Anatomy of a Cold Case Picture

Lead actor Danny Pino with Joseph Tornatore

The iconic orange frontage of Geno's Steaks became the backdrop of a scene on the popular television show Cold Case. Hired as a background extra, I was there raising the steaks on the set with the principle actors.

I asked, “I understand that your character is wrapped for the day but I would love to get a picture with you for my scrapbook.”

Talented actor Danny Pino remarked, “I don’t mind but you really should not have a camera on the set.”

I tried to ignore his heed to caution. “Understood. Thanks for being so congenial.”

As we maneuvered our shoulders side be side, it felt like he was following my lead. I still needed someone, anyone really, to take the picture. I handed it to a bespectacled man wearing a jogging suit. I had not seen him on the set all day.

Like a ventriloquist, Danny spoke under his breath through his toothy perfect smile. He was considerate not to ruin this picture but he wanted to convey the gravity of my camera-happy last action. As my loaner camera got raised to take our picture, I heard the following two statements bing bang and I do not need to identify the speaker here.

“I know a good picture when I see one.”

“You just handed your camera to the director.”

Gulp! The director, who just arrived on the set to shoot the second episode, snapped this photo. We had all taken direction from director Holly Dale all morning. I became the first picture the arriving director framed all day.

Epilogue: I made the final cut as a pedestrian on this episode of Cold Case, which aired last Sunday. In actuality, I got more camera time in this KWY news broadcast, which aired to promote the new season of Cold Case. I’m behind lead Katherine Morris in a lime green shirt talking to my agent.