Movies based or shot in Oklahoma?

[Stan Silliman]

The TV movie "Rise and Walk" was filmed in Oklahoma. It was also known as the Dennis Byrd story and had scenes in Bricktown and they used Owen Field for football field scenes to replicate the Meadowlands.

It was filmed in the mid-nineties and I had a chance to be an extra in a restaurant scene at Spaghetti Warehouse. But it involved waiting around for three hours so I opted out.

Here's a small snipet from the movie starring Peter Berg as Dennis Byrd.

Rise and Walk

Here's another scene with Kathryn Morris (star of Cold Case) from that movie: She's singing to Dennis Byrd

[Stan Silliman]

Why doesn't anyone bring up "Possums" starring Mac Davis shot entirely in Nowata and eastern Oklahoma. My brother-in-laws best buddy is Dennis Burkley who played "Orville" in the movie. If they need a heavy set redneck guy, Dennis usually gets the part. That is until recently when he lost 160 # and his movie career.

Barry Switzer had a cameo plus J. Max Burnett (writer and director) created a character based on Calvin Steves, the paper boy in Norman.

[Achilleslastand]

Why doesn't anyone bring up "Possums" starring Mac Davis shot entirely in Nowata and eastern Oklahoma. My brother-in-laws best buddy is Dennis Burkley who played "Orville" in the movie. If they need a heavy set redneck guy, Dennis usually gets the part. That is until recently when he lost 160 # and his movie career.

Barry Switzer had a cameo plus J. Max Burnett (writer and director) created a character based on Calvin Steves, the paper boy in Norman.

Dennis Burkley also played "Cal" on a years or twos worth of episodes of sanford and son. He was also in the movie mask among others.

[Dave Cook]

To expand on this topic a bit, what are your thoughts on how Hollywood portrays Oklahoma and Oklahomans? Is it often accurate? Do they take liberties with certain stereotypes?

This sort of irritates me when I notice this with foreign cities.

Just caught Hangover II and wasn't surprised they made Bangkok look like a third-world dump. There are some extremely 'hi-so' areas in this town with more money than you could believe but that wouldn't have fit into the plot. Instead, you come away thinking it's a cesspool.

[MattB]

To expand on this topic a bit, what are your thoughts on how Hollywood portrays Oklahoma and Oklahomans? Is it often accurate? Do they take liberties with certain stereotypes?

This sort of irritates me when I notice this with foreign cities.

Just caught Hangover II and wasn't surprised they made Bangkok look like a third-world dump. There are some extremely 'hi-so' areas in this town with more money than you could believe but that wouldn't have fit into the plot. Instead, you come away thinking it's a cesspool.

Don't know how "Hi So" it is, and haven't seen the flick, but I know they're well known for the child sex trade.

[kevinpate]

... If they need a heavy set redneck guy, Dennis usually gets the part. That is until recently when he lost 160 # and his movie career.

Well, I found his weight. Any y'all know his agent's number?

[Bill Robertson]

Sort of off the subject but this thread reminds me of something. Back in the early 70s we had a cabin on Lake Eufaula near the tiny town of Canadian. Some movie production company came in a built a pretty good size "old west main street" of full size buildings with interiors, not just false fronts. It was just the the NW of Canadian. There was some activity that looked like shooting of scenes off and on for a few years before it was all abandoned. Don't know if anything ever made it to a screen.

[Dave Cook]

Don't know how "Hi So" it is, and haven't seen the flick, but I know they're well known for the child sex trade.

LOL! Thanks for the irrelevant reply, Mattie. Run along now.

[SOONER8693]

Years ago (1990's) when Twister was being filmed in Guthrie I was an extra in a direct to video movie about the Barker Gang, also being filmed in Guthrie. At the time it was being called 'The Bloody Barkers' but was released as 'Public Enemies.' It starred Alyssa Milano, Theresa (sp) Russell and Chip (forget the last name). I got to be in several scenes and in a big gun battle near the end. One day while filming, all us extras got called over to the Twister set. But, unfortunately our scene got cut. I can see myself in 3 scenes in Public Enemies. It was a lot of fun and Alyssa and the others were extremely friendly to everybody. I have a pic with her somewhere. It was a terrible movie but a great time.

I was in that too, as an extra/stunt extra. Several of us from our gunfight/stunt group, Colonel Colt's Company, we did the shows at Frontier City through the 80's, were hired to be "squibbed", shot and die. They would pay us $300 the day we were "squibbed" and died. Due to budget restrictions, I beleive only 1 of our group was killed. Yes, we can be seen in several scenes as FBI men. The movie which was released as "Public Enemies" was a made for HBO movie. Have seen it on their a couple of times. Our group was also in on a movie made in the mid 80's in and around Guthrie about the life of Chris Madsen. It was made by a film company from Denmark. It was the story of his life in Denmark before he came to the US and became a lawman. Movie never appeared in the states, only in Europe. p.s. Eric Roberts was one of the stars in the "Barker" movie, along with a guy that was a "VJ" from MTV. back when MTV actually showed music videos. Looked him up, his name was Dan Cortese.

[MattB]

LOL! Thanks for the irrelevant reply, Mattie. Run along now.

Oh, gosh, you're right. I'm not nearly sophisticated enough to converse with you.
It's entirely relevant. One is hard pressed to tout the "Hi So" nature of a country that is the child-sex trade capitol of the world, pokie. Run along now.

[Dave Cook]

I've heard Oklahoma leads the nation in teen pregnancy, high school dropouts, 49th in student funding, ranks first in female incarceration, and finished dead last in overall health and fitness.

Just based on those statistics, I'm going to assume there is no way one can live a good life.

Of course, those of us that have been there know that is nonsense.

[MattB]

I've heard Oklahoma leads the nation in teen pregnancy, high school dropouts, 49th in student funding, ranks first in female incarceration, and finished dead last in overall health and fitness.

Just based on those statistics, I'm going to assume there is no way one can live a good life.

Of course, those of us that have been there know that is nonsense.

That's quite different from a society which is outwardly "Hi So" but, under a thin veil, a thriving child sex trade is not only allowed to persist, but tolerated.
But we're getting way off topic.

[Larry OKC]

The Torkelsons, 1991-92 (morphed into Almost Home, 1993) NBC

The show was a comedy about a sensitive 14-year-old girl who's mortified by her crazy-quilt unorthodox family. Dorothy Jane just wanted to be thought of as normal, like any teenager, but had a hard time doing so. Her father had walked out on the family and they were always short on money. Her perky, optimistic mom, Millicent ((Connie Ray)), saw sunshine everywhere. The rest of the family consisted of brothers - athletic Steven Floyd and studious Chuckie Lee, and sisters - spunky Ruth Ann and cute Mary Sue. They lived in a big rambling house in Pyramid Corners, Oklahoma. The name for the show came from a real Steven Floyd Torkelson who shared his bug collection and a first kiss with a little girl named Lynn Montgomery. She grew up to create the show some 30 years later.

The Torkelsons apparently turned out to be too down home for most people as it never found much of an audience in its original Saturday night timeslot and even less of one when it was moved to Sundays. After a second hiatus the series was revamped to return in February 1993 as Almost Home. For the new series the family moved to Seattle, where Millicent took a job as a nanny for the two spoiled teenage children of a widower ((Perry King)). Two of the Torkelson kids were lost in the move as they never appeared in Seattle and the show pretended they never existed. The new series, which mostly pitted conservative family values against liberal family values, did not do any better in the ratings and disappeared after 13 episodes.

William Schallert (the dad from the old Patty Duke show) played boarder Wesley Hodges, the Torkelsons took in to help make ends meet.

Pyramid Corners OK apparently is/was a real town in northeastern part of the state, "located north of Vinita and just south of Welch", in Craig County, on state highway 2

[jbrown84]

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1588898/

This is the next film that will shoot in OKC soon. From director Nick Cassavetes (The Notebook, Alpha Dog).

[CCOKC]

Somehow I got on the mailing list for this local casting director. In the past month I have gotten numerous e-mails about extras and bit parts in this movie and the one that was filmed in Stillwater.
http://www.freihofercasting.com/

[Bigrayok]

I watched the movie Pearl this weekend on OETA. It was about Pearl Carter Scott, the youngest licensed pilot in U.S. History. She was a Chickasaw girl from Marlow. I really enjoyed the movie and learned something new about an interesting person in Oklahoma history. The Chickasaw Tribe produced the movie and did a good job. This could have been a Disney type movie. I am glad it was made by local people who told the story well. I remember it showed at some theaters in the OKC area including the Oklahoma City Musuem of Art and I think, the Warren Theater in Moore. Good movie.

Bigray in Ok

[yukong]

They are back in Norman shooting a scene or scenes of "Yellow" at Hope Hall at Griffin Hospital.

[old okie]

Well, went to the new Crest at 104th & S. May this morning, and some company called Crazy Productions [or something similar to that name; I was in a hurry and didn't stop to memorize the info!] was shooting scenes of customers entering Crest. Yikes. There was a sign on the door that gave scant details, but read, "By entering this store, you are giving your permission to be filmed for this movie." Asked the cashier what it was all about, but he said all they knew was it "involved some guy who was on SNL." Had no name of movie, or name of actor? producer? Don't know if it's the "Yellow" flick...or something else. But I suspect it's the same group I saw filming a week ago in the empty field by the same Crest.

[yukong]

Wasn't able to see any of the shooting, as they were in Hope Hall. But it was the Second Unit there shooting some additional scenes. They were guarding the door to keep anyone from trying to get in. But they had a big crew there doing the shoot. It was quite interesting. Got to visit with one of the Cinematographers. He was from LA. Very nice guy. The crew was made up of people from LA and a lot of local folks. Was surprised that there were so many crew members from here. While I was talking to him, they were loading up some of the cameras and sound equipment. Man, it is a huge operation to just shoot one small scene. There were 75 or so people there. Several semi trucks. A semi-truck that had restrooms and other rooms. Food trucks, etc. They have been here for about 2 months shooting in various places and were on their way to Pauls Valley to shoot a scene on the side of I-35 at one of the exits. Were going to have some scene where the star gets stopped by police for something. The First Unit was in Pauls Valley all day shooting a scene at a house. This is the second time they have been shooting at Griffin Hospital/Hope Hall. Here are a few shots I took with my cell phone. Wanted to shoot some more, but they were giving me the stinkeye so I didn't want to push it.



The guy in the green shirt was the cinematographer I spoke to. They are loading his camera and dolly onto the truck. As a photography nut, it was interesting to see their equipment. I cannot imagine how much money in equipment was on that truck. The white truck was the lighting truck. It was loaded with all kinds of lighting equipment. There were two of those trucks. They also had a rented motorized boom truck that they had huge reflectors loaded on and they had it raised up outside the second and then third floor windows. As I was leaving, the red camera truck had already left, and a guy was loading another camera on a steadycam unit into a Ford Expedition. Not boxes, just loose. Was surprised about that. A camera unit that undoubtedly costs 10s of thousands, if not 100s of thousands of dollars, just thrown into the backseat of an Expedition. Didn't see any of the actors, as least not that I know. Was more interested in the mechanics of the thing.

[Larry OKC]

Well, went to the new Crest at 104th & S. May this morning, and some company called Crazy Productions [or something similar to that name; I was in a hurry and didn't stop to memorize the info!] was shooting scenes of customers entering Crest. Yikes. There was a sign on the door that gave scant details, but read, "By entering this store, you are giving your permission to be filmed for this movie." Asked the cashier what it was all about, but he said all they knew was it "involved some guy who was on SNL." Had no name of movie, or name of actor? producer? Don't know if it's the "Yellow" flick...or something else. But I suspect it's the same group I saw filming a week ago in the empty field by the same Crest.

There was something in the Oklahoman recently about it but I don't recall any details, will see if I can dig it up...

ON EDIT: here's the link http://newsok.com/former-saturday-ni...rticle/3580847

Thought there was another article about Crest more than the SNL guy but haven't run across it yet...

[old okie]

Thanks, Larry OKC! That's exactly the group I've seen these two times! Also explains why they are using "south side" locations since the main man works at OCCC!

Appreciate the info. I missed that story in the paper.

[ctchandler]

A couple of years ago a lot of filming was done at the Northwest corner of N. E. 63rd and Sooner road. They were there for over a month and made the old convenience store into what appeared to be a functioning store and gas station. They added gas price signs that reflected the prices of the time frame of their story. The signs are still there and show a price of a little over $1 per gallon. Does anybody know the name of the move?
Thanks, C. T.

[OKCisOK4me]

I was driving through the south lot of the state Capitol yesterday and a Guy flagged me down to tell me to drive slow cause they were shooting a movie. I asked if it was Yellow, but he said no. Anyone know?

[blendd]

The movie is called Just Crazy Enough - starring Chris Kattan - http://twitter.com/#!/ChrisKattan

Your pal,

blendd

[OKCisOK4me]

Cool. Thanks for the heads up. Heading to IMDB.com now!