The Devil's Brigade

The Handsome Devil in the sunglasses is my Dad... I think this was at the LTM (MTC for all you youngins)

A bajillion years ago, my dad (known as Big Steve to fans and followers) was an extra in a movie. My dad was in college then and I imagine he weighed a buck 20 soaking wet. Add glasses. Add a 6'2 body with pants that didn't always meet his ankles... you have a movie star in the making. I've always been curious about this movie, and always assumed it probably wasn't that great. Thanks to the joy of Netflix, I was able to view this cinematic masterpiece. It isn't half bad.

The movie is a fictionalized version of WWII's actual Devil's Brigade (plucky group of American and Canadian soldiers that made of the first special services group). Filmed in Utah and starring big names (William Holden!) the movie utilized BYU students as extras. My dad was in two scenes. One when the Canadians come marching into camp (yeah, Big Steve was cast as a Canadian!) and one where there is a bar fight. Wikipedia (source of all you could ever want to know) even related how having BYU students as extras during that scene created some challenges as they didn't smoke or drink. They had to bring in smoke machines. Well, you can't see Big Steve in any of the footage, but I will take his word for it. Glad to know I wasn't the only one in the family to get a little creative during Final's Week.