Logan’s Run

I share today a story from my second book…The Uninvited Visitor. Available on Amazon, this story took place on the MGM backlot in 1975. The last film that ever used the Girls School we “boys” call Boystown. I was fifteen, Farrah Fawcett was the poster girl on every boys wall. My girlfriend Maureen could double for her, but the star we see much more of is…Jenny Agutter.

I Welcome you to the 23rd Century in the story that follows: Logan’s Run

Fade in -1975

I have come to think of MGM as my personal play park. I have more fun here than I do anywhere else. Jimmy is with me today and when we arrive, we notice new activity on Lot 2. There’s a crew building a set right in front of Boystown. Another one is on New York Street, inside the building we kids call, “Crow Top.” The name comes from all the blackbirds that congregate on the roof of this Grand Theater on 5th Avenue. I guess they think it’s their private play park, too.

There are three fairly large temporary sets going up here, on old Backlot Number 2. One set is a stairway leading up to the Lincoln Memorial. It is being put together in front of our Boystown fort. The other is a cemetery, which is being moved to a dirt road in between a row of trees. The biggest of the three is the redesigning of the theater on 5th Avenue.

Popi just left that street when the series was canceled. This big feature comes in. MGM continues to stay quite busy. This is despite rumors of a sell pending of this glorious backlot.

Stairway to the mockup of The Lincoln Memorial

Cemetery behind the newly constructed stairway

Mule carts are bringing back the tombstones to this end of the lot again. The cemetery for this film is just behind the stairway to Mr. Lincoln.

These two sets come together at the same time, so each one is ready to go whenever production is ready. The first bit of info I get is from laborers who are sweeping and cleaning the street. I’m told the title is Logan’s Run. These guys are really excited. The point of interest seems to be the fact that Farrah Fawcett is in it. Her pin-up poster hangs in the room of practically every boy my age. Not mine though… I have linebacker Dick Butkus on my wall.

At my house, my bedroom door and my sister’s door are open together at times. Her poster of David Cassidy smiling looks directly at my poster of Dick Butkus growling. He looks like the Giant “Bear” that he is. It’s obvious Dick wants to wipe that smile off silly boy’s face…

I don’t have a Farrah poster. However, MGM guards say my girlfriend Maureen looks just like her. She gets treated differently than the boys around this backlot. Maureen even climbs fences like a shampoo model, slow-motion, skimpy cutoff jeans, with flowing long blonde hair. No one looks so Angelic on top of a sharp metal fence. One thing we all do share with David as teenagers is pukka shells, they are very popular. Sorry Dick…

Jimmy and I are now behind a temporary wall. It keeps us out of sight, but gives us an ample view. We can continue monitoring the set-up process. I make a peace sign gesture to the guys with brooms.

I will endear myself to the crew somehow! What’s funny is we share a common bond. The labor department on this show likes to smoke doobies. They enjoy getting lost in these old sets. It just so happens that we have something to barter with.

And it looks like my impromptu plan is working. I’m quickly being accepted into this community. I’m now like a special crew member, thanks to some high-quality Skunkweed we just shared. Let’s just say, you scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours. They provide me with the item I need the most… a shooting schedule. I hate to be late to the party. Most importantly, I realize I have a bargaining chip for future crews that I may meet here. I am now touring MGM’s biggest show with stoned laborers. I could do this job! where do I sign up?

Through glassy eyes, we see that every existing pole and support is being covered with gold. Men stretch up to the top floor with the help of scissor lifts and ladders. There will be a key sequence taking place here. Our stars become fugitives, or “runners,” as they are called.

Well, welcome to my world, Michael York. I’m a runner! MGM security can tell you that.

The view from the Church looking toward Boystown

Shoot Day One

Our plan is to filter in seamlessly as soon as production arrives. It’s just Jimmy and me. We should be able to move swiftly. A bigger group inevitably entails complications, but we can avoid them. We decide we better get there early so we can take stock of the situation before we make our move. The church steeple is the perfect lookout tower. The birds had it right all along.

This set has been very generous with us, but we can’t take it for granted. Only amateurs would let their guard down. The crew knew we were trespassing. They were kind enough to offer up information on what will be filmed. We even managed to score a call sheet. MGM security continually makes appearances and when the workday ends, they secure this hot set.

Today, we will have to deal with the film crew. They are usually a bit more conservative. They are also a lot pickier about who’s hanging around. The whole production team is a different animal altogether; not as free spirited as the crews that build these sets. Right now, we watch them from the steeple as they shuffle around like working ants. And these “production ants” always want to please the king and queen, or in other words, the executive producers!

The future has arrived and you get 30 years to get it together!… The cars sure are modern.

This row of trees became a cemetery

R.I.P. Molen, old tombstone friend!

We are in a bit of a precarious position up here. We lean around a column to get a good look at the scene being filmed. We keep our bodies hidden while doing so. We become perfectly still as soon as we hear the magic word, “ACTION”. And then, the only things moving are the cameras and the actors. For a moment, you can hear a pin drop… that’s how still everything becomes. We can’t hear the dialogue if there is any.

It’s a bit awkward and uncomfortable to hold ourselves in this position. But it’s only until we hear “CUT”. Then, we can shift and move again. We don’t mind at all; this is what we do! It’s all part of the job. But we should ask for swivel chairs next time. And an all-access pass to Craft Services. We watch as the stars walk by the front of our fort, like they are lost or looking for something… aren’t we all?

This scene is quickly captured. The crew sets up the next shot. It involves the Lincoln Memorial, which was just constructed 50 ft. adjacent. Stairs leading to Mr. Lincoln were just put in for this scene. The President will be added later in post-production…

We see every scene in its entirety, from the privacy of our balcony “seating,” up in the loft, atop this church.

You need to hang out of this opening in order to look towards Boystown. There’s always a risk of being seen. Oh, and falling!

I often hear my mom’s voice, echoing through my head… “Be careful, Donnie!” Of course, I try, but a kid’s gotta do what a kid’s gotta do!

Blending In with the Crew

The stair scene is a wrap. Next is the cemetery scene, but trees are blocking our view. As the leaves blow, we struggle to see through and become antsy. We want to see what the female star is wearing, which isn’t much. We decide to come down from the church and make like we’re part of the crew. We know better than to gawk, but we whisper to each other at the same time… “That’s Michael York from “The Island of Doctor Moreau”. But neither of us have seen this woman. What we do see though, seems to be everything!

We try real hard to be casual and blend in with the crew… but there is an important matter here: We need to confirm the undergarment situation with this actress.

Oh my…!

We become like a couple of bloodhounds. Jimmy and I smell female blood. We are determined to keep ourselves at an angle, for optimal viewing potential. Our eyes never leave their target. We always stay close to her. We position ourselves either behind her or a short distance in front of her. We are able to shift around and get ourselves into little hidden places during the lulls, when cameras change angles. They are working and setting up equipment all around us. They are too busy getting things just right to worry about us. For Jimmy and me, the only equipment on duty are our eyes and our very active imaginations.

The movie business is fantastic. And with the cemetery scenes now complete… Company Move! New York Street set is our next location.

All that Glitters is Not Gold

Everything here is shining like gold. It’s like we’ve walked into a universe where the only substance available is… GOLD. Gold fabric is draped over everything, wrapped around props, and hanging from walls. Gold sparkle lacquer has been applied to props and decorations. The set lighting makes it all glitter and blend together. You can’t tell where one gold thing ends, and another begins. It’s just a blast of golden light everywhere you turn. There’s more gold here than Fort Knox. Nothing has been forgotten. Even Soylent Green has been painted gold.

This set is used as the background in many scenes, so it quickly becomes crowded on the ground level. We decide to go up to the top and watch these scenes from the fourth floor. This building is as big as an airplane hangar. We know it well because it’s our go-to building for everything… not just filming, but for plain old horsing around, too. We love it and it’s nice to see it in all its glory, buzzing with filming activity.

We can see the entire length of New York Street from the windows at our new spot. We can even see Big George down there, driving an electric cart around the set. He’s doing a good job! Keeping the place free of trespassers! We watch as he peeks inside, but then he quickly retreats. He’s probably hungry. Probably off to get a sandwich… or three!

Those electric carts are slow. We can outrun them easily. With his 280 pounds on top of it, he’s lucky it moves at all. He needs the Bronco for his wide load. There are kids below us now… seems like school just let out. But these kids are in costume, and they get to slide down poles, legally. They rehearse and do a couple of loose takes, before the final scenes are shot with a loud rumble sound.

Well, looks like we’ve seen all there is to see. We decide to depart. In typical showbiz fashion, workers are striking cable. They are taking down walls. A forklift is moving an abandoned picture car. Hours earlier, partially clad movie stars were here. But before you know it, it will be our very own deserted playground again. We decide to stay long enough to pay the Boystown fort a visit.

Another film credit can be chalked up for this old edifice, whose unique tower can be seen from my house. I love this fort, this lot, my life and this world, called MGM. You never know what’s next around here, and that’s the charm.

Written and Lived by… Donnie Norden