When Sid Haig passed away, I wrote this obit…and I would have liked to have included a great Sid Haig story but unfortunately, I didn't have a great Sid Haig story. I didn't know Sid well and had never worked with or near him…so no great Sid Haig story.
But yesterday, I had lunch at the Magic Castle with my longtime friend Buzz Dixon. Buzz is a fine writer but more importantly, he worked for a time at Filmation Studios where he got himself a great Sid Haig story. I asked him to type it up and send it to me so I could share it with you here. Here is Buzz Dixon with his great Sid Haig story…
Filmation Studios filmed their live action series Space Academy and Jason of Star Command in a warehouse-like building in a small industrial park in Canoga Park. From the outside, it looked no different from the half dozen or so other medium size businesses/manufacturers in the same park. As a result, we were frequently visited by salesmen dutifully hitting each business in the complex.
One of them saw producer/director Arthur Nadel's name on the parking slot next to the front door and correctly assumed he was the head honcho of whatever was going on inside. He went in and approached the receptionist at the window next to the inner door where you had to be buzzed in.
"I'm here to see Mr. Nadel," said the salesman.
"Mr. Nadel is busy," said Janice the receptionist.
"He'll want to see me."
"Well, if you would leave your card I'll see he gets it."
"Nope! I'm not moving until I see Mr. Nadel."
At that point Sid Haig, who was playing the villain Dragos in Jason of Star Command, walked by behind the receptionist.
Now, let me explain that Dragos was our Darth Vader-like character, a tall imposing figure in scarlet and black with a long flowing cape. Add to this platform boots to boost his already towering 6'4" height and a face that, in the words of the late John Dorman, "looked like it had caught on fire and had been stabbed out with an ice pick." (A face that belied Sid's sweet and insightful personal nature, but that's what acting is all about, isn't it?)
Sid strode by, nodded to the receptionist, said, "Hi, Janice" then disappeared, cape billowing behind him.
The salesman stood gape-jawed. "Who was that?"
"That," said Janice, "was Mr. Nadel."
We never saw that salesman again.
Thank you, Buzz Dixon, for the great Sid Haig story.