Lights, Camera...Action!

I enjoy movies and have always been interested in movie making. Did you know that although Hayward isn’t Hollywood our little church just may be the epicenter of East Bay film making? Most locals and film buffs know about Nile’s Essanay Studios and that Charlie Chaplin, Bronco Billy, Ben Turpin at the turn of the last century were turning out flickers just down the road. But did you know that Ron Howard, Cindy Williams and Harrison Ford shotAmerican Graffiti 2 up the hill at Cal State Hayward and at the old drag strip at Pacific Commons in Fremont? And that Robin Williams acted out scenes for Bicentennial Man at Mission Clay Products in Niles Canyon and Arnold blew up an office building in Fremont’s Warm Springs fighting off robots in Terminator 2: Judgment Day? Jane Fonda threw a brick through the window of the pawn shop on Mission in downtown Hayward in Steel Yard Blues. Scenes from Fruitvale Station were shot in our neighborhood and at the South Hayward BART Station. Tom Hanks spent a couple semesters at Chabot College and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and Vin Diesel both hail from Hayward. The old Dumbarton Bridge toll plaza served as a backdrop for scenes in Harold and Maud. Even our own Dottie played a key “extra” role in Towering Inferno. I’ll admit to be excited to be a crowd extra in Disney’s Angels in the Outfield shot at the Coliseum, and was disappointed when book chapters from Kite Runner set in Fremont’s Irvington, Centerville districts and at Lake Elizabeth were filmed in Oakland. Boooo

Roger has arranged a viewing of the new film Risen for the congregation on Tuesday morning and I hope that you will be able to join us. Nope, it wasn’t filmed in Hayward, however actor Joseph Fiennes (Ralph’s brother) who plays Clavius, and Winona Ryder filmed scenes for The Darwin Awards just up Mission Blvd in the coffee shop at our own Holiday Bowl......Ready when you are CB!  -Bill