Category Archives: Film

Baylor at the Movies

I once wrote an article that identified more than 140 people with Baylor ties working in the film and television industries … and more have joined those 140 since that article first appeared. Some Baylor grads are better known that others, such as directors John Lee Hancock and Kevin “Hal” Reynolds, and screenwriters Derek Haas and Mike Brandt. But there are many more, including Mark Olsen, LouAnn Gideon, Clu Gulager, and many more, including lots of folks on the technical side of things.

With that in mind, Alan Nelson and I got to talking one day and tried to determine if the university itself is featured in any movies.

First and foremost, Alan came up with the dark comedy Viva Max! (1969), about an abortive takeover of the Alamo. Peter Ustinov’s co-stars include Jonathan Winters and the underrated Pamela Tiffin, who plays a Baylor co-ed. Alan remembers that her kid brother wears a Baylor t-shirt in one scene. Alas, neither of us have been able to confirm that little tidbit.

Some others:

Baylor is name-checked in The Social Media by the actor playing Mark Zuckerberg as an early adopter of Facebook.

In Peter Weir’s brillaint Witness, as the Kelly McGillis character (playing an Amish widow) and her young son travel on a train for the first time, they see a green and gold 18-wheeler with the word “Baylor” emblazoned on the side.

Thomas Harris, who once wrote for the Waco Tribune-Herald, identifies one of the psychiatrists in his Hannibal Lecter/Silence of the Lambs films as having a Ph.D. from Baylor. (Incidentally, novelist Connie Willis gives one of her characters a Baylor Ph.D. in her excellent Bellweather. It would make a great movie itself, BTW.)

Baylor substitutes for a college in Maine in the romantic comedy Where the Heart Is, starring Natalie Portman. If you squint real hard, you can see the Trib’s Carl Hoover, looking very professorial, in the background.

Brandt and Haas have named characters after various folks at Baylor (including me) in their films 2 Fast 2 Furious, Catch That Kid, 3:10 to Yuma, Wanted, and The Double, as well as their new hit TV series, Chicago Fire.

Reynold’s first film, Fandango, is based on his misadventures as a fraternity member at Baylor during his undergraduate days, though the film is ostensibly set at UT.

Both Tree of Life by Terence Malick (who was born in Waco) and Sironia by Brandon Dickerson (who attended Baylor) have scenes shot in Waco, though not necessarily at Baylor. Damon Crump’s zombie thriller Risen is shot almost completely in Waco. In fact, several low-budget and independent films have been shot in and around Waco through the years, including Chris Hansen’s Endings.

Speaking of Waco, did you know actors Steve Martin, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Ashlee Simpson (well, she appeared in a movie once), Peri Gilpin, Anne Gwynne, Shannon Elizabeth and – believe it or not – Texas Guinan were all born in Waco? (Actually, I don’t have any trouble believing Texas Guinan was born here, what I have trouble believing is that she was featured in a movie.)

So, here’s our list. If you know of any other Hollywood/Baylor or Hollywood/Waco connections, I’d love to hear ‘em!