Human Furniture anybody???

Well, they say whenever God closes a door, someplace he opens up a window. And since the door seems to have closed for awhile on my group tour business, magically my showbiz career has reopened in recent weeks as an "extra" or "background player."

Recently, I worked a 16 hour day on Law & Order SVU in the extreme New York August heat & humidity but I was just a background player (extra)...also known as "human furniture"--still it was fun. Other SAG extras were chatting on break about how we got our SAG cards and they were all amazed that I had starring roles (called "principals") on major national TV commercials, but until now, I had NEVER done "extra" or "background" work.

A few weeks back I registered with Central Casting, Grant Wilfrey Casting, and several other outfits and they began calling me almost immediately because a. I'm union, b. I'm tall with a normal appearance, c. I'm punctual and don't make waves.

I'd never done "extra" work before. Several years ago I was "Mr. TV Commercial" and received my SAG (Screen Actors Guild) union card and AFTRA (American Federation of TV & Radio) union cards by being selected as a star/spokesperson for products such as Burger King, Hoover Vacuums, General Nutrition Center (GNC), Odor Eaters, HGTV, and others. Check me out on www.youtube.com and enter "jim Dykes" on the search engine and you'll see a sample of my TV commercials from a few years ago.

Anyway, after 9/11, the TV commercial biz in NYC disappeared for awhile and my agent Ellen decided to leave the biz and teach Yoga (!!!), I turned my attention in recent years to my OTHER business (group tours of NYC) and I neglected the acting biz.
Isn't it strange how things go full circle? Since I have these union cards (which I busted my ass to get) I decided to use them, with all the tv & movies shooting around town.

Almost immediately, I was called to work on Law & Order SVU last month. My first scene was as a TV reporter on the courthouse steps. No audible lines of course, but a full day's work and pay. A nice catered lunch too. Also, all of my scenes were with the series stars...Mariska Hargitay and Chris Meloni. Both very nice. Both very professional and hard working. If 20 takes were needed in the 98 degree & Humid day, then they did 20 takes without complaining. The big problem with filming on the streets of New York I discovered was: traffic noise (cars, trucks, sirens, airplanes) and also bystanders that happen to wander into the sidewalk filming. Ah, New York...gotta love those REAL bystanders who pick their nose and stare into the camera lens, which is why they hire SAG union actors to play bystanders!

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