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Looking like Virgil Hilts For Under $250.00, Can it be done ?
- Thread starter B-Man2
- Start date
B-Man2
Well-Known Member
Good ideas for sure, but he only wore a watch in a couple of scenes, so I’m not sure if worth the effort.
B-Man2
Well-Known Member
I’ve have a couple a days waiting for deliveries to complete this Virgil Hilts impression, so I thought I’d share some interesting facts I learned while researching the filming of the movie. I think you guys might enjoy this information.
1. After his escape Hilts (Steve MCQueen) obtains a German motorcycle by stringing wire across a road and clothes lining the German Soldier who was riding the bike. In reality MCQueen was an avid racer of cars and motorcycles and insisted on doing this particular stunt himself . The German soldier was MCQueen himself laying the bike down for that scene.
2. Before he became famous Charles Bronson worked as a coal miner. Based on his knowledge and experiences working in the mines, the director used Bronson as an advisor during the filming of the underground digging scenes . Just like his character in the movie Bronson had Claustrophobia in real life .
3. During the filming of the movie Charles Bronson became infatuated with David McCallums wife, Jill Ireland, and would needle McCallum that if he didn’t treat Ireland right he was going to steal her away from McCallum. The movie was release in 1963 and by 1967 Ireland had divorced McCallum and married Bronson.
4. Outside of the German town where they were filming the movie, the townspeople complained that the movie crew was racing and speeding through the town at night after drinking. The police set up a speed trap and the next day several of the cast and movie crew had been detained and fined for speeding. One of those caught was MCQueen, who was told by the Chief of Police that of all the people stopped that day, he had won the prize for speeding the fastest. As a result he was find and actually spent a couple of hours in the towns jail .
5.There were several actual prisoners of war who acted as extras during the filming of the movie.
6. The famous jump the barbed wire fence scene that has MCQueen trying to escape an approaching German patrol was not done by MCQueen as many had thought, but was done by a Los Angles California Motor Cycle Shop owner name Bud Etkins who later became famous for other motorcycle stunt work . There were 4 different motorcycles used in that sequence because they kept breaking from the jarring impacts with the ground during the retakes. MCQueen who wanted to ride the scene was actually relegated to playing the roll of one of the German riders who was chasing in the scene.
7. MCQueen would only accept the role of Hilts if he was able to show off his motorcycle riding skills and had that clause in his contract.
8. James Garner got the role of the scrounge when the director had found out that Garner had in fact been a scrounger during his time in the military while stationed in Korea during the war there.
Hope you enjoyed it!
Cheers
1. After his escape Hilts (Steve MCQueen) obtains a German motorcycle by stringing wire across a road and clothes lining the German Soldier who was riding the bike. In reality MCQueen was an avid racer of cars and motorcycles and insisted on doing this particular stunt himself . The German soldier was MCQueen himself laying the bike down for that scene.
2. Before he became famous Charles Bronson worked as a coal miner. Based on his knowledge and experiences working in the mines, the director used Bronson as an advisor during the filming of the underground digging scenes . Just like his character in the movie Bronson had Claustrophobia in real life .
3. During the filming of the movie Charles Bronson became infatuated with David McCallums wife, Jill Ireland, and would needle McCallum that if he didn’t treat Ireland right he was going to steal her away from McCallum. The movie was release in 1963 and by 1967 Ireland had divorced McCallum and married Bronson.
4. Outside of the German town where they were filming the movie, the townspeople complained that the movie crew was racing and speeding through the town at night after drinking. The police set up a speed trap and the next day several of the cast and movie crew had been detained and fined for speeding. One of those caught was MCQueen, who was told by the Chief of Police that of all the people stopped that day, he had won the prize for speeding the fastest. As a result he was find and actually spent a couple of hours in the towns jail .
5.There were several actual prisoners of war who acted as extras during the filming of the movie.
6. The famous jump the barbed wire fence scene that has MCQueen trying to escape an approaching German patrol was not done by MCQueen as many had thought, but was done by a Los Angles California Motor Cycle Shop owner name Bud Etkins who later became famous for other motorcycle stunt work . There were 4 different motorcycles used in that sequence because they kept breaking from the jarring impacts with the ground during the retakes. MCQueen who wanted to ride the scene was actually relegated to playing the roll of one of the German riders who was chasing in the scene.
7. MCQueen would only accept the role of Hilts if he was able to show off his motorcycle riding skills and had that clause in his contract.
8. James Garner got the role of the scrounge when the director had found out that Garner had in fact been a scrounger during his time in the military while stationed in Korea during the war there.
Hope you enjoyed it!
Cheers
mulceber
Moderator
As soon as you said they set up a speed trap, I knew McQueen would be the one caught. DUIs were something of a hobby for him.
B-Man2
Well-Known Member
There’s a bunch more stuff about this movie that is interesting reading . It was one of the last movies that had such prominent cast with as many top named US and International stars. The casting and contracting departments went crazy trying to meet the demands of each individual Star.
B-Man2
Well-Known Member
Clark
They run a tad loose on me, but it’s nothing to be concerned with. You’ll like them what color did you get? Theres a reason I’m asking.
B-Man2
Well-Known Member
Glad to hear you like them.
They are very well made .
Flightengineer
Well-Known Member
Can I ask you foot lenght?
Smithy
Well-Known Member
Just wanted to say that the whole thing is a classic "look".
I don't mind admitting I've worn an A-2, chinos, suede roughouts/suede boots and a sweatshirt (sometimes blue sometimes not) on more than a few occasions.
Last time I did one of my nieces said, "You look cool" which is kind of neat considering it was the King of Cool that started it all
I don't mind admitting I've worn an A-2, chinos, suede roughouts/suede boots and a sweatshirt (sometimes blue sometimes not) on more than a few occasions.
Last time I did one of my nieces said, "You look cool" which is kind of neat considering it was the King of Cool that started it all
B-Man2
Well-Known Member
So today I went to a local garage sale in my neighborhood, as I suspected due to the current Pandemic there was hardly anyone there. Living within close proximity to the Naval Air Station Jacksonville, I never know what I might find at garage sales , or flea markets. Well today I found a cool piece for the Hilts thing I’m putting together. I hadn’t planned on including one of these, as the $250.00 budget I set for myself is being depleted but for the $10.00 purchase price I couldn’t let it go. ( I would have purchased it anyway regardless of the budget) In the opening scene, as all the POWs are arriving at their new camp, Hilts is walking along the fence line carry his flight bag . So I thought this would look good with the rest of the stuff.
It’s not marked any place but for $10.00 it looks good .
Now I wasn’t going to include a wristwatch with this thing because the budget doesn’t permit it But......, then I remembered a watch I purchased 3years ago on EBay from China that cost me $5.23 and is still working fine and keeps good time . So I’m including that for anyone who might be interested in buying one and it will look ok as part of the Hilts Impression. Once again the goal here is not authenticity but a general overall look. So with that here you go.
Ok so where do we stand with the budget
now
Boots ................$70.00
Pants ................$27.29
Sweat Shirt........,.$11.88
Flight Bag............$10.00
Watch................$5.23
Total..................$124.40
Budget Balance ....$125.60
Well it’s getting a bit thin and I still have to come up with an A2 jacket . Ok ... Stay tuned!
EDIT:I just went back to EBay to see if these watches are still available at the price I paid for it . This one was definitely made in China and sold for the price I quoted ... HOWEVER ... it seems like as with everything else, people found out they were a good deal and now the cheapest prices I have found are in the $20-30 dollar ranges. If anyone finds them cheaper please let us know for those who might like to acquire one .
Cheers
It’s not marked any place but for $10.00 it looks good .
Now I wasn’t going to include a wristwatch with this thing because the budget doesn’t permit it But......, then I remembered a watch I purchased 3years ago on EBay from China that cost me $5.23 and is still working fine and keeps good time . So I’m including that for anyone who might be interested in buying one and it will look ok as part of the Hilts Impression. Once again the goal here is not authenticity but a general overall look. So with that here you go.
Ok so where do we stand with the budget
now
Boots ................$70.00
Pants ................$27.29
Sweat Shirt........,.$11.88
Flight Bag............$10.00
Watch................$5.23
Total..................$124.40
Budget Balance ....$125.60
Well it’s getting a bit thin and I still have to come up with an A2 jacket . Ok ... Stay tuned!
EDIT:I just went back to EBay to see if these watches are still available at the price I paid for it . This one was definitely made in China and sold for the price I quoted ... HOWEVER ... it seems like as with everything else, people found out they were a good deal and now the cheapest prices I have found are in the $20-30 dollar ranges. If anyone finds them cheaper please let us know for those who might like to acquire one .
Cheers
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B-Man2
Well-Known Member
mulceber
Moderator
Last time I did one of my nieces said, "You look cool" which is kind of neat considering it was the King of Cool that started it all
The King of Cool and the Cooler King, all in one.
London Cabbie
Well-Known Member
You know we’re all waiting for the A2...
B-Man2
Well-Known Member
Well ..... I know the suspense is building and I’m really not trying to string you guys out, so I will tell you that I have purchased a legitimate A2 jacket, (not a mall jacketYou know we’re all waiting for the A2...
) and the jacket is on its way via the US Mail . The day it arrives the suspense will be over, and I’ll post some photos of it right out of the box and additional photos as I try to turn it into some resemblance of a Hilts A2. I’ll also let you know if I came anywhere close to staying within the $250.00 budget.
mulceber
Moderator
Well ..... I know the suspense is building and I’m really not trying to string you guys out, so I will tell you that I have purchased a legitimate A2 jacket, (not a mall jacket
What I find amusing is that you have ORIGINAL depo re-dyes that would make a great Hilts jacket (okay, minus the name plate and captain's bars - don't wanna mess with an original), and yet you're going to the trouble of buying a repro.
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