My part in 'Easy Rider'

I was once an extra in a major movie, I think! The filming took place in February of 1968, in New Orleans. The scenes being filmed were part of the Mardi Gras segments in the classic movie, 'Easy Rider.'

I was reminded of that long ago period of my youth recently, as I was making plans for this Sunday's Chief's game versus the New Orleans Saints. Our tailgate is planning to celebrate the event with the theme of 'Cajun' entrees. I was a student in the spring of 1968, as a freshman at Pittsburg State. This was during the height of the Viet Nam War years. Pittsburg State was originally a Land Grant college. By the rules of that process, every male student enrolled was required to take 2 years of ROTC classes and drills.

I actually found the classes to be quite interesting, but the twice weekly drills were uniformly disliked by the majority of my fellow cadets. Early in the fall semester, the officers told us that the school corp was going to form a band. Anyone who had ever had experience as a band member could tryout if they wished.

They offered some incentives to attract students to tryout. They told us that as band members, we would no longer be required to attend the regular bi-weekly drills. That alone would have been enough to get my attention, but the second perk 'sold the deal' for me. Our band would be going to New Orleans in February to participate in several Mardi Gras parades.

We had weekly band sessions after I joined. We were even issued some really fancy uniforms, complete with white spats, white helmets and special insignia.

When we arrived in New Orleans, the army had made special arrangements for us to stay onboard an aircraft carrier. I think it was named either the Midway or the Guadalcanal, but 48 years later, my memory is a bit suspect. We were led down several very narrow and steep stairways to what were called Marine quarters. The bunks, bathrooms and ship's galley were unlike anything I have ever seen. Even though this was a World War II era ship, it was immense.

We were scheduled to march in three different parades on Thursday, Friday and finally Saturday. There was a drizzling rain the first two days, so we didn't get to march in either of those events. The Saturday parade, one of the largest held each year, was in the week leading up to Fat Tuesday.

In that parade, we were the lead band (each parade had a military band lead off). Right in front of us, riding in a convertible, was the parade 'Grand Marshall,' legendary trumpet player, Al Hirt.

Our parade was seven miles long, and it wound it's way throughout the French Quarter. Right behind us was the first of many floats that local clubs and organizations entered in each parade. The occupants of each float were dressed in Mardi Gras costumes, and as they passed by, they threw strings of costume beads to the crowds. The scramble to catch these beads was mob-like.

We had practiced several march tunes to play during our lengthy trek, but we soon learned that they only wanted to hear one song -- 'Dixie!' In some locations the streets were so narrow that the people were actually close enough to touch us.

On the preceding Friday evening, when our parade had been cancelled, we were allowed free time to go downtown to see what Bourbon Street was like. They did tell us to wear our full uniforms, complete with a nice, full-length waterproof overcoat.

During Mardi Gras, there were lots of Navy ships in town for 'Fleet Week.' More than once, sailors mistook us for M.P.'s, in our distinctive uniforms. Once a sailor tried to hand me a bottle of alcohol and asked me to not turn him in.

When we finally managed to walk through the dense crowds to Bourbon Street, we discovered that there was a portion of the celebration that had been cordoned off by ropes with flags attached. Most people were being shuffled away from that area, but when we walked up in our uniforms, they ushered us inside.

At the time we only knew that they were filming some scenes for a movie. We had no idea that this movie would become the classic 'Easy Rider.' The one thing that stands out in my mind about that filming were the many bright lights that they used.

I have watched the movie in reruns several times and have scanned the crowd to see if I could catch a glimpse of me and my friends, but have never had any luck. I also have never received any check in the mail for my extra status in the film.

That same night I got a very interesting surprise for a just turned nineteen year old and very green college student. There was a beauty pageant taking place on one of the streets. We watched for several minutes, before we realized that the contestants were not really women!

The filming of 'Easy Rider' in the spring of '68, was just one of the many historical events that happened during that time. Martin Luther King and Bobby Kennedy were both assassinated that year. President Johnson decided not to run again for office because of the unpopularity of the Viet Nam War. In Chicago, there were terrible riots during the Democratic Convention. Suffice it to say, it was one of the most tumultuous times in our history.

I guess being a nineteen year old, the events just didn't seem as monumental as they likely did for most adults. For me, college, music, girls and having fun were items more on my mind than politics. Still, as long as I live, I will remember my first trip to Mardi Gras, and I'm still hoping to see myself in 'Easy Rider!'