– Part Two –

PAPPY & HARRIET’S

Our third set visit was on July 13^th at Pappy & Harriet’s. This day would involve interior scenes, showcasing the inside of the famous kitchen and restaurant that represented the Last Chance Cafe. It has a very rustic and woody appearance, and they didn’t have to change much—keeping its charming, old-fashioned tables, chairs, and mugs of coffee.

We saw a few scenes filmed inside the restaurant, but it was a cramped space with all the actors, crew, blinding set lights, and endless extension cords that twisted all over the floor like vines. It was easy to trip on something or bump into someone, so we didn’t stay too long.

“Overstepping With Hush Puppies” – A video clip from ‘Last Chance’ (1999).

I do recall several takes of a scene where Sam is showing two children how to make hush puppies—deep-fried round balls of cornmeal-based batter. The children in the scene are Lauren & Lance’s daughter “Rita,” played by Elizabeth Huett, and Rita’s cousin “June” (also called “Oops”), played by Brittany Nobles Hughes. Huett was my age at the time; Hughes was much younger. This cute scene with them is followed by a moment between Sam and Lance. Tensions rise as Lance feels that Sam is overstepping involvement with his family. They looked like they wanted to knock either out, but thankfully the moment subsides.

PIONEERTOWN MOTEL & THE PORCH SET

On July 20^th we came back to watch them film at the Pioneertown Motel—a short distance from Pappy & Harriet’s. The motel matches the same Western vibes as the restaurant, complete with wooden hitching rails for horses along the entrance. Several exterior scenes were filmed outside of the rooms, mostly with the child actors bringing a dinner tray to important motel guest “Miss Bea,” played by Nobu McCarthy. In one of them, some hilarity ensues as Rita frightens June with a story about Miss Bea, then gets frightened herself.

“Nothing To Be Scared Of” – A video clip from ‘Last Chance’ (1999).

It was hot anytime we were outside, probably at least 100 degrees that year. Me and my family sought shade any way that we could. I don’t know how the actors and crew didn’t melt away.

Later, they filmed scenes for Lauren and Sam as they have some intimate conversations on a porch; including a stirring monologue for Sam that was perfectly performed by Thomerson that appears near the end of the film.

The porch for these scenes, and many others, was a set constructed for ‘Last Chance’—built alongside the motel.

“Go Get Your Ice Cream” – A video clip from ‘Last Chance’ (1999).

Cranston remembers, “This [set] was created by Tim Hannon and his crew, a friend of mine who just came on to do the art direction, and they worked their butts off to create this porch that really didn’t exist. This porch [is meant to be] just outside the kitchen. […] The actual motel is probably 150 to 200 yards from the restaurant. So cinematically, I wanted to squeeze it together, so it seems smaller and that it’s right there; compact.” ^[4]

Timoney also recalls, “Bill Kingsbury [and] Jim Ward [went] out there in the desert foraging for pieces of any kind of wood to put that all together. I think one of the hallmarks of indie film making is existing sets. You don’t have the money to go build sets. You just find something that looks like what you want, and you shoot there, and [you do] the best you can. But this was something that was essential to the plot [and the characters]. We couldn’t find anything like it, so we had to have it built.” ^[4]

COYOTE ALARMS

We returned to the motel on July 21^st and watched several more exterior scenes filmed. The most notable scenes that day involved a fenced corral for turkeys—Sam’s cargo from his truck. In one sequence, Sam and Artie are making a “coyote alarm” to protect the turkeys using cans, pie tins, and wires. Artie leaves to have lunch while Lauren arrives and helps in his place.

“Workman’s Comp” – A video clip from ‘Last Chance’ (1999).

As Lauren and Sam talk, Lauren accidentally cuts her thumb on the pen’s wire. I remember watching that moment vividly, and repeatedly with the various takes, as Lauren quickly brushes it off as “just a scratch.” Sam immediately goes to her and applies pressure to the wound. But Lauren then says she is going to get a band-aid and walks off, then muses about getting workman’s compensation.

SWINGING WITH RED BULL

The scenes filmed at the motel on July 23^rd were all interiors: moments in bathrooms and bedrooms with various characters. Given the tight spaces to film inside the motel, I only caught a glimpse of some moments before things became overcrowded.

We instead spent most of the day outside, not watching much of the filming that took place. We just kind of waited around, which is honestly a big portion of time anybody spends on movie sets due to the endless setting and resetting of scenes.

Instead, several of us children there often played on a tire swing that was erected on a nearby tree. It was our summer vacation, after all, so why couldn’t we have some fun? This tire swing was actually made for the film, although its one true scene was cut (as evidenced by the script from the call sheet). However, it can still be seen in the background of several shots.

The tire swing erected on a tree for ‘Last Chance’ & it’s cut scene from the script.

This day was also a chance to get to know some of the film’s crew as they sometimes stood outside: production interns, the script supervisor, a wardrobe assistant, and more. My mother and sister were especially interested in Julea Sorrels, the makeup & hair stylist. It was fun to learn more about what the crew did for the film, and my director-inspired brain soaked it up.

There was also a peculiar commonality between the cast and crew: they were all drinking Red Bull.

“[For ‘Last Chance,’ our] product placement was Red Bull,” Dearden recalls. “And it was Red Bull before Red Bull was Red Bull; before anybody knew what it was. They gave us cases and cases of it, and we knew there was caffeine in it, and we knew there were vitamins in it. But we also knew at 1:00 in the morning that we needed something. And so, we had just cans and cans of this everywhere. So, everybody was downing Red Bull before anyone had ever heard of it.” ^[4]

“And even product placement takes a long time,” Timoney adds. “And we didn’t have a long time. We had about a month. So, when we called, we said, ‘We’re going to be in the desert in July.’ I lied about it and told them that our crew was about 75 to 80. But I exaggerated the number, [which was about 50], and I said, ‘They won’t be able to go anywhere, so they’ll be trapped for 3 weeks, and they’ll need liquid refreshment.’ And these people couldn’t send us enough of their product.” ^[4]

Despite everyone drinking it behind the scenes, I’ve been unable to spot a single Red Bull in the entire finished film. Usually, product placement entails the actual product making an appearance in the film at some point, but it seems that its “big scene” was cut. However, the drink does get “special thanks” in the end credits.

A ROMANTIC MONTAGE

July 24^th felt like a special day of filming. It mostly took place outside of the motel at night and was centered around a series of enlightening scenes with Lauren and Sam.

“Lauren & Sam’s Date” – A video clip from ‘Last Chance’ (1999).

Sam has finally asked Lauren out on a date—Lauren dons a cute dress while Sam wears pressed jeans and a flannel shirt. In the film, it becomes a montage of moments: Sam gives Lauren a bouquet of flowers, as they both smile at each other; night approaches, as they walk together in a desert wash; they enjoy a candlelit dinner at a table outside the motel, with food in Styrofoam containers ordered from “who knows where;” inside the closed cafe, they have a fun little dance together; they walk outside the motel, holding hands…until the date ends with a single kiss. It was a sweet series of romantic moments to watch them film.

Part of what made this day memorable was that I had my picture taken with the “potential couple” right before they went on their “date.” I remember Dearden and Thomerson jokingly saying that this was “our family photo.” I guess that would have made me their fictional son? Well, how about that—I guess their date did go well.

This would be the only photo I took with any of the cast while they were still in their costumes. In fact, for whatever reason, we didn’t take many photos while we watched them film ‘Last Chance.’ From what I can tell, we only appeared to take photos for about two days of filming, and this was one of them. I do wonder if we were originally told not to, but then they eventually relaxed their stance? Regardless, my big regret was that we didn’t take more photos to remember the experience. Thankfully, I also took a photo with Bryan Cranston and some of his film crew.

As the night continued, Dearden and Thomerson filmed a scene in the rain where the pair wrangle some turkeys near the corral. Of course, it didn’t actually rain (a rarity out in this desert): they used a “rain maker” to simulate it. Lauren falls to the ground, landing in the mud, as Sam laughs at her. She responds by throwing mud at his face, and he replies by asking her out on a date—the one they had filmed earlier that evening. Afterwards, they filmed a scene directly before it on the porch set, as their characters talk about the importance of dreams while it rains. As usual, it is fun and interesting to see these scenes all filmed out of order, for various reasons.

“Dreams & Turkeys” – A video clip from ‘Last Chance’ (1999).

DANCING THE NIGHT AWAY

Before I recount the final day of shooting the picture, I should note that there were several other filming locations that I hadn’t been present for: roads along Pioneertown, The Joshua Tree Memorial Park Cemetery, windmills near highway 62 towards Palm Springs, and more. There were also several other scenes filmed at the Pioneertown Motel & Pappy and Harriet’s. One of the livelier scenes I had missed appears at the actual end of the film, featuring Pappy and Harriet’s at night.

Dearden remembers, “They reset the outside of Pappy and Harriet’s to make [the Last Chance Cafe] look more successful, because this is a time change [near the end]. [Inside, there was a local group, The Sand Canyon Band,] that came in and lip synced to [that John Michael Montgomery auction song, “Sold.”] All [the extras] are locals. All the people who are dancing are locals. They stayed with us forever, all night long. Half of our crew is also at the bar as extras.” ^[4]

“The Bar Dance” – A video clip from ‘Last Chance’ (1999).

Timoney also recalls, “I’m there. My brother’s there. The dance floor was packed with every extra of that night, and then when we went to turn the room around to show Lance coming in, we’d run out of all the extras. We couldn’t put him back there. So, all of us on crew, or any of the actors who weren’t in the scene, put on hats.” ^[4]

“SOMETIMES YOU CAN DRAW NEW CARDS”

July 25^th, 1998, was the final day of filming: “Day 18” for the film production, “Day 8” for me and my family. Four scenes were filmed, all at the Pioneertown Motel’s porch set from late day until nighttime. There was excitement in the air as the cast and crew prepared for the last time.

The scene I remember the most from the final day was the very first one: Sam, Lauren, Artie, and the kids are sitting on the porch, before the sun sets. Rita is playing a popular game from the 1990s known as “the paper fortune teller.”

“Fortune Tellers, Hush Puppies, & Catfish” – A video clip from ‘Last Chance’ (1999).

“RED. R-E-D, RED,” Rita says at the beginning of the scene. She opens and closes the paper-made game three times to spell out the word, then supposedly reads the fortune: “You will win the lotto and get your own room.”

Lauren laughs, looks up from her travel magazine, then says, “Nice try, Rita. It’ll be a few years yet.”

Later in the scene, Sam talks about the appeal of staying on house boats, catching catfish, and making hush puppies.

“What’s mush puppies?” Artie asks, as the others appear equally confused.

“Hush puppies,” Sam corrects him, looking incredulous, then says, “Y’all never had any hush puppies!? They’re a quiet, little dog, that—”

Rita interrupts him, saying, “No Sir!”

Lauren quietly laughs.

The scene continues from there, effortlessly weaving in thoughtful and inspiring sentiments. But it was those two amusing moments that became forever ingrained in my memory. They did several takes of this lengthy scene, feeling like it went on for over an hour. It’s hard to say if that’s true—perhaps my misguided perception of time as a child.

The final three porch scenes continued as the night took over, featuring only Sam and Lauren. The pair are looking at the stars from different moments in the film, as several conversations take place. In the first one, Lauren directly comments about the stars, saying, “They’re amazing out here, aren’t they?”

Dearden would later share her character’s sentiment, saying, “Listen, I can honestly say I never appreciated the desert as much as I did after we did this film.” ^[4]

Timoney would also recall, “Some of the best stargazing in the world is up there around Yucca Valley.” ^[4]

The next scene had Sam and Lauren discuss poetry, life, and hope. We learn more about Sam’s past as a writer, although in the end he reveals, “I found out it just wasn’t the life for me.”

“Stars & Poetry Writing” – A video clip from ‘Last Chance’ (1999).

It’s during this scene that Cranston recalls, “You’ll hear in the background music playing, [because] it was shot on a weekend night. Now, Pappy and Harriet’s [is nearby and] is a hopping place on the weekend. And we could not shut them up. That’s their money. And so, you hear the music playing in the background.” ^[4]

The final scene that was filmed for the entire production has Sam telling Lauren to start taking care of herself. Of course, as usual, it is a scene that takes place much earlier in the film itself. It features a fantastic conversation that only as an adult can I now fully appreciate.

“You Play The Cards You’re Dealt With” – A video clip from ‘Last Chance’ (1999).

In the scene, Lauren says, “You play the cards you’re dealt with, and then you get on with it.”

Sam replies, “Sometimes you can draw new cards, Lauren.” Later, Sam concludes, in the final moment that was filmed, “When do you ever take care of yourself?”

And that, as they say, was “a wrap.”

SIGNATURES & AN INVITATION

Before the ‘Last Chance’ film production left Pioneertown entirely, I had everyone that I could find (as long as they weren’t busy) sign my little “Autograph Book.” From actors to crew and to Bryan Cranston himself, I acquired 16 different signatures that also included their anecdotes.

Cranston’s said, “For Derrick (A Future Filmmaker). Thanks for all your support for us in the making of ‘Last Chance.’ Bryan Cranston, Writer/Director.”

I appreciated everyone who took the time to write in my little book, making for a priceless keepsake. The rest of the notes they wrote ranged from inspirational to amusing, with Tim Thomerson’s being a combination of both:

“Hey Derrick. Work hard, and read all about films. Good hunting. Tim Thomerson. Clean your room.”

Tim, I will have you know that I’ve, indeed, cleaned my room.

Before they all left, we were given a very special invite. On July 27^th, just two days after the film had concluded, there was going to be a wrap party, the “Wrapasm,” at Venice Beach near Los Angeles—about 140 miles away from Yucca Valley. It was a nearly 2-to-3-hour drive, depending on traffic. Despite the distance, my family and I decided to go, but wanted to include some stops along the way to make it even more worthwhile.

“DID STEVEN SPIELBERG JUST YELL AT ME?”

The wrap party on the 27^th wasn’t until 7:30PM, so we had plenty of time to get there. Our first stop was Steven Spielberg’s house in Pacific Palisades. No, I’m not kidding. We discovered his address and thought, “why not have a look?” Spielberg purchased this Pacific Palisades home in 1985 and became his main residence with his family, valued at over $100 million. ^[5] The idea of seeing Spielberg’s home, being the huge fan that I was of ‘Jurassic Park,’ was incredibly exciting.

“What if I saw him there?” I wondered.

I remember the drive: a winding, narrow road up a large hillside that was covered in lush vegetation—passing by big houses with large yards and high fences. It kind of felt like we were actually going to Jurassic Park itself. Eventually, we reached a big wooden gate. Far beyond it, we could barely see the tiled roof of Spielberg’s mansion.

We parked not far from the gate for a short while, until we got out of the car to get a better look. I stood on the edge of my toes, as my short, 11-year-old body tried to see Spielberg’s home beyond. I finally saw the large stucco mansion, surrounded by a grassy yard with big trees. There didn’t appear to be anyone there, but I do recall a small playground and toys for Spielberg’s children at the time.

Before we left, my parents told me to stand in front of the gate to get a picture. I was hesitant, nervous; thinking we had already been there too long and would finally be noticed by someone. After some prodding, I finally rushed over to the gate. Not a moment after my mom’s camera flashed, a call box beside the gate rang loudly in my ears—a voice with a demanding tone, saying something that I can no longer remember.

My first terrified thought was, “My God, did Steven Spielberg just yell at me? What an awful way to meet my idol.” However, it was likely just security of some kind. We quickly got back in the car and drove away.

My picture at the gate is not so great, since you can’t even see Spielberg’s mansion at all. In fact, for years I wondered if we had truly gone there. After some research, and with the help of Google Maps, I discovered that it was indeed the gate to his house. It looks a little different today; sometime after 2011 the gate was replaced with a newer one. ^[6] But it’s amazing to know that I was really there. Thankfully, Spielberg’s home was not lost to the dreadful Pacific Palisades fires of 2025. I wish everyone else had been so lucky.

FROM THE BEACH TO THE PARTY

About 7 miles away from Spielberg’s home, we arrived at Venice Beach—playing in the soft sand and tiding waves. Being residents of a desert town, it wasn’t often that we got to even see the ocean. This was certainly a treat: the sound of crashing water, the scents of salty air, and the cool breeze.

Afterwards, we still had plenty of time before the wrap party started. We decided to have lunch and walk along the Venice Beach Boardwalk, passing by various street vendors. One of them had a large iguana, and—for whatever reason—I was allowed to pick it up and have my picture taken with it.

Eventually, we made our way to ‘Last Chance’ producer and second unit director Jud Cremata’s residence for the wrap party. It was located on the roof, giving us all a nice view of the cityscape at night. I recall that several of the cast and crew were there, and we conversed with a lot of them. However, unfortunately, my memories of the party stop there. It’s interesting that I remember more about the journey to the party than the party itself. I do know that alcohol had been served there: had I sneakily had some?

Regardless, the party would eventually end, and me and my family would return home: back to our normal lives in the desert.