An Orchestra in the Movies

It’s time for another Editor’s Choice, and it’s 90+ degrees here in Connecticut, with the humidity soaring off the charts. Too hot to consider something serious, so I thought I’d draw your attention to a fun article I wrote a few years ago when the New Haven Symphony (NHSO) and yours truly were in a movie with Robert (Bobby) DeNiro.
The movie was Everybody’s Fine, a Christmas offering that came and went in the theaters in about 2 weeks. The premise is that DeNiro, an aging widower, goes to visit his three kids unannounced. His son (played by Sam Rockwell) had told him that he’s the conductor of an orchestra when, in actuality, he plays percussion — the bass drum specifically. Our part of the movie was shot at Yale University’s Woolsey Hall, where the NHSO performs.
It was an interesting and long day, for which I got paid a little over $200, I believe. However, I’d like to thank the AFM for watching out for us, because the residual checks I received for several years afterwards amounted to a very significant chunk of change.
The article is full of photos, quotes, and amusing anecdotes. One of my favorites: during a break, I couldn’t resist and went over to Sam Rockwell and Scott Cohen (playing the conductor) who were sitting on the edge of the stage, and told them my favorite drummer joke. “What do you call a drummer without a girlfriend? Homeless.” They both just stared at me, with absolutely not a glimmer of comprehension.
But then, I probably wouldn’t get an actor joke.