The Time I Was In Ghostbusters 2

I was going through an old photo album last night, Modern Philosophers, and came across the photo on the left.  I thought it was time to share the story behind it with you.

That is me on the set of Ghostbusters 2, which was my feature film acting debut.  I’d acted in NYU student films, but this was my first Hollywood blockbuster.

As you can see, I was quite handsome and had some wild hair.  That’s clearly what caught the casting director’s eye.  Don’t you agree?

I’m not sure who the woman is in the photo.  Maybe a fan?  A Ghostbusters groupie?  There’s also the possibility it is the woman who would grow up to be my ex-wife.  Those wild acting days are a bit hazy right now…

My dorm at NYU was on the corner of Washington Square East, and Ghostbusters 2 shot a scene right outside its doors.  I was cast as “Screaming NYU Student Fleeing Ghosts”.  I didn’t have any lines, but in my mind, I had so many things my character wanted to say.  I’d also worked out a deep back story for him.

I’m still upset that I didn’t get an Oscar nomination.

Filming GB2, as those of us in the cast referred to it, was a blast.  There was an electricity in the air as we gathered on Washington Square East in the wee hours of the morning.  I probably had a morning class, but what did it matter?  I was a Film Major starring in the sequel to the greatest Ghost comedy of all time.

I didn’t need to go to class.

My big scene consisted of running down Washington Square East, take after take, screaming, and looking back over my shoulder at the Ghosts that were chasing me and my fellow cast members.

There were no actual Ghosts at the shoot.  Apparently, they would be added in later.  No problem for me, though.  I was able to play the scene as if my costars from the afterlife were right there.  The challenge only evoked a stronger performance out of me.

I do wish I had gotten the chance to meet Bill Murray.  He is one of my idols and all time favorite actors.  I would have loved to have talked out the scene with him, gotten his thoughts on the best way to flee a Ghost, and seen if I could have forged a bond with him that would have led to my character being added to other scenes.

Alas, there was no sign of Bill or any of the other Ghostbusters.  Again, I made that work for me.  I am certain that my character was the only one fleeing Ghosts in that scene, who was pondering where Dr. Venkman and the others were, and what I could do to find them.

Since I nailed my performance in GB 2, I decided that it was time to retire from in front of the camera, and focus my attention on screenwriting.

Sometimes, though, I still sense the Ghost of Acting chasing me wildly down the street…