I Am A Movie Actor

For those who haven’t heard or heard and didn’t take the news seriously, it’s true, I am a movie actor.

That’s right I am a movie actor and not only am I a movie actor but I just made the most significant appearance of my career playing a “heavy supporting role” in a multi award winning full length feature film.

I have my own IMDB page where you can see a listing of my life’s work as an actor, my “filmography.” But it’s a short list, in fact my entire filmography contains but one single entry. The only acting of any kind that I’ve ever done in my life, other than being in a school play in 2nd grade, is my appearance as Grampa Bill in Don Miller’s multiple award winning film If I Could Ride.

How in the world, you ask, did a retired attorney having no prior interest in or experience with acting land a “heavy supporting role” in an incredibly beautiful and meaningful multi award winning full length feature film?

The short answer is that Lee Majors (of The Big Valley and Six Million Dollar Man fame) wanted too much money.

I’m not kidding. That’s exactly why and how the role came to me but of course there’s more to the story.

It all started in the summer of 2020 in the time of Covid. My farm manager and caretaker Jim Ellis told me that a man named Don Miller had stopped by the farm and wanted to meet me. He said Don was a Windsor native, lived down the road a couple of miles, seemed like a “really super guy, your kind of guy” and said that I would really like him. Don had left me a copy of his book “If I Could Run,” a DVD of the movie that he had produced from that book and a copy of his latest book “If I Could Ride.” Jim said Don was going to produce “If I Could Ride” into a movie as well and was interested in using my farm as a film location. I’m fortunate to own a beautiful farm with enormous curb appeal.

So I skimmed the books and watched the DVD and a few days later met Don in person. And Jim was right, Don is a really super guy, he’s my kind of guy and I really liked him.

And I gradually warmed to the idea of allowing him to use my farm as the estate of the wealthy (but unkind) Van Huesen family. I loved the story Don had written and after further talks and discussions told Don that I would be proud to have Bashon Brook associated with his project.

Over the next few months, I saw Don regularly, we became friends and Don kept me updated on his plans which included filming the entire movie at 6 or more different locations in and around the Upper Valley over a 14 day period in October of 2021. Don had not only arranged for my farm Bashon Brook but also Liz Guaraldi’s Willow Brook Farm, Whites Dairy Supply, Green Mountain Horse Association, Windsor House and Mt Ascutney Hospital to serve as film locations all of whom, like me, were eager help Don make his movie.

A few months later, Don told me that in July the film’s director, Shawn Welling, and one of the starring actors Tom Vera were coming to Vermont to scout locations and make plans for the October filming and wanted to visit my farm and meet me.

So all was in place for my farm to be used as a location for Don’s film and I was happy and excited to be involved.

But just a couple of weeks before Shawn and Tom arrived for the site visit, a surprising thing happened, Don phoned me and asked me if I would consider playing a part in the movie. He said being in the movie would be really fun and that I would really enjoy it.

I told him I had never done any acting and I asked him what part he thought I would play.
I rejected the idea out of hand when he told me that he wanted me to play “Grampa Bill” telling Don in no uncertain terms that I had no interest in playing a grandfather, that I would perhaps consider playing someone’s uncle or younger brother but that I didn’t think the role of a grandfather suited me.

To which Don responded “but you are a grandfather, I’ve seen pictures of your beautiful granddaughter on Facebook” which is true my granddaughter Clementine Louise had been born a few months earlier but nonetheless I didn’t feel very grandfatherly.

He left me the script and asked me to think about it. And I read the script and thought about it and talked with my kids and decided to say yes. Although to be honest, I wasn’t taking the whole thing very seriously.

And then in July Shawn and Tom came to town and came by and scouted locations at the farm. We visited and talked about my role as Grampa Bill. I told them that I’d never done any acting. Tom suggested that I should start by trying to understand my character and his motivations to internalize him and learn about him.

So on the flight home I figured I’d read Don’s book more carefully in order to learn about Grampa Bill‘s background, feel his character, understand his motivations. Grandpa Bill is everywhere in the script that Don had given me from the opening scene to the closing moments and many places in between so I was really surprised when I discovered that there was no Grampa Bill in Don’s book.

I called Don after I arrived in San Antonio and told him that Tom Vera had said that I should learn and understand my character’s motivation so I had read the book and was surprised to find that there was no Grampa Bill in the book.

Don told me that the character Grampa Bill had been added at the suggestion of Shawn Welling when Don’s script had been sent to a script doctor. Don told me that Shawn had told him that one of his close friends, indeed the godfather of his children was none other than Lee Majors and that Lee might play Grampa Bill and that it would be very positive for the movie.

At which point I said to Don “wait here just a second, so you mean to tell me that this role of Grampa Bill which you’ve asked me to play in your movie was written for Lee Majors?” “Yeah that’s right,” Don said, to which I asked “well if it was written for Lee Majors why isn’t he doing it? Does he not like the part or did he want too much money?” to which Don replied that Lee loved the part but indeed wanted more money than the budget allowed.

At that point I began to take the whole thing pretty seriously. I mean Lee Majors was one of my favorite actors as a kid. I loved The Big Valley with him and Barbara Stanwyck and I never missed an episode of The Six Million Dollar Man. And Farah Fawcett, OMG, she was an object of my boyhood interest and Lee Majors had been married to her! I googled Lee Majors and learned he lives in Houston, 83 years old but looking as handsome and rugged as ever with those steely blue eyes.

Now I was really nervous, I had never done a lick of acting in my life and all of a sudden I had agreed to step into a role that was written for one of the greatest, most well known actors of my childhood and a Hollywood icon.

So after some serious soul searching, I called Don and tried to back out. I told him that of course he could still use my farm as a filming location but that I would totally understand if he decided to have Lee Majors rather than me play Grampa Bill. I went so far as to tell him that if it was my movie I would want Lee Majors.

But Don would hear nothing of it. He said his mind was made up, that I was playing Grampa Bill and that he was confidant that I would do a great job, although I really wasn’t.

And now I was more nervous than ever and decided that if I wasn’t going to completely embarrass myself and ruin Don’s movie that I’d better try to learn a thing or two about acting but there were only a few weeks before production was to begin. I thought to contact the educational director at Northern Stage, local theatre group in White River, and see if he or someone with the theatre might be available for me to hire for a few private acting lessons. I told him of my situation which felt like a predicament and he set me up with one of their team who stepped up to provide me with a short series of private acting classes.

At least I had learned, practiced and was comfortable with my lines but I was still quite anxious about the whole thing and was plagued alternately with the fear that Lee Majors would show up and rob me of my chance at stardom and the hope that he would do so, an anxiety which only increased each day as the start of production approached.

And suddenly I began to get regular emails from someone I’d never met named Shanda Webb Arnold, Shanda pronounced like Panda. Shanda‘s title was First Assistant Director which basically meant she was in charge of and ultimately responsible for everything logistically to ensure that the production ran smoothly. I took to her right away when she gave me multiple kudos on my outfit selections. This being an independent film each of the actors is responsible to assemble their wardrobe according to guidelines set by the Director and relayed by Shanda. I had six different outfits in my wardrobe and they all passed on the first review. I later learned Shanda was the mom and “momager” of Jodie, my movie granddaughter.

Each day of production is guided by the daily call sheets that Shanda is responsible to prepare and update. They outline what is to happen each day, when and where and what is required, needed and expected as regards the talent, crew, wardrobe, props, makeup etcetera for each scene. I feel like Shanda is really the unsung hero of the production because nothing would happen without the daily call sheets and they have to be correct, complete and regularly updated, a formidable task.

The first day of production was at Liz Guaraldi‘s Willow Brook Farm and I had a gas. Liz had done an absolutely amazing job converting her farm into the scene for the Addison County Fair. Liz’s place was also used as the Davis home where I live with my movie daughter, Sandy and my movie granddaughter, Jodie, as well as the scene of Helping Hooves Rehab Facility. Liz has a wonderful riding program at her farm and a dozen or more of her students and horses appear in the film in the opening and closing horse shows and at the Helping Hooves. The horses and kids are part of makes this movie so special and their presence was all due to Liz. Barkley is Liz’s horse and Tess, the beautiful grey mare that played Jimmy’s horse and graces the movie posters belongs to her friend Lisa Albright. I love the pictures of Tess galloping riderless with my farm in the background.

It was the first time I had ever been on a production set and was meeting everyone involved for the first time. I made fast friends with the production crew, Janet Wang, the “Swiss Army Knife”of movie production, Ray Kugler, set photographer, Duncan Johnson, the director of photography and Andrew Olson, sound mixer.

Most of the day you are just chilling and making friends but you have to be “at the ready” to film your scene when called. I had a great time, some days I had multiple scenes and wardrobe changes.

Some of my favorite scenes were filmed at Liz’s place. I love the opening scene of the movie with me, Sandy and Jodie walking into the county fair. My favorite and what I think is my best scene in the movie was filmed at Liz’s place where I’m sipping coffee outside on the deck and have my heart to heart with my daughter Sandy.

And then the production moved to my farm. I was so excited the day before but the next morning at daybreak I had to work hard (unsuccessfully I suspect) to keep the Grumpy Grampa in me at bay when a veritable crush of people, vehicles, equipment and supplies descended upon my house, garage and barn and spread out in every direction, people tracking in and out of my house, running roughshod over hill and dale with my side by sides, cameras running and Steve Giroux’s drones buzzing overhead. But I quickly determined to just chill and go with the flow and had a great time.

I loved having the opportunity to watch Shawn Welling the film’s Director at work. It was absolutely amazing to see how he would start with the words on the script, survey the landscape and devise really incredible scenes. I never thought of directing as an art form but it is and Shawn Welling is an artist and a genius.

The scene at my farm where the tree comes down is spectacular but my favorite is probably the scene in my barn where the head of my beloved horse Fletcher takes center stage. Of course I love the scene in my bedroom with the Van Huesens bickering as their butler delivers their cocktails and oh my goodness the cocktail party on my deck!
Since I wasn’t appearing in any of the scenes filmed at my place, my job was to be the location host and self appointed go to resource for last minute prop demands. At one point, Jimmy needed suitcases and I was so happy to have him use the beautiful new matching set of tobacco brown Tumi bags that I had just bought myself. They looked perfect dangling at the end of Jimmy’s arms as he departs in a huff.

I also love the scene where Jimmy makes a gift of my son’s guitar from my piano room to Bridgette and the one where Jimmy is jogging down County Road wearing the black thermal underwear that I loaned him at the last minute.

And I really love the fact that the flask that Victoria repeatedly turns to for fortification is an ancient plastic pint of peppermint schnapps that had been in my liquor cabinet for ages.

I love that Gary Lynch, my friend and logger, and Jim Ellis, my friend and farm manager, were Loggers 1 and 2 in the cast and involved in felling the tree leading to the most dramatic moment of the story.

And that Christina Phillips Van Zandt, my friend and equine mentor, who I first met at the Kedron Valley Stables in 1996 when she was 13 years old, is the stunt double for Bridgette Van Huesen and she did such a wonderful job.

Every day of the production at my house, I would try to sneak away for a horseback ride. There’s one particular scene where the Van Huesens are out front of the house bidding farewell to their friends when the camera pans to a view of County Road and Christina and I can be seen on horses at the top of the driveway. We were just finishing a ride and I remember saying to Christina “hey I wonder what they’re doing down there, maybe they’re filming? I guess we ought to just wait here.”

And I love the fact that our local firemen Dana Wright and Ian Rittenhouse of the Windsor Fire Department appear in the movie and transport Bridgette by ambulance from my farm to the Mount Ascutney Hospital after her accident. They both did a wonderful job adding to the authenticity of the film.

I have so many great memories of the two weeks the film was in local production each of which is brought back to my mind when I watch the movie.

And then as quick as it all began, the filming was done, we had a “Wrap Party” at Bashon Brook and it was on to editing. Editing is the place where I’m told a large percentage of independent films go to die but not this one, editing is where Shawn Welling made this film bigger than life!

Amazing and unbelievable as it is, within the span of just 4 months, Shawn had the movie edited and ready to submit to the Worldfest Film Festival in Houston where it premiered on April 15 and where it not only won the Grand Jury Award for Best Family Feature but 3 nominations for best actor!

And since then movie keeps winning so many awards and keeps being selected for so many festivals that I can hardly keep track of them all. For those interested, I’ve attached the most up to date list at the end of the post.

My movie granddaughter, Alexis Arnold even won the award for Best Actress at the Hollywood Boulevard Film Festival. She’s a wonderful actress and a delightful young lady. I couldn’t be more proud of Lexi if she was my real granddaughter.

And I for one am not going to be surprised if Don Miller’s If I Could Ride is selected for the Sundance Film Festival this year and if selected I won’t be surprised if it doesn’t win an award or two at Sundance as well.

The Houston premier was so awesome. A couple of my kids with their friends and a number of mine attended with me. Six of my wife’s best friends came and guffawed at the point in the movie where my movie granddaughter Jodie attempts a cartwheel on the lawn at Bashon Brook. They laughed so hard because one of them had sprained her ankle attempting a cart wheel in the same spot more than a decade ago.

And then we were ready for the weekend of the New England premiere at the Lebanon Opera House. Don made the entire weekend a special experience.

We started Friday night at the Claremont Race Track which (hint, hint) may play a part in Don’s next movie. Don arranged for each of us to have the opportunity to wave the green flag to start one of the heat races. I was having so much fun waving the green flag until the actual race manager frantically grabbed my arm and stopped my waving. It seems I had been waving the green flag to start the race during the preparation laps! Yikes! That gave Don a big chuckle!

On Saturday a special engraved stone was dedicated at the GMHA and then a wonderful celebration dinner for the cast, crew and families at Mt Ascutney. But the highlight of the weekend of course was the Sunday Premier at the Lebanon Opera House.

At first there was going to only be one showing but the tickets for that showing were exhausted within 48 hours so Don added a second showing. And he arranged between the showings to have a party, festival actually in the Lebanon green. There were ice cream, balloons, prizes and raffles. There was a plastic toy pony for every kid and big movie cards for everyone and stickers for all.

Don had the actors arrive in limousines with a police escort and walk a red carpet into the town green. I had the pleasure of walking the red carpet with Lori Oz the beautiful angelic voiced singer songwriter on my arm. Lori both composed and sang the movie’s theme “Jodies Song” for the film. And she performed the song live at each showing with over 750 people in attendance each time who all sat mesmerized by the beauty of her voice, melody and lyrics.

Then we sat at tables in the green and signed the movie cards for happy movie goers who lined up to take pictures and get autographs. It was such an amazing wonderful feeling to see how much people just absolutely love this film. And a beautiful heart warming film it is, a film that’s destined to become an enduring family classic.

After the premier in Houston, one of my daughters posted on her Facebook page, “So proud of my dad Jeff Kavy’s acting debut in the film, ‘If I Could Ride.’ An important reminder to live in a world of possibilities and allow yourself to be open to any experiences this life has to offer.”

I think that’s such a nice thing for her to write and I think it’s a fair expression of my viewpoint. I really do view life as a great adventure and I really do believe you should always be open, always receptive, to thepossibilities and opportunities that present themselves. Of course, you should be circumspect but after the circumspection, once you have decided to engage in something, you should give it everything you’ve got. To do less is only to cheat yourself, whatever it is, give it your all and get the most out of it. And have fun.

So when Don Miller showed up on my doorstep and asked me about being involved in his project, I was circumspect but open to the idea. And when I decided to participate, I gave it my all and I got so much out of it.

I got to be involved in and learn about something completely new and fun and interesting and exciting, I made lots of new friends among the film crew and other actors, I met and made so many new friends in Windsor and the surrounding communities, I had my farm featured in a stunningly beautiful way in a truly wonderful film, I got Ray Kugler’s incredible images and I became a movie actor!

But there’s a bit more to that too.

See, last week when I got back to the farm, I went to the Price Chopper in Windsor to buy some milk and the Vermont Standard and two people that I did not know greeted me, one at the frozen foods and one in the produce. The first one smiled at me and said, “Hi Grampa” and the second one was wearing a mask but doubtless also smiling, when she said, “Hey you’re Grampa, Hi Grampa!”

So it seems that I’m not only a movie actor but a recognized, well known movie actor. Heck, you could use even the word “famous.” Yeah, that’s it, I’m not only a movie actor but I’m a famous movie actor! (Well, at least around these parts.)

Final note: Since the Premier many many people have been asking where they can see the movie. They ask, “Is there a DVD I can buy, will it be streaming, will there be a theatrical release?” At this point, I know that Don is making DVD’s which will be available for purchase within a few weeks at $10.00 (I think) Let me know if any of you are interested and I’ll get you on the list for when they arrive. As regards streaming or theatrical review, for now keep typing into your search engine “where can I watch Don Miller‘s If I Could Ride” and before you know it I think we will all be very happy with the answer received!

Don Miller’s If I Could Ride Awards to Date

WorldFest International Film Festival – Houston / “Jury Award Best Family Feature”.
WorldFest International Film Festival – Houston “3 Nomination Best Actor” / Eva Igo / Alexa Arnold / Hawk Meisenbach.
Hollywood Blvd. Film Festival – Hollywood Ca / “Best Feature Drama”.
White Unicorn International Film Festival – Kolkata West Bengal “Best Family & Children`s Feature Film”.
New Creators Film Awards – Paris France “Official Selection”. Indie Eye Film Awards / “Best Narrative Feature”.
Hollywood Blvd. Film Festival – Hollywood Ca / “Best Actress Alexis Arnold”.
Thinking Hat Fiction Festival / “Best Fiction Feature”.
New York Istanbul Film Festival – New York “Official Selection”.
Master of Cinema – Rome “Official Selection”.
Hollywood Blvd Film Festival – Los Angeles, California / “Best Feature Drama”.
Hollywood Gold Award / Los Angeles, California / “Honorable Mention”WorldFest International Film Festival – Houston / “Best Cast Ensemble”. Virtual View International Film Challenge / “Best Narrative Feature”.
Pure Magic International Film Festival – Amsterdam / “Best Feature Film”. Red Dragon Creative Awards – Dallas Tx. / “Best Director”.
Mindfield Film Festival – Albuquerque / “Best Feature Film”.
8 & Halfilm Awards – Rome / “Best Feature Film”.
OTB | Only The Best Film Awards – Miami / “Best Feature Film”.
Crown Wood International Film Festival – Kolkata, West Bengal / “Best Feature Film”.
Art Film Awards – Skopje North Macedonia / “Best Feature Film”.
International New York Film Festival – New York / “Official Selection”.
Stardust Films and Screenplays Festival – New York / “Best Director”.
Golden Eagle INDIE Film Festival – Erukkur India / “Best Cinematography”.
Golden Eagle INDIE Film Festival – Erukkur India / “Best Debut Feature Film”.
Golden Eagle INDIE Film Festival – Erukkur India / “Best Family Feature Film”.
International Motion Picture Festival of India – India / “Best International Children`s Film”.
International Motion Picture Festival of India – India / “Best Cinematography”.
Accolade Global Film Festival – La Jolla Ca./ “Award of Merit”.Watch Out International Film Festival – Philadelphia Pa./ “Honorable Mention”.
Accolade Global Film Festival – La Jolla Ca. / “Award of Merit”
Golden Bridge Film Festival – Istanbul Turkey / “Best Feature Film”.
Seoul International Film Festival – Seoul South Korea “Best Feature Film”.
Gold Star Movie Award – Newark NJ / “Best Young Adult Film”.
Gold Star Movie Award – Newark NJ / “Best Young Children`s Film”.
Watch Out International Film Festival – Philadelphia Pa. “Honorable Mention”.
Accolade Global Film Festival – La Jolla Ca. / “Award of Merit”. Hollywood Gold Awards – Los Angeles Ca. / “Honorable Mention”.
First Monthly Film Festival – Capetian Milina Belgrade / “Best Feature Film”.
Silver Mask Film Festival – Los Angeles Ca. / “Best Drama Feature”.
WRPN.TV Global Film Festival – Rehoboth Beach, DE / “Best Drama Feature”.
Santa Barbara International Screenplay Awards – Santa Barbara Ca. / “Honorable mention”.
Indie Movies Spark Film Festival – Amsterdam, Netherlands / “Best Feature Film”.
Art Film Awards Competition – Skopje, North Macedonia / “Honorable Mention”.Florence Film Awards – Florence, Italy / “Official Selection”.
New York Movie Awards – New York, NY / “Official Selection”.
Masters of Cinema – Rome, Italy / “Official Selection”.
International New York film Festival – New York, NY / “Official Selection”.
International Motion Picture Awards – Brooklin, Ontario / “Official Selection”.
Indo French International Film Festival – Puducherry, India / “Best Feature Script”.
Indo French International Film Festival – Puducherry, India / “Best International Feature”.