1 00:00:03,440 --> 00:00:11,240 Speaker 1: This is an I Heart original January. The scene at 2 00:00:11,320 --> 00:00:14,960 Speaker 1: Magic Valley Mall in Twin Falls, Idaho can only be 3 00:00:15,000 --> 00:00:19,159 Speaker 1: described as bedlam for one thing. It's a mall in 4 00:00:19,200 --> 00:00:24,160 Speaker 1: the nineties. The windows are shiny, the floor is polished, 5 00:00:24,600 --> 00:00:29,200 Speaker 1: the water fountain is erupting. It's busy with shoppers streaming 6 00:00:29,280 --> 00:00:32,720 Speaker 1: in and out of stores like Hallmark Software, et cetera, 7 00:00:32,880 --> 00:00:38,680 Speaker 1: and Walden Books. Today at Magic Valley Mall is different. 8 00:00:39,680 --> 00:00:44,000 Speaker 1: It's not full of customers, at least not strictly customers. 9 00:00:44,520 --> 00:00:48,280 Speaker 1: It's packed with hopefuls. That's the word of the movie 10 00:00:48,280 --> 00:00:52,960 Speaker 1: industry likes to use for actors attending open auditions. It's 11 00:00:52,960 --> 00:00:58,440 Speaker 1: a little more polite than the other phrase, cattle calls. 12 00:00:58,480 --> 00:01:01,040 Speaker 1: Somewhere in the middle of Idaho is a group of 13 00:01:01,120 --> 00:01:05,679 Speaker 1: almost three thousand people gathering near a shop Co department store, 14 00:01:06,080 --> 00:01:09,600 Speaker 1: hoping to snag apart in the next Bruce Willis Blockbuster, 15 00:01:09,920 --> 00:01:12,039 Speaker 1: which is going to be shooting right here in the 16 00:01:12,120 --> 00:01:17,520 Speaker 1: Gem State. Suddenly there's even more commotion. Bruce Willis has 17 00:01:17,560 --> 00:01:21,800 Speaker 1: materialized out of thin air. He's submitting to the adoration 18 00:01:21,840 --> 00:01:25,919 Speaker 1: of the people, customers and fans and aspiring actors alike. 19 00:01:26,440 --> 00:01:31,040 Speaker 1: He's signing autographs and posing for pictures with disposable cameras. 20 00:01:31,080 --> 00:01:34,720 Speaker 1: Bruce Willis is live in the flesh in the mall, 21 00:01:35,600 --> 00:01:39,120 Speaker 1: even consent to some interviews with television reporters there to 22 00:01:39,200 --> 00:01:42,640 Speaker 1: cover the casting call. That probably should have been the 23 00:01:42,680 --> 00:01:48,040 Speaker 1: first clue that something was a little off. After about 24 00:01:48,040 --> 00:01:52,560 Speaker 1: an hour of this, another Willis appears. It's David Willis, 25 00:01:52,760 --> 00:01:56,680 Speaker 1: the movie stars brother and a producer on his new film. 26 00:01:56,800 --> 00:02:01,360 Speaker 1: David looks at Bruce, Bruce looks at David. It David 27 00:02:01,440 --> 00:02:07,440 Speaker 1: realizes that this isn't Bruce Willis. It's a Willis impostor 28 00:02:07,440 --> 00:02:11,480 Speaker 1: who decided to have some fun with fans and journalists. 29 00:02:12,240 --> 00:02:15,320 Speaker 1: It took Willis's brother to call him out and have 30 00:02:15,440 --> 00:02:21,320 Speaker 1: him escorted off the premises. It's a peculiar story, but 31 00:02:21,400 --> 00:02:24,680 Speaker 1: the people hoping for a chance at stardom, at least 32 00:02:24,760 --> 00:02:29,799 Speaker 1: a brush with stardom, aren't really attuned to that. They 33 00:02:29,800 --> 00:02:32,400 Speaker 1: don't know the real Bruce Willis isn't about to make 34 00:02:32,400 --> 00:02:35,760 Speaker 1: another die hard. They don't know he's about to embark 35 00:02:35,919 --> 00:02:41,120 Speaker 1: on what is easily the strangest, riskiest project of his career. 36 00:02:42,000 --> 00:02:44,440 Speaker 1: But Bruce Willis is so sure he's got a hit 37 00:02:44,480 --> 00:02:47,840 Speaker 1: on his hands that he's decided to do something virtually 38 00:02:48,000 --> 00:02:52,720 Speaker 1: unheard of for actors to self financed the project. He's 39 00:02:52,800 --> 00:02:56,560 Speaker 1: producing it, starring in it, filming it just an hour 40 00:02:56,720 --> 00:02:59,919 Speaker 1: from his house, and recruiting Idahoans to be a part 41 00:03:00,040 --> 00:03:04,320 Speaker 1: to them. If it works, Bruce Willis will not only 42 00:03:04,400 --> 00:03:08,320 Speaker 1: bring a financial windfall to Idaho, he'll change the way 43 00:03:08,360 --> 00:03:13,760 Speaker 1: movies are made forever. If it doesn't, well, maybe he 44 00:03:13,800 --> 00:03:17,600 Speaker 1: can blame it on the impostor for I Heart Radio. 45 00:03:17,960 --> 00:03:22,720 Speaker 1: This is Haleywood and I Heart original podcast, I'm your 46 00:03:22,720 --> 00:03:26,520 Speaker 1: host Danis Schwartz and this is episode six a Bruce 47 00:03:26,560 --> 00:03:35,800 Speaker 1: Willis production. From the public's perspective, there weren't many downsides 48 00:03:35,840 --> 00:03:39,600 Speaker 1: to being Bruce Willis in the nineties. He was a 49 00:03:39,640 --> 00:03:43,520 Speaker 1: bankable star in action movies. He was married to Demi Moore, 50 00:03:44,040 --> 00:03:46,839 Speaker 1: and he had a getaway in Haley that had been 51 00:03:46,840 --> 00:03:50,160 Speaker 1: tailored to suit his every whim, from his own movie 52 00:03:50,200 --> 00:03:54,880 Speaker 1: theater to his own diner. But Willis was getting frustrated. 53 00:03:55,680 --> 00:03:59,120 Speaker 1: He'd been churning out movies like Mercury Rising, where he 54 00:03:59,160 --> 00:04:03,600 Speaker 1: protected antistic child who had cracked a top secret government code, 55 00:04:04,120 --> 00:04:07,360 Speaker 1: and Color of Night, which gave audience as their first 56 00:04:07,400 --> 00:04:12,600 Speaker 1: ever glimpse of Bruce Willis's genitals. Audiences would have seen more, 57 00:04:13,160 --> 00:04:15,880 Speaker 1: but the ratings Board threatened to give the movie an 58 00:04:16,000 --> 00:04:21,680 Speaker 1: NC seventeen classification. Not long after, Willis announced he was 59 00:04:21,760 --> 00:04:26,560 Speaker 1: getting bored with action movies, with genre movies, with not 60 00:04:26,640 --> 00:04:29,200 Speaker 1: being allowed to show his penis for the sake of art. 61 00:04:30,240 --> 00:04:35,080 Speaker 1: He hadn't been celebrated for his acting prowess since Pulp Fiction, 62 00:04:35,480 --> 00:04:39,599 Speaker 1: in which he played boxer Butch Coolidge for director Quentin Tarantino. 63 00:04:40,440 --> 00:04:44,120 Speaker 1: Willis bristled when people referred to him as an action hero. 64 00:04:44,720 --> 00:04:47,920 Speaker 1: He'd asked them what they meant by that by action hero. 65 00:04:48,640 --> 00:04:51,360 Speaker 1: He said it in italics like it was an insult. 66 00:04:52,000 --> 00:04:54,800 Speaker 1: He said that in action movies he didn't feel like 67 00:04:54,839 --> 00:04:58,040 Speaker 1: he was doing his best work, so he decided to 68 00:04:58,080 --> 00:05:02,080 Speaker 1: take more control. He knew the best place to demonstrate 69 00:05:02,120 --> 00:05:05,440 Speaker 1: his acting ability was where he had gotten started, on 70 00:05:05,680 --> 00:05:10,919 Speaker 1: stage before the world was introduced to Bruce Willis in 71 00:05:11,000 --> 00:05:14,320 Speaker 1: Moonlighting in nineteen eighty five, he had gotten a break 72 00:05:14,400 --> 00:05:18,640 Speaker 1: that was in many ways just as important, just as big. 73 00:05:19,360 --> 00:05:22,840 Speaker 1: In nineteen eighty four, he was cast in an off 74 00:05:22,880 --> 00:05:27,560 Speaker 1: Broadway production, A Fool for Love. Playwright Sam Shepard had 75 00:05:27,600 --> 00:05:31,120 Speaker 1: debuted it the year prior. It's about two lovers in 76 00:05:31,120 --> 00:05:35,080 Speaker 1: a desert motel, Eddie and May, who slowly pick away 77 00:05:35,080 --> 00:05:38,919 Speaker 1: at one another emotionally. That year it was a finalist 78 00:05:39,000 --> 00:05:42,479 Speaker 1: for the Pulitzer Prize in Drama. Didn't win, But in 79 00:05:42,480 --> 00:05:45,400 Speaker 1: the case of the Pulleitzer, it really is a pretty 80 00:05:45,400 --> 00:05:49,000 Speaker 1: big deal just to be nominated. Willis knew the plays 81 00:05:49,080 --> 00:05:53,120 Speaker 1: lead actor will Patton, who suggested Willis be his understudy. 82 00:05:53,560 --> 00:05:57,200 Speaker 1: When Patton left the show, Willis stepped in. It was 83 00:05:57,279 --> 00:06:02,240 Speaker 1: Willis's biggest part yet, but after roughly a hundred performances, 84 00:06:02,680 --> 00:06:06,400 Speaker 1: the plays producers took Willis aside and told him they 85 00:06:06,440 --> 00:06:12,159 Speaker 1: needed an actor with more presents, an established star maybe, 86 00:06:12,440 --> 00:06:18,760 Speaker 1: they said, a movie star. Ouch. They chose Aidan Quinn. 87 00:06:19,720 --> 00:06:22,240 Speaker 1: That must have stung a little, but good things came 88 00:06:22,240 --> 00:06:25,200 Speaker 1: out of that short run anyway. It helped land him 89 00:06:25,240 --> 00:06:29,080 Speaker 1: an agent, which helped land him auditions and eventually led 90 00:06:29,160 --> 00:06:33,240 Speaker 1: to moonlighting. So there's no question the stage world was 91 00:06:33,320 --> 00:06:37,320 Speaker 1: on his mind. When Bruce Willis moved to Hayley. Willis 92 00:06:37,320 --> 00:06:40,520 Speaker 1: had even made The Mint, his bar and nightclub, available 93 00:06:40,520 --> 00:06:43,400 Speaker 1: to a local production. I and a friend had written 94 00:06:43,400 --> 00:06:47,640 Speaker 1: display about our time in New York City, and we 95 00:06:47,760 --> 00:06:50,479 Speaker 1: offered it to them, saying we would do it um 96 00:06:50,960 --> 00:06:56,279 Speaker 1: kind of a musical comedy if you will. That's David Blampete, 97 00:06:56,360 --> 00:06:59,560 Speaker 1: an actor and one time resident of Sun Valley, and 98 00:06:59,640 --> 00:07:01,880 Speaker 1: we would with his dinner theater, so that would open 99 00:07:01,960 --> 00:07:05,040 Speaker 1: up his restaurant and give him a chance to show 100 00:07:05,040 --> 00:07:07,039 Speaker 1: what he was doing there and us a chance to 101 00:07:07,080 --> 00:07:11,480 Speaker 1: do the show show called two More Laps L A 102 00:07:11,600 --> 00:07:14,880 Speaker 1: p s E. It was pretty it was. It was 103 00:07:14,920 --> 00:07:18,000 Speaker 1: amazing little thing to be able to do. But it 104 00:07:18,080 --> 00:07:22,200 Speaker 1: was Bruce, and you know, they wanted something, and they 105 00:07:22,280 --> 00:07:24,880 Speaker 1: knew that we were around and been around and were 106 00:07:24,920 --> 00:07:30,080 Speaker 1: local talents. So they got a nice audience. We did 107 00:07:30,120 --> 00:07:34,400 Speaker 1: one show and it was it was a great experience 108 00:07:35,160 --> 00:07:38,360 Speaker 1: and it went pretty well, except David scared the out 109 00:07:38,400 --> 00:07:42,560 Speaker 1: of Bruce Willis without meaning to. I remember we were 110 00:07:42,560 --> 00:07:45,160 Speaker 1: trying to rehearse and set up getting ready, and I 111 00:07:45,240 --> 00:07:48,000 Speaker 1: needed to ask Bruce if I could use their green room. 112 00:07:48,040 --> 00:07:50,560 Speaker 1: He called it, which would be for when he has 113 00:07:50,640 --> 00:07:54,480 Speaker 1: his big entertainment. When they said, he just left, and 114 00:07:54,520 --> 00:07:56,520 Speaker 1: I went running out the door and saw him in 115 00:07:56,600 --> 00:07:59,200 Speaker 1: his truck and water pretty after him, and I'll never 116 00:07:59,240 --> 00:08:01,640 Speaker 1: forget to look on the space. You would have thought 117 00:08:02,680 --> 00:08:06,760 Speaker 1: he was being stalked or some was trying to rob him. 118 00:08:06,760 --> 00:08:09,240 Speaker 1: He was just shook up that someone was chasing him 119 00:08:09,280 --> 00:08:12,680 Speaker 1: down the street. I apologized and said I just nearly 120 00:08:12,720 --> 00:08:15,720 Speaker 1: get need to get his permission to use the green room, 121 00:08:15,760 --> 00:08:19,440 Speaker 1: and he said, of course, um. And that's really how 122 00:08:19,480 --> 00:08:24,320 Speaker 1: I remember. He was always pretty much willing to to 123 00:08:24,320 --> 00:08:28,040 Speaker 1: to give to the community and to people who worked 124 00:08:28,040 --> 00:08:31,000 Speaker 1: with him and whatever. I mean. They made a big 125 00:08:31,040 --> 00:08:35,120 Speaker 1: difference to Hayley, Idaho, and to my theater career, if 126 00:08:35,160 --> 00:08:38,840 Speaker 1: you will. In the valley. David had come to the 127 00:08:38,920 --> 00:08:43,839 Speaker 1: area from the East coast back in bringing his love 128 00:08:43,880 --> 00:08:47,320 Speaker 1: of theater with him. That was kind of thinking of 129 00:08:47,360 --> 00:08:51,440 Speaker 1: going to Seattle and trying my luck there in theater um, 130 00:08:51,480 --> 00:08:53,760 Speaker 1: and then just decided to know this was a good place. 131 00:08:53,960 --> 00:08:58,320 Speaker 1: And so with this these friends of mine formed a 132 00:08:58,320 --> 00:09:02,720 Speaker 1: company called New Theater Company. The New Theater Company put 133 00:09:02,760 --> 00:09:08,760 Speaker 1: on local productions, nothing big, but good, solid, well produced plays. 134 00:09:09,280 --> 00:09:13,280 Speaker 1: What David really wanted to do was one about Ernest Hemingway, 135 00:09:13,440 --> 00:09:16,840 Speaker 1: the famous writer was also a one time resident of Ketchum, 136 00:09:16,880 --> 00:09:20,839 Speaker 1: not far from Haley. I was asked because I've been 137 00:09:20,880 --> 00:09:24,360 Speaker 1: told I looked a lot like a young Hemingway to 138 00:09:24,440 --> 00:09:28,200 Speaker 1: do something um about Hemingway, And if I found a 139 00:09:28,240 --> 00:09:30,920 Speaker 1: show I liked, I thought I might do it. Once 140 00:09:31,000 --> 00:09:33,480 Speaker 1: David found the right script, he tried to get the 141 00:09:33,520 --> 00:09:38,480 Speaker 1: show off the ground. I wonder if Bruce or to 142 00:09:38,559 --> 00:09:42,360 Speaker 1: me might be interested in getting involved, and I remember 143 00:09:42,400 --> 00:09:45,880 Speaker 1: a very brief conversation and these you know said well 144 00:09:46,400 --> 00:09:51,920 Speaker 1: not at this time. Uh. Not much later he brought 145 00:09:52,000 --> 00:09:56,560 Speaker 1: in these old I guess schoolmates that had a theater 146 00:09:56,640 --> 00:10:01,959 Speaker 1: company in North Carolina called Company of Fools. And that's 147 00:10:01,960 --> 00:10:05,200 Speaker 1: when the renovation of the Liberty Theater became clear that 148 00:10:05,240 --> 00:10:09,439 Speaker 1: he wanted to do live theater, not just a movie theater. 149 00:10:10,160 --> 00:10:13,480 Speaker 1: And obviously with with Bruce and Demi's name behind it, 150 00:10:13,800 --> 00:10:20,720 Speaker 1: um yeah they they funding became a little more difficult 151 00:10:20,720 --> 00:10:25,240 Speaker 1: to get from my company. Um but we we coexisted 152 00:10:25,280 --> 00:10:30,560 Speaker 1: for a few years. It was hard to compete with 153 00:10:30,600 --> 00:10:33,480 Speaker 1: a theater company that had Bruce Willis's money to spend. 154 00:10:34,080 --> 00:10:37,640 Speaker 1: David would have to hit the streets for fundraising. Willis 155 00:10:37,679 --> 00:10:40,480 Speaker 1: just wrote a check. But I did pay attention to 156 00:10:40,520 --> 00:10:42,800 Speaker 1: what they were doing. They were there were some interesting, 157 00:10:44,120 --> 00:10:47,160 Speaker 1: interesting new stuff and very I mean very innovative for 158 00:10:47,160 --> 00:10:52,840 Speaker 1: for Haley. They did even they put in an aquatic 159 00:10:53,840 --> 00:10:58,120 Speaker 1: area around the stage for their production of The Tendest 160 00:10:58,760 --> 00:11:01,640 Speaker 1: so that they could get in out of water. It 161 00:11:01,720 --> 00:11:05,360 Speaker 1: was an astounding renovation. I mean, if if you could 162 00:11:05,360 --> 00:11:08,559 Speaker 1: have seen, it was just a concrete square movie theater. 163 00:11:08,640 --> 00:11:11,480 Speaker 1: I mean, there was there was nothing about it that 164 00:11:11,640 --> 00:11:16,800 Speaker 1: said really welcoming theater um. But they just decided they 165 00:11:16,800 --> 00:11:20,480 Speaker 1: were going to make it the center of Hailey culture. 166 00:11:21,760 --> 00:11:26,040 Speaker 1: And they did. They did a very, very very nice job, 167 00:11:26,120 --> 00:11:30,400 Speaker 1: and I saw many productions there. I even saw while 168 00:11:30,520 --> 00:11:37,160 Speaker 1: Robin Williams were warming up the act the Liberty decided 169 00:11:37,240 --> 00:11:40,319 Speaker 1: to make a splash by mounting Fool for Love, a 170 00:11:40,440 --> 00:11:43,800 Speaker 1: play Willis loved but which hadn't always loved him back. 171 00:11:44,760 --> 00:11:48,199 Speaker 1: This time, he was in his early forties, the seasoned 172 00:11:48,320 --> 00:11:51,880 Speaker 1: movie star, the off Broadway producers had wanted him to 173 00:11:51,920 --> 00:11:56,199 Speaker 1: be years ago, and he owned the theater. No one 174 00:11:56,240 --> 00:12:01,559 Speaker 1: could fire him. Movies, Willis said, were take after take 175 00:12:01,640 --> 00:12:06,520 Speaker 1: after take until everyone was happy. The stage was immediate. 176 00:12:07,040 --> 00:12:09,840 Speaker 1: You didn't have to wait for test screenings or opening 177 00:12:09,840 --> 00:12:13,160 Speaker 1: weekend to figure out if something worked, if it was funny, 178 00:12:13,280 --> 00:12:17,600 Speaker 1: people laughed, if it was sad, people cried more than that. 179 00:12:17,840 --> 00:12:22,800 Speaker 1: It was dramatic. Not dramatic because of machine guns, but 180 00:12:23,040 --> 00:12:27,199 Speaker 1: dramatic because of its emotional heft. Even though Willis had 181 00:12:27,240 --> 00:12:30,520 Speaker 1: been pigeonholed as an action hero, that wasn't why he 182 00:12:30,600 --> 00:12:34,120 Speaker 1: got into acting. There was a real performer under the 183 00:12:34,400 --> 00:12:39,080 Speaker 1: bloodied muscle shirts and one liners, one that increasingly wanted 184 00:12:39,120 --> 00:12:42,600 Speaker 1: and needed a way to feel that again. If the 185 00:12:42,640 --> 00:12:46,920 Speaker 1: Mint gave Willis his musical outlet, the Liberty would prove 186 00:12:47,040 --> 00:12:50,040 Speaker 1: his dramatic chops. He could have done the play for 187 00:12:50,120 --> 00:12:53,080 Speaker 1: big money in New York City, but New York City 188 00:12:53,200 --> 00:12:59,719 Speaker 1: wasn't Hailey, it wasn't home. According to reviewers, Willis was dazzling. 189 00:13:00,360 --> 00:13:05,960 Speaker 1: His Eddie was pugnacious, desperate, commanding. Willis performed Fool for 190 00:13:06,080 --> 00:13:09,200 Speaker 1: Love over a dozen times that spring and summer of 191 00:13:11,240 --> 00:13:15,800 Speaker 1: ticket sales were always brisk. As reclusive as Willis could be, 192 00:13:16,160 --> 00:13:19,600 Speaker 1: The Liberty was the ideal place to showcase his craft, 193 00:13:20,240 --> 00:13:23,600 Speaker 1: not his die hard craft with explosions, but the craft 194 00:13:23,679 --> 00:13:25,520 Speaker 1: that had made him want to be an actor in 195 00:13:25,600 --> 00:13:30,120 Speaker 1: the first place. But there had to be a way 196 00:13:30,120 --> 00:13:34,800 Speaker 1: to marry his dramatic sensibilities with a major feature film right, 197 00:13:35,320 --> 00:13:38,480 Speaker 1: a movie done on his turns, a movie where he 198 00:13:38,559 --> 00:13:41,640 Speaker 1: had full creative control, just like he had on stage, 199 00:13:42,280 --> 00:13:44,400 Speaker 1: where he didn't have to point a gun at anyone. 200 00:13:45,640 --> 00:13:57,439 Speaker 1: And that's how Bruce Willis met Kurt Vonnegut. Kurt Vonneguet 201 00:13:57,440 --> 00:14:00,520 Speaker 1: had probably never seen a die Hard movie, but Willis 202 00:14:00,559 --> 00:14:05,479 Speaker 1: had read plenty of Vonnegut. His irreverent satires like Slaughterhouse 203 00:14:05,559 --> 00:14:09,360 Speaker 1: Five combine a droll humor with a keen perception of 204 00:14:09,400 --> 00:14:15,160 Speaker 1: the human condition. Vonnegut's seventy three novel Breakfast of Champions 205 00:14:15,440 --> 00:14:19,880 Speaker 1: had been kicking around Hollywood for decades. A dark comedy, 206 00:14:19,920 --> 00:14:22,840 Speaker 1: it tells the story of a car dealer named Dwyane 207 00:14:22,920 --> 00:14:27,240 Speaker 1: Hoover who gradually loses his mind after meeting a science 208 00:14:27,280 --> 00:14:31,200 Speaker 1: fiction author named Kilgore Trout. If that promise sounds a 209 00:14:31,240 --> 00:14:35,120 Speaker 1: little hard to grasp, then you know how studio executives felt, 210 00:14:35,880 --> 00:14:39,560 Speaker 1: like most of Vonnegut's work. Breakfast of Champions was filed 211 00:14:39,600 --> 00:14:44,600 Speaker 1: away as a project that was virtually unfilmable. It was 212 00:14:44,680 --> 00:14:48,480 Speaker 1: too insulated, too much of an interior character study to 213 00:14:48,520 --> 00:14:52,800 Speaker 1: be visualized, But that didn't dissuade director Alan Rudolph from 214 00:14:52,840 --> 00:14:57,320 Speaker 1: trying Rudolph acquired the rights to Breakfast of Champions and 215 00:14:57,400 --> 00:15:01,520 Speaker 1: spent years trying to get a feature film. He couldn't 216 00:15:01,520 --> 00:15:06,400 Speaker 1: manage it. It was impenetrable. No one wanted to finance 217 00:15:06,400 --> 00:15:08,880 Speaker 1: a movie about a car dealer who had a breakdown 218 00:15:09,040 --> 00:15:12,920 Speaker 1: because he met a man named Kilgore Trout. But Rudolph 219 00:15:12,960 --> 00:15:17,720 Speaker 1: got a break in. He directed a film titled Mortal Thoughts, 220 00:15:18,160 --> 00:15:20,560 Speaker 1: a thriller about a woman who asked to fight off 221 00:15:20,640 --> 00:15:25,040 Speaker 1: charges that she killed a friend's abusive husband. The movie 222 00:15:25,040 --> 00:15:28,920 Speaker 1: starred Bruce Willis's wife, Demi Moore. It also co starred 223 00:15:28,920 --> 00:15:32,600 Speaker 1: Willis as Jimmy, the man Moore's character is alleged to 224 00:15:32,640 --> 00:15:36,800 Speaker 1: have killed. Over the course of filming, Willis became friendly 225 00:15:36,840 --> 00:15:40,720 Speaker 1: with Rudolph. At some point, Rudolf mentioned he had the 226 00:15:40,800 --> 00:15:44,720 Speaker 1: rights to Breakfast of Champions. He'd even written a script, 227 00:15:44,800 --> 00:15:48,160 Speaker 1: which was now over twenty years old. In the throes 228 00:15:48,240 --> 00:15:51,680 Speaker 1: of his stardom in the nine nineties, It's possible Willis 229 00:15:51,720 --> 00:15:54,240 Speaker 1: didn't think too much about it at the time, but 230 00:15:54,320 --> 00:15:57,520 Speaker 1: as the nineties went on and more and more guns 231 00:15:57,600 --> 00:16:01,320 Speaker 1: were shoved into his hand on movie posters, Willis thought 232 00:16:01,320 --> 00:16:07,720 Speaker 1: about alan Rudolph about Kurt Vonnegut and about taking a chance. Well, 233 00:16:07,720 --> 00:16:09,600 Speaker 1: that's why. That's why I believed it was it was 234 00:16:09,640 --> 00:16:12,800 Speaker 1: a pet project. It was his to begin with, rather 235 00:16:12,840 --> 00:16:16,840 Speaker 1: than signing him into it. It was his pet, just 236 00:16:16,920 --> 00:16:20,400 Speaker 1: something for him to be able to spread his wings 237 00:16:20,440 --> 00:16:24,000 Speaker 1: as an actor, to producer, to the director. Because Bruce 238 00:16:24,040 --> 00:16:27,760 Speaker 1: Willis wanted to have considerable influence over the movie, he 239 00:16:27,880 --> 00:16:31,560 Speaker 1: decided to ensure he had complete ownership of it. His 240 00:16:31,680 --> 00:16:35,720 Speaker 1: agents financed it through a complex system of pre selling 241 00:16:35,840 --> 00:16:39,280 Speaker 1: foreign distribution rights and using that to secure a loan, 242 00:16:40,360 --> 00:16:44,000 Speaker 1: and when the production still needed money, Willis used his own. 243 00:16:44,800 --> 00:16:51,560 Speaker 1: This is not something actors do like ever, it must 244 00:16:51,600 --> 00:16:53,760 Speaker 1: have been a labor of law of you know Kurt 245 00:16:53,840 --> 00:16:59,120 Speaker 1: Vonnegut novel all that. Yeah, most of them are looking 246 00:16:59,200 --> 00:17:05,520 Speaker 1: for other people's money, you know, opm. That's Peg Owens, 247 00:17:05,840 --> 00:17:09,480 Speaker 1: the one time film commissioner for Idaho. Peg came to 248 00:17:09,520 --> 00:17:12,640 Speaker 1: the state from California, where she had been a photographer 249 00:17:12,720 --> 00:17:16,560 Speaker 1: for tourism promotion. I did that and I handled film 250 00:17:16,600 --> 00:17:22,439 Speaker 1: permits and back then, um, oh gosh, I think the 251 00:17:22,440 --> 00:17:26,119 Speaker 1: biggest one was I'm sorry, this is quite quite a 252 00:17:26,160 --> 00:17:31,960 Speaker 1: while ago. Um, a Mel Gibson movie. What was the 253 00:17:31,960 --> 00:17:35,639 Speaker 1: one where he was the crazy detective lethal Weapon. Yes, 254 00:17:35,800 --> 00:17:39,680 Speaker 1: the first lethal weapon was filmed in my jurisdiction. I'm sorry, 255 00:17:39,800 --> 00:17:43,399 Speaker 1: um so I was. I was in Long Beach when 256 00:17:43,480 --> 00:17:49,920 Speaker 1: they filmed lethal Weapon. Anyway, So I went from photography 257 00:17:50,160 --> 00:17:56,040 Speaker 1: to learning how to handle a film production in a jurisdiction, 258 00:17:57,080 --> 00:17:59,960 Speaker 1: knowing the laws of my jurisdiction and what what they 259 00:18:00,000 --> 00:18:02,200 Speaker 1: it allow and not allowing where they park and all 260 00:18:02,200 --> 00:18:05,280 Speaker 1: of that stuff, all of all of the logistics. And 261 00:18:05,320 --> 00:18:07,159 Speaker 1: so I did that for three and a half years, 262 00:18:07,320 --> 00:18:11,240 Speaker 1: and then I moved up to Idaho and unbeknounced seen. 263 00:18:11,400 --> 00:18:14,680 Speaker 1: At the time, Idaho was creating a film commission job 264 00:18:16,119 --> 00:18:19,200 Speaker 1: um the title of film Specialist at the Department of Commerce, 265 00:18:20,200 --> 00:18:22,960 Speaker 1: and I landed that job and held it for twenty 266 00:18:23,000 --> 00:18:27,360 Speaker 1: six years. So that's how peg Owents found herself amidst 267 00:18:27,400 --> 00:18:30,919 Speaker 1: a Bruce Willis production in Idaho, one in which he 268 00:18:30,920 --> 00:18:35,920 Speaker 1: could essentially veto anyone else. Taking the level of control 269 00:18:36,000 --> 00:18:39,639 Speaker 1: Willis wanted comes with risks, and once you're on top 270 00:18:39,640 --> 00:18:43,000 Speaker 1: in Hollywood, there's no reason to take those risks yourself. 271 00:18:43,800 --> 00:18:47,960 Speaker 1: That's the job of studios and production companies. But Willis 272 00:18:48,160 --> 00:18:52,560 Speaker 1: wasn't one for conventional wisdom. He formed Flying Heart Films, 273 00:18:53,000 --> 00:18:56,280 Speaker 1: named after the Flying Heart Ranch housing subdivision where he 274 00:18:56,400 --> 00:19:00,640 Speaker 1: lived in Haley, and as the uncredited executive of producer, 275 00:19:00,720 --> 00:19:04,600 Speaker 1: and partial financier of the movie, Willis could determine where 276 00:19:04,600 --> 00:19:09,400 Speaker 1: it was shot. The story was set in fictional Midland 277 00:19:09,440 --> 00:19:13,960 Speaker 1: City in all American town Twin Falls, Idaho was the 278 00:19:14,119 --> 00:19:18,440 Speaker 1: perfect stand in for Midland City. Willis thought it had 279 00:19:18,480 --> 00:19:22,240 Speaker 1: beautiful backdrops like Campas Prairie and a little further afield 280 00:19:22,240 --> 00:19:26,040 Speaker 1: the Craters of the Moon National Monument. Best of all, 281 00:19:26,160 --> 00:19:29,040 Speaker 1: it was only seventy miles from his house, an easy 282 00:19:29,080 --> 00:19:32,240 Speaker 1: commute in one of his classic cars. If it worked out, 283 00:19:32,440 --> 00:19:36,200 Speaker 1: Willis indicated he'd shoot one movie a year right in Idaho. 284 00:19:37,400 --> 00:19:40,600 Speaker 1: Shooting a movie in the state wasn't unheard of. Michael 285 00:19:40,640 --> 00:19:44,160 Speaker 1: Chimino shot some of the highly vilified Heaven's Gate there 286 00:19:44,200 --> 00:19:48,840 Speaker 1: in Napoleon Dynamite would be shot there a few years 287 00:19:48,920 --> 00:19:54,680 Speaker 1: later in two thousand three, most notably, the volcano disaster 288 00:19:54,800 --> 00:19:59,080 Speaker 1: movie Dante's Peak was filmed there in a town named Wallace. 289 00:19:59,760 --> 00:20:03,280 Speaker 1: That production was massive. It had a budget of over 290 00:20:03,440 --> 00:20:06,679 Speaker 1: ninety million dollars. That was the one that spent the 291 00:20:06,680 --> 00:20:12,280 Speaker 1: most money. It was here the longest UM. I only 292 00:20:12,280 --> 00:20:15,280 Speaker 1: really showed them to locations, and they picked one of 293 00:20:15,320 --> 00:20:19,400 Speaker 1: those two. Um. It was fascinating to watch what they 294 00:20:19,440 --> 00:20:22,520 Speaker 1: did to the city of Wallace to make it look 295 00:20:22,560 --> 00:20:25,960 Speaker 1: like it had been asked by a volcano. They put 296 00:20:26,040 --> 00:20:31,760 Speaker 1: up frames with like cardboard so they can then spread 297 00:20:32,920 --> 00:20:37,720 Speaker 1: it was really like newspaper pulp that was then sprayed 298 00:20:37,880 --> 00:20:42,200 Speaker 1: all over these kind of curved things so that it 299 00:20:42,240 --> 00:20:44,600 Speaker 1: would look like it was a pile of ash when 300 00:20:44,600 --> 00:20:49,679 Speaker 1: it was really a wooden frame covered by uh newspaper. 301 00:20:50,040 --> 00:20:55,800 Speaker 1: Newspaper pulp was the ash yep nine million dollars. It 302 00:20:55,880 --> 00:21:00,400 Speaker 1: was really a very pleasant um experience because the production 303 00:21:00,400 --> 00:21:04,240 Speaker 1: company was great and the town was great as a 304 00:21:04,280 --> 00:21:08,600 Speaker 1: filming location. Idaho had a lot to offer. From that perspective. 305 00:21:09,040 --> 00:21:13,520 Speaker 1: Peg wasn't surprised Willis wanted to mount production there. Oh well, 306 00:21:13,560 --> 00:21:16,680 Speaker 1: I thought it was a wonderful idea. You know, we 307 00:21:16,760 --> 00:21:21,439 Speaker 1: have had a number of celebrities living here that chose 308 00:21:21,480 --> 00:21:26,480 Speaker 1: not to work here, and so it was very hopeful 309 00:21:26,520 --> 00:21:29,320 Speaker 1: at the time that he would not only do that one, 310 00:21:29,400 --> 00:21:33,480 Speaker 1: but would bring more. Willis believed shooting in Idaho would 311 00:21:33,480 --> 00:21:37,240 Speaker 1: bring an economic boost to the local community. Cast and 312 00:21:37,280 --> 00:21:41,080 Speaker 1: crew were there to spend money at stores, on hotels everywhere. 313 00:21:41,480 --> 00:21:44,920 Speaker 1: All told, the impact might amount to around two million dollars. 314 00:21:45,760 --> 00:21:51,080 Speaker 1: I think the difficulty in people like Bruce Willis trying 315 00:21:51,200 --> 00:21:55,600 Speaker 1: to make films in the place in which they lived is, 316 00:21:55,880 --> 00:21:58,399 Speaker 1: first of all, I has to match you know, I 317 00:21:58,440 --> 00:22:01,000 Speaker 1: mean die Hard would not have matched Anhing in Idaho, right, 318 00:22:01,640 --> 00:22:04,960 Speaker 1: So there has to be a script match. All of 319 00:22:05,000 --> 00:22:08,520 Speaker 1: that has to work first. But then you come upon 320 00:22:08,680 --> 00:22:11,919 Speaker 1: a huge problem, and that is you have to just 321 00:22:11,960 --> 00:22:16,159 Speaker 1: about flying. Everybody right in any big movie is going 322 00:22:16,200 --> 00:22:19,240 Speaker 1: to bring all their principles. The cast was full of 323 00:22:19,280 --> 00:22:22,480 Speaker 1: big names like Willis who would play Dwayne Hoover, and 324 00:22:22,600 --> 00:22:26,080 Speaker 1: Albert Finney who would play Killgore Trout, as well as 325 00:22:26,200 --> 00:22:29,679 Speaker 1: Nick Nolty and Owen Wilson, but they also wanted to 326 00:22:29,720 --> 00:22:33,440 Speaker 1: hire local talent to fill out smaller parts. To do that, 327 00:22:33,600 --> 00:22:37,320 Speaker 1: Willis and the production put out a casting call. Extras 328 00:22:37,359 --> 00:22:40,640 Speaker 1: is different extras you get anywhere. Extras might as well 329 00:22:40,680 --> 00:22:44,600 Speaker 1: be a lamp post. They're just moving lamp posts, right hey, 330 00:22:45,000 --> 00:22:49,000 Speaker 1: walk here, walk there. The extras is totally different at 331 00:22:49,000 --> 00:22:51,880 Speaker 1: the Magic Valley Mall, Once the dust settled on the 332 00:22:51,920 --> 00:22:57,640 Speaker 1: impostor stunt Idahoan's laid out there credentials. A realtor brought 333 00:22:57,760 --> 00:23:00,480 Speaker 1: his wedding portrait and his World War Two medal to 334 00:23:00,560 --> 00:23:04,680 Speaker 1: show casting directors. Another man was a dry waller who 335 00:23:04,680 --> 00:23:08,800 Speaker 1: said he had once played Ronald McDonald. One actor who 336 00:23:08,840 --> 00:23:11,520 Speaker 1: didn't have to go to the mall was David Blampie, 337 00:23:12,200 --> 00:23:14,560 Speaker 1: the guy who once made Bruce Willis think that he 338 00:23:14,640 --> 00:23:17,160 Speaker 1: was about to get mumped. I got a call from 339 00:23:17,160 --> 00:23:21,840 Speaker 1: the casting director who said, and I said, well, why 340 00:23:21,880 --> 00:23:24,800 Speaker 1: are you calling me? I mean, I'm very pleased and 341 00:23:24,800 --> 00:23:28,000 Speaker 1: would love the audition. And she said, well, Bruce wanted 342 00:23:28,080 --> 00:23:32,640 Speaker 1: to have all of his friends the audition. And I thought, 343 00:23:32,680 --> 00:23:35,000 Speaker 1: well that's really nice. I didn't think of myself as 344 00:23:35,080 --> 00:23:37,480 Speaker 1: a personal friend of Bruce, just what I mean, he 345 00:23:37,520 --> 00:23:39,399 Speaker 1: knew who I was and knew what I was doing, 346 00:23:39,440 --> 00:23:44,840 Speaker 1: so so I appreciated being included in the audition process. 347 00:23:47,200 --> 00:23:50,639 Speaker 1: And the couple of roles that I auditioned for and 348 00:23:50,359 --> 00:23:53,600 Speaker 1: and and they called me back. One I thought was 349 00:23:53,600 --> 00:23:56,199 Speaker 1: pretty good. It was a state trooper or whatever. But 350 00:23:56,359 --> 00:23:59,879 Speaker 1: because whatever the scene was, there was a car that 351 00:24:00,040 --> 00:24:04,159 Speaker 1: almost knocked the guy off the road, they wanted to 352 00:24:04,200 --> 00:24:06,560 Speaker 1: get a stunt man instead of using an actor for 353 00:24:06,600 --> 00:24:12,280 Speaker 1: them their role. I thought, well, I'm disappointed, but well 354 00:24:12,280 --> 00:24:15,679 Speaker 1: it's that's life. And then they called me and offered 355 00:24:15,720 --> 00:24:23,160 Speaker 1: me um a role as a police officer who's arresting 356 00:24:24,800 --> 00:24:31,960 Speaker 1: m m M names. I hated kill Gore Trout. His 357 00:24:32,080 --> 00:24:35,640 Speaker 1: first scene, which had him acting opposite Albert Finney, had 358 00:24:35,720 --> 00:24:38,880 Speaker 1: problems with extras not doing what they were supposed to do. 359 00:24:39,520 --> 00:24:42,240 Speaker 1: David's head is in the frame, but not his face. 360 00:24:42,920 --> 00:24:46,920 Speaker 1: He was disappointed, but then he got another call David Blocker. 361 00:24:47,080 --> 00:24:50,320 Speaker 1: He was the producer of this film, and he introduced us. 362 00:24:50,480 --> 00:24:53,480 Speaker 1: It's David Blocker, and we noticed you didn't get any 363 00:24:53,520 --> 00:24:57,040 Speaker 1: on camera time, wondering if you wanted to do another part. 364 00:24:57,880 --> 00:25:00,560 Speaker 1: So April one, I was waiting from my April first jokes, 365 00:25:00,560 --> 00:25:02,919 Speaker 1: I said, who who sent you? Who told you to 366 00:25:02,960 --> 00:25:05,840 Speaker 1: do this? Who is this? So I didn't believe him. 367 00:25:07,400 --> 00:25:09,880 Speaker 1: I did not believe him, and he was very gracious 368 00:25:09,960 --> 00:25:14,960 Speaker 1: and said, I'll have the castarter call you. And at 369 00:25:15,000 --> 00:25:19,760 Speaker 1: that point I went, oh, okay, yeah, do that. Two 370 00:25:19,800 --> 00:25:23,280 Speaker 1: minutes later, a very irate casting director you said I 371 00:25:23,320 --> 00:25:25,760 Speaker 1: have to call you. You You don't believe David Blockers giving 372 00:25:25,760 --> 00:25:28,240 Speaker 1: you a role in the movie, So I'm sorry, it's 373 00:25:28,240 --> 00:25:31,320 Speaker 1: April first. What did I know? So I have two 374 00:25:31,359 --> 00:25:35,919 Speaker 1: speaking roles in Breakfast Champions. I got to play a 375 00:25:35,960 --> 00:25:40,160 Speaker 1: prison guard in the next part of the film, and 376 00:25:40,200 --> 00:25:43,800 Speaker 1: it was on camera, So I owe that. I am sure. 377 00:25:44,680 --> 00:25:48,560 Speaker 1: To the lovely Albert Finney, who knew I was disappointed 378 00:25:48,600 --> 00:25:51,960 Speaker 1: and probably sitting in screening, said why don't you call 379 00:25:52,000 --> 00:25:56,919 Speaker 1: this guy? The production had other issues. At the auto 380 00:25:56,960 --> 00:26:00,480 Speaker 1: dealer doubling as Dwayne Hoover's dealership in the movie, real 381 00:26:00,520 --> 00:26:03,800 Speaker 1: life customers looking for a new or used car had 382 00:26:03,840 --> 00:26:07,919 Speaker 1: to walk around police barricades. A giant billboard of Bruce 383 00:26:07,920 --> 00:26:11,720 Speaker 1: Willis in character as Dwayne Hoover was installed overlooking the 384 00:26:11,800 --> 00:26:14,680 Speaker 1: highway in town. It was for a scene where Hoover 385 00:26:14,760 --> 00:26:19,000 Speaker 1: has to navigate a massive highway pile up involving fifty 386 00:26:18,640 --> 00:26:22,320 Speaker 1: five cars to achieve that the crew shut down a 387 00:26:22,480 --> 00:26:27,480 Speaker 1: major highway artery, diverting traffic through a detour. Locals were 388 00:26:27,520 --> 00:26:31,720 Speaker 1: not amused, so it was traffic jams, sometimes probably in 389 00:26:32,240 --> 00:26:36,600 Speaker 1: confusion that the street was closed or whatever. And you know, um, 390 00:26:38,200 --> 00:26:41,600 Speaker 1: how do I put it? You know, there's a there's 391 00:26:41,600 --> 00:26:47,240 Speaker 1: a simplicity to life in in the in Idaho. There 392 00:26:47,320 --> 00:26:49,320 Speaker 1: was always a sense, even when I first got there, 393 00:26:49,440 --> 00:26:54,080 Speaker 1: of feeling like I was invading their territory. You know. 394 00:26:56,320 --> 00:26:59,080 Speaker 1: I guess they've always felt that if somebody was coming in, 395 00:26:59,119 --> 00:27:02,000 Speaker 1: whether it was the Sun Valley Company or something to 396 00:27:02,080 --> 00:27:05,280 Speaker 1: build and buy and take up land and and push 397 00:27:05,400 --> 00:27:10,760 Speaker 1: people socially away, if you will, just that's how they felt. 398 00:27:11,480 --> 00:27:14,359 Speaker 1: They felt that, you know, their life was being taken 399 00:27:14,359 --> 00:27:18,960 Speaker 1: over by these Hollywood stars and people coming into Sun 400 00:27:19,040 --> 00:27:24,800 Speaker 1: Valley to a ski or whatever. Um So, yeah, Twin Falls. 401 00:27:25,960 --> 00:27:29,320 Speaker 1: I don't think they were thrilled that that was happening 402 00:27:29,320 --> 00:27:36,600 Speaker 1: in Twin Falls. What Willis hadn't necessarily realized was that 403 00:27:36,640 --> 00:27:39,960 Speaker 1: not everyone in Sun Valley and Twin Falls was going 404 00:27:40,000 --> 00:27:44,000 Speaker 1: to be ecstatic over a movie being shot there. To them, 405 00:27:44,160 --> 00:27:48,520 Speaker 1: it wasn't magic. It was a nuisance. Sometimes they just 406 00:27:48,600 --> 00:27:51,560 Speaker 1: wanted to get to work without a t. J Eckelberg 407 00:27:51,640 --> 00:27:54,640 Speaker 1: billboard of Bruce Willis hovering over the highway that they 408 00:27:54,680 --> 00:27:58,720 Speaker 1: couldn't use. Sometimes they just wanted to buy a used 409 00:27:58,760 --> 00:28:03,920 Speaker 1: midsize sedan in peace. There was even criticism that Breakfast 410 00:28:04,000 --> 00:28:08,120 Speaker 1: of Champions was obscene, even though it contains only passing 411 00:28:08,160 --> 00:28:13,080 Speaker 1: references to sex. Newspaper op ed writers fretted that it 412 00:28:13,119 --> 00:28:16,399 Speaker 1: could open the door to lurid movies being shot in 413 00:28:16,480 --> 00:28:20,399 Speaker 1: Idaho on a regular basis. One day it's Vonnegut, the 414 00:28:20,520 --> 00:28:26,080 Speaker 1: next day it's Caligula. It was a slippery slope. Other 415 00:28:26,200 --> 00:28:29,600 Speaker 1: locals took it in stride. At the second time. Around 416 00:28:29,680 --> 00:28:33,760 Speaker 1: Antique Mall in Twin Falls, owners Claudia and Leo Reyes 417 00:28:34,040 --> 00:28:38,480 Speaker 1: put out a bunch of not very antique Bruce Willis memorabilia, 418 00:28:38,640 --> 00:28:43,360 Speaker 1: hoping Willis Mania would erupt. Of course, that wasn't quite 419 00:28:43,520 --> 00:28:47,640 Speaker 1: San Valley's style. Movie stars were no big deal, and 420 00:28:47,880 --> 00:28:51,520 Speaker 1: Breakfast of Champions didn't quite instill the kind of fervor 421 00:28:51,600 --> 00:28:56,080 Speaker 1: of a movie where pierced brasn in fights volcanoes. Twain 422 00:28:56,160 --> 00:29:00,000 Speaker 1: Hoover Struggle was more installated, more of a man Verse 423 00:29:00,120 --> 00:29:04,760 Speaker 1: is himself kind of story. But Willis was completely in 424 00:29:04,880 --> 00:29:08,760 Speaker 1: his element. He didn't have to explain to studio executives 425 00:29:08,800 --> 00:29:12,320 Speaker 1: what he and Rudolf were going for, which was a 426 00:29:12,600 --> 00:29:17,760 Speaker 1: very strange, almost psychedelic examination of a car dealer unraveling. 427 00:29:18,600 --> 00:29:21,680 Speaker 1: The shoot, which lasted a total of six weeks, also 428 00:29:21,760 --> 00:29:25,680 Speaker 1: included a cameo by Kurt Vonnegut. Vonnegutt had said he 429 00:29:25,720 --> 00:29:29,080 Speaker 1: had written the novel as a fiftieth birthday present to himself. 430 00:29:29,640 --> 00:29:35,080 Speaker 1: Now he played a director of a television commercial. Vonnegutt 431 00:29:35,120 --> 00:29:38,360 Speaker 1: was never all that bullish on Hollywood adapting his work. 432 00:29:38,880 --> 00:29:42,800 Speaker 1: He once said that film is quote too clanking ly real, 433 00:29:43,080 --> 00:29:47,720 Speaker 1: too permanent, too industrial, too inexpensive to be much fun. 434 00:29:48,640 --> 00:29:51,400 Speaker 1: But here where Willis was spending some of his own money, 435 00:29:51,960 --> 00:29:54,760 Speaker 1: Vonnegut didn't seem to mind visiting and being in front 436 00:29:54,760 --> 00:30:01,200 Speaker 1: of the camera. By late Breakfast of Champions was finished, Alan, 437 00:30:01,320 --> 00:30:04,520 Speaker 1: Rudolph and the Willis brothers sat down to evaluate what 438 00:30:04,560 --> 00:30:08,320 Speaker 1: they had When the film looks to their satisfaction, they 439 00:30:08,360 --> 00:30:10,480 Speaker 1: planned on taking it out and selling it to the 440 00:30:10,560 --> 00:30:14,640 Speaker 1: highest bidder. And even if the movie wasn't their liking, 441 00:30:15,200 --> 00:30:18,440 Speaker 1: studios might still snag it up just to endear themselves 442 00:30:18,440 --> 00:30:21,400 Speaker 1: to Willis to be on his mind when he decided 443 00:30:21,440 --> 00:30:26,000 Speaker 1: to do another action opus. Hollywood wondered what this new 444 00:30:26,040 --> 00:30:29,600 Speaker 1: paradigm might look like. A list actors taking control of 445 00:30:29,640 --> 00:30:42,840 Speaker 1: their passion projects. Everyone was about to find out. In May, 446 00:30:44,480 --> 00:30:47,720 Speaker 1: Bruce Willis strolled down the aisle of a movie theater 447 00:30:47,840 --> 00:30:52,959 Speaker 1: in Seattle, Washington, and introduced his brand new film, Breakfast 448 00:30:53,040 --> 00:30:57,160 Speaker 1: of Champions. It was a screening for the city's Film festival. 449 00:30:58,080 --> 00:31:01,200 Speaker 1: Instead of telling audiences how it cited he was, how 450 00:31:01,320 --> 00:31:04,240 Speaker 1: much he looked forward to them seeing it, he said 451 00:31:04,280 --> 00:31:08,120 Speaker 1: something pretty peculiar. He said that he would make no 452 00:31:08,240 --> 00:31:11,880 Speaker 1: apologies for what they were about to see. That's not 453 00:31:12,000 --> 00:31:15,400 Speaker 1: quite something you say when you're promoting a movie intended 454 00:31:15,440 --> 00:31:19,480 Speaker 1: for mass consumption. But once the film began, the crowd 455 00:31:19,640 --> 00:31:25,240 Speaker 1: understood what willis meant. Breakfast of Champions was a fever 456 00:31:25,440 --> 00:31:29,520 Speaker 1: dream of a movie, going from one puzzling sequence to another. 457 00:31:30,120 --> 00:31:34,600 Speaker 1: It's absurdest sense of humor felt off target. It wasn't 458 00:31:34,600 --> 00:31:37,920 Speaker 1: really funny for a comedy, and it wasn't really serious 459 00:31:38,000 --> 00:31:41,120 Speaker 1: for a drama. The crowd stumbled away in a bit 460 00:31:41,120 --> 00:31:45,200 Speaker 1: of a daze. Even Kurt Vonnegut called it painful to watch, 461 00:31:45,240 --> 00:31:48,040 Speaker 1: and he got money for it. I don't know much 462 00:31:48,080 --> 00:31:53,280 Speaker 1: about its distribution plan, but it seems like it took 463 00:31:53,320 --> 00:31:56,200 Speaker 1: a long time to edit, and then it was screen 464 00:31:56,840 --> 00:31:59,840 Speaker 1: one or two places, and maybe that didn't go well. 465 00:32:00,920 --> 00:32:04,360 Speaker 1: That scene repeated itself as more and more people got 466 00:32:04,360 --> 00:32:09,120 Speaker 1: a glimpse of Breakfast of Champions. Here's David Blampete and 467 00:32:09,160 --> 00:32:13,160 Speaker 1: when I said, when I saw it, I went, mmmm, interesting, 468 00:32:13,160 --> 00:32:16,560 Speaker 1: I mean not I wanted to see what I looked 469 00:32:16,560 --> 00:32:19,280 Speaker 1: like on the screen. I suppose it just didn't. It 470 00:32:19,320 --> 00:32:22,640 Speaker 1: wasn't cohesive to me, didn't. It didn't ring the same 471 00:32:22,680 --> 00:32:26,800 Speaker 1: way reading the you know, the kind of fifties version 472 00:32:26,920 --> 00:32:30,000 Speaker 1: of it. I think that was a mistake to try 473 00:32:30,000 --> 00:32:35,200 Speaker 1: to put it more contemporary because the kind of satirical, 474 00:32:35,360 --> 00:32:39,280 Speaker 1: farcical nature of the piece. I don't know, I don't 475 00:32:39,280 --> 00:32:41,959 Speaker 1: think it worked. I mean it seemed to me. The 476 00:32:42,000 --> 00:32:45,520 Speaker 1: most acclaim the movie got was Nick Noldy and drag 477 00:32:46,880 --> 00:32:49,880 Speaker 1: Willis had gotten an opportunity to make the movie he 478 00:32:49,960 --> 00:32:53,680 Speaker 1: wanted to make, one he made no apologies for, but 479 00:32:53,760 --> 00:32:56,680 Speaker 1: it turned out there was a reason Alan Rudolph had 480 00:32:56,800 --> 00:33:00,720 Speaker 1: experienced such trouble getting it off the ground, and Shelly, 481 00:33:01,200 --> 00:33:06,120 Speaker 1: it's a strange story, maybe too strange for mainstream Hollywood 482 00:33:06,160 --> 00:33:09,480 Speaker 1: at the time. The film sat on the shelf until 483 00:33:09,520 --> 00:33:13,120 Speaker 1: Buena Vista, which was owned by Disney, agreed to distribute it, 484 00:33:13,560 --> 00:33:18,480 Speaker 1: but it planned April release came and went. It wasn't 485 00:33:18,560 --> 00:33:22,960 Speaker 1: until September that the film got a limited release, so 486 00:33:23,080 --> 00:33:26,520 Speaker 1: limited that it made just over one hundred and seventy 487 00:33:26,560 --> 00:33:30,440 Speaker 1: eight thousand dollars in ticket sales. It might be Bruce 488 00:33:30,480 --> 00:33:35,400 Speaker 1: Willis's least seen film. Okay, where can I watch Breakfast Champions? 489 00:33:37,520 --> 00:33:44,080 Speaker 1: Oh it's on Amazon Prime? No unavailable? Yeah it's it's 490 00:33:44,120 --> 00:33:50,120 Speaker 1: listed there, but that's its currently available. Google you lie back. 491 00:33:50,160 --> 00:33:53,520 Speaker 1: When the movie wrapped, Idahoans were kind of indifferent to 492 00:33:53,560 --> 00:33:56,560 Speaker 1: it all. When the company sold off the movies props, 493 00:33:56,920 --> 00:33:59,960 Speaker 1: people treated it less like a memorabilia sale and more 494 00:34:00,080 --> 00:34:04,080 Speaker 1: like a garage sale. This wasn't the Planet Hollywood gift shop. 495 00:34:04,760 --> 00:34:08,200 Speaker 1: It was a big lots people bought things not because 496 00:34:08,239 --> 00:34:10,319 Speaker 1: they were used in a movie, but because it was 497 00:34:10,360 --> 00:34:14,000 Speaker 1: stuff that they wanted at a reasonable price, stuff like 498 00:34:14,080 --> 00:34:17,880 Speaker 1: a leather vest or a briefcase or kitchen items. The 499 00:34:18,000 --> 00:34:20,920 Speaker 1: unnamed man in charge of the sale was even trying 500 00:34:20,960 --> 00:34:24,359 Speaker 1: to sell a toilet that he said Bruce Willis had 501 00:34:24,360 --> 00:34:28,120 Speaker 1: sat on. It wasn't entirely clear whether he was joking. 502 00:34:29,200 --> 00:34:32,200 Speaker 1: Willis did his part to promote it locally too, The 503 00:34:32,239 --> 00:34:36,480 Speaker 1: autographed the backdeck of Pontiac trans am he drove in 504 00:34:36,520 --> 00:34:40,680 Speaker 1: the movie, which was offered for sale by Gary's Westland Motors. 505 00:34:41,480 --> 00:34:44,960 Speaker 1: He also premiered the movie locally in Haley at his 506 00:34:45,040 --> 00:34:48,200 Speaker 1: own Liberty Theater. He did a screening at the Liberty. Probably, 507 00:34:48,320 --> 00:34:52,120 Speaker 1: I m it was an interesting time for me. I 508 00:34:52,160 --> 00:34:56,040 Speaker 1: don't I was probably busy doing something else, either reading 509 00:34:56,160 --> 00:34:58,040 Speaker 1: or whatever that I never I don't remember going to 510 00:34:58,200 --> 00:35:02,360 Speaker 1: premiere I I saw the movie, though, But the box 511 00:35:02,400 --> 00:35:05,799 Speaker 1: office blip of Breakfast of Champions doesn't quite tell the 512 00:35:05,800 --> 00:35:09,839 Speaker 1: whole story. Thanks to the radical financing deal it more 513 00:35:09,960 --> 00:35:13,719 Speaker 1: or less broke. Even today, a lot of movies are 514 00:35:13,800 --> 00:35:18,640 Speaker 1: financed by selling international rights before a single frame is shot. Now, 515 00:35:18,719 --> 00:35:22,279 Speaker 1: Bruce Willis didn't invent the strategy, but he might have 516 00:35:22,360 --> 00:35:25,759 Speaker 1: been slightly ahead of his time, and as poorly as 517 00:35:25,760 --> 00:35:30,720 Speaker 1: the film did, was on balance one of the best 518 00:35:30,840 --> 00:35:35,000 Speaker 1: years of Bruce Willis's career. Just a month before Breakfast 519 00:35:35,040 --> 00:35:38,680 Speaker 1: of Champions was released, Willis starred in The Sixth Sense 520 00:35:39,040 --> 00:35:42,279 Speaker 1: as a child psychologist trying to counsel a kid who 521 00:35:42,320 --> 00:35:46,839 Speaker 1: insists that he sees dead people. It made hundreds of 522 00:35:46,880 --> 00:35:50,040 Speaker 1: millions of dollars. If it weren't for episode one of 523 00:35:50,080 --> 00:35:52,720 Speaker 1: Star Wars, The sixth Cents would have been the biggest 524 00:35:52,760 --> 00:35:57,680 Speaker 1: movie of that year, but that wasn't Willis's personal project 525 00:35:58,239 --> 00:36:02,120 Speaker 1: is passion project that one filmed in his home state 526 00:36:02,760 --> 00:36:08,400 Speaker 1: had simply come and gone. Even though Willis didn't lose 527 00:36:08,440 --> 00:36:11,120 Speaker 1: money on Breakfast of Champions, it was a blow to 528 00:36:11,239 --> 00:36:14,560 Speaker 1: his ego. He had stuck his neck out and tried 529 00:36:14,600 --> 00:36:18,040 Speaker 1: something different and didn't get a lot of praise as 530 00:36:18,080 --> 00:36:22,040 Speaker 1: a Maverick filmmaker. Around the same time filming on the 531 00:36:22,080 --> 00:36:25,839 Speaker 1: movie was completed, the people of Haley were growing concerned 532 00:36:25,880 --> 00:36:28,759 Speaker 1: that Bruce Willis may one day grow tired of being 533 00:36:28,840 --> 00:36:32,880 Speaker 1: the region's benefactor, that maybe all the money and time 534 00:36:32,960 --> 00:36:36,160 Speaker 1: and effort he had sunk into it wasn't delivering the 535 00:36:36,239 --> 00:36:39,759 Speaker 1: reward he expected. It had been years since he had 536 00:36:39,840 --> 00:36:44,359 Speaker 1: led a Fourth of July parade on horseback. This was concerning. 537 00:36:45,520 --> 00:36:49,359 Speaker 1: What few Haley residents knew was that their town wasn't 538 00:36:49,440 --> 00:36:53,799 Speaker 1: the only one Bruce Willis was trying to reinvigorate In 539 00:36:53,880 --> 00:36:58,359 Speaker 1: penns Grove. It had been in the decline now for 540 00:36:58,600 --> 00:37:04,360 Speaker 1: probably thirty five years. And to see stores and businesses 541 00:37:04,600 --> 00:37:10,480 Speaker 1: and the community go downhill and depressed and have to 542 00:37:10,480 --> 00:37:14,640 Speaker 1: get transitional aid from the state and no jobs and 543 00:37:14,680 --> 00:37:19,280 Speaker 1: the people struggling, it was it was deflating. It was depressing. 544 00:37:20,040 --> 00:37:22,960 Speaker 1: All this time there had been a kind of mistress, 545 00:37:23,520 --> 00:37:27,000 Speaker 1: a fun house mirror version of Haley that Willis was 546 00:37:27,080 --> 00:37:30,480 Speaker 1: looking to spend even more money on to renovate. And 547 00:37:30,520 --> 00:37:33,759 Speaker 1: he had ideas to bring like a like a restaurant, 548 00:37:33,800 --> 00:37:36,960 Speaker 1: like a steak house where the bank would be I 549 00:37:37,000 --> 00:37:39,680 Speaker 1: guess it was something similar like you did out in Haley, Idaho. 550 00:37:42,040 --> 00:37:45,080 Speaker 1: To find out what would happen to Haley, all people 551 00:37:45,120 --> 00:37:48,040 Speaker 1: had to do was look at the last town. Bruce 552 00:37:48,040 --> 00:37:53,200 Speaker 1: Willis tried to save his hometown of penns Grove, New Jersey, 553 00:37:54,040 --> 00:37:58,040 Speaker 1: and I thought his ideas were brilliant and would would 554 00:37:58,120 --> 00:38:05,040 Speaker 1: make a big impact in a town. Haleywood is hosted 555 00:38:05,080 --> 00:38:08,840 Speaker 1: by Dana Schwartz. This show is written by Jake Rosson, 556 00:38:09,640 --> 00:38:13,640 Speaker 1: editing by Derrick Clements, Mary Do and me Josh Fisher. 557 00:38:14,280 --> 00:38:17,840 Speaker 1: Sound design and mixing by Jeremy Thal, Derrek Clemens, and 558 00:38:17,960 --> 00:38:23,319 Speaker 1: me Josh Fisher. Original music by Natasha Jacobs. Research and 559 00:38:23,400 --> 00:38:27,520 Speaker 1: fact checking by Jake Rosson, Austin Thompson and Marissa Brown. 560 00:38:28,160 --> 00:38:32,279 Speaker 1: Show logo by Lucy Quentinia. Our senior producer is Ryan 561 00:38:32,360 --> 00:38:36,360 Speaker 1: Murdoch and our executive producer is Jason English. Special thanks 562 00:38:36,400 --> 00:38:39,239 Speaker 1: to the people of Hailey, Idaho and all those who've 563 00:38:39,239 --> 00:38:43,320 Speaker 1: shared their stories. Haileywood is a production of I Heart 564 00:38:43,400 --> 00:38:45,200 Speaker 1: Radio Until Next Time.