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Tuesday, February 6, 2007

Former Stranger Writers Go Hollywood!

posted by on February 6 at 12:40 PM

Today brings not one but two stories of former Stranger writers finding their ways onto various-sized screens.

Story #1 comes from Grant Cogswell, who’s in Los Angeles doing post-production work on Cthulhu and some hilarious moonlighting on the side. Writes Grant:

I signed up for being an extra with an agency, and my first job was to play a Seattle firefighter on Grey’s Anatomy. For three days, I ran back and forth across the sunny parking lot of the Santa Anita Raceway in Arcadia in a colossal scene of the ferry crashing into Colman Dock and fucking up a whole bunch of people. On either side of us (the six fire trucks, four ambulances, actors, crew and 200 extras) were two greenscreens mounted on stacks of railroad containers three high and five across. With the magic of special effects, one of those greenscreens will be the waterfront and skyline of Seattle, the other the burning ferryboat and Puget Sound. Next week I’m on Curb Your Enthusiasm. Weird for someone who hasn’t owned a TV since 1989.

Watch for part one of Grey’s Anatomy’s two-part ferry crash episode this Thursday at 9:00 pm on KOMO 4. (“I’m the firefighter without a tank on his back,” says Grant. “I take my hat off and put it back on a lot.”)

Story #2 also features Cogswell, whose 2001 run for the Seattle City Council is the subject of former Stranger writer Phil Campbell’s book Zioncheck for President. As Grant tells it, “Director Stephen Gyllenhaal just bought the rights to Phil’s book to make into a film. They’re trying to get Robert Downey Jr. to play me, which would be the most hilarious thing that has ever happened.”

God knows a gazillion things can go awry en route from book sale to film premiere, but huge congratulations to Phil Campbell, and Grant’s right: Seeing him and all the other players in the 2001 City Council election played by professional actors would be the most hilarious thing that has ever happened.

Greg Nickels! Nick Licata! Jan Drago!

Stay tuned…

RSS icon Comments

1


This is the most surreal and wonderful story. I'll definitely check out the Grey's Anatomy. Go Grant!

Posted by sp | February 6, 2007 1:40 PM
2

Ooh, let the "fantasy casting" begin!

Posted by COMTE | February 6, 2007 1:58 PM
3

Maybe Phil's next book should be the story of Grant's Cthulhu movie!

Posted by Alex R. Mayer | February 6, 2007 2:20 PM
4

Maybe!!!!!!

Posted by David! Schmader! | February 6, 2007 2:21 PM
5

Excellent! Never miss Grey's myself.

Posted by Will in Seattle | February 6, 2007 2:56 PM
6

nice work grant - congrats

Posted by Peter Sherwin | February 6, 2007 3:33 PM
7

But who's going to play Richard Lee?

Posted by K | February 6, 2007 4:43 PM
8

I wonder who will play the hapless weekly newspaper employee who lost his job thanks to Grant's disingenuous, ham-handed campaign manager? Probably nobody. After all, ruining somebody's career on your way to fame rarely warrants even a footnote.

Posted by getout | February 6, 2007 6:31 PM
9

How about Bill Pullman for Peter Steinbrueck, Richard Dreyfuss for Richard Conlin and Richard Dean Anderson for Richard McIver?

Posted by lopsided_wheel | February 6, 2007 10:54 PM
10

Grant is full of himself. Worked on Cthulu and it sucks (the main actor almost walked off set due to his incompetance). I take great joy in knowing that he has gone from a crappy director to a mere extra. Way to move up in the world Grant.

Posted by grantsucks | February 7, 2007 1:06 AM
11

I was getting worried there, no haters. Nice try, though, grantsucks. If you'd worked on Cthulhu you'd know I wasn't the director and you'd be able to spell the title.

Posted by Grant Cogswell | February 7, 2007 1:48 AM
12

My mistake. You and Dan were so attached at the hip that it was hard to tell the two of you apart. I stand by my claim that the movie will suck and in my congrats for you moving up in the world.

Posted by grantsucks | February 7, 2007 8:58 AM
13

Re: #11.

Posted by Grant Cogswell | February 7, 2007 12:49 PM

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