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Ted Mikels
Film Making Legend
Page 3
Jon: Out of all of the movies that you have made which is your favorite?
Ted: I like to say they were all my favorites, cause’ there was a lot of blood,
sweat, and tears making them. I like to think that my favorite ones are the
ones I haven't made yet, like Baywolf that I am working on right now. I
wanted to do Baywolf since 1947. One of the major studios wanted to buy the
screenplay from me. I said it was not for sale. I am the writer/producer
or I will burn the script. So I’m still sitting on it.
Jon: What is your favorite movie other then one of yours?
Ted: Probably "Excalibur". It’s my kind of movie.
Jon: Who is your favorite Las Vegas Performer?
Ted: Hmmmm...... I used to hate Don Rickles. I thought he was a real jerk, but
I got to know him, I got to love him. I always liked Wayne Newton, Even
when his voice hadn’t changed yet. And of course Sigfried and Roy.
Jon: Did you ever see the TV show called "Mystery Science Theater 3000" and what
did you think of it?
Ted: Everybody called me after the last one. "Girl in Gold Boots" I think it
was. They contracted for several of my movies. Why mine I don’t know
and why Mystery Science would play a musical/drama called "Girl in Gold
Boots". I thought they did all right by me. I’m not offended by what
anyone says, and what they said was good, was cute.
Jon: Did I read somewhere that you play the accordion?
Ted: Oh yea. My father would lay his belt out on the table and I better get my
1-hour in or I was in trouble. In my mid teens I had a 2.5 hour magic show.
I played the accordion, I played solo’s. I did my own show called "Open
Sesame". Ate fire, escaped from straight jackets, I did all of the
conventional Chinese rings, balls, Doves, silks from nowhere, accordion
solo’s, ventriloquism, So for 2.5 hours I did my own 1 man show. I enjoyed
it. I still have one sitting in my living room and at Christmas time I put
it on and fumble through some Christmas songs.
Jon: So you are working on 2 new movies?
Ted: The first one is "Doll Squad 2". A replication of the original "Doll Squad"
or the original Angels. I will shoot that right here. The next one, I
haven't come up with a right name yet. I named it when I wrote the script,
based on a story from a friend of mine, that is deceased and always wanted
me to make the movie. It was called "Headcount". It was based on this
unlucky gambler who would see people getting money from the casinos for
dropping off a busload of people to go inside and gamble. They would pay
him so much a head. That is where the title came from. I’m thinking of
changing it to "Mr. Lucky Las Vegas" or something like that. They guy loses
everything, he loses his car, hocks his girlfriends jewelry, he loses
everything and in the end he ends up owning a casino. It’s a good story.
Everybody in the business in Vegas will love it cause’ it does not take a
poke at anyone.
Near the end of the interview I got up to look at some of the pictures on
the wall. There were pictures of Ted with such Hollywood legends as Regis
Philbin, Phil Silvers, Rowan and Martin, Joan Crawford, Ed Wood, Peter
Faulk, and Wayne Rogers among others. Ted seems like a wonderful man who
has had a long and interesting career in the movies, and I hope it continues
for him for a long time to come. Be sure to check out "Mark of the Astro
Zombies", Ted’s latest movie, which has just been released.
Interview by Jon Green
Ted Mikels and Jon are just two of the many celebrities who call Las Vegas their home.
Check out The Glitter Guide for more information about Ted Mikels and other famous Las Vegas residents!
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