Erica Durance: Nerdage’s #22 actress with geek appeal
Erica Durance
As “Smallville” comes to a close tonight, Erica Durance will most likely say goodbye to the role of Lois Lane, which she’s played on the CW television series since 2004.
New Swamp Thing movie may be in 3-D
LOS ANGELES — At the press conferences for “Whiteout,” producer Joel Silver talked briefly about another comic-book movie that has been long in development. When asked what movies might work well in 3-D, he mentioned a new version of the DC Comics property “Swamp Thing.”
“I’ll hopefully do Swamp Thing, which is a movie we’ve had for a long time,” Silver said. “We think that would definitely be great to do in 3-D.”
Silver said some movies do work well in 3-D, and others might not, and it’s still early enough in the development of new 3-D technology that it’s important to pick and choose.
“Certain movies fit really well into that situation, and others don’t need it,” he said.
Len Wein said in 2004 he was working on a script to a “Swamp Thing” film.
“Swamp Thing” was created by Wein and Bernie Wrightson. Alec Holland was transformed into a crusading force for the swamp in moody, atmospheric comics by Wein and Wrightson in the 1970s. Writer Alan Moore turned the concept inside out during his influential run on the character in the 1980s.
The character inspired two films and a TV series, in which the muck monster was played by Dick Durock.
- Matt Price
“Swamp Thing” actor recounts role
Stuntman Dick Durock performed in hundreds of television shows and movies, but he’s best-known for his role as the hulking monster Swamp Thing, which he portrayed in two movies and a television series. The television series “Swamp Thing,” based on the DC Comics character, arrived on DVD this week, with the first 22 episodes.
Originally, Durock wasn’t even supposed to play the Swamp Thing. In the initial film, producers planned to use Durock’s 6-foot-5, 215-pound frame for long shots, and have actor Ray Wise for closeups.
“They wanted a guy who could move, carrying that load of a costume,” Durock said in a phone interview.
Wise played Alec Holland, who was turned into the Swamp Thing.
Wes Craven (“Nightmare on Elm Street”) was the director on “Swamp Thing,” and he met with Durock.
In discussing the film with Craven, Durock indicated he didn’t think changing actors for the different shots would look good in the finished film.
“(Wes) said, Dick, just be prepared to do the whole thing. So that’s what occurred,” Durock said. “I think Wes had a good feeling for it, to bring out sympathy for the guy and his own failings and weaknesses and so on.”
Durock wasn’t known for his weaknesses as a stuntman, however, after landing his first job on “Lost in Space” in 1967. He’s been very busy in the science fiction genre, with spots on “Star Trek,” “Battlestar Galactica,” and “The Incredible Hulk.” In fact, while Durock wasn’t going to be the first “Swamp Thing,” he was in some ways the “first” Hulk.
“I was ‘Hulk the First,’” Durock said, referring to the two-part episode called “The First” from 1981.
“He was called Frye’s creature. And he was totally different than Lou Ferrigno’s Hulk. He was a big, skinny berserk … he was kind of a takeoff on Frankenstein’s creature.”
Frye, played by Harry Townes, was a scientist who wanted to discover the secret of life. But the monster he turns into is uncontrollable.
“He thought he could develop this guy and find out the secret of life, ergo Frankenstein. But Frye’s creature was a totally berserk nutcase,” Durock said. “Years later, in the modern Hulk’s time, he says ‘Maybe now I can correct my mistakes.’
“So he resurrects this guy, and he’s worse than it was before. It was a two-parter, and from what I understand, it was the most popular Hulk episode of all of them.”
Outside the genre, Durock appeared on shows including “B.J. and the Bear,” “Mike Hammer,” and “Starsky and Hutch,” in addition to dozens of motion pictures.
“A lot of people are just amazed about how many … things I’ve been involved in. There’s been over 700 of them in 40 years. And they say, how is that possible? You know, I think I did seven “Fall Guy” and four “Magnum,” five “A-Team” and seven “Rockford Files.” There were times when I was really working hot at Universal, I’d do two shows in one day … Credits add up in a hurry.”
Durock’s versatility and look made him even more valuable.
“I was a pretty good-size guy, made a good heavy,” Durock said. “Eventually, guys would say, why don’t we get Dick to play this thug. He only has one or two lines … and we’ll still throw him out the window or down the stairs or hit him with a car, and we don’t have to double him.”
Durock, 70, is now retired, but frequently attends conventions, where he answers questions about his career and his “Swamp Thing” experience. One he won’t answer, however, refers to the leading ladies of the “Swamp Thing” movies.
“I think most people ask me, referring to Swampy – how did you like Adrienne Barbeau compared to Heather Locklear? But you can’t answer questions like that without sticking your foot in your mouth,” Durock said.
– Matt Price
“Swamp Thing” on DVD today
Look for my extended interview with Dick “Swamp Thing” Durock in Friday’s Weekend Look in the Oklahoman, but here’s a a bit about the makeup process that I couldn’t quite fit in the article:
Durock said the makeup process on the first feature took nearly four hours, but decreased to two hours on the second film.
“By the time we got to the series, which ironically was the best makeup and best costume of all of them, it was down to 45 minutes,” Durock said. “We did it just by experience.”
Durock said on the first film, the “Swamp Thing” face is made up of 10 to 15 appliances. But in the series, several of those pieces were condensed into one.
“We could use more of my own face and own eyes for the series,” Durock said.
See Swamp Thing in Austin
Actor/stuntman Dick Durock, who starred as “Swamp Thing” in two motion pictures and a live-action television series, will be appearing at Fangoria’s Weekend of Horrors this Friday-Sunday at the Renaissance Austin Hotel, 9721 Arboretum Blvd in Austin, Texas.
I recently talked to Durock about the “Swamp Thing” series, and the Jan. 22 release of the “Swamp Thing” series on DVD.
Originally, for the first film, Durock was going to be the Swamp Thing in long shots, using his 6-5 frame, and actor Ray Wise would play the Swamp Thing in close ups. In discussing the film with director Wes Craven, Durock indicated he didn’t think that would work.
“(Wes) said, Dick, just be prepared to do the whole thing. So that’s what occurred,” Durock said. “I think Wes had a good feeling for it, to bring out sympathy for the guy and his own failings and weaknesses and so on.”
Durock said his most-asked questions from fans refer to his leading ladies, and to his longevity in the business.
“I think most people ask me, referring to Swampy – how did you like Adrienne Barbeau compared to Heather Locklear? But you can’t answer questions like that without sticking your foot in your mouth,” Durock said. ”A lot of people are just amazed at how many damn things I’ve been involved in. There’s something like 700 of them in 40 years.”
Durock’s credits include episodes of “Lost in Space,” “Star Trek,” “The Incredible Hulk,” “Battlestar Galactica” and more. Look for more from Dick Durock in an upcoming Weekend Look in the Oklahoman, and in future Nerdage posts.
– Matt Price
