Posted on 07/12/2002 11:48:06 AM PDT by drjimmy
By The Associated Press
WATERTOWN, Wis. (AP) - Mark Hamill, best known for playing Luke Skywalker in the original "Star Wars" trilogy, has replaced actor Rod Steiger, who died this week, in a movie filmed partially in Watertown. Steiger was cast as a small-town funeral director in the independent feature "Constricted." He died Tuesday of pneumonia and kidney failure at 77. The film's director had taken Steiger off the cast list a few weeks ago because of his illness, said Nick Langholff, location manager and a Fort Atkinson native. In his place, the director chose Hamill, who originally was cast to play a bartender.
Steiger won the best-actor Oscar in 1967 for "In the Heat of the Night" and earned acclaim for his portrayal of Marlon Brando's hoodlum brother in "On the Waterfront." The crew from Doomed Productions Inc. has been traveling between Jefferson and Dodge county communities shooting scenes for the film.
The movie revolves around a 36-year-old man who returns to his hometown to find his father has committed suicide. The funeral director begins to believe the suicide actually was a crime, and starts suspecting the son.
Shooting began June 9 and is expected to wrap up July 25. It could take six months to a year before the movie is released.
Apropos?
It must be Friday.
LOL! That brings back memories! I was working at Origin at the time of WC III & IV. Got to meet Mark and had a good long chat with him about everything except Star Wars. But I did get hime to sign my relic Star Wars poster. He's a nice fella ... but short. Very short. ;o)
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