How many people can look back on their lives and say that they starred in a movie with Mike Brady, Captain Kirk, and Matlock? I'll tell you... One. Me.
I still remember the day back in 1973 when my agent called me with the good news: Bill Shatner wants to meet with you. I went up to his horse ranch in Santa Barbara, where he explained about this project he had on the back burner. He handed me the script: It was Pray For The Wildcats.
I mean think about it. I had the opportunity to work with three of the greatest mid-seventies actors in a script that was rugged and raw. Andy Griffith plays the sick agency man, Sam Farragut. Shatner plays the suicidal Warren Summerfield. Robert Reed played the pathetic Paul MacIlvain. It all takes place in Baja, Mexico. (Due to budget restraints, though, we ended up shooting in the West Valley) We're all on motorcycles. It was a perfect time for me to move forward with my acting career and put my longstanding speed addiction back in the 60's where it belonged.
I thought this was going to be my ticket to the big time. It didn't quite work out that way, though. With the exception of a small stint on The A-Team and a recurring role on Falcon Crest and TJ Hooker, my life has been pretty fucking dull. So dull in fact, that I have turned to reminiscing about the Pray For The Wildcats era. It's gotten so bad that Bill and Andy don't return my calls any more. And Robert, well, he's not returning anyone's call anymore.
But I digress. I think one of my favorite memories was when me and Bill stayed up all night doing cocaine. It was right before the big bar scene where Sam Farragut first sees the hippies. It a truly memorable scene where Andy was able to put aside his nice guy image, and become the sick disgusting pervert he truly is. Anyway, Shatner had it a bit more lucky than I did. My scene involved actually speaking, unlike Bill who just had to stand there and look disturbed. To compliment Bill, though, he could stay up a whole week on drugs and still do his roles. He's just that good an actor. Point being, me and Bill got really wacked out that night. It was pretty cool.
Another memory I have is when Robert Reed got hammered and started hitting on me and Andy. Now, Andy has always been a heterosexual, and to combine that mucho macho with a head full of mescal, well, Me and Andy kicked his ass. Actually, not so much me, but Andy kicked his ass. Robert kneed me in the groin, threw some fists into my stomach, then did a little Irish two-step on my face. It sucked. The funny thing was, after that, Andy and Robert both were nowhere to be found that night.
When I look back on those days, I realize I haven't done anything with my life. I know I'm Terry, and I know I'm a failure. I drink three bottles of Nighttrain a night hoping to put an end to the incensing taunts from a Shatner in my head telling me that "Sam Farragut doesn't give points, he just takes them. One. At a time."