PopHorror Let's Get Scared
His name was Jason, and today is his birthday… Happy Friday the 13th, Horror Fam! We’re celebrating by taking a look back at some of the famous feuds and controversies from Fridays past. Grab your hockey mask and sharpen up your machete: it’s go time!
Friday the 13th Part 2 – Steve Dash vs. Warrington Gillette
Warrington Gillette makes a lot of convention appearances. He’s well known for playing Jason in Part 2. Who can forget the sight of him busting through the window at the end and grabbing poor Ginny? The only problem? He’s not the only guy who played Jason in Part 2! Steve Daskewisz, aka Steve Dash, played the killer in the bulk of the scenes. Why, do you ask? Because Gillette couldn’t do his own stunts! Gillette was replaced shortly after filming began.
Dash’s work as Jason was basically kept secret for years. His final credit is listed as “Jason Stunt Double.” Peter Bracke’s definitive book Crystal Lake Memories shed light on the depth and breadth of Dash’s involvement and he has since started getting the credit he so richly deserves. It’s a great story. Read all about it here.
Friday the 13th Part 3 – Richard Brooker vs. Steve Miner
Richard Brooker played Jason in Friday the 13th Part 3. One thing he enjoyed doing between takes was smoking his pipe. Budgets and production schedules are notoriously tight on these films, so it’s no surprise Steve Miner wasn’t amused when “ACTION!” was called and Brooker decided to enter the scene with a pipe and no mask. Shit meet fan.
Brooker tells the story on Paramount’s Crystal Lake to Manhattan DVD boxed set on one of the commentary tracks. You can also read more about it here.
Friday the 13th The Final Chapter – Ted White vs. Joseph Zito
Ted White played Jason in Part 4 – The Not-So-Final Chapter. Ted’s a rough and tumble, no-nonsense guy who intimidated his screen victims on the set. He’s seriously not someone you’d want to fuck with. Joseph Zito found this out the hard way when a scene they were filming went south.
Actress Julie Aronson was submerged in freezing cold water awaiting her demise on a raft. The scene was taking forever and Julie was naked…in winter…and Zito demanded she continues to finish the shot. Ted wouldn’t have it and told Zito he’d walk off the set if they didn’t get Julie out of the water immediately. Fortunately for Julie, Zito relented. Chivalry from the killer! You can read more on that story here. Bravo Ted!
Friday the 13th A New Beginning – Tom Morga vs. Dick Wieand
Dick Wieand played Roy the ambulance driver in A New Beginning. In the story, he takes up the Jason moniker to avenge his murdered son. The only problem is, Dick didn’t play Jason in the movie. Tom Morga did. Trouble brewed when Wieand hit the convention circuit signing and selling “Jason” photos that were actually photos of Tom Morga. Camp Blood has the story in their Tom Morga interview.
As in many movies, after the film comes out, controversies arise. Unfortunately, there’s one involving me and Dick Wieand, the actor who played Roy , the character who supposedly took on the Jason persona in the movie. The controversy arose when he autographed and sold pictures to fans that were really photos of me. Dick Warlock, who brought this up on the internet, has made clear his opinion of anyone who would take credit for a photo that is actually a picture of someone else.
Morga got over it and the actors have since worked it out. Tom even offers to re-sign the pictures for fans who send them in a SASE. The address is in the Camp Blood article if you have a photo you want signed (or re-signed).
Friday the 13th Part 6: Jason Lives – Frank Mancuso vs. Dan Bradley
Towering (and svelt) C.J. Graham plays Jason in Jason Lives…in all but a few scenes. The paintball scenes, to be exact. The role of Jason originally went to stunt coordinator Dan Bradley. The problem? Dan Bradley was a bit hefty to be playing the hockey-masked killer. At least that’s what Frank Mancuso thought when he saw the dailies. The crew went out and snagged C.J. Graham, but they didn’t bother re-shooting the initial footage, so Dan Bradley’s Jason work also lives! Read more about “fat Jason” here.
Jason Takes Manhattan – Kane Hodder vs. Ken Kirzinger I
Before taking on Freddy as Jason, Ken Kirzinger appeared in Friday the 13th Part 8. In the diner scene in New York (Vancouver), Ken plays the hulking cook that Kane throws over the bar. Did you know that Kirzinger also doubles as Jason in a few other scenes? He does…much to the chagrin of Kane Hodder.
Kane tells the story in Peter Bracke’s Crystal Lake Memories, noting you can totally tell it’s not him in those scenes and that it looks “fucking terrible.” Kane isn’t one to mince words.
Freddy vs. Jason – Kane Hodder vs. Ken Kirzinger II
Speaking of Kane Hodder not mincing words, he’s certainly not shy when it comes to Freddy vs. Jason. Kane expresses his confusion and disappointment in a number of interviews about being passed over for the role in the big showdown. In one such interview, Kane tells the story to Comingsoon.net.
I think that whoever made the decision didn’t realize that horror fans would give a shit. Their contention when they made the decision, whoever it was, was that well it’s a guy in a mask! Nobody is really gonna care who it is. Well, that’s what I’ve been told anyway. I think once they said, Wow, we didn’t realize that people would be upset, then they put out a bunch of bogus reasons, like saying I asked for too much money which is asinine.
Kane was slightly more reserved when he talked to us about it:
I was given the script for the film originally and was told I would be doing it and then told they wanted to go a different way. It did break my heart.
We still love you, Kane!
There you have it! Thanks for reading, and Happy Friday the 13th! Do you know of any other famous Friday the 13th set feuds? Tell us in the comments!
