Back in 2004 while we were casting and scouting locations for "A Tale
About Bootlegging",
We were in the little mountain town of Saluda, NC. I was in Pace
General Store and the owner
Robert Pace asked me if Pat Hingle was in it and I told him no, but I
would like to have him in it.
He told me how he and Pat went to school together way back yonder in
the good old days.
So he gave me Mr. Hingle's number.
I called him and told him who I was and how I came across him and that
I was interested in
having him in our movie. He asked me to send him a script, so I did.
He called me about a week later and said he loved it and wanted to be
a part of it.
He invited my associates and I to his home in Carolina Beach, NC
(right next to Wilmington)
We went to his home where he and his lovely wife welcomed us in warmly.
We chatted about the movie for a while then
He took us upstairs to his office where he had a lot of movie
memorabilia from his career,
he let us sit in his director chair from the Batman movies. (His wife
told us that he rarely took anyone
up to his office, we naturally felt very privileged and honored to be
there)
In his living-room he showed and let us hold his "Golden Boot Award"
he had recently received for his
contributions to "Westerns"
Now me being a mayberry fan had to mention TAGS, and he said he
thoroughly enjoyed doing that
episode and how he and Andy were good friends.
Then he told us how his mother and he was living in Georgia (I
Believe) and she moved back to her home town
of Saluda, NC and how he grew up there. I believe he said his
grandfather worked for the railroad
and drove the engine that helped trains up the Saluda Grade.
Saluda grade is the steepest railroad track east of the mississippi
(If I'm not mistaken)
Before we left he autographed some pictures and gave them to us, we
took some pictures with him on his back deck
overlooking the ocean.
After it was all said and done, he ended up not being in our movie,
due to conflicting shooting schedules, but
the day we spent a few hours with him will never be forgotten. I did
stay in touch with him and talked to his wife
back last year.
Pat Hingle was a very kind and generous man with great talent. He
will be missed
phil fox
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