For tonite’s TBT I chose a quixotic passage in my life in the late 90’s. The film was an independent project, entitled GAS STATION JESUS. It was then sold to Lifetime (in 2006!) and retitled FALSE PROPHETS. This, much like many of my favorite roles was directly offered to me by the film makers and allowed artistic latitude unavailable to me on studio big budget projects.
In the cast were Lori Heuring, Clayne Crawford and my “adopted son”, Antonio David Lyons. An infant is left on the front door of my irascible backwoods radio prophet and raised by me. He was perhaps, a new Messiah. In truth this film was an early look at a woman’s right to choose. It remains one of my favorite characterizations; improvised religious, philosophical rants about my displeasure with the world in general. And I loved the musical track.
Apart from the joy of creativity with talented artists, what proceeded it was kinda Tucker-typical 
I’d booked a vaca to Cancun with my fiance, knowing I’d later fly her home to Chicago and then head for this shoot in Nashville. Days before our departure came an offer from Vancouver to shoot LEVEL 9, a sci-fi series. They were so insistent, they agreed to fly me from Cancun to Vancouver and back! It was an offer I couldn’t (or wouldn’t) refuse; enough cash to more than pay for Cancun. The indy project paid little but was artistically validating.
I’d booked a vaca to Cancun with my fiance, knowing I’d later fly her home to Chicago and then head for this shoot in Nashville. Days before our departure came an offer from Vancouver to shoot LEVEL 9, a sci-fi series. They were so insistent, they agreed to fly me from Cancun to Vancouver and back! It was an offer I couldn’t (or wouldn’t) refuse; enough cash to more than pay for Cancun. The indy project paid little but was artistically validating.
We arrived in Cancun late Friday afternoon and late Saturday, I departed to Vancouver…and was unable to return until Wednesday. My fiance was always temperamental and became majorly peevish. Don’t you just hate that, to be left alone in a beautiful beachfront resort with room service and cash and lobster daily and no obligations? Yeah, me too. Anyway, we were clearly on our way out of love. We were barely speaking once back in Chicago, despite a memorable visit to Chichen Itza on Thursday, the legendary Mayan site…and it was during the autumn equinox! I’d planned this visit for months! So it goes.
Anyway, we were clearly on our way out of love. We were barely speaking once back in Chicago, despite a memorable visit to Chichen Itza on Thursday, the legendary Mayan site…and it was during the autumn equinox! I’d planned this visit for months! So it goes.The LEVEL 9 experience was also noteworthy in this regard. It was one of two different film experiences I had, shortly before 911 that referenced the prospect of a 747 being taken over by terrorists and crashed. In this case I was the pilot. Shortly before that, I filmed PANIC in India and was the senior FAA official.
Life Imitates Art…