# How many dopers have been in a movie. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 24, 2014, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-dopers-have-been-in-a-movie/684479 "2014-03-24T20:59:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![SandyHook](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dec6dc/32.png) [@SandyHook](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SandyHook)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2014, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-dopers-have-been-in-a-movie/684479/1 "2014-03-24T20:59:13Z")
How many (surely there must be a few, being such a worthy and good looking crowd) of you have been in a movie? Not just an extra but someone with an actual speaking part. Screaming while you die a horrible death counts as speaking. Extra points if the movie got any awards, even rotten tomatoes count here. ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2014, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-dopers-have-been-in-a-movie/684479/2 "2014-03-24T21:01:24Z")
Does a college student film count? We did a spoof of a WWII serial. I got the plum role of “Hans, The Nazi.” I not only got some speaking scenes, I got to belt “Captain Tom of the Army Air Force” and put the cute French farm-girl into a burlap bag. It also involved smoking a cigarette – I made up a pack of “Reichstag Lights.” ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2014, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-dopers-have-been-in-a-movie/684479/3 "2014-03-24T21:17:19Z")
Back in the '80s, I was in an orientation film shot for the historic site where I worked as a guide. In the last fifteen years or so, I was featured in several Russian full-length feature films, always as a sinister or dumb foreigner (no, I’m not going to give the titles here). ---
**Author:** ![SandyHook](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dec6dc/32.png) [@SandyHook](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SandyHook)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2014, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-dopers-have-been-in-a-movie/684479/4 "2014-03-24T21:21:25Z")
> [@Trinopus](#): > > Does a college student film count? We did a spoof of a WWII serial. I got the plum role of “Hans, The Nazi.” I not only got some speaking scenes, I got to belt “Captain Tom of the Army Air Force” and put the cute French farm-girl into a burlap bag. It also involved smoking a cigarette – I made up a pack of “Reichstag Lights.” Sure, why not. I assume at least some people watched it. When it was made, was the idea to try to get it released on a wider scale than just the college? ---
**Author:** ![Dale\_Sams](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/779978/32.png) [@Dale\_Sams](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dale_Sams)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2014, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-dopers-have-been-in-a-movie/684479/5 "2014-03-24T21:51:11Z")
While not credited, I do have a speaking role and 2 min scene in the CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED IMDB listed “The Stitcher”. A small step down from having performed in an original play by Heather Langenkamp’s father and meeting Tracey Lett’s mother. (That last sentence is to be read in Tom Servo’s voice) Edit: Now my best friend was in " Dead in Love" with Academy Award winner Margaret O Brien so…association and all you know. ---
**Author:** ![Algher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Algher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Algher)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2014, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-dopers-have-been-in-a-movie/684479/6 "2014-03-24T21:57:47Z")
Credited in a short film that hit a few 2nd tier festivals - but my spoken lines were dropped in favor of putting music over my scene instead. They were going to use it for the credits, but never did. ---
**Author:** ![Rushgeekgirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rushgeekgirl/32/3715_2.png) [@Rushgeekgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rushgeekgirl)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2014, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-dopers-have-been-in-a-movie/684479/7 "2014-03-24T23:11:29Z")
I co-wrote and starred in a film in 1982 called Pac Man Fever. Of course it was part of my CLUE class but it was shown to all the public schools in my city. I felt quite famous for a few weeks. ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2014, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-dopers-have-been-in-a-movie/684479/8 "2014-03-24T23:20:43Z")
I have an IMDB actor listing, though it’s for a film that’s a theme park attraction (essentially, a flight simulator). No speaking part, but I’m clearly identifiable. Downside is that it’s not readily viewable anywhere (it’s also in 3D so YouTube versions–they’re out there thanks to cel phones–are all fuzzy). Upside is that the ride will probably be there at least a decade, if not more. ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2014, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-dopers-have-been-in-a-movie/684479/9 "2014-03-25T00:09:35Z")
> [@SandyHook](#): > > Sure, why not. I assume at least some people watched it. When it was made, was the idea to try to get it released on a wider scale than just the college? Well, there were dreams… The fact it, the knee-walking turkey wouldn’t have made it on MST3K, let alone in a real student film festival. But, hell, we had a lot of fun! (In the big fist-fight between me and the hero, I slipped up and actually biffed him a good one on the lip with a left cross. Oops! But, doggone, that looked great on film!) ---
**Author:** ![SandyHook](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dec6dc/32.png) [@SandyHook](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SandyHook)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2014, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-dopers-have-been-in-a-movie/684479/10 "2014-03-25T00:33:58Z")
> [@Trinopus](#): > > (In the big fist-fight between me and the hero, I slipped up and actually biffed him a good one on the lip with a left cross. Oops! But, doggone, that looked great on film!) Well move over Clint Eastwood. ---
**Author:** ![Hockey\_Monkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a183cd/32.png) [@Hockey\_Monkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hockey_Monkey)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2014, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-dopers-have-been-in-a-movie/684479/11 "2014-03-25T01:36:31Z")
I was all excited to post till I read you are disallowing extras. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Sir\_T-Cups](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed655f/32.png) [@Sir\_T-Cups](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_T-Cups)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2014, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-dopers-have-been-in-a-movie/684479/12 "2014-03-25T01:45:14Z")
Someone here was in The Avengers. Not speaking, but you can clearly see him ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2014, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-dopers-have-been-in-a-movie/684479/13 "2014-03-25T01:52:17Z")
> [@Sir\_T-Cups](#): > > Someone here was in The Avengers. > > Not speaking, but you can clearly see him Was he an extra? We’re disallowing extras. ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2014, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-dopers-have-been-in-a-movie/684479/14 "2014-03-25T01:56:19Z")
> [@SandyHook](#): > > Well move over Clint Eastwood. It’s a variety of “method acting” not much subscribed to: actually hit people in fight scenes. ---
**Author:** ![SandyHook](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dec6dc/32.png) [@SandyHook](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SandyHook)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2014, 5:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-dopers-have-been-in-a-movie/684479/15 "2014-03-25T05:40:42Z")
> [@Trinopus](#): > > It’s a variety of “method acting” not much subscribed to: actually hit people in fight scenes. I understand that in the early days of film that was what they did. When you saw a fight in the early days you were seeing a fight. Same for wrecks and such like. ---
**Author:** ![Sir\_T-Cups](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed655f/32.png) [@Sir\_T-Cups](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_T-Cups)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2014, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-dopers-have-been-in-a-movie/684479/16 "2014-03-25T13:12:09Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > Was he an extra? We’re disallowing extras. Yes, yes he was. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2014, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-dopers-have-been-in-a-movie/684479/17 "2014-03-25T14:26:47Z")
> [@Sir\_T-Cups](#): > > Someone here was in The Avengers. > > Not speaking, but you can clearly see him Specifically, **Elendil’s Heir**. He’s in the scene at the opera house in Stuttgart (which was actually Cleveland 😉 ). But, yes, he’s an extra, no lines. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2014, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-dopers-have-been-in-a-movie/684479/18 "2014-03-25T14:47:42Z")
Almost. I was a volunteer at the Iditarod one year, and my job was to help keep people back when the teams were being brought up the street to the start line. It was a very cold February that year, so I was wearing a down parka, Sorrells, and a cross-fox hat, complete with tail. The whole ensemble was pretty studly and a lot of people took photos. PBS was filming a documentary on the race and the director approached me and asked me to holler “Move back! Dog team coming!” while they filmed it. I fluffed the line. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Moe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moe/32/2972_2.png) [@Moe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moe)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2014, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-dopers-have-been-in-a-movie/684479/19 "2014-03-25T14:50:12Z")
Does being in a documentary count? I was one of about 5 or 6 people featured in a documentary that just [premiered yesterday in Prague.](http://www.praguepost.com/cinema/37903-city-of-dreamers) about expat artists living in Berlin. ---
**Author:** ![SandyHook](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dec6dc/32.png) [@SandyHook](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SandyHook)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2014, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-dopers-have-been-in-a-movie/684479/20 "2014-03-25T18:26:30Z")
> [@Moe](#): > > Does being in a documentary count? > > I was one of about 5 or 6 people featured in a documentary that just [premiered yesterday in Prague.](http://www.praguepost.com/cinema/37903-city-of-dreamers) about expat artists living in Berlin. Absolutely, of course, certainly, it goes without saying, etc. Mostly because I’m the lead-in in a documentary coming out this fall (I think). It’s about Vietnam veterans and they taped me talking about a dream I had where I got killed. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-dopers-have-been-in-a-movie/684479.md?page=2)