Film Extra by Timothy Lea

[ripper]

Confessions of a Film Extra by Timothy Lea (Sphere, 1973)

Blurb:
Can Timmy make it in the glamorous world of film? And just what kind of films is he thinking of?
It has all gone a little bit blue…
At least the girls are nice: Sandra Virgin, Dawn Lovelost and Samantha Toots are all very welcoming indeed – and a young actor might well need to sleep his way to the top!

After several horror nasties I fancied something lighter. This is no. 6 in the series of Timmy's amarous adventures. Nephew Jason gets booted off a kids' TV series after Timmy accidentally gives him tablets rather than sweets and he is sick over the set. Bad luck doesn't end there as Timmy is lured by the sexy presenter into a set-up to give publicity to her flagging career, from which he barely escapes arrest. It's an ill wind, however, as Timmy is introduced to film producer Justin Timely, and gets a job as an extra in his blue films. Brother-in-law Sid is persuaded to invest in an upcoming production of Oliver Twist, directed by Ken Loser, with stars Dawn Lovelost and Glint Thrust, who soon has his eye on Timmy's sister, Rosie. There is a disasterous premiere for the film, and an orgy at the party afterward, at which Timmy and Samantha Toots are interrupted in what Timmy does best by his mum and dad. Sid and Timmy are persuaded to go to Cyprus to help make a horror western, but disaster follows disaster.

Timmy's family, Sid, Rosie, mum and dad get quite a bit of the action in this entry, and the book is all the better for it imo. Wood seems to be really having a good time sending up the film business. Some great character names...Ken Loser, Samantha Toots, Sandra Virgin, Glint Thrust. There's a funny scene where Timmy is determined to protect his sister's honour when Glint Thrust takes her into his caravan, though why he bothers I don't know. The outrageous Ken Loser, with his whiffy sheepskin coat and ferocious pet dogs, is front and centre for many of the books funnier moments. Being an earlier volume, this one is not as graphic as some of the later ones, and, as usual, Timmy finds more frustration than success in his romantic encounters. I thought Film Extra was a decent entry in the series. If the films had continued I think this would have made a good one.

[dem bones]

Here's the cover. Think I may have attempted this one - there's a green Rizla card marking p. 45 - but can't remember anything about it. Evidently I didn't stick around long enough to meet Sadie Masoch whose name suggests she'd be a memorable character.

Timothy Lea - Confessions of a Film Extra (Sphere, 1973)

Blurb:
Is simple, unaffected Timothy Lea too nice for the hard world of film making?
Will he be able to cope with smooth blue film producer, Justin Tymley, and outrageous director, Ken Loser?
And those girls; Sandra Virgin, Sadie Masoch, Dawn Lovelost, Samantha Toots and the rest of them. They all seem interested in only one thing.
Even with Sidney's help, will Timmy be able to cope?
There's only one way to find out ....

[ripper]

Feb 27, 2022 11:00:11 GMT dem bones said:

Here's the cover. Think I may have attempted this one - there's a green Rizla card marking p. 45 - but can't remember anything about it. Evidently I didn't stick around long enough to meet Sadie Masoch whose name suggests she'd be a memorable character.

Timothy Lea - Confessions of a Film Extra (Sphere, 1973)

Blurb:
Is simple, unaffected Timothy Lea too nice for the hard world of film making?
Will he be able to cope with smooth blue film producer, Justin Tymley, and outrageous director, Ken Loser?
And those girls; Sandra Virgin, Sadie Masoch, Dawn Lovelost, Samantha Toots and the rest of them. They all seem interested in only one thing.
Even with Sidney's help, will Timmy be able to cope?
There's only one way to find out ....

Thanks, Dem. The horror western that Timmy and Sid are involved in is 'Revenge of the Creature from the OK Corral', and the end of the book sets up the next in the series where Timmy finds himself in big trouble for making blue films and gets sent down for a year.

[helrunar]

That sounds so funny and the reality is probably so dreary. Revenge of the Creature from the OK Corral is a great title though--no doubt produced by The Uncanny's "Haemorrhage Studios."

If Timmy is the guy on the cover, he has a cute smile. The women are interested in only one thing... his house painting skills??

H.

[enoch]

I wish I had the Photoshop skills to replace that guy's face with my own.  I'd have T-shirts and posters made and hand 'em out as presents at Christmas.

And surely "Samantha Toots" is one of the greatest names in all literature.

[ripper]

Feb 27, 2022 18:11:15 GMT enoch said:

I wish I had the Photoshop skills to replace that guy's face with my own.  I'd have T-shirts and posters made and hand 'em out as presents at Christmas.

And surely "Samantha Toots" is one of the greatest names in all literature.

It's a great name for a character--made me laugh every time I read it. Glint Thrust is another one--very apt for a blue movie star.

[ripper]

Feb 27, 2022 17:41:13 GMT helrunar said:

That sounds so funny and the reality is probably so dreary. Revenge of the Creature from the OK Corral is a great title though--no doubt produced by The Uncanny's "Haemorrhage Studios."

If Timmy is the guy on the cover, he has a cute smile. The women are interested in only one thing... his house painting skills??

H.

Just checked and the film company is called Fantastic Unbelievable Pictures. Timmy gets the film extra work on account of the company wanting someone with window cleaning experience to do some exterior shots for a blue movie called Up the Ladder, Jack.