Thom Caraccio: How we die in Dixieland

“If any of you cry at my funeral, I will never speak to you again.”

— Stan Laurel

I know, not exactly a cheery subject while you’re drinking your morning coffee, but it’s part of life for everyone. No exceptions.

Thom Caraccio: Give me a sign… now!

From the world of movie production.

You probably think of the motion picture industry as a fairly modern thing, but in reality it’s a pretty old business seeped in all kinds of traditions with its own outdated jargon and words. Titles like “best boy” and “grip” date from the 19th century.

Thom Caraccio: Grandma’s long distance romance with Oral Roberts

The last thing I would ever do is disparage the name Oral Roberts.

Thom Caraccio: J.R. was a worse (censored) than you even thought

From my box of movie making memories.

Back in 1993, I was hired as a graphic artist / sign writer for what was to be a TV pilot Called “Staying Afloat” starring Larry Hagman (“Dallas”).

Thom Caraccio: Where are the humans?

There’s a lot of chatter about AI (artificial intelligence) taking over our lives.

Thom Caraccio: The dance is dead

Over the decades, a cultural institution in America has quietly faded away into nothingness. Once a staple of adolescence, allowing teenagers their first opportunity to dip their toes into the mating pool, the school dance has gone the way of the dinosaur and the clutch pedal.

Thom Caraccio: Uncle James and his 40 year old dog

As I jog down the road of Columbus memories, there are numerous people I can never forget.

Thom Caraccio: Ghosts of S.D. Lee

Often you will get a raised eyebrow when someone catches you talking about your high school time and with a smirk they’ll start singing “Glory Days.”

Thom Caraccio: Mission to Miami at Flipper’s house

More stories from the motion picture set.

The second half of filming when we were shooting the Sean Connery movie “Just Cause” was in North Miami, working out of Greenwich Studios.

Thom Caraccio: Country boy/City man

Many of you who read The Dispatch have had similar stories, or are living them even now.

Thom Caraccio: I wanna be an intimacy coordinator, Part Two

The movie business is a complex machine.

Thom Caraccio: Mishaps and mayhem in making movies

More stories from the sets of TV and motion pictures.

Thom Caraccio: The Vickery Boys ride again

Well, I wish that were true, but time moves on. Mahlon Vickery passed not long ago, and Harold is living in retirement near Atlanta. I do communicate with him occasionally.

Thom Caraccio: I have seen the great bands live

There is a meme that says, “I may be old, but I have seen the great bands live and in person”.

Thom Caraccio: Slackers and loafers… my people!

I have written much about my early life as a full time rock musician and the middle part as a motion picture scenic and graphic artist. It does provide me with stories to put down on paper, best as I can remember.

Thom Caraccio: Why I hate helicopters

Stories from the film set.

In the movies and in TV shows, there seem to be more helicopters than you would actually see in real life.

Thom Caraccio: ‘Payday’ Gonzalez and the Ladder of Doom

Yet more stories from the movie set.

I’m not a scaredy cat by most people’s standards. During all of my misspent youth, many people saw me cross the line from dangerous to downright stupid. The only reason I’m still alive is that God looks out for cocky morons.

Thom Caraccio: I wanna be an ‘intimacy co-ordinator’

More stories from the film set.

Pretty much anyone who has ever seen a movie has at least seen the front titles where you’ll read all the usual jobs… director, producer, production designer, etc.  And you don’t need me to tell you what a camera operator or stunt man is in the closing credits.

Thom Caraccio: Conversations at midnight with the comedian

Stories from the film set.

It was close to midnight at the Burt Reynolds Ranch film studios, and I was mighty tired.

Thom Caraccio: Mississippi versus… everywhere else

Yeah… we different.