behind the scenes: “greyhound”
Spring Break With The MArines:
It was my sophomore year of college and i was headed home for the weekend when I got the call. “Clear your schedule for the next 180 days. You've got bootcamp on tuesday.” I had one day to pack before heading to Baton Rouge, Louisiana to work for tom hanks. Upon Arrival, I had to go in for a buzz cut but before i got there I was met halfway by this old guy. He took a moment, looked me up and down and said: “I'm gonna make you cry lad.” That man was none other than our chief senior military advisor: Retired Marine corps captain Dale Dye, Three-time purple Heart recipient and the man behind “platoon,” “Band of Brothers,” and “Saving Private Ryan.” I was fired up. at 4:30AM the next day Captain Dye put us through the most rigorous 72 hours of our lives aboard the USS Kidd. I'd been cussed at a lot in my time, but to the Captain, it was an art form. He was the Picasso of functional Profanity. between the dawn runs on the levy, the overnight watches sending morse code, and being awoken by sirens in the middle of the night and timed to our battle stations, it was a time in my life that I will never forget. I loved Captain Dye as much as I hated him. there are very few on this earth that i respect more than him. It was an honor to learn under him and I consider it one of the highlights of my life.
The Legend Himself. Captain Dale Dye.
The Last Day on set before heading home.
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Tom Hanks & Chili:
I hate chili. can't stand it. I've never cared for beans and it looks like dog food. but, when you're standing on the starboard deck of a wwII Destroyer, surrounded by 80 other individuals all decked out in WWII naval gear, smoke and guns abaze, and tom hanks hands you his spoon to try a bite of his cup of chili, you take it. Never in my life have I had any other chili before or since. Why start now?
I could tell a hundred stories as a testament to the caliber Human that Tom is. Forget acting Chops. He's a good man and an honored friend. I don't know how In the world the good lord planned this thing out the way he did, but I couldn't be more grateful for the time i've had in this short life.
Getting Ready to block out a rehearsal.
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Midnight Jazz BAnd:
Chief Untz played our quartermaster in the film and lived an hour or so away. So sometimes instead of commuting, He'd crash at the hotel in my spare room. Well my buddy Keon Motakhaveri, another actor in the film, played a pretty mean saxophone and decided he wanted to buy a trumpet. So, naturally, at about 2:00Am it was only right that we sneak into the bedroom of the retired Special Forces operator who was fast asleep in my spare room to blast him with the horror that was my trumpet skills. What could possibly go wrong? We decided to setup to where in case he skitzed out and decided we were the emeny, we could promptly flee to the theoretical saefty of my room. when we blew those horns it sounded like elephants were being slaughtered in the Embassy Suites. by the grace of God we made it out with our lives and Cheif Untz was relatively entertained by our redneck midnight rendition of “Labamba.” What a life this has been.
Playing Guitar in Midships With Keon.
