Courtesy photo. Richard Lester, an algebra teacher at New Smrna Beach High School, appeared 20 years ago in the movie western, "Silverado," which was broadcast May 30 on Turner Classic Movies.
NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- Weekdays for 10 months out of the year, film-maker Richard Lester teaches ninth-grade algebra at New Smyrna Beach High School.
But on weekends, evenings and summers, he devotes his time to making films with his son Gary, an award-winning director.
"Leading two lives definitely keeps me busy", said the elder Lester. "I actually have to plan ahead for some quiet time to read a good Larry Baker book."
On Saturday, May 30, Lester appeared in Lawrence Kasdan's epic western, Silverado, on Turner Classic Movies. "That's right," said the elder Lester, adding, "my acting days were so long ago that the movies I was in are all considered classics now."
"Silverado," filmed in 1985 in Galisteo, N.M., was Lester's first film job. It was almost his last.
"During a climactic scene where Kevin Costner comes riding hell-bent for leather into Silverado, I'm the last guy on the street in Silverado. I have to run in front of his horse. He darn near rides me down."
The scene took three hours to shoot, and prior to filming, Costner warned Lester that he had never ridden a horse before. The shot required that Lester, Costner, and the galloping horse all be in the camera frame at the same time.
"I had a great second assistant director," Lester said. "Stephen Dunn (Terminator Salvation) had a walkie-talkie at my mark and another crew member had a walkie with Costner at his mark. Everything was timed to the split second. Otherwise, I would have had a little memorial statement at the beginning of the film, and my brief career would have ended right there!"
In the movie, Lester also appeared in the shoot-out scene in front of the Midnight Star Saloon. "That one became a cover photo on the back of the VHS when the film first came out," recalls Lester. "I have to laugh. For awhile, my photo was in every video rental store in the world. That scene was also included in the special segment, The Making of Silverado."
Lester also remembers filming on a bitter cold weekend in February.
"It was President's Day, and family members of cast and crew were flown in from LA for a brief visit," recalls Lester. "When it was time for them to leave the set and head back home, Lawrence Kasdan's young son began to cry. Kasdan brought the entire production to a halt and walked his son to the steps outside the set's jail. There, father and son had a heart-to-heart visit for about 30 minutes."
Lester continued, "I said then that Lawrence Kasdan was a special type of person. Family came first, the production could wait. I hoped Silverado would make millions for him. He deserved it!"
Lester's after-hours film career now consists of working as executive producer on films with his son, Gary. Their latest effort, "Safe Haven: The Warsaw Zoo," was broadcast on national television in Israel last month, and is now screening on the international film festival circuit.
Will he be watching Silverado on TCM later this month? "I don't think so," laughs Lester. "It's a great movie, Lawrence Kasdan is a super fine director and wonderful person, but I already know how the movie ends!"
FAST FACTS
Lester's complete filmography is on www.imdb.com