Roger Corman saved my life...

... granted, in a rather roundabout way. But he nonetheless played a vital role in my career.

First things, though. Today is Corman's 80 birthday. To celebrate it, fellow blogger and Video Watchdog/Watchblog entrepeneur Tim Lucas has organized a "Blog-A-Thon" to commemorate the man. Check out his site, with links to all of the contributing bloggers here.

Here's my little bit. I'll make it short.

About 15 years ago, my friend Mark Sikes decided to leave Western MA (where I still reside) and head for Hollywood. With about $10,000 cash, and with no place/plans once he arrived, he set out shortly after the holidays.

And he got a job. As a cashier. At an arcade. Where he struggled for a year, giving out quarters, miserable I'm sure.

But he pounded, you know? He went from production company to production company looking for that break.

And guess where he found it.

Corman took on Mark as an unpaid intern. He answered phones, and I suspect (though he never admitted it to me) got coffee. Unpaid, he worked at Concorde/New Horizons for another year, still dishing out quarters at the arcade, but maybe not so miserable now.

After some time, Corman started paying him. First as an assistant casting director, then as an apprentice editor... then finally as a lead casting director. Which is what he still does today (though not for Corman); Mark is now a freelance casting director, workshop runner, showcase put-ter-on-er, and all around success.

Mark is responsible for the cast in Tobe Hooper's MORTUARY and THE TOOLBOX MURDERS, for Lisa Kudrow in IN THE HEAT OF PASSION II: UNFAITHFUL, for Fred Dryer and Ron Perlman in SHAKEDOWN, and for Amy Shelton-White in MAGDALENA'S BRAIN.

That last one's mine.

When we were casting MAG'S BRAIN 2 years ago and found ourselves coming up short in the Western MA acting scene for our title character. I contacted Mark for a little help. Two weeks later, we had 48 actresses on tape, reading our sides. Two years later, Heretic Films has picked up our movie, and it's coming out on DVD on July 25.

Thanks to Roger Corman.

That's me in Corman's office, by the way. Visiting Mark a few years ago, he snuck me into Roger's sanctuary and snapped this picture of me behind his desk.

Those things on the wall behind me? They're Academy Award Nomination certificates.