Sam Shepard's RUFFIAN

Recognize that guy in the “clown” costume? Yep, that’s me in the 2007 Sam Sheppard made-for-TV film entitled RUFFIAN. I’m in the role of Lucien Laurin, the French jockey who trained Secretariat. I never saw this film.  Actually there are about 8 films I've been a part of that I've never seen.  

I only recently came upon this wardrobe shot of me in the character of Laurin.  When I performed the role I forgot what my wardrobe looked like.  My God, how could I have forgotten it?! I do remember that I was hurried into wardrobe, photographed, then ushered to the set.  I suppose that was because I was wearing it.  I really didn’t see it.

When I recently came upon this shot, I gulped. I don’t remember being casually photographed, but I do remember being photographed by the wardrobe mistress. Cast members don’t usually get copies of these production shots and I certainly didn’t request one. 

In 2010 Disney Productions released its feature film SECRETARIAT which starred John Malkovich as Lucien Laurin. The few snapshots of Malkovich in the role of Laurin show a very sedate, quietly dressed Laurin. Hmmm! Maybe someone on the Disney crew didn’t do their research.

My outfit would have surpassed anything being worn in a production of “Guys and Dolls”. I researched Laurin and found that he often wore plaid pants. But I never saw any pictures of him in a plaid coat. He did nevertheless have a very blind eye when it came to color matching. All I could say about his color matching was “AGAAH!” Some of the outfits he appeared in were painfully mismatched.

I remember that the costumer's name on RUFFIAN was Peggy. Let's see. How can I put this, Peggy?  How about "AGAAH!"

Back to HOME page and TABLE OF CONTENTS