Hot Hero Sandwich Project Archives: Group Photo

by G. Jack Urso

 

Hot Hero Sandwich cast, crew, and production staff, 1979.

When the Hot Hero Sandwich Project began, one of the first pictures series writer Sherry Coben sent me was the group photo (see Hot Hero Sandwich — A Second Serving! Part II: Production Notes and Broadcast History). The presence of rocker Rex Smith indicates is was taken during the filming of Episode10. The photographer was likely Al Levine, NBC Staff Photographer, who is seen in the finale of the Episode 11. The photo includes cast, production staff, Hot Hero Band members, stage crew, and writers. There are 63 people in the photo, but except for Bruce and Carole Hart, and about a half dozen others, most of the individuals in the photo were unknown. Working with former staff members of the show, most of the people in the photo have now been identified in a copy of the photo provided below.

Al Levine, NBC Staff Photographer, screen shot from the finale of Hot Hero Sandwich, Episode 11.

As a historian, this unknown factor bothered me. My brief time in broadcasting as a technician when as a young man, as short as it was, gave me insight into the production process. What we see on air is the result of a collaborative process. Hot Hero Sandwich only had four weeks to produce all the studio segments for the eleven shows produced. Usually, about six production days might be devoted to an hour-long show. To fit so much work into such a short period of time is an effort requiring top professionals who were as experienced individually as they were working with each other. Indeed, many of the stage crew had before and after Hot Hero Sandwich worked together for NBC on various programs. Bruce and Carole Hart gathering everyone together for a group photo recognizes that effort. Here, we give names to the faces. 

With the assistance of several Hot Hero Sandwich alumni, including audio engineer Joel Spector, production staffer Claudia Rocco, writer Marianne Meyer, Hot Hero Band drummer Mike Ratti, film editor Pat McMahon, and actor L. Michael Craig, we now know the names of 52 of the 63 people in the photo.

In researching the crew’s work before and after the Hot Hero Sandwich, I found that for some of them, their experience goes back to the early days of TV, such as Audio Engineer Scott Schactler, at number 24, who worked on The Steve Allen Plymouth Show in the late 1950s. Others, went on to prestigious careers of their own, such as Production Assistant Liz Plonka, at number 18, became a noted director of comedy programs such as The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, and projects with Norm McDonald, David Spade, and Bill Nye, among many others. At number 17 we have Associate Producer Kimber Rickabaugh (credited on the show as Kimber Rickabaugh Criswell), who went on to become a noted producer of comedy specials and TV shows starring George Carlin, Dave Chappelle, Whoopi Goldberg, Kathy Griffin, Dennis Miller, and Robert Townsend (who auditioned for a spot on the main cast that went to Jarett Smithwrick), among so many more.

Additionally, Graphic Artist David Kaestle, one of the influential early staffers for National Lampoon, turns up at number 33. Kaestle was hired as part of Pelligrini and Kaestle to design fonts, logos, and related design elements for show. According to conversations with Production Administrator Ken Aymong and Film Editor Patrick McMahon, Kaestle often stopped by to lend his personal touch to a last-minute need. At number 37 we have Set Designer Leo (Akira) Yoshimura, the long-time Production Designer for Saturday Night Live (Yoshimura designed the black and neon main stage set, among many other set pieces).

Yet, there was a surprise in the photo that went unnoticed until Audio Engineer Joel Spector and Hot Hero Band Drummer Mike Ratti pointed it out to me. Joel Spector identified Hot Hero Music Director Felix Papplardi (Creem producer and bassist for Mountain), smiling and minus his trademark Fu Manchu mustache in the photo at number 15. Also, as noted by Ratti, at number 19 is his wife Gail Collins. Pappalardi's and Collin's ill-fated relationship, which resulted in the former's death and the latter's imprisonment, is a tragic chapter in Rock history, and here they are in the Hot Hero Sandwich group photo. It is a remarkable find.

The original photo is included at the top of the article. A copy of the photo below with number boxes corresponds to the list below. You will notice several numbers (25, 41, 45, and 51) are underlined. In a crowded area, this indicates that the individuals they are identifying are directly below the number box. Where available, links to the associated Internet Movie Database (IMDb) profile or to their associated interview with the Hot Hero Sandwich Project have been included.

If anyone knows the names of the remaining unidentified crew members, please reach out me via the Media Inquiries information (see link for more information). 

Hot Hero Sandwich cast, crew, and production staff, 1979.

Group Photo Names:

1. Christine Roelfs, Casting Director

2. Tom Trbovich, Director

3. Carole Pfeffer (also credited as Carol Pfeffer on IMDb), Casting Director

4. Howard Malley, Producer

5. Phil Hymes, Lighting Director

6. Bruce Hart, Executive Producer

7. Carole Hart, Consulting Producer

8. Rex Smith, Musical Guest, Episode 10

9. Jarett Smithwrick, Actor

10. Nan-Lynn Nelson, Actor

11. Denny Dillon, Actor

12. James McKearnan (also credited in the IMDb as James McKearin and James McKearnin), Head Carpenter

13. Avonelle Pole, Production Staff

14. Paul Gworka, Outside Prop Man

15. Felix Pappalardi, Music Director 

16. Steve Rosen, Associate Director

17. Kimber Rickabaugh Criswell, Associate Producer (credited on the IMDb as Kimber Rickabaugh) 

18. Liz Plonka, Production Assistant

19. Gail Collins (wife of Felix Papalardi, #12)

20. Susan Kerber, Production Assistant

21. Richie Annunziato, Guitarist, Hot Hero Band

22. Claudia Rocco, Production Staff

23. Mike Ratti, Drummer, Hot Hero Band

24. Scott Schactler, Audio Engineer

25. Jack Keegan, Audio Assistant

26. Walt Werner, Video Engineer

27. Matt McCoy, Actor

28. Marianne Meyer, Writer

29. Barbara Kelly, Make-Up Artist

30. Sherry Coben, Writer

31. Eli Lulove, Videotape Engineer

32. Richard Camp, Writer

33. David Kaestle, Graphic Designer

34. Willie Day, Prop Master

35. Bill Kelley, Technical Director

36. Bailey Stortz, Crane Operator

37. Leo (Akira) Yoshimura, Set Designer

38. Vincent Kane, Foldback Engineer

39. Vincent DiPietro, Camera Operator

40. Charlie Williams, Carpenter

41. Carl Martin, Audio Assistant

42. Henry Boyarsky, Properties

43. Tom Dezendorf, Camera Operator

44. Robert (Bob) Van Ry, Stage Manager

45. Tom Barrett, Videotape Engineer

46. Michael Longfield (L. Michael Craig), Actor

47. Joel  Spector, Audio Engineer

48. John Pinto, Camera Operator

49. Al Gallo, Scenic Artist

50. Robert Newman, Senior Production Administrator

51. Dave Gould, Audio Engineer

52. Gene Martin, Camera Operator

 

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