philtbautista

After finishing up a gig on the Space Shuttle in Houston, I called Billy (Aerial Unit) and he says "We can use a guy your size, come on out!". So I was an extra: A Carrier Deck Hand, Iraqi Soldier, they guy who holds up the weight sign to the pilot, etc. Then one day Matthew the 2nd AD is looking for Charlie to set up a scene and says "Go tell Wardrobe to put you in Charlie's dress white's and get out here, we gotta set up this scene and Charlie's shooting another scene right now". So I did, and then became his Stand-In from there.

Got to meet some of the great actors like Lloyd Bridges & Ephraim Zimbalist Jr. before they both passed on, Charlie Sheen (of course) and John Cryer. I picked John up in my old yellow Cadillac Sedan one day while he was walking across the set in the rain. Told him to sit in the back "Limo" style! All were very nice to me, and very humble.

Back at Bill's (Badalato - EXP) house while he is cooking pasta for me and his son Billy (Aerial) I look on the table and there is a small leather bound photo album with the smallest gold letters that say "Top Gun". I look through it and there are all these Polaroids of the cast and crew in goofy poses on the set of Top Gun. Nothing big, nothing fancy, just your "typical" photo album sitting on the coffee table! Such great and humble Men and Women, from Bill, Billy, Doc, Richard, Lloyd, Charlie, John, Christie and Valeria et al. In fact, Billy had me shoot a spoof of Bill's (nonexistent) "Ego" where the cast all played along in the video. Went to Lloyd Bridges home and shot a very dramatic clip of Lloyd talking about Bill and his devotion to family (meaning also his "Film Family"). Charlie joked (in his clip) that Bill was so uptight and difficult to work with and that Bill (who is bald) had "hair" at the start of the picture! All great people! And I got to flirt with Valeria while we were eating a couple of times since I spoke a little Italian :-)

Phil Bautista, Austin TX

It was fun making this movie with Charlie as his stand-in again (did the same for Hot Shots!). Shooting it in reverse (long hair first, then short hair scenes later), sitting next to him with his pearl handled matching 45's he asks me "What do you think of this Movie, Phil?". He was always very nice and cordial to me. When I went back to the production office one day (me with long hair and him with short hair) he passes me (after shooting for days with both of us in long hair) and says "How's it going, Phil?". I didn't recognize him!

Shooting the scenes for the "Sonora" bike run were intense! We had one of the leading outlaw motorcycle gangs respond to our casting call and they spent the night on location so they could be in the front of the pack. Lots of other extras as bikers ("Weekend Warriors" - aka Lawyers, Engineers etc. all dressed out on their shiny HD's and brand new leather!), also showed up (took their place behind the Gang). I worked Security that day (no need for a stand-in if the Actor isn't on set), and had a few "extra" bikers come riding past me to get off the set saying they were afraid of or had been threatened by the Gang members. Probably mouthed off to some of the Gang!

A fun group to work with including Reno Thunder (Native American) who I miss today! The quintessential "Native". We did the "Jail" scene next to each other over and over and over! As I said, Charlie (and Linda) were very kind and nice to me. Great to work with/for.

Phil Bautista, Austin TX