Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/1351516
22 S P R I N G 2 0 2 1 I C A S Q U A R T E R L Y most of us experienced almost every job required to produce a film. I was an editor. I did some post mixing. I did hair, makeup, wardrobe. I was a gaffer and I was even a caterer. It took years to let old habits go—to grow up professionally, to admire and respect the unique knowledge of other departments. So, when did you get into the union (695)? I got on the studio lot by a rebel, John Landis, who got his break from the mailroom at Universal! The sound department at Universal did not want me to do the movie. They knew I had my own equipment. [During principal photography of Animal House], there were still guys living in the fraternity house and I needed to be in the union before wrapping. There was a wonderful woman cooking pancakes, and the only place I could get my sound cart was [in the kitchen] past the center grill island next to a dial payphone. I was back there recording, "Did we care when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor?!" and the phone rang. I picked it up and it was the head of my union. He said, "I have to replace you because you're not on the producer's roster and you have not come in and taken the formal union oath." I said, "I have a good idea! Let's do the oath right now over the phone." I'm doing this [motions holding a phone between his ear and shoulder while mixing with his right hand and raising his left] while I'm recording that scene. He said, "Well, son, you're in the union," and I said, "Thanks so much!" Have you ever laughed out loud while recording? On Kentucky Fried Movie [one of many films he did with John Landis], it was like we mixed in a laugh track live. It was one of the most difficult things to control all of production laughing all over the tracks. On Animal House and The Blues Brothers, we had somewhat the same struggles because things would happen or be said that caught everyone off guard and we would all crack up laughing. Also, I was a personal friend with John Belushi. I learned so much from that man's heart. I'll be forever grateful. You've traveled all over the world for work. What locations stick out in your memory? Movies are sort of like being part of the circus. You get very involved when you're there and then you take down the tent and you pack it up and go to the next town; that vagabond life. At 17, I got to work on John Frankenheimer's Grand Prix, as my father was the production manager. With a movie and my Formula One track license, I got to drive every Grand Prix track in Europe, which was one of the most thrilling things I've ever done. I lived for six months with pure Mayans in southern Mexico who had never seen their image projected. I did a documentary in Northern India, living on the ground and eating out of the goodness of Sikh temples, and did several interview sessions with Indira Gandhi. I went into the Vatican City with Frank Sinatra on Von Ryan's Express. Film has taken me around the world—twice. Who gets to do these amazing things? Career film people! From top: On the set of Animal House with friend and comedic genius, John Belushi; a long time ago…