Remember that feeling you would get as a little kid, the night before Christmas? You laid in your bed wide awake, your heart racing with anticipation all night as you awaited dawn’s arrival so you could tear down the staircase and see the loot Santa left for you?
Who knew Lincoln could be so hot? Daniel Day Lewis portrays our beloved President.
Waiting for Steven Spielberg’s ‘Lincoln’ to be released in theaters, nationwide in November, is a little like that for our family.
A few good men…Michael Marunde, Doc Gillespie and the Mr. taking a break on set.
Last fall, my husband (the Mr.) was another casualty to the economic downturn and was downsized from his job. Not knowing what to do for extra income while he feverishly applied for work, I suggested that he attend an open casting call downtown, in Richmond, VA. Having NEVER done anything of the sort before, I wasn’t sure if he’d go…but he went and said the casting director said his hair was “perfect.” Who knew the guy had “perfect” hair for 1865? Two months went by and he heard nothing. Then one night, we were sitting on the sofa watching the history channel on tv and I turned to him and said, “I’m really surprised that you didn’t get a call back. I really thought you had ‘the look’ that they were going for.”
I love this photo. The Mr. hamming it up with fellow extra (and bandmate), Gregg Brooks.
The very next evening he got the call from the casting director. He was to film for two and half months as an extra…a clerk in the house of representatives. Needless to say, we were elated!
Sneak peek…we caught the Mr. in the trailer for the movie!
During the first week of filming, the Mr. came home to tell me that he finally got to see the “warehouse” where they stored all of the antiques used on the set. He said there was furniture literally stacked on top of each for as far as you could see. I wanted to pass out. I wanted to sneak on the set with him. I wanted to get a job shopping for props for the movie. I wanted to at least talk to the people who were shopping for props for the movie. I asked all of my antique dealer friends about which pieces were bought from where. It was completely fascinating.
Yours truly visiting the Mr. on the set, with my step-son, Silas.
After the movie was done filming in December of 2011, I can remember asking my husband what they were going to do with all of that beautiful period furniture? Sell it? Give it away? Take it with them to Hollywoodland?? A few months went by and a local auction house in richmond had labeled some of the goods in an upcoming auction online as “civil war era movie props.” Hmmmm…..
Civil war tent (reproduction)
Union banner…maybe for a street scene?
Will we see Mary Todd Lincoln (portrayed by Sally Field) riding in this buggy?
Beautiful reproduction period curtains…maybe for an Oval Office?
Antique settee…
- Will we see this gorgeous antique screen in a bedroom scene?
Antique shaving mirror…would have sat on top of a man’s dresser. c. mid – late 1800′s
Sally Field, Tommy Lee Jones, Joseph Gordon-Levitt and James Spader are just a few who we’ll see in this star studded cast. According to the Mr., everyone he met on the set was very friendly. The Mr. also told me that the last day of filming was a pretty emotional day, not only for the cast, but also for the director. The Mr. said Mr. Spielberg graciously thanked everyone for being involved in the project and that he seemed “visibly” moved by everyone applauding him. Nice to know that such a creative genius is also a great person.
Well, I never did get to see the magical warehouse of antique movie props (be still my heart), but I’ll be able to see them when the film opens on November 16th.
And if you were also lucky enough to be cast as an extra in this movie, tell us about it!
Copyright 2012. The Savvy Seeker blog by Erin Hurley-Brown. All Rights Reserved.
