- You were Steven Spielberg’s assistant at Amblin during the 80s. How did you get that amazing job ?

I was employed by Lucasfilm in late 1979 when Steve signed on to direct RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK. The production was based at Lucasfilm's Los Angeles office. One day, Producer Frank Marshall (no relation) asked me if I knew how to operate a 35mm projector. I was hired to run movies at Steven's house in the evenings. I left Lucasfilm during production, but ran into Steven at Warner Bros. three years later. He told me Universal was constructing a building for his production company, and he asked if I wanted to work for him as his projectionist. Unfortunately, the projectionist position was a union job, and I was not in the union. He made me his personal assistant instead.



- How and when did you start your work on Goonies ?

Chris Columbus was writing the script in an office at Amblin when I started the job in early 1984. When casting began, Steven had me running the video camera during auditions. I got to know some of the cast. For example, Sean Astin mentioned how much he looked forward to meeting Ke Huy Quan. So, on Saturday morning in early September, I picked up Sean and his younger brother, Mackenzie, and then Ke and his brother, David, and took the to Amblin for the day to get to know each other. I still have photos I took of that meeting. Sean and Ke became fast friends.



- In your book, you mention that everybody knew that Sean had the part once he entered the room. Do you know why ?

Steven, Richard Donner, and casting director Mike Fenton each saw many of Mikey's qualities in Sean, when he entered the room. His audition was strong, however he was very nervous, and he kept messing up. His various reactions truly charmed the three men. They didn't see any other young actors for Mikey after that day.



- Do you remember why they chose the now famous Goonies house as the Goonies house ? Do you know if the owner enjoyed the filming ?

Dick and Producer Harvey Bernhard drove up the Oregon coast looking for potential shooting locations in late summer of 1984. Harvey had a home in Washington state, and he knew that the autumn season in those small seaside towns would be a look that Donner would respond to. They were driving through Astoria when Dick looked up the hill and saw the house. He called location manager Tony Amatulo, who made contact with the owner and set the deal. As far as I remember (considering it's been four decades), the owners were delighted to have a movie being made in their home. As was the standard in a Richard Donner movie, improvements were made to the house, which the owners loved!



- What did you do exactly on the set on a typical day ?

I was not actually set to work on the movie. I was Steven's personal assistant, and my job was to take care of him and his family. After filming began in Astoria, I asked Steven if I could take a week's vacation and travel north to watch the movie being shot. Steven agreed, but told me to get Donner's blessing. Through his assistant, Dick told me that if I was crazy enough to spend my vacation watching his movie being made, then he would pay for my plane ticket! That was my first experience with Dick's legendary kindness. Of course, on the second day of my vacation, he put me to work on the 2nd Unit, directed at that time by Frank Marshall. I ended up staying for the rest of the location shoot, traveling back to L.A. on a chartered jet with the cast and crew. Once back at Warner Bros. (known then as "The Burbank Studios"), Steven took over 2nd Unit direction, so I was with him each day. Steven told me to be aware of where all the kids were at all times, since they were working on two units simultaneously. I became known around the production as "the kid wrangler" and "the Goonies wrangler. »
  


- How closely did you work with Steven and Richard ?

As Steven's assistant, I worked with him closely on set making sure that he returned business and personal calls, assisted in setting meetings, really anything he needed me to do. I didn't get to really know Dick until I became his home projectionist in the evenings during my tenure at Amblin, and then later when I went to work for his production company.



- Were you close to the actors ?

The cast became like a family to me. After forty years, I still see and keep in touch with Sean, Corey, Ke, and Jeff. I saw Kerri last year at the Goonies 40th anniversary celebration. I saw Robert Davi just last month in Astoria. I've also talked with Joey Pants. I have been to weddings, funerals and graduations, and I've celebrated many, many birthdays. I love all of them. They are the family I chose.



- Any cool anecdotes about them ?

Sean directed two short films, one in 1989, the other in 1993, which was nominated for an Academy Award. I was honored to serve as production manager on both films. He is a very talented director, and I wish he had directed more, however he has been so busy. I discovered last year that Kerri is a picture editor, and she edited a six-part series about the restoration of the Goonies house to its 1984 glory (interior and exterior). Two years ago, Jeff traveled to Oklahoma City, near my home in Enid, and I had a joyous time with him. I worked with Corey on the fulfillment section of an album he produced. He has been ridiculed for his music career, but he really is a very talented musician and songwriter. Each of those "kids" is precious to me and wickedly talented!



- What do you remember of the days Harrison Ford and Michael Jackson came to the set ?

Harrison is such a low-key person. I know he visited the Organ Chamber set when Steven was directing some pick-up shots. He doesn't like any fuss to be made,so his visit was on the down-low. Michael's visit was just the opposite. Michael was the biggest opr star in the entire world at the time. Corey was about to jump out of his skin with anticipation (he idolized Michael), and he just about exploded when Michael arrived with his sister LaToya. The entire crew was buzzing about Michael's presence. Even the crew of "Pee Wee's Big Adventure" which was shooting on a soundstage across from us were talking about it. I'm sure the entire movie lot knew about the visit eventually. Steven and Dick showed Michael and LaToya the pirate ship, and Steven told me to give the pair a tour of the remaining sets. Our set photographer, John Shannon, took photos of me giving them the tour. A very eventful day!



- Did you try the waterslide ?

Officially? No! Off the record? Absolutely!



- What do you remember of the filming in Astoria ? Did you like the town ?

I LOVED Astoria! I still do. After Goonies, I was fortunate enough to return to Astoria eight years later when I served as a producer on the movie "Free Willy." and agian two years later for "Free Willy 2." Astoria has a spirit unlike any other town in America. I've been back three more times since 1994. We filmed Goonies in the Fall of 1984. That time of year is cold, rainy, and windy - perfect for the mood Dick Donner was trying to infuse into the story. Astoria was like another character. The winds howled when we filmed out at Ecola State Park, the location for the Lighthouse Lounge. Park Rangers warned the Transportation Department to tie down the production trailer while filming there. They didn't heed the warning and found the trailer tipped over on its side one morning.



- Do you know on the inferno when Data uses his pinchers of peril, we can see the exact same shot used at the beginning of the movie ?

You got me on that one. Are you referring to the earlier shot in the cave? I will have to go back and look for it!



- More than 40 years later, do you still enjoy the movie ?

I truly do. I have viewed it a couple of times on a 65" flat screen.Last year, at an anniversary screening of Goonies at the Frida Theater in Santa Ana, California, I watched it on the big screen for the first time since it was released, and I noticed so many things I missed before, mainly little bits of dialogue or the kids' reactions to things. I loved the interaction of the Fratelli's. I even choked up at parts. I love this movie, and I am so proud to have my name in the credits, which was a reward from Steven, Frank, and Kathy Kennedy for believing in the movie.



- Why do you think the movie is still such a classic ?

The themes infused into the movie are timeless ones. Every person, regardless of age, understands the concepts of love and friendship, of sacrifice, of loyalty, of belonging. So many of us are the underdogs, and we would leap at the chance to do something that would help the people we love. Each of those kids was an outsider in their social circles, and they gravitated toward each other and found a friendship that would fill the popular kids would envy. Even pure-hearted Sloth found his true family - the family he chose. The Goonies were lucky to have each other. And, of course, it was the youngest member of the group, who was forced to do the Truffle Shuffle, who ended up saving the kids from certain doom. In the original ending of the movie, as the kids are each telling where they are going to go, as Mikey says, "on the day after," Brand has a line which encapsulates the heart of the story: "Come on, guys, there's Goonies in every town. You won't be lonely for long." Indeed.

- MARK’S PHOTOS -

- BUY MARK’S BOOK ON AMAZON -