By Chrisdfw (Chrisdfw) (209.246.135.138 - 209.246.135.138) on Sunday, October 14, 2001 - 04:56 am:

Scott Grimes as Don Malarkey

By Chris Langlois (Chrisdfw) (12.239.86.117) on Monday, March 18, 2002 - 12:55 pm:

Scott Grimes and his wife Dawn arrive at the film premiere of "Band Of Brothers" August 29, 2001 Los Angeles, CA. (Photo by Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images) ALL OVER PRESS Norway

By Chris Langlois (Chrisdfw) (12.239.86.117) on Monday, June 17, 2002 - 12:51 pm:

Tracy Gordon Goff (daughter of Walter Gordon) with Scott.


Courtesy of Tracy

By Chris Langlois (Chrisdfw) (12.241.64.130) on Monday, August 19, 2002 - 01:39 pm:

Gay Gordon (daughter of Walter Gordon) with Scott.


Courtesy of Tracy

By Chris Langlois (Chrisdfw) (12.241.64.130) on Thursday, September 12, 2002 - 09:29 pm:

August 22, 2002, Thursday

Brothers in arms

by Jennifer Dudley


The real heroes of war have been brought to life in a television version of World War II which strives for authenticity. Jennifer Dudley reports

SCOTT Grimes stood behind his artillery, ready to shoot the swarm of German soldiers before him. Tension was palpable. Motives clear. As soon as he fired his cannon a cluster of opposing soldiers would fall to the ground, unable to move.

His victims would feel no pain. They would no longer have to fight for their lives or their country. They would finally be free of the second war to consume the world.

They would simply lie there, motionless, until the director yelled "cut". This is television, after all.

In real life Scott Richard Grimes has never seen war. The closest he has come to battle is hearing the stories of his father, a Vietnam War veteran.

The 31-year-old actor has experienced his fair share of drama, on shows such as Party of Five and films including Crimson Tide and Mystery, Alaska, but never had he seen drama on a scale as big as that in Band of Brothers.

The 10-part mini-series, which looks more like a 10-hour film than anything made for television, is based on the non-fiction book by World War II historian Stephen Ambrose.

It details the story of the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne, a US army rifle company known as Easy Company that parachuted into France on D-Day.

The story was made for the screen after Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg showed interest.

They had collaborated on the epic war film Saving Private Ryan in 1998 and were keen to show audiences more of what really happened during World War II.

For this reason, almost all of Brothers' main actors were chosen for their resemblance to real-life soldiers -- a fact that made Grimes truly grateful for his mop of red hair.

Grimes resembles flame-haired Top Sergeant Donald Malarkey, who was drafted in July 1942 and volunteered for the paratroops.

That likeness, a tip-off from his Party of Five co-star Matt Fox, a friendly casting agent and a "pow wow" with Hanks all converged to win Grimes a part in the series.

"I just happened to connect with Tom in that first audition," Grimes says. "He's amazing because usually when you audition someone reads with you. Well, Tom read with us and he played the other character in my scene. It was quite lovely to do it with another actor and that's why he's amazing and he deserves a lot of credit."

Grimes says the project was "one of those that comes along every couple of years that every actor wants to be a part of".

He had read the book of the same name and knew Malarkey had a tendency to kid around and sing songs. To better his chances of getting the part, Grimes made a recording of himself singing an old Irish lullaby and gave it to Hanks. The approach worked.

Thrilled to get the part, Grimes started researching military history and tactics. But nothing prepared him for the hell that was to come: a two-week boot camp.

"It was horrible," he says. "The main reason was that it was a 1940s boot camp with 1940s outfits and weapons. I'm not saying boot camp today is fine and dandy but this just added to the discomfort, with wool shirts and uniforms."

Grimes says the camp was run by the same group who prepared actors for Saving Private Ryan. The organisers were very experienced, he says, and "they really treat you like crap".

The huge cast was taught everything from field tactics, parachute-jump training and weapons handling, to how to wear a uniform and stand at attention.

Actors also were forced to run 8 to 10km a day.

Some made a name for themselves at boot camp. David Schwimmer, for example, "made us hate him on purpose" during the two weeks, Grimes says.

The Friends star plays the hateful Captain Herbert Sobel in Band of Brothers, a role some thought he could not carry off.

"All these people on (Party of Five) asked who would be playing Sobel, because he was such a hard-arse," Grimes says. "When they found out they were like 'Oh great, Ross is playing this military guy', but you can't not like the performance he gave."

Other familiar faces in Easy Company include former New Kid on the Block Donnie Wahlberg, The Forsyte Saga's Damian Lewis, Ron Livingston from Office Space and Tom Hanks and his actor son Colin.

Grimes's character Malarkey provides comic relief for many of the soldiers and, unlike most of his comrades, he appears in every episode.

"Malarkey was a naturally great mortar man, a cannon man, and one of the luckiest men in the world," he says. "He was in the war three years and the only thing he caught was the flu."

Grimes had to be careful in his portrayal of Malarkey, as the soldier is still alive and was eager to see the finished product.

He spoke with Malarkey every couple of weeks during production of the series.

"I'd go through scripts with him and say 'did this happen?'," Grimes says. "Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks wanted everything to be as accurate as possible.

"Sometimes he'd break down and get emotional, I won't say cry because it doesn't fit with him. He hasn't told these stories before and he'd have to call me back on several occasions because a lot of my stuff had to do with a friend of his who ended up dying. It was tough but he would always come back and tell me."

The real Malarkey was pleased with the finished product. Grimes says Malarkey and other surviving members of Easy Company were "just happy that people are giving a crap about it".

Channel 9 initially had planned to screen the $270 million war drama in October last year, but postponed the series following the events of September 11.

It will now screen over nine weeks with a two-hour premiere on September 2.

Grimes says he hopes people will watch the series, which he says is neither pro nor anti-war.

"It's just telling the story of Easy Company, plain and simple. You can decide whether we should have been there or not," he says.

By irene vrinte (Gijoe) (131.174.244.2) on Friday, September 13, 2002 - 05:10 am:

what a great story, chris. i didn't know Scott Grimes sang a lullaby to get the part!

also, if you guys have seen the premiere video on hollywood.com (i'm sure you all have, if not, do so now!), you would know Richard Speight Jr. called Scott 'the wimp of bootcamp'....(he was not amused ).
i would have loved to see how things went in that 2 week 1940's bootcamp!

irene

By Marigold Papa (Marigold) (203.170.2.67) on Saturday, September 14, 2002 - 10:52 am:

Irene, there are some pics from that bootcamp, have you seen them?
Chris, thanks for sharing that with us.
Gold

By irene vrinte (Gijoe) (62.251.0.24) on Sunday, September 15, 2002 - 02:21 am:

WHERE? (think i've seen them, not sure though)...

irene

By christine (Tendmd) (168.215.239.10) on Tuesday, April 01, 2003 - 10:07 am:

the first thing i associate with scott grimes was the song he recorded way back and its title was "show me the way to your heart" so i'm not surprise that he got the part by recording a song (singing an irish lullaby).

christine

By christine (Tendmd) (168.215.239.10) on Tuesday, April 01, 2003 - 10:17 am:

the first thing i associate with scott grimes was the song he recorded way back and its title was "show me the way to your heart" so i'm not surprise that he got the part by recording a song (singing an irish lullaby).

christine

By Tim Ross (Ghosthunter) (24.71.223.140) on Monday, September 15, 2003 - 09:21 am:

I'm not quite sure but did he do a small part as an EMT in ER. I remember an episode where he (or someone that looks the same) is seen when a ambulance is in a MVA and a power line is drapped over the ambulance. Any help would be appriciated.

By cherub (Cherub) (68.160.200.118) on Friday, October 10, 2003 - 06:19 pm:

Tim I'm not sure about the EMT thing but he was on ER in yesterday's episode as an R2. Hope he stays for good and be part of the "new" new ER hhehe .

By Tim Ross (Ghosthunter) (24.71.223.140) on Saturday, October 11, 2003 - 08:04 am:

Yeah, I saw him too as a resident, by the looks he may another permanent cast member (Cross fingers and hope). I was positive I saw him as an EMT though, what ever, it's old news to me.

By cherub (Cherub) (68.161.87.56) on Wednesday, December 31, 2003 - 06:39 pm:

I saw Scott Grimes yet again in a 2-part ABC movie called Dreamkeeper. He played a hitchhiker and a white guy named Tehan adopted by Native Americans (the others were teasing him that his hair was on fire). The movie comprised of short stories and legends and stuff like that of Native American origins. Interesting, beautiful cgi, in my opinion, and beautiful stories to go along with them. Although there was some very raw acting in it, and some dragging parts, it's a nice family movie.

Dreamkeeper site: http://abc.go.com/movies/dreamkeeper/

Scott Grimes' profile on the Dreamkeeper site: http://abc.go.com/movies/Dreamkeeper/bios/scott_grimes.html

Just sharing! Take care y'all! And have a good new year!

By cherub (Cherub) (68.161.87.56) on Wednesday, December 31, 2003 - 06:44 pm:

I saw Scott Grimes yet again in a 2-part ABC movie called Dreamkeeper. He played a hitchhiker and a white guy named Tehan adopted by Native Americans (the others were teasing him that his hair was on fire). The movie comprised of short stories and legends and stuff like that of Native American origins. Interesting, beautiful cgi, in my opinion, and beautiful stories to go along with them. Although there was some very raw acting in it, and some dragging parts, it's a nice family movie.

Dreamkeeper site: http://abc.go.com/movies/dreamkeeper/

Scott Grimes' profile on the Dreamkeeper site: http://abc.go.com/movies/Dreamkeeper/bios/scott_grimes.html

Just sharing! Take care y'all! And have a good new year!

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