Everyone has a story to tell in the making of the FAME film.
What's yours?
What's yours?
Jill Simons Salerno - Class of '79 - My senior year at the HS of Music and Art was filled with wonderment and happiness….and just when I thought it could not get any better, there were whispers about the people who had been walking around the building. They seemed to be everywhere. They were peeking into classrooms, practice rooms, art rooms as well as the gyms and cafeteria. They even showed up at our concerts. As the whispers got louder and the news started to spread, we found out that a prominent producer was interested in making a movie about our school, as well as our sister school! This literally was music to our ears!
I came from a family that knew about show business, but not necessarily the movies. This was very exciting news! My father had been a Musical Conductor, Arranger, Composer and I had been around famous people all my life, but this was different. As it turned out, the producer liked what he saw at the schools and was opening up the audition process to the students of our schools! My best friend and I were very involved with assisting in the music office and we asked about helping the producer in any way possible. We were told we could help, and we were psyched!
I came from a family that knew about show business, but not necessarily the movies. This was very exciting news! My father had been a Musical Conductor, Arranger, Composer and I had been around famous people all my life, but this was different. As it turned out, the producer liked what he saw at the schools and was opening up the audition process to the students of our schools! My best friend and I were very involved with assisting in the music office and we asked about helping the producer in any way possible. We were told we could help, and we were psyched!
The auditions were held as what we soon learned to be a “cattle call”. The auditions took place after school and on Saturdays, and we were there to help! There were hundreds of people who showed up for the different parts in the movie. Besides our friends from school, there were dancers, singers, instrumentalists and more. We were involved with checking people in, collecting their headshots from them as well as photographing those who the producers found “interesting”. The best part was that we got to audition too! My father put together a lead sheet just for my audition, (I sang “I Got Love” from the show PERLIE) and when I handed it to the man at the piano, he said he recognized my Dad’s work! (It certainly is a small world!)
Needless to say, I was not picked for a lead part, but I was chosen for the Girls Chorus scene as well as the Finale scene. (I Sing The Body Electric) The summer after graduation, those of us who were not away for the summer, reunited at a recording studio as we were going to record the parts that we were then going to sing along with while filming. This was very Hollywood to me!
When we actually filmed the scenes, we filmed at a school that was no longer being used as a school. After looking around the building we were in, we found that a lot of the spaces in that school had been rebuilt to look like the practice rooms and dance studios that were actually in our schools. We went to a room, and learned the music and words for the finale.
Both of the scenes I was in for “Fame” were filmed after my graduation from Music and Art. I was now a freshman in college, and I was able to come home for a few days just for the filming. It was fantastic…(except for when the dancers fell and/or we didn’t all stand up at the same time to sing!) This entire “Fame” memory is right up there with one of the best experiences of my life!
Needless to say, I was not picked for a lead part, but I was chosen for the Girls Chorus scene as well as the Finale scene. (I Sing The Body Electric) The summer after graduation, those of us who were not away for the summer, reunited at a recording studio as we were going to record the parts that we were then going to sing along with while filming. This was very Hollywood to me!
When we actually filmed the scenes, we filmed at a school that was no longer being used as a school. After looking around the building we were in, we found that a lot of the spaces in that school had been rebuilt to look like the practice rooms and dance studios that were actually in our schools. We went to a room, and learned the music and words for the finale.
Both of the scenes I was in for “Fame” were filmed after my graduation from Music and Art. I was now a freshman in college, and I was able to come home for a few days just for the filming. It was fantastic…(except for when the dancers fell and/or we didn’t all stand up at the same time to sing!) This entire “Fame” memory is right up there with one of the best experiences of my life!
Frank J. Oteri - Class of '81 - Though now with almost 40 years hindsight, I’d hardly consider it highlight of my life, I too was in this film performing a section of a dreadful (though at the time I thought it was the be all end all, ah youth) song I had composed, more of which wound up in the film than I think Alan Parker wanted but he was sick of me starting it earlier than he wanted me to after endless takes in a room at the former Haaren High School (which was made to look like M&A after our then principal Richard Klein refused to let Parker film at M&A because he thought the movie was obscene). To this day I get royalty checks in the mail which come close to $20 a year which admittedly doesn’t go very far these days, but hey…
I continue to compose music (stuff I feel more strongly about than what I played in the movie and for which I do somewhat better economically) and it gets performed from time to time in NYC and elsewhere. I also travel around the world advocating for new music and creating opportunities for a broad and diverse a range of musical creators.
Deena Anderson - Class of '79 - Myself and fellow classmate Anthony Evans recorded a duet of Beethoven's Fifth last movement for the piano classroom scene. I can be scene at the very beginning of the scene playing piano in a classroom setting with others, don't blink. :) I may not be recognizable; I had a small afro. Anthony and I recorded the piece like 10 times with overdubs so the soundtrack sounded like a full class playing the piece. I haven't seen the film in so long, so I can't remember the context. Also, I appeared in the Fame TV pilot shot in NY; also a piano classroom scene, with a silent bit with a fellow pianist.
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Thais Hockaday - Class of '80 - I actually auditioned for the movie, however, it was my performance with the Gospel Chorus Semi-Annual Concert that made the phone ring. I got a phone call from Pam Adler, casting. I was told that they were impressed with my performance and wanted to record "Never Alone," my solo, in the movie. I was shocked, amazed and a little frightened. That was a magical night. Anthony G Evans, director, arranger and pianist taught most of the songs. Other notable musicians who accompanied the Gospel Chorus include Cliff Branch, Terry Burrus and John Adams. I forgot who played bass and drums. I mentioned the musicians because they were incredible that night as well. Although my solo was recorded in a major recording studio, it was not included in the movie. I was devastated. I cried my eyes out in homeroom when I found out. I also participated in the pilot. It was a wonderful experience.
Paul Magadia - Class of '79 - I was an extra in a freshman string class where the teacher is yelling at Bruno to hold his bow "with a little respect!" I am also playing the violin in the Finale.
Leslie Cohn - Class of '79 - I also worked on the production end. My unofficial title was assistant to the assistant director. Basically it meant I was a gofer. Actually learned a lot during the audition process.
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Stephanie Hatcher - Class of '82 - One of the only freshman’s from M&A...I too was in the Body Electric scene playing the Tuba in the orchestra as well as other scenes. Kevin Windley was the only other M&A freshman.
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John A. Adams - Class of '79 - The school was Haaran High School. That was where I spent my last day on set. Gene and I sat in he balcony area most of the time. They were setting up the shoot for Body Electric. It was the last time I saw him. I wasn’t needed on set after. My check for that day was something like $273. After that was the premiere, which I didn’t attend. I heard it was hysterically funny. With M&A on one side of the theatre (Ziegfeld) and PA on the other.
I was extra, non-SAG/AFTRA, I didn’t sing or play on the recordings and I wasn’t in the Body Electric so I don’t think I’ll be getting a check. I was asked if I would like to participate in the recording but I (unwisely) declined. Deena Anderson took it on instead I believe.
I was extra, non-SAG/AFTRA, I didn’t sing or play on the recordings and I wasn’t in the Body Electric so I don’t think I’ll be getting a check. I was asked if I would like to participate in the recording but I (unwisely) declined. Deena Anderson took it on instead I believe.
Ladd Boris - Class of '81 - They pulled a number on us! They found a way to work around making some SAG who were "only" singing. I remember getting something like $25 to sing on Never Alone. I am not sure what determined who got what. I do remember having a DAY PLAYER CONTRACT which gave me 1% of 90% for residuals.
I think the majority of residuals we receive now is under the category of: FREE TV Anyway...I Never thought I would be getting the $100-$200 a year, STILL almost 39 years later!!! teeheehee!!
I think the majority of residuals we receive now is under the category of: FREE TV Anyway...I Never thought I would be getting the $100-$200 a year, STILL almost 39 years later!!! teeheehee!!
Mimi B. Francis - Class of '? - Hey there. I was an extra. See myself in the choir scene when Leroy was destroying the glass cases. We were singing a section of Rossini’s choral piece. I never got any residuals though. Was I supposed to? Missed Body Electric since I had to go to college.