• Will be answering questions from 6pm GMT on the 18th December and the thread will be live until then and after to cater for people in different time zones -

Hiya guys, 32 Years in the biz and it was a lot better than 9-5 for a life time... I tell of my life in films and tv in my new book and some of it on my web biog. I got to work on 800 film and tv shows while in the biz and with a wife and three kids it was a matter of going out and getting a living. I wrote my story in book form after my lovely wife of 47 years died in 2010... You can find some of my work on YouTube and Google, and you can order my book from my website...ask away.

Aitch,

Here is my IMDB page and here is my personal website.

Edit edit: That's all for now, folks. I may come back another day if there are any new questions..thank you for your questions.

Edit: Proof on my personal facebook page. I am now here answering questions, with my grandson helping me...

Comments: 394 • Responses: 18  • Date: 

Q-Kat158 karma

How do you go through over 30 years of being an extra, mostly uncredited, and still feel amazing about it? Most extras I met when I did for that work for a little while would go on and on about their theoretical break into speaking parts and eventually into being "recognised". Did you start off like that and hit a point where you realised you were having fun either way or do you still wonder why you never got picked up for bigger parts?

Also - Which shows treated their extras best and which shows treated you like crap? It was pretty spoken of during my stint not to accept jobs with "Home and Away" due to the shocking way they treated extras.

harryfielder7 karma

To me, it was a job of going to work every day and enjoying the days. After a couple of years, and i understood the business, assistant directors and directors would ask me to do a line or two, which i found easy, after being a singer in a band for 8 years. I'm glad i did this with my life rather than working in an office 9-5 for a lifetime. Thank you.

On treating extras - i was never treated badly, being an equity member, but i did see some guys thrown off the set for not taking the job serious enough.

harryfielder2 karma

If companys treat you bad you report them to your union..Equity.. I loved the time I was in the biz and got respect from all.

thepoetfromoz122 karma

What's your best memory from working on the set of Doctor Who? Which Doctors did you meet and how were they in real life?

harryfielder5 karma

Best memories were the years with Tom Baker. All the Whos were done light heartedly, there was nothing serious about it and we had some great laughs. I met Patrick Troughton at Lime Grove studios, Jon Pertwee (BBC centre), Tom Baker (many episodes) and Peter Davidson. They were all nice to work with.

Here are my Doctor Who credits...

Another day,, Another dollar.....

"Doctor Who" (13 episodes )

1.The Enemy of the World: Episode 1 (23 December 1967) - Central European Guard (uncredited)

2.The Wheel in Space: Episode 1 (27 April 1968) - Wheel Crewmember (uncredited)

3.The Wheel in Space: Episode 2 (4 May 1968) - Wheel Crewmember (uncredited)

4.Revenge of the Cybermen: Part One (19 April 1975) - Vogan (uncredited)

5.The Seeds of Doom: Part Three (14 February 1976) - Guard (uncredited)

6.The Seeds of Doom: Part Four (21 February 1976) - Guard

7.The Deadly Assassin: Part One (30 October 1976) - Guard (uncredited)

8.The Face of Evil: Part One (1 January 1977) - Second Assassin (uncredited)

9.The Invisible Enemy: Part One (1 October 1977) - Titan Base Crewman (uncredited)

10.The Ribos Operation: Part Three (16 September 1978) - Levithian Guard (uncredited)

11.The Armageddon Factor: Part Two (27 January 1979) - Guard

12.Meglos: Part One (27 September 1980) - Tigellan (uncredited)

13.Castrovalva: Part 1 (4 January 1982) - Security Guard (uncredited)

coltsfan6327 karma

whats the salary like for an actor/ movie extra ?

harryfielder2 karma

When i started, it was £3 a day, and if you did 5 days a week you'd get £15. Our average working wage was £12 back in the 60s. But it was good going on something new everday and we didn't get bored.

I've always been a union member and i still keep my equity card because of repeat fees. I still get the odd amount every so often...

WendyFluff26 karma

What were the oddest instructions you ever received from a director?

harryfielder4 karma

On the film Macvicar, the director Tom Clegg told me to tell Adam Faith to 'fuck off' in the scene. He didn't know it was coming so his reaction in the film is genuine. And Tom Clegg told me to keep swearing for the next two weeks. Fun days...

tswpoker121 karma

In your 32 years experience in Hollywood, who is the easiest famous woman you have come across? Who do us regular folk actually have a chance to hook up with should we run into them drunk at a bar?

harryfielder2 karma

I never worked in Hollywood, only in England, but met many wonderful English actressess. See my webpages for a whole list of credits...

harryfielder2 karma

Never got to Hollywood,, only worked in the UK.. But met many great Hollywood actors/s.. It's all on my web biog..

JessTheHumanGirl18 karma

What do you have to do to update your IMDb page? Do credits automatically get updated or do you have to update it yourself? Why don't you have an image attached to yours? Who was/is your favorite Doctor? What is your favorite credit thus far? (ie: Vegetable Man, Robber of Jewellers, Man Walking by River)

THANKS _^

harryfielder2 karma

I update myself but others also help. If i get a credit for a part it gets automatically put on there.

My favourite credit is 'Market Porter' while working on Hitchcock's 'Frenzy'. To work with the master was wonderful...

diMario8 karma

Have you ever played a Red Shirt in an away mission of the original Star Trek series?

harryfielder2 karma

Never did Star Trek... Only worked in the UK..

ImmaterialPossession7 karma

What is the best memory you have from your time working in the film industry?

harryfielder2 karma

Working with the Master, Alfred Hitchcock, on 'Frenzy'. I spent two or three weeks on the film and i used to watch him at work. I never watched the actors much because i was more interested in what he was doing. And on my web page, i tell of nearly bumping into him in the 1940s in Islington...

Wikipedia_scholar4 karma

Isn't he a little short for a death star trooper?

harryfielder2 karma

Yeah, i'm only 6' tall...

eastriverdrive4 karma

Harry why is it that English actors seem much more masterful of acting as craft? I just saw the Hobbit and it was very British. Star Wars, Indiana Jones trilogy just wouldn't have been the same with an all American cast. Does Hollywood give Britain enough credit for its successes?

harryfielder2 karma

We've got good and bad actors in all countries, and we all do the best we can...

deejay_reich3 karma

Did you get to go to the cast/wrap parties? If so, who threw the best one, and why?

harryfielder2 karma

I went to one or two but not important ones. Don't forget, we were extras...

Janet_Coquette3 karma

Any interesting stories to tell us about being on the set of Star Wars?

harryfielder2 karma

I was asked to work for seven days on Star Wars, and at first i didnt want to do it because i had just finished two Doctor Whos, and wanted to get out of space gear back into civvies. But i am now glad i did them seven days. I played a Death Star Trooper who tortured Princess Leia. Lovely girl, Carrie Fisher. I spoke to her many times because i was in love with her mum in 1952 when she did 'Singin in the rain' (Debbie Reynolds)...

AllwaysConfused3 karma

I don't really have a question unless you have a cool Laurence Olivier story to share. I just wanted to say that you have been in some of my favorite movies, like Twins of Evil and Highlander. You must have an amazing life.

harryfielder2 karma

I worked with Sir Laurence on a film called Three Sisters, which he co directed. I was dressed up as the devil and as i was about to go on stage, Sir Laurence said 'Good luck, my boy'. You can't beat that...

ozpunk2 karma

It looks like you've played a lot police officer characters, is that typecasting or just something that you were interested in? Thanks.

harryfielder2 karma

It was being 6' tall and slim, the costume departments were happy with me because i fitted into the outfits easily...

YongeSt1 karma

Have you ever worked with a big-name actor or actress who you thought was terrible at their job?

harryfielder2 karma

Never kiss and tell...thats all...

so_sat_is_fied1 karma

At the time of shooting "A New Hope," did you know your character was named Corporal Grenwick, or did they basically just tell you, "wear this, walk behind him, look fearsome" before you found out your name later?

harryfielder2 karma

Only many years later i found out what i was called. I was just known as 'Death star trooper' while working on it, or 'Oi, stand over there...'