Discover another nice mess in the latest The Final Edition...

They say you learn something new every day, and in your career, it’s very important to be in continuous learning mode, as the pace of change in the workplace is huge.

It’s the same in our personal lives, with internet technology and our enthusiasm for challenging perceived wisdom - with TVs QI quiz show a good example - feeding our thirst for learning.

Today we can easily find out with our smartphones that the actual lyrics to a song are different to the words we’ve been singing in the car for years. Likewise, a quick search can also tell us that movie quotes - or misquotes - can also be another fine mess.

And I discovered one of the biggest when I was an extra filming a scene in May 2017 in Worthing for the new biopic on Laurel and Hardy, Stan and Ollie, with Steve Coogan and John C Reilly. (It hit cinemas this month - January 2019 - with a string of BAFTA award nominations behind it.)

Like Clark Cable never said, “Frankly, my dear, I don’t give a damn” in Gone With The Wind, and Humphrey Bogart failed to utter, “Play it again, Sam” in Casablanca, Oliver Hardy never said, “Well, here's another fine mess you've gotten us into”, even though there is a Laurel and Hardy film called Another Fine Mess.

And I learnt this from a crew member at the filming. “It’s a ‘nice mess’, not a ‘fine mess’," he argued with another technician. I immediately went on Google, and he was right. The actual movie quote is indeed, “Well, here's another nice mess you've gotten me into!"

The scenes I was lucky enough to be in were filmed at Worthing lido and show the pair judging a bathing beauty contest back in 1953, as part of a music hall tour of the UK.

It was the last day of filming. But the weather nearly scuppered the shoot, with torrential rain all morning. Everyone thought we'd need to postpone until the the next day.

But patience prevailed, as shortly after lunch it dried up, with almost Mediterranean sunshine, and after some fast sweeping away of any puddles, the shoot went ahead, with perfect performances from both Coogan and Reilly as the fading Hollywood stars.

For the shoot, the Grade II listed lido had been transformed into a 1950s seaside setting, with an amusement arcade, bandstand, and a new mural of Worthing on the back wall. I was one of about fifty extras, or supporting artists (SAs), be-clothed in our 50s period dress, who had walked from the hotel, where we'd been through hair, make-up and costume, to the lido about 10 minutes walk away to some curious glances from passers by.

As the hot sun broke through, the seaside promenade and lido were awash with film crew, security and actors, with the stars hovering in their makeshift green rooms, ready for their cues.

Coogan and Reilly had both arrived on site, made up and ready to go. But as with all movies, and major TV shows, the scenes took ages to shoot, with many re-takes, using many angles, including a long shot (LS) from a roof across the road for the big sweeping Cinemascope effect. 

The shoot was made even longer, as some way into the filming, Reilly, covered head to toe in his Oliver Hardy prosthetic, needed the toilet. With so many cast and crew, all of the facilities - including the loos - had been commandeered. So, after some scratching of heads, it was decided a chauffeur-driven car would take the American actor back to his hotel to use the loo.

With the earlier rain, the lengthy 30 minutes between retakes, and the prolonged toilet break, meant that the light was now beginning to fade. It was therefore now a rush to get the final scene of the day - and that of the entire shoot - in the can. And it was the big scene, featuring Reilly collapsing by the side of the stage as Steve Coogan announced to the assembled onlookers, “Welcome to our favourite seaside town of all, Worthing!," flanked by the dozen or so bathing beauty contestants, who'd been in and out of their dressing gowns in-between takes all day.

With the film in the can, it was then the champagne and thank yous, before cast and crew headed to Steve Coogan's Sussex house for the end of production party. But not for me - or the other extras. We were officially just 'crowd'. So no party for us. I learnt this that day. But being involved in films such as this is still a thrill. And you are always treated well by everyone involved. And made to feel very important while the cameras are rolling.

If you like dressing up, showing off, seeing how a film is put together, or just a day out at the seaside, maybe give it a go. See here for more information. The pay's pretty good. And you get to meet some great actors, directors, and technicians. And some very colourful supporting artists too. You can also get your very own IMDb entry, if you'd managed to get a part with a few lines.

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