Article 1137
Safety Diving for Hollywood circa 1993
4-24-21, 6-21-21
In June, 1993, Hollywood film makers came to Portland, Oregon, to check out the on location shooting prospects for making some film story scenes in the Maverick Movie with James Garner, Mel Gibson, Jodi Foster and an extensive cast of old-time cowboy TV western show stars, including James Coburn, Denver Pyle and western music singing artist Clint Black. It was going to be directed by the well-known film director Richard Donner and it was a big budget picture.
Paul Mark, his wife Judy, and his son Craig were contacted by the advance location filming crew and arrangements were made to cruise the Columbia River near Dodson, Oregon, across the river from the world-famous geographical landmark, Beacon Rock, on the Washington shoreline.
Paul and Craig had a large, floating, marine industrial construction yard located on the Washington shoreline of the Columbia River at Camas, Washington. The yard was the homeport of Paul’s marine construction and diving business, Mark Marine Service. From this location, Paul and Craig worked year around in the marine construction business, driving pilings, doing bridge and pipeline jobs, drilling jobs, building river station platforms and pumping stations, and working on anything related to marine construction on the Columbia and Willamette Rivers and their tributaries.
Mark Marine Service owned and operated numerous Tugboats, Barges, Derrick Barges and specialty barges, and a wide variety and assortment of marine construction equipment designed to facilitate marine construction jobs on the rivers. Although Paul Mark passed away several years ago, Craig Mark continues to operate the business successfully and grow the corporation from the same location as in 1993.
The Hollywood people were excited to work with Paul and Craig in filming the on-location sequences for the Maverick Movie. The idea of using the Columbia River Gorge area directly below Bonneville Dam was highly attractive to them because of the still available natural darkness devoid of artificial lights after sundown.
Paul had a cousin in Central Oregon that had worked with the Hollywood people on the production of the Clint Eastwood movie, “Paint Your Wagon”, filmed near Bend, Oregon, in 1968. Paul had always desired to work with Hollywood on a film production ever since that time, and finally his turn had arrived. The film production crew even promised Paul’s wife Judy a brand-new automobile as a token of their esteemed appreciation for the extensive assistance Mark Marine Service would provide for the on-location shooting film sequences of the movie.
Filming was scheduled for late Summer in September, on the 20th. through the 23th. of the month. Paul made arrangements for using one of the many paper barges from the Camas Paper Mill as a floating cafeteria to feed catered meals to the film crew, actors, contractors and extras. It was set up with long cafeteria style tables and folding steel chairs and it worked out very well.
The boat landing waterfront with cabins and campground at Dodson was the staging area for wardrobe and make-up tents, and for the cast and crew to embark and disembark the steam-powered Stern Paddle-wheeler Tugboat MT Portland. The old steam tugboat was completely retrofitted with antique façade ornamentation and temporarily renamed the “ANNABELLE” for the filming of the movie. It remains moored today on the westside of Willamette River waterfront seawall between the Burnside and Morrison Street bridges in Downtown Portland.
Paul suggested that I would make an excellent safety diver for the three scheduled water stunts scripted to be filmed at sundown on three different days. Thanks to Paul, I got the job and this story details some of the activities that took place on those three days working as a diver for the Hollywood movie industry.
I reported for work each day at the Dodson Landing at about four o’clock in the afternoon. I parked my car and carried my dive gear down to the paddle-wheeler steam tugboat MT Portland, now renamed the “ANNABELLE”, tied off at the boat landing dock. Paul and Craig had set up a special gangway using their Derrick Barge DB AMAZON at the loading dock, providing easy access for the actors and production film crew. MARK MARINE SERVICE was facilitating the entire water operation, making things flow as smoothly as possible.
Once I stowed and secured my dive gear on board the vessel, I was free to roam about and observe all the activity taking place on board the tugboat. The big-name movie stars showed up a little later, and finally all things were ready for getting underway.
All the scenes were to be shot at sundown, so the timing was very critical to keep the natural lighting continuity consistent in the film.
On the first day, a stunt scene was scheduled using stunt man Steve Myer from Los Angeles. He was to jump over the side into the river from the upper bridge deck.
His stunt was to fill in for the actor playing the part of a banished gambler who had been caught cheating in the big five cards draw invitational poker tournament taking place on the Mississippi River. The penalty for getting caught cheating was to get ejected from the game and thrown over the side of the vessel. The character caught cheating, according to the screenplay script, was the country music artist and actor Clint Black, playing the part of a gambler in the tournament.
As things transpired that afternoon, I found myself on the upper most deck visiting with James Garner and Clint Black for about an hour. I didn’t know Clint Black, but I knew James Garner from his TV Maverick series in the late fifties and early sixties and from his many movies and his seventies private detective series, The Rockford Files.
I took a seat across from them on the upper deck outside in the fresh air and sunshine. They were chatting about their real estate holdings and such matters of wealth as high paid actors and music artists would do.
I began asking James Garner some questions about his past, as I didn’t know Clint Black. I asked him about the feeling and thrill of being the pace car driver at the Indianapolis 500 Race, which he had done for several years. He was a great stunt driver technician to his credit, and starred in the Formula One racing motion picture Grand Prix in 1964.
He said that the Indy car drivers were very aggressive and anxious to begin the race and then return to racing after he would enter the track for his pace car duties during the yellow flag episodes of the race. He said it was quite thrilling to have all that horsepower behind you anticipating the green flag and a quick return to 200 mph plus racing speed. The pace car speed maintained about 100 mph.
At the time, I had a heavy weight lifting barbell club open in downtown Vancouver, Washington. I was in top shape and heavy with big muscles from regular workouts in the club. That’s what happens when you handle the heavy iron consistently every day. My arms measured over nineteen inches circumference at the biceps, and I wore a sleeveless t-shirt to show off the big guns.
I asked James Garner if he had ever worked out at Vince’s Gym, a small serious bodybuilding gym down in Studio City, California, on Ventura Boulevard near Universal Studios. I had heard a rumor that he had worked out for a time there under the tutelage of gym owner Vince Gironda, but he said he had not. I don’t think James Garner was much interested in bodybuilding and weight lifting workouts.
As the sun lowered on the horizon to the west, the evening twilight began approaching, I made my way back down to the lower deck and my dive gear. I wore the most simplistic SCUBA equipment for the safety diving recovery job. I wore a black ¼-inch thick rubber neoprene pullover vest, with skin-in rubber and nylon outside covering, a speedo swimsuit, wet suit boots, a single aluminum fifty tank equipped with a Dacor backpack, a single hose regulator, a wetsuit hood, face mask, light helmet and swim fins. I worked out of a small outboard-equipped Zodiac inflatable boat run by a hired water contractor from Lake Oswego, Oregon.
We went over the details with stunt man Steve Myer about the river water recovery mission of him after his big jump. Steve would make the jump over the side into the river. It was about a twenty-foot drop to the water. He had the look-alike wardrobe on to appear as Clint Black was dressed for his movie part. Although the Columbia River water temperature was near seventy degrees warm, Steve wore a lightweight, shorty wetsuit underneath his wardrobe attire for floatation assistance and hypothermia protection.
I was prepared to enter the water as necessary to secure Steve, if circumstances developed requiring such action. Otherwise, we would bring the Zodiac close to him and pull him into the craft over the side gunnel.
The stunt went off without a hitch. The film cameras positioned on the Mark Marine Service tugboat MT Patricia and on the “ANNABELLE” got the footage they needed. Steve Myer was soaking wet but overall, no worse for the ware.
We pulled in alongside the “ANNABELLE” and off-loaded our gear from the inflatable Zodiac boat. Clint Black was standing there waiting for us to get back on board. He told me he had been practicing for this stunt down in his home in Texas by jumping off some high rocks into his favorite swimming hole, just in case they called upon him to perform the deed.
Hollywood doesn’t take chances with their “Talent” doing major stunts.
The next day, a stunt scene was scheduled using veteran stuntman Mic Rodgers. He was the stunt double for the leading actor in the movie, Mel Gibson. Mick had done all the stunt work for Mel Gibson in the multiple “LETHAL WEAPON” films made in the previous years. These movies had enjoyed wide audience acclaim and produced big box-office revenues.
This stunt called for Mel Gibson to climb up on the siderail, swing on a flag pennant out and over the stern paddlewheel and escape capture from some bad guys. He would swing out and around, over the stern paddlewheel in mid-air and then land back on board the deck of the vessel where he would continue the fracas.
The stunt coordinators used a small steel cable with handles hidden within the ornamental flag pennant which was attached to a reinforced steel stanchion flag staff post. The danger to the stuntman was if things went awry with any features of the trapeze rigging. If that happened, Mic would find himself landing rapidly on the rotating wooden and iron sternwheel and then find himself floundering somewhere underwater astern of the vessel before the wheel could be stopped.
The Zodiac recovery boat and pilot, with the safety diver, were to remain close astern to the fully underway sternwheeler, cruising against the strong and rapid Columbia River currents and the undulating swells generated by the swiftly rotating sternwheel powering the tugboat. We were carefully instructed to stay out of the camera view area for the scene filming. It was the safety diver’s responsibility to locate and recover Mic Rodgers from the river water as quickly as possible if things got ugly.
Fortunately for Mic Rodgers and the in-water safety boat pilot and diver, the stunt went off without a hitch in one take. All the camera footage was captured from the various camera vessel location angles and it was a wrap for the scene.
The final day of shooting on the river location involved another man-overboard stunt. The actor was Denver Pyle, who had played in many western films and television series over the last few decades. He was known for playing the role of “Uncle Jessie” in the television series “DUKES OF HAZARD.” At this time in his career, the older Denver Pyle’s bodyweight had gone up substantially.
Stuntman Steve Myer was a smaller guy. He had to stuff himself full with pillows and padding for the stunt to make himself look as large as Denver Pyle. All that extra padding would make it more difficult to recover Steve from the river after he made his jump.
At the proper twilight, sunset time of the evening, Steve made his jump over the side. It was essentially a repeat of the stunt he had done earlier in the week for Clint Black, but this time, with the extra puff and padding. Steve was instructed to make a rapid running motion with his legs in mid-air as he made his falling descent into the creek for a little comic relief for the movie. He landed well. We quickly moved in and pulled him on board the Zodiac inflatable and out of the river. He was soaking wet and very heavy with all that water drenched padding on his body. We managed to get him into the boat and headed back alongside the “ANNABELLE” to offload. That finished the final shot for the movie and things were a wrap for the filming location on the Columbia River.
The next scheduled location shoot for the movie was Monument Valley, Arizona, and the big move of the crew immediately commenced. Paul and Craig used their DB Amazon floating crane barge to help offload all of the movie making equipment and associated support gear from the various tugboats to the landing onshore at Dodson. I helped with rigging the cargo on board the “ANNABELLE” and Craig ran the crane, swinging each load safely to the beach. It took several hours to get everything offloaded.
I enjoyed working with the stuntmen and appreciated Paul Mark and his family making a way for me to be involved in the process.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5eMcFUD-vXI
Maverick Clint Black – A Good Run of Bad Luck HQ
“Clint Black song from the soundtrack “A Good Run of Bad Luck” Maverick is a 1994 American Western comedy film directed by Richard Donner, written by William Goldman, and starring Mel Gibson, Jodie Foster and James Garner. Based on the 1957-1962 television series of the same name created by Roy Huggins and originally starring James Garner, the film stars Gibson as Bret Maverick, a card player and con artist who collects money in order to enter a high-stakes poker game. He is joined in his adventure by Annabelle Bransford (Foster), another con artist, and Marshal Zane Cooper (Garner), a lawman. The supporting cast features Graham Greene, James Coburn, Alfred Molina and many cameo appearances by Western film actors, country music stars and other actors. Released theatrically by Warner Bros. on May 20, 1994, the film was both a critical and commercial success, having grossed over $183 million worldwide. It was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Costume Design.”
Mic Rodgers would perform a very dangerous stunt for the MAVERICK MOVIE down in Arizona that nearly ended in tragedy. You may see the YouTube interview and film footage of Mic explaining the scene and performing the stunt here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vrsGqm7kdyk
“MAVERICK” Death defying stunt recalled by stuntman Mic Rodgers
“A wild action sequence on Mel Gibson’s 1994 feature “Maverick” was a near death experience for stuntman Mic Rodgers in a tribute to stunt legend Yakima Canutt. Relive the action with Mic and host Rob Word on A WORD ON WESTERNS!”
Movie stunt work is a very dangerous and exacting craft. The Hollywood stuntmen are professionals. If they get hurt and busted up doing stunts, then they don’t work and get paid until they heal up and go back to work. Lee Majors starred in the television series from 1981-1986 called, “THE FALL GUY.” The lyrics from the show theme song pretty much summed up the life of a Hollywood stuntman. You may listen to the theme song from the television show here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IeoZK5kzTmM
Lee Majors 1982 — Unknown Stuntman (Theme from “The Fall Guy”)
Theme from the TV series “The Fall Guy” (1981-1986). Lyrics:
Well, I’m not the kind to kiss and tell, But I’ve been seen with Farrah I’ve never been with anything less than a nine, so fine I’ve been on fire with Sally Field, gone fast with a girl named Bo But somehow they just don’t end up as mine… It’s a death-defying life I lead, I’ve taken my chances I’ve died for a living in the movies and tv But the hardest thing I ever do is watch my leading ladies Kiss some other guy while I’m bandaging my knee I might fall from a tall building, I might roll a brand-new car ‘Cause I’m the unknown stuntman that made Redford such a star I’ve never spent much time in school, but I taught ladies plenty It’s true I hire my body out for pay, hey hey! I’ve gotten burned over Cheryl Tiegs, blown up for Rachel Welch But when I wind up in the hay, it’s only hay, hey hey! I might jump an open drawbridge, or Tarzan from a vine ‘Cause I’m the unknown stuntman, that makes Eastwood look so fine They’ll never make me president, but I got the best first ladies Somedays I’ve got’em as far as the eye can see – ouee A morning drive with Jacky Smith, a crash in the night with Cheryl But in the end they never stay with me I might fall from a tall building, so Burt Reynolds don’t get hurt I might leap a mighty canyon, so he can kiss and flirt While that smooth talker’s kissing my girl – I’m just kissing dirt Yes, I’m the lonely stuntman, that made a lover out of Burt.
Safety Diver work is generally quite boring because you spend your time waiting on the sidelines and essentially out of the action. Working on the MAVERICK MOVIE location set was an exception to the rule. I got the opportunity to meet and talk with James Garner, the original Maverick. I got to meet and talk with some of the best stuntmen in Hollywood. I got to see and talk with the volunteers running the refurbished MT PORTLAND down in the boiler-room. And, I actually got paid well for the opportunity. What more can I say but thank you to Paul Mark, Craig and Judy for the wonderful opportunity and the experience at Dodson, Oregon in 1993!
