on an episode had great fun working on the show. Our writers often chatted with me about ideas so I really felt I was part of the family and fortunately, through some great contacts, episodes were based on locations. This is where I began to feel I was a creative member of the team. Next, I managed a large feature Head Office. This was a different union (IATSE) so I was quickly getting my feet wet in learning different union rules. Jeff King (now a very successful producer) was my ALM and I wouldn't have been able to do it without him, He was my right and left hand and such a creative hardworking person. In the end, we could nearly read each other's minds. I was gaining experience by the day with the help of 1st AD Michael Zenon and transport coordinator Jim Kennedy, who went out of his way to help me learn to expedite transport's needs. These two gents were so kind and to this day, always remembered with great fondness. Now I had gained knowledge of two unions and how to work successfully with

• Cover
• 42-49 MAYANS
• 64-69 Jason Wisch
• 74-75 Martini Shot