The Parade

I was also a potential extra for the movie Parade that was made in Halstead, Kansas and I was 28. I waited in a long line to sign up and then I was selected and told when and where to be. I took off work to be a part of a scene that was to happen in the restaurant on Main street where Frederick Forest was suppose to be playing a part. After waiting and waiting, Frederick Forest and another actor decided to change the script. So they bussed all the extras to sit and wait at the American Legion, about 3 blocks from the restaurant, until they had it re-written. We waited and waited and everyone was getting impatient. Myself, and a son of the President of the Halstead Bank, decided it just wasn't worth the wait. We were told if we left we wouldn't get paid the $25 to be an extra but we didn't care so we left anyway.

Frederick Forest had his camper parked by the Halstead Library. When walking by in the afternoon, I asked the body guard if I could get his autograph. He said he was sleeping so I said, whatever and walked on by. I think the filming crew were not very friendly towards the people of Halstead, a population of a little over 2,000. I never did see any of the actors and I lived and worked in Halstead all during that time.

It was very hot during the filming of the movie and while using the band in the parade scene, some of the individuals got sick from the heat because they had to re-shoot the scene over and over.

I remember too that Stan had filming experience and was asked to critique the script, but his ideas were never considered. And I was also under the impression that it was a sequel or "take-off" from the movie 'Picnic' but I don't think it had anything to do with it.

I was an extra in this film when I was 13 years old. I lived in Halstead, Kansas at the time, and it was probably the weirdest extravaganza to ever occur in that town. I'm in the background of a scene with Rosanna Arquette, and I'm also in the 'Parade' scene in the band. It was a fun experience and I made more money than I'd ever seen before for two days of hangin around. I got to meet the members of 'Toto' as well, since the famous 'Rosanna' was there.

It's not a bad movie but it's not that good either. I can understand the characters, but it's not a good portrayal of small town life. My dad, a small town minister and former UCLA film student, was asked to critique the script, but they didn't take any of his ideas into consideration. At the time, it was rumoured that the film was some kind of tribute to 'Picnic' (1955, Bill Holden/Kim Novak, also filmed partly in Halstead), but if anything, it's an insult to make that comparison. It's just a standard TV movie from the 80s :)

Jasmine