Cast
Gallery
Video
Episodes
Music
Quotes
Locations
Trivia
Links
News
Books
About
Big Easy - the Trivia page
Strange facts and stuff ...
Stuntman Jeff Galpin
What was the most complicated stunt on the series?Jeff: For me it was when I jumped down a elevator shaft on I believe the 5 or 6 episode.
Jeff Galpin stunt doubled Tony Crane and many other actors over the two years. He was also stunt coordinator for episodes 5, 6 and 7.
Added 2008 September 11
Chief 'Smiley' Ricks
Chief "Smiley" Ricks who co-wrote the first season Big Easy theme, was in
the episode One Little Indian, playing ... Chief "Smiley" Ricks, He was listed
with his regular first name as Howard "Smiley" Ricks.Added 2008 September 9
Mystery author Tony Fennelly about the series ...
In December 2005, New Orleans resident and mystery author
Tony Fennelly posted this comment:I remember seeing cast members sitting on the sidewalk in front of my house drinking their morning coffee and chatting. I was thinking, "Boy, Tony Crane is taller and heavier than he appears on the show. And he's not really as cute. Eventually, it transpired that I was looking at the stunt double!
There was a beautiful blue '68 Cadillac Eldorado convertible that Crane's character supposedly drove. Well, gang, nobody would drive a classic car like that through the narrow streets of the French Quarter, or anywhere else in New Orleans. Not if they cared about it. Nor did the crew. They put it on a flatbed trailer and carried it from one location to the next.
My comment: Since the series was TV "realism", Remy always found a parking space for his big car. And on his cop salary (plus details), he could afford an apartment in the Quarter.
Added 2008 September 8
Dr. Debria Brown
In the credits her character name was listed as Debria, which was also her real name.
She was listed as Dr. Debria Brown. In real life, she was an opera singer and a
university professor. The series often used peoples' real names when they guest
starred on the series - Coco's real name was Coco Robicheaux.
IMDB User Ratings
There was confusion on IMDB for a long time - there were two Big Easy TV series listed.
One for 1996 and another for 1997.And it was clear to see which season fans liked the best:
Big Easy 1996: User Rating: 8.3/10 (24 votes)
Big Easy 1997: User Rating: 5.7/10 (34 votes)
After the two were merged, the combined rating was:
User Rating: 6.5/10 (55 votes) - seems we lost 3 votes in the merger ...
There was also a TV movie listed - but that was in reality episode 2x03, Moscow on the Mississippi.
Drag Queens in 1x04, Cinderfella
Paloma - his real name is Samson Utley, a bartender at the Bourbon Pub and Parade,
a former waiter/waitress at Lucky Cheng's restaurant and a noted local drag performer.
Paloma is co-grand marshal of the 37th annual Southern Decadence celebration this weekend 9August 2008) in New Orleans. Southern Decadence is the annual Labor Day weekend festival of gay pride, culture and, well -- decadence -- that culminates Sunday with a drag queen parade in the Quarter.
The 60-Second Interview: PALOMA, by Chris Rose
By the way - the 16th named storm of 2008 is scheduled to be Paloma.
First Season Theme
It was written by Wardell Quezergue and Chief Smiley Ricks.Wardell Quezergue (b 1930) is an American music arranger, producer and bandleader, known among New Orleans musicians as the “Creole Beethoven”.
Small youtube clip with Wardell Quezergue and one with Chief Smiley Ricks.
Producers galore!
One episode of The Big Easy may have 10 producers listed. For example 1x05, Stodermayer:Co-Producer - Ra'uf Glasgow
Co-Producer - Albert J. Salzer (doing double duty as Production Manager)
Consulting Producer - Anne Kenney (also sometimes script writer)
Supervising Producer - James Frawley (also sometimes director)
Produced by Blue André
Executive Producer - Sonny Grosso
Executive Producer - Larry Jacobson
Executive Producer - Jacqueline Zambrano (also series developer and script writer)
Executive Producer - Bobby DeLaurentis/Robert DeLaurentiis (also script writer)
Executive Producer - Daniel Petrie, Jr. (created the movie characters)
Only Jacobson and Zambrano have assistants, so mayby they were the "hands on" producers?
Or was that Salzer, the production manager?
IMDB's explanation about Producers:
"AKA: Prod
The chief of staff of a movie production in all matters save the creative efforts of the director, who is head of the line. A producer is responsible for raising funding, hiring key personnel, and arranging for distributors. See also associate producer, co-producer, executive producer, line producer, Producer's Guild of America."
Read more on the IMDB Glossary - like what a Best Boy or a Gaffer does on set - and more.
Number of Episodes?
Everyone agree that there are 35 episodes, and the DVD boxes confirm it.Yet the website of production company Grosso-Jacobson list the number of episodes as 44 ....
Which makes me wonder if there are un-filmed manuscripts gathering dust somewhere?
11 September 2008
