***H.I.T.O.G. is a blog series dedicated to memorable
actors we love, but don’t really know. You’ve seen their faces many times, but
for any given reason, they aren’t part of the mainstream conscious. Sure Gibson
or Clooney have got the fame, but these guys have the moxie. This is a tribute
to those actors and actresses whom inspire your inner “Hey, it’s that one
guy!”***



Hey there fellow
film geeks.  Thanks to school and a new
job, I haven’t blogged for a little while. 
I should be back pretty regularly now that school is slowing down.

During homework and other bullshit,
there has been time to watch a few movies.  It was during one of these excursions that I
popped in 80’s cult classic Repo Man. 

I miss movies like
this…..low budget, shoe string movies that have just enough magic and absurdity
to charm a fleet of movie fans. Emilio Esteves was a boyhood hero of mine
thanks to the Young Guns series.  The
transition from watching that series to Repo Man was interesting, especially since I was 8 years old.  A movie about punk
rock repo men chasing down aliens wasn’t easy to digest at that age, but I
didn’t mind ‘cause Billy The Kid was in it. 

Tracey Walter
impresses his acidhead character Miller amongst the stellar duo of Esteves and
Harry Dean Stanton.  At first, you don’t
think much of his nonsensical ramblings. 
But as the movie progresses, you realize that Miller’s rants are the philosophical
backbone of the film.    

Walter’s resume is
filled with odd, eccentric characters which are a type he is best known
for.  As a kid I can’t remember how many
times I would turn to my friend Rob and say, “Bob….gun.”  I remember that line from Batman like
I heard it yesterday.  I also remember
his quirky portrayal of Cookie in City Slickers and the ominous scene in The
Silence Of The Lambs where he reveals the insect plot point.  Hell, he was EVEN in Erin Brockovich.  (I was drunk during that movie.)      

In front of the
lens, Walter has a distinct ability to trap your attention.  Maybe it is his odd look and charisma, but I
personally think he knows his nitch and has decided to stick with it.  And more power to him….it’s kept him working
since the ’70’s. 

According to imdb.com,
Walter started his acting career as an apprentice in summer stock and
eventually worked his way up to actor. 
He worked in a car parts store in Jersey City, and stumbled upon acting after
seeing an off-Broadway show (“Scuba Duba”) in 1967.  He has been featured in over 100 films and
television shows. 

 I’m ashamed to notice I haven’t paid attention
to much of Walter’s television work. 
Specifically, he has characters in Monk, Reno 911 and Nash
Bridges that all that have a degree of repetition.

I am of
the mind that Walter’s should be seen more often on the big screen.  He is quoted as saying, “I do not look for films that have
weird characters or offbeat characters. An actor brings to a part that he plays
the qualities that they, the actor, have. You can’t be something that you don’t
have within yourself.”   I hope to see his weird and offbeat charm in many more roles, and it is that
aspect which qualifies him for Hey, It’s That
One Guy!

I’m fucking in, you’re fucking out – Kenny Powers