Johnny Dark Movie Book

120 • After Johnny Dark, things that changed Chuck Tatum's life: Stayed in Hollywood as member of SAG. Drove race car scenes for Desilu and a TV pilot called "San Francisco Beat" in late 1950's. This was a Tom Telly and Warner Anderson. Chuck also became an actor. • Cars: They did not want a Kaiser Darrin b/c it was not a race car. • There is one scene in the movie where the leading car spun out. Tried this 6 times and car would not spin out. Coming to an intersection and that's where Botto pulled emergency brake to make the car spin. Car did perfect - couple of loops. • One time in Reno, they were filming but there was no crowd on the streets—and they wanted one. The Assistant Director asked Chuck to do loops in street - Chuck did them one way and then other, and the crowd poured out on street - perfect like the Assistant Director wanted. Scene of Chuck with his car doing loops is not in movie—but the crowd in the streets is. • Chuck and Tony Curtis stayed at the Riverside Hotel in Reno and at breakfast Chuck ordered cream of wheat. Tony had when he was growing up and loved it too, and for the next 2 - 3 days continued to order it. • Andy Botto, Chuck Tatum and Janet Leigh all from Stockton California. Andy was going to drive Janet in Chuck ’ s car but the Assistant Director ran over and refused. They couldn ’ t put Janet in the car because of insurance purposes—Janet Leigh was a "studio property" too. • Chuck was told he had the looks, size and stance to be an actor. He was told to join a civic group to learn acting - told by Assistant Director to do this too. Botto agreed and when Chuck told his wife she got him in touch with civic theater and got him the role of "Manion" - a deck hand in Mr. Roberts - a WWII Navy story. This started a small career in acting in civic theater. Over the years he's done 6 - 7 roles. • Chuck put his acting lessons to use doing automobile Pontiac commercials for a Pontiac dealership in Stockton he worked at. Did the same for Delta Pontiac and other agencies he worked for later. • Louis Tomei and Chuck Tatum had same room at Riverside hotel in Reno, Nevada. There were two to a room in Downtown Reno. Chuck does not think the hotel is there anymore. • Chuck says to remember “ Johnny Dark ” was a top notch - A - film in 1954. First, Tony Curtis, Piper Laurie, Don Taylor, Paul Kelly, Ilka Chase, Sidney Blackmer, Ruth Hampton, and Scatman Crothers, were A list stars. Next, the fact it was going to be a 3D film. Also, George Sherman was director who did over 100 films in Hollywood. This was not a B film. Universal promoted it as a top notch film. • Chuck says that filming of the racing scenes started after labor day race of 1953 and lasted 1 - 2 months later. Filming of the race scenes started and concluded in fall of 1953 - probably late September to late October/November.