Cameo Appearences

Cameo Appearences

Ray's impact in the world of film doesn't end with stop-motion animators. Some of the biggest director's today sight Ray's films as heavily influencing their desire to get into filmmaking. Amoung these include Steven Speilberg, George Lucas, John Landis and Joe Dante.

John Landis is well known for inserting scenes in his films with people who have influenced his career. One of these films was SPIES LIKE US, a comedy vehicle starring Chevy Chase and Dan Ackroyd. They play double agents who become embroiled in world-wide espionage and a plan that could lead to World War 3. The film is very much in tune with the older (and often funnier) ROAD TO pictures starring Bob Hope and Bing Crosby. During one sequence (the Playing Doctor scene), Chase and Ackroyd pose as doctors where they meet, amoung others Dr. Harryhausen Here's a few catures from the scene.

Ray also had a brief cameo in Beverly Hills Cop 3. I'm trying to get captures from that scene which will be posted here then.

Perhaps the most fitting cameo for Ray came with the remake of MIGHTY JOE YOUNG. Terry Moore, who played Jill in the original and Ray, who animated about 85% of the stop-motion work were brought together for a scene which was a tribute, of sorts, to the original film containing dialogue that was an insider joke for fans of the original film. During a banquet scene (which is this films parellel to Joe's destruction of the nightclub) Jill enter the room and everyone turns to look at her. The film cuts to a couple (Ray and Terry Moore) and Ms. Moore says

"She reminds me of somebody, but I can't think of who it is!"

To which Ray replies

"You, when we first met!"

Without knowing that this is Ray Harryhausen and Terry Moore, the scene seems to just be padding and unnecessary dialogue. Knowing who they are makes this a very nice nod to the original film. Ray and Ms. Moore hadn't actually met during the filming of the original. It wasn't until they were brought together for this scene that the two of them finally made their acquainence.

A second scene was shot with Ray and Ms. Moore scurrying under tables after Joe goes on a rampage, but that scene never made it into the final cut. Here are two captures from the cameo.

Ray makes another interesting Mighty Joe Young cameo on the upcoming release of the soundtrack to the original film. Ray did very little of the Beautiful Dreamer nightclub scene and when producers of the new soundtrack decided to re-record the original score Ray was brought in to play the cymbals. Of all of Ray's cameos, this one just might be the most "smashing". For more information on the CD click here.

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