Shooting with Paul Newman, from Author Ben Bryant’s “Circumstances Beyond My Control”


As I mentioned in a previous post we did the third Nissan shoot with

Paul Newman

at the Daytona NASCAR track. Even though Paul isn’t in this story he was a spectator and loved what happened.

BB Newman crop small

Author Ben Bryant with Paul Newman waiting for camera

Excerpt from Circumstances Beyond My Control, Chapter 20:

“Many of our New York crew guys worked several of the PMC shoots and Raffi Ferrucci, a gaffer, worked them all. The Japanese, of course, called him Laffi. I loved working with him. He is physically a small fellow but large in talent, creativity and sense of humor. My personal nickname for him was Ravioli Fettucine. Raffi had learned way more of their language than me or any of the other American technicians and they enjoyed talking with him.

“By this time, having worked maybe a dozen jobs with them, I knew a fair amount of words and phrases but I often spoke in pidgin Japanese to the delight of my US colleagues. On the second day of the Daytona shoot Raffi and his boys were lighting a tunnel under the stands for a shot of Paul [Newman] driving through to the track. I called him on my radio to check his progress. To finish our conversation I said, “Domo arigato” (thank you very much) to which Raffi replied, “Doy tashi maste.” (You’re welcome) I then went into my pidgin ‘Japanese’ grunts and gasps and immediately heard nearby laughter. Turning around I saw several of the Japanese crew (including their producer) standing by the camera car upon which lay a walkie-talkie.

“I was chagrined.

“They applauded.

“I took a bow.

“While we were having (catered on location) lunch that day a stretch limo emerged from the tunnel and stopped in the infield. The door was opened by the driver and a small, impeccably dressed, Japanese man got out. Our Asian compatriots rose and stood at attention as though they were troops and a General had arrived. The visitor was Mr. Akita, a very high executive of Nissan. The (Japanese) producer greeted Akita with extreme obeisance, they shook hands and spoke together briefly. He then brought Akita over to us and began the introductions of the Americans, beginning with Paul and ending with me.

“ ‘Mr. Akita, this is Ben-san, our first assistant director.’ We shook hands and did the little Japanese bow. With a grin, ‘Ben-san, speak Japanese for Mr. Akita.’

“Oh man, was I cooked! Fear of insulting the guy, fear that I’d accidentally say something profane in my pidgin patois I was paralyzed. Both the producer and Akita smiled and nodded so what was I to do? I had to say something. Out came my best Toshiro Mifune impression; thankfully it was brief. After what seemed an hour but was actually a few seconds during which I saw myself on the next plane to New York, both men laughed heartily and Akita shook my hand again and all the Japanese applauded again.”

Thank god the inscrutable Japanese have a good sense of humor!

Buy Circumstances Beyond My Control

Tags: , ,

Comments & Responses

Comments are closed.