Edmund Cosma
Edmund Cosma was 'background actor' or 'extra' in
the television series Tour of Duty ,
here he shares some of his memories about that time.
Q/. How did you get to be involved in Tour Of Duty ?
A/. I was working as a ‘Busboy’ in the Japanese Restaurant ‘Maiko ‘ at the ILIKAI Hotel, this was the hotel that the Cast and Crew ‘Set up shop’ …. , I heard that they were looking for “Extra’s” so I went and applied ....I remember that you had to just be available when the call came through, this was in days long before mobiles and I didn’t have a pager , Somehow I still managed to get the call… My manager at the time was very cool about it and said if they call , go , just let me know your not coming in and he would cover my shift.
Rare photo of the cast out of uniform and hanging out at the
Ilikai Hotel on Oahu
Photo Credit Ramon Franco
Q/. Were you already working is an actor/extra?
A/. No I wasn’t part of the Actors Guild
Q/. Did you need to join once you were hired ??
A/. No was just hired as non union
Q/. Had you worked on any other shows ?
A/. I went on a casting call for ‘ War and Remembrance ‘ we were due to
start filming out on a boat, on the west side of Oahu , but after an
hour on the boat ,the shoot was called off due to a diver seeing sharks
in the water
Q/. Did you get hired by Nevada Spencer , who owned
Island Talent Casting ?
A/. Yes I was hired through Nevada Spencer’s Island Talent Agency
Q/. How did you get hired, did you have to ‘audition’ at all?
A/. Not really Like I said no real audition more like be just be available when the call comes ,,,
…………..I had one part they were looking for a male Bartender, they asked if anyone wanted to audition ,so I did ,
I didn’t get the part,,
Q/. How was your day on set ?........ Did you get directions about what you had to do…?
A/.……Most time we showed up on set, get dressed by wardrobe and then they told us what back ground part to do.
Q/. You mentioned you played VC and a tribesman in Paradise Lost ,
How many other episodes where you in ? 5 episode
Edmund do you know which other ones you were in ??
A/. I am in 4 episodes ,,,, almost 5..
UNDER SIEGE ,
BLOOD BROTHERS ,
THE SHORT TIMER ,
PARADISE LOST ,
THE HILL
,,,I'm not sure where I was or what area I was in , I was a VC soldier involved in the attack,,,,,
,,,this part was filmed at a warehouse in Pearl City,,,,,, . Ruiz , Taylor and Baker are at a table,,,,I'm behind Baker rocking in my chair ,,,,,I'm also walking pass the table ...
....... The guy playing the 'Drug Lord' in real life was a Judge at the time ,,,,,,,,ain’t sure if he was joking but he told us “ if you end up in his court room he throw the book at you",,,,
I was part of the group of VC that attack the base ,
creeping up and choking a base guard and firing from behind the jeep,
(along with Louise Dushkin, she the one
who throws the satchel charge and gets shot and was also the
Vietnamese Maid.
I was lucky enough to be on set for 7 days filming for the episode Paradise Lost, there were lots of people involved in the episode. I played a dead VC early in the episode , with an arrow in my back , Zeke rolls me over. It's just after where he holds up the can of food.
As there were
lots of people in the village scenes ,
I got to dress the same everyday
for the Montagnard tribesman. You can spot me a few times,
Being
taught by Zeke with the
rifle shooting
one of the group saying "Bullet" ......
I'm carrying a chicken , when the animals and other supplies arrive.....
I'm in the back row watching the lip sync of Please , Please , Please...
Then finally when the young child, baby Suzy died, I go
to Horn and Zeke to get her.
The Hill
I was due to play a part, as they asked for six 'Extra's', but
when it came to it they only took 4 for the actual shoot.
Q/. Did you follow the show to the mainland for the 2& 3rd seasons ?
A/. No, I was only part of the first season,,,,, it’s a shame but it was still really cool to be involved,,,,
A/. Can you tell be a little about yourself ?
.....I've been living on three different Island's Oahu , Maui and Hawaii ( Big Island ) for the past 30 years.....
.......Hawaii ,, Honolulu in the mid 80's was great fun an awesome time ,,, You want go to the Beach , Jump on your moped ,,,
.....wish I'd saved more money LOL but when your young and getting TIP MONEY every night you don’t feel you were broke ...
,,,,,"I'd like to say that Being part of Tour of Duty was
great the cast and crew always friendly and nice ",,,,,.
,,,,,"A typical day started around 6:00 - 6:30am to meet up at
the Hotel to be driven to the Site Schofield Barracks in Wahiawa end by
daylight .. we burning daylight background , Camera , Action,,,,,"
,,,,, "The Main Actor ,,,we were told to not sit on their chair or
approached them but they were super nice "..
,,,,,Being on the set all day after Lunch Break 2:30 or 3:00 pm we had a Cookie break ,,,
''''''I’m not sure what episode but the special effect guy was playing around with a Bull Whip the crack of the Whip was being recorded for something,,,,during filming all the radio's went off ,, so there was no chance of one being heard during filming,,,,
,, I remember one time during UNDER SEIGE the main cast was playing Tag in the Dark ,,,,,,
,,,,,I was invited to the Casting Party at the Hotel ILIKAI Pool then I went onto a club after with a group including Tony Becker ....
,,,,,,,I'm
just Happy to be part of the show ,,,,,.
After that ,,,,Around 89 or 90 I went to Las Vegas and one of the Black
Jack Dealers there was an extra with me on Paradise Lost ,,, he was one
of the guys that did stunts a playing VC,,,, also working there was a
Night Club Manager I think his name was Rick ,,, another was a Bartender
...
,,,,,,you asked me about "did I take any direction from the director at the time?" .....I have no clue at the time I really wasn’t paying much attention, just having the time of my life,,,,
Just Enjoying the Moment ,,, Hawaii has that Present
Aloha and Lattas
Edmund Cosma
LOUISE DUSHKIN
MIKE KINOSHITA
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