USA UP ALL NIGHT WEEK RETURNS: KRIS GILPIN interviews EDDIE DEEZEN!

I first met actor Eddie Deezen on a Hollywood Blvd. street corner, he is a very cheerful, friendly guy (check out his cool, fun site! EddieDeezen.com) & we have been acquaintances for 35 years now. I have interviewed him for zines in the past & Erok wanted an updated, exclusive Eddie D. piece for ToG now...

KG: How you been, Eddie? Thanks for talking with me again... 

I AM DOING VERY WELL, KRIS. JUST DID A GREAT SIGNING SHOW NEAR PITTSBURGH- THE STELL CITY COMIC.CON. I HAD THE BEST TIME EVER. THESE SHOWS ARE ALWAYS FUN AND AMAZING.

KG: We've already, sadly lost many famous folks in 2016, any memories about meeting/working with anyone here?: Alan Rickman, Garry Shandling, Abe Vigoda, George Kennedy, Patty Duke, Pat Harrington, Jr., David Bowie? ... 

THE ONLY ONE I HAD THE PLEASURE OF MEETING PERSONALLY WAS PATTY DUKE. IN APRIL OF 1987, I RECEIVED THE ONE BILLIONTH DOLLAR IN RESIDUAL CHECKS FROM THE SCREEN ACTORS GUILD. IT WAS A $172.00 CHECK FOR "GREASE" RESIDUALS. PATTY WAS THE PRESIDENT OF SAG AT THE TIME. WE MET, CHATTED BRIEFLY, AND SHE INTRODUCED ME TO THE PRESS. SUCH A WARM, VERY NICE LADY.

R.I.P. PATTY DUKE

KG: Your solo SF/horror film (as I recall) was Laserblast, in which you were the bad guy, what are your remembrances and thoughts about it? 

WELL, I HAD A HUGE CRUSH ON THAT FILM'S SCRIPT GIRL. HER NAME WAS BETTY GOLDBERG. SHE WAS SO HOT. I LOVED HER. SADLY ,KIM MILFORD, THE FILM'S STAR, WAS AN EARLY CASUALTY OF AIDS. AFTER DOING "GREASE" AT PARAMOUNT STUDIOS, THIS WAS MY FIRST "LOW BUDGET" B-MOVIE. NO DRESSING ROOMS. ALL THE CAST JUST SHARED A BIG WAREHOUSE TOGETHER. "LASERBLAST!" IS THE ONLY FILM I ACTUALLY DIE IN- LITERALLY, NO FIGURATIVELY. I GET BLOWN UP. I AM ALSO CAST AGAINST TYPE- AS A BULLY. SOMETHING I AM DEFINITELY NOT. "LASERBLAST!" WAS MY SECOND FILM AFTER "GREASE", BUT IT WAS ACTUALLY MY FIRST FILM TO BE RELEASED-ON MARCH 1, 1977. "GREASE" WAS RELEASED JUNE 16, 1977.

Eddie as the Laserblast bully, being bullied by Mike and the Bots

KG: Here's a question from Theater of Guts site writer, Skunkape: Why did you leave the Polish Vampire in Burbank set, and did you regret it since you were the star? (Eddie, I've never even heard this story!)  

OK, I DID THE FILM AS A FAVOR. A PURE FAVOR TO THE DIRECTOR. I RECEIVED NO MONEY. BY THE WAY, I LATER GOT IN TROUBLE WITH THE GUILD FOR EVEN DOING IT, BUT ANYWAY, I GOT NOTHING OUT OF IT. SO WE SHOT ONE DAY, AND I ASKED TO BE DRIVEN HOME. THE DIRECTOR SAID, "OH, SIT AROUND. WATCH SOME TV", SOME REMARK LIKE TAT. WELL, SCREW THAT. THAT WAS WHEN I QUIT. I FELT I DESERVED TO BE TREATED BETTER THAN THAT FOR A FAVOR. NOW, THAT DIRECTOR WAS MARK PIRRO. HE IS ACTUALLY A NICE GUY. HE IS MY PAL. HE IS A GOOD GUY. BUT I THINK WE BOTH LEARNED A LESSON FROM THAT EXPERIENCE.

The Deezen portrait in Polish Vampire

KG: Any on-set/finished-films thoughts about Attack of the Killer Bimbos, Critters 2, Teenage Exorcist (what was this?)... 

"ATTACK OF THE KILLER BIMBOS" WAS A FUN SHOOT. A RARE LADY DIRECTOR, ANITA ROSENBERG. A FINE DIRECTOR. THAT FILM PREMIERED AT A DRIVE-IN THEATER. VERY COOL. "CRITTERS 2: THE MAIN COURSE"........ I MISSED LEO DICAPRIO BY ONE FRIGGIN' FILM. LEO'S FIRST FILM WAS "CRITTERS 3". AS MAXWELL SMART WOULD SAY, "MISSED IT BY THAT MUCH". I DO A DRAG SCENE IN "CRITTERS 2: THE MAIN COURSE". ALWAYS FUN. "TEENAGE EXORCIST" WAS A FUN, LOW BUDGET FILM I DID IN AROUND 1990. NICE PEOPLE. I HAD FUN. BRITT ECKLAND WAS IN IT. SHE WAS A NICE LADY. (Make sure you check out Kris' Bimbo premiere post). 

Some Deezen-less Critters sequel

KG: What were the best/worst film experiences you've had, and why? 

BEST....."GREASE" WAS MY FIRST FILM. IT WAS LIKE THE GREATEST PARTY YOU EVER WENT TO IN YOUR LIFE AND IT LASTED TWO MONTHS. I LOVED ALL THE CAST. I LOVED ALL THE DANCERS. JOHN TRAVOLTA WAS THE NICEST ACTOR I HAVE EVER HAD THE PLEASURE TO WORK WITH. IT WAS A SPECIAL, MAGICAL TIME OF MY LIFE. I WAS 20 YEARS OLD AND I WAS DOING A MAJOR MUSICAL WITH FRIGGIN' JOHN TRAVOLTA. OLIVIA NEWTON-JOHN WAS A DOLL. "POLAR EXPRESS" WAS TIED FOR BEST. TOM HANKS MADE IT SPECIAL. A FANTASTIC GUY. HE IS MY FAVORITE MOVIE STAR. BOB ZEMECKIS IS ALSO MY ALL-TIME FAVORITE DIRECTOR. THE FINEST DIRECTOR I HAVE EVER WORKED FOR. WORST EXPERIENCE WAS "MIDNIGHT MADNESS". MANY GREAT PEOPLE, BUT ACTUALLY FOUR OR FIVE TRULY NASTY PEOPLE ON THAT ONE. MICHAEL J. FOX WAS ONE OF THE COOL ONES.

Deezen as the least scary kid among a horde of frightening children

KG: ...the best/worst actors and directors you've worked with, and why (any stories?)?... 

BEST DIRECTOR" BOB ZEMECKIS. STEVEN SPIELBERG A CLOSE SECOND. BEST ACTORS" JOHN TRAVOLTA & TOM HANKS. WORST DIRECTOR: RICHARD FLEISCHER. I DON'T WANT TO SAY ANYTHING BAD ABOUT THE GUY, I'LL JUST SAY A VERY, VERY SOUR OLD GUY. WORST ACTOR: SOME OF THE CAST IN "MIDNIGHT MADNESS".

who really burnt Eddie's bacon in the Midnight Madness cast?

KG: I once saw you in a weird thing the theaters got once, it was a series of tiny films where the members of the audience could actually push buttons on their seats and determine where the storyline would advance next (?!), what was that, how'd you get that gig and how did you like doing it?

"MR PAYBACK". IT WAS THE FIRST-EVER INTERACTIVE MOVIE. DIRECTED BY MY DEAR FRIEND, BOB GALE. I WORKED ON IT ALL NIGHT. I LOVE BOB. A FANTASTIC DIRECTOR AND WRITER.

KG: In the last few years you've done a lot of voice-overs, how did you get into that, and is it fun for you (any more fun stories here, please?)?...

I BASICALLY LOVE VOICEOVERS BECAUSE I AM VERY BAD AT REMEMBERING LINES. WITH VOICEOVERS, YOU JUST GET TO READ A SCRIPT RIGHT THERE. I HAD CUE CARDS ALL THE WAY TROUGH "POLAR EXPRESS" I HAD BOB HOPE'S CUE CARD HOLDER. 

PSST! Hey Bob you forgot your lines!

KG: What was the short, I Love You Eddie Deezen about, and what did you do in it?

I JUST DID IT FOR MY FRIEND, SHERRY MATTSON. IT WAS DEFINITELY HER BABY. I MAKE A CAMEO APPEARANCE AT THE END. NO BIG DEAL.

KG: What are the most outrageous, funniest things that happened to/around you on a set?

ON "1941", MY PAL, MURRAY HAMILTON AND I SPEND THE WHOLE FILM UP ON A FERRIS WHEEL.  STEVEN SPIELBERG HAD US REALLY WHIPPING AROUND ONE DAY. I GOT VERY MOTION SICK AND STEVEN'S SECRETARY TOOK ME INTO HIS DRESSING ROOM. I LIE ON HIS BED AND I GOT UP AND WENT INTO STEVEN'S BATHROOM AND THREW UP IN HIS TOILET. THROWING UP IN STEVEN SPIELBERG'S TOILET IS A GREAT HIGHLIGHT OF MY CAREER.

I NEED THAT TOILET AGAIN, I'M GONNA HORRRKKKK!

KG: Looks like you do a lot of conventions now, are they fun for you? Have you met a lot of fans in them?

I HAVE DONE ABOUT 20 CONVENTIONS ALL OVER THE COUNTRY. THE EASIEST AND MOST FUN GIGS EVER. YOU JUST MEET AND SIGN AND CAT WITH HUNDREDS OF THE NICEST PEOPLE YOU COULD EVER IMAGINE. WE GET PAID FOR HAVING A BLAST!!!! I LOVE MY FANS. THE NICEST, COOLEST PEOPLE IN THE WORLD.

KG: Any stories about the weirdest fans/requests at a convention?

HMMMM...............NONE ACTUALLY COME TO MIND. I HAVE A TRULY GREAT CONVENTION STORY, BUT IT'S JUST TOO LONG TO RELATE, KRIS. 

KG: How much are your autographed photos?

NOT MUCH $20.00 FOR A PHOTO AND I POSE FOR SELFIES WITH THAT. 

KG: Your site is very neat, do you have a large fan club, too?

I DON'T THINK SO. I AM NOT A BIG STAR OR CELEBRITY AT ALL. I ALWAYS HAVE JUST HAD MY PACK OF LOYAL FANS. 

The Deezen Doll unfortunately is not for sale

KG: 4 years ago there was an Eddie Deezen doll, pretty cool! 

What did you think of it and did it sell well? I GOT IT. IT WAS VERY COOL. I LOVED IT.

KG: Thanks from us and all your fans, Eddie! Where can we find you next, and what might be left in your career that you haven't done yet, but always wanted to?...

I AM CURRENTLY NOT DOING MUCH. I AM A COMPLETE FACEBOOK ADDICT AND NUT. I AM ON THERE POSTING FOR MY FRIENDS AND FANS EVERY DAY. MY BUCKET LIST? YES, I WANT TO SEE TOM BRADY PLAY BEFORE HIS CAREER IS OVER. I HAVE A TICKET FOR THE PATS-STEELERS GAME THIS OCTOBER, SO I'LL BE ABLE TO DO THAT. I WANT TO VISIT GRACELAND. I LOVE ELVIS. I'D LOVE TO GET MARRIED, FIND THE RIGHT GIRL. I WAS MARRIED IN THE 80'S, BUT IT WASN'T THE RIGHT MATCH. I'D LOVE TO DO ANOTHER MOVIE. I'D LIKE TO SEE A BALLGAME AT FENWAY PARK. I AM A PIRATES FAN, BUT I LOVE FENWAY PARK, FOR SOME REASON. I'D LIKE TO GET A NEW DOG. A CHIHUAHUA. OR ANOTHER PET CHINCHILLA. OTHER GOALS, TOO MANY TO NAME.