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Interview by the Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer

4/9/2013

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I'm just going to let the Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer newspaper - Western Kentucky's foremost daily - write this blog for me. This was published March 29, 2013. Much thanks to Suzi Bartholomy and photographer Gary Emond-Netzley for a very fun interview!


There is a text only version below the image of the article. 


As always, thanks for stopping by!


--Russ
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BY SUZI BARTHOLOMY MESSENGER-INQUIRER | Posted: Friday, March 29, 2013 12:00 am

The wall behind Russ Croley's desk has several rows of framed certificates, including one that allows him to practice before the highest court in the land.

"I never have and probably never will go before the Supreme Court,"Croley said recently.


But at his office in Central City, Croley, who has been practicing law for more than 35 years, also has memorabilia from his budding career in acting.


The two professions have some commonality. There is a certain amount of improvisation in the courtroom, Croley said.


The 62-year-old attorney began getting acting jobs in 2008. He's always been interested in the entertainment business and after graduating from University of Kentucky Law School in 1976, he toyed with the idea of pursuing acting, but he had a family to support.


While practicing law, Croley helped establish Muhlenberg Community Theatre. Having decades of success in business, he now works part-time, which affords him the freedom for auditions and shooting on location.


Croley divides his time between Central City and Lexington, where his wife works in their son's dental practice. "There are a lot of independent films made around Lexington, and since I go back and forth, I started inquiring about auditions," Croley said.


One audition led to another, and Croley has appeared in 14 films. He was an extra in "League of Their Own,"which was filmed around Evansville in 1992. He was classified as "father with young son."


He was also an extra in "Secretariat."


"You can see me if you know where to look," said Croley, who recently joined the Screen ActorsGuild. So far, his favorite move role was playing the lead in "Bunker of Blood" as Gen. Titus. His television credits include Investigation Discovery network's "Unusual Suspects" episode titled, "Killings in Kentucky" in 2012.


"I played an attorney, "Croley said.


When he was complimented for his courtroom improvisation, he fessed up and told them he actually was an attorney.


In 2011, he was in an episode of NBC's "Parks and Recreation.
For two years, he's been working with eight other actors making films for the Veterans Administration as well as making live presentations to VA doctors. Empathy is not taught in medical school, Croley said, and the dramatizations teach doctors how to relate to patients and families when they give them shattering news, such as a diagnosis of a fatal disease or an accidental death of a patient.


Croley recently made a Papa John's Pizza commercial that he said is being shown during March Madness. He's also done a spot for Don Moore auto sales.


Actors have to be tough. "I've gone to 150 auditions and have gotten one out of 10,"Croley said. "Every audition is a learning experience; if you don't get the job, you forget it and go on."


Reflecting on his latest career, Croley said, "It's never too late to be what you might have been. So many guys retire and do nothing. This gives me energy."


Suzi Bartholomy, 691-7293, sbartholomy@messenger-inquirer.com
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SAG-AFTRA In That Warm California (and Nevada) Sun.... Plus Pizza and Basketball!

2/16/2013

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Claude D. Miles and me on the set of "Nexus Vegas" in, of course, Vegas.
My SAG-AFTRA (Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists) membership is now in place. I am very proud to be a member of the largest and most prestigious performers' union in the world.  I am just as proud to have been working closely with Kentucky's first solidly union production company, Catnippery Productions, LLC, performing in and helping produce several of it's Paratime episodes.  Writer/Producer Claude D. Miles and I recently traveled to Las Vegas, where we were joined by Los Angeles based cinematographer and director Sven Granlund for the shooting of "Nexus Vegas", the follow up to "Speed Date", which was recently shot in Lexington, Kentucky. Over the next two weeks still another follow up episode, "Game One", was shot in Los Angeles.  I had the opportunity to work with some brilliant actors from the Las Vegas area in the two episodes shot out West. You can check out these and other episodes at http://www.catnipperyproductions.com .

The day prior to flying to Vegas I had the distinct pleasure of working with many fine actors from Kentucky, as well as Indiana and Ohio, on a SAG-AFTRA Papa Johns' Pizza commercial which will air nationally during the NCAA basketball tournament this year. Shot at the legendary, and cavernous, Rupp Arena in beautiful downtown Lexington, the spot features not only Papa John, but also University of Kentucky head basketball coach John Calipari (Coach Cal). Look for it soon!  

Finally, I am now signed with Nashville talent agency Sharon Smith Talent for Mid-South gigs, and am looking forward to getting back to Music City for some more work there. Nashville is one of my favorite cities, not only for good music, but also the great video, television and motion picture production which goes on there. I've worked in Tennessee on a couple of films through Watkins Film School in Nashville, as well  a Candi Carpender music video (check her out on CMT), and the enthusiasm and professionalism of the folks in Nashville is truly a joy and inspiration.

Till next time.... BREAK A LEG!

--Russ

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Unusual Suspects: Update on "Killings in Kentucky" Episode; SHORT CLIP BELOW!

11/27/2012

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This episode premiered on Sunday night, 11/25/12, and will be repeated, for the first time, on Saturday, 12/1/12 at 6 pm EST and PST, in case you missed it and would like to watch and/or save it on your DVR.  This documentary/recreation chronicles a heinous triple murder which took place in the small town of Columbia, Kentucky (Adair County) in the early 1990's, which went unsolved for 10 years. SPOILER ALERT: This series in general, and this episode in particular, is not for children nor the faint of heart. It describes a brutal and heartless multiple homicide in an otherwise peaceful community, resulting in the deaths of a well respected veterinarian, his wife, and his son, gunned down in cold blood in their own home along a quiet country road. Even so, there were numerous suspects popping up, along with twisted tales of infidelity, fraud, bankruptcy, and even the occult.

This episode, as well as all Unusual Suspects episodes, is also available on line through Amazon.com at this link: 

http://www.amazon.com/Killings-in-Kentucky/dp/B00ADHPGXG
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You can click the movie screen BELOW (NOT the photo to the right of this paragraph!) to see a short clip from this episode...

As ALWAYS, thanks for stopping by!

--Russ

SHORT CLIP FROM UNUSUAL SUSPECTS, "KILLINGS IN KENTUCKY"

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WHO SAYS I'VE BEEN HORSING AROUND??

11/21/2012

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Hi guys! I've been pretty busy since my last posting here. I worked on an episode of "Unusual Suspects"  ("Kentucky Killings" is the episode title) which will premiere on the ID cable channel Sunday, November 25, 2012, at 10 pm EST and PST. This series also repeats often, so check your listings. As many of you know, this series is a "reality" based recreation of actual crimes, unusual and interesting. This episode is about murder of a family which took place in Columbia, Kentucky a few years back.

ONE OF MY FELLOW ACTORS ON 
LOCATION AT CHURCHILL DOWNS

 It went about 10 years before being solved. I play the attorney (imagine that). We shot my scenes in Lawrenceburg, KY, at the City Hall and Police Station. I have to tell you that the cast and crew were fantastic to work with, and no one could have asked for a better host than the City of Lawrenceburg. Fine Folks! 

A couple of days after wrapping on the "Unusual Suspects" set, I moved on to to Louisville to work on the major motion picture partially shot at Churchill Downs, "Fifty to One". It's about the scrawny little horse from New Mexico which went off as a really long shot of 50 to 1 odds--and won the Derby. Virtually unheard of! It's quite a story. They transported the horse, Mine That Bird, from New Mexico to Louisville in a horse trailer pulled by a pickup truck. For those of you who don't know, those Derby horses usually travel in much more luxurious style, either being flown in, or brought in large fancy horse vans if coming from the Bluegrass area. Poor ole' Bird must have been totally worn out after that trip, which makes it even more remarkable that he won. The movie stars Skeet Ulrich and William Devane, the absolute BEST actor to ever portray President John F. Kennedy, by the way--check out the circa 1980 TV mini-series "The Missiles of October" if you want to see what I mean. As I told Mr. Devane on set: "You ARE Jack Kennedy!"  I was fortunate to work six days on location at the Downs, serving as a stand in on the final day of shooting there. Nice!


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Filming at Churchill Downs
And almost immediately after that gig, I gladly fell in, as assistant director, to help good friend, fellow actor, and consummate writer/producer/director Claude D. Miles on a SAG new media short shot at "Hero's Realm", an iconic comic book store in Lexington, KY--"Into the Realm" is the title. Produced in cooperation with the drama department of Western Kentucky University, Claude and his production company, Catnippery Productions LLC, continue to blaze trails. Catnippery was the very first SAG (now SAG-AFTRA, after the merger of the performers' unions) New Media signatory in the Bluegrass State, and is responsible for helping dozens of actors in this part of the world (yours truly included) become eligible to join the performers' guild. Kudos to "Mr. D' Miles"!

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"Into The Realm" Cast & Crew
Girl/Girl Scene, Tucky Williams' cutting edge New Media series produced in Lexington, continues to set records with viewer hits with its controversial (in some quarters) exploration of the trials and tribulations in the GLB community in America's heartland. I've appeared in 3 episodes as "Rod", the guy you love to hate, and I shot an additional scene earlier this month.  Poor ole' Rod.  No matter where you stand on the GLB issue,  Rod will make you angry... . Hey! It's only a movie!

As always, thanks to everyone for their interest in my efforts, especially those who are following what I'm doing, as well as those kind enough to allow me to ply the actor craft. Heaven on earth!

Of course, I continue to practice law, albeit in a "semi-retired" mode, meaning I'm in the office every week when I'm not on location or set.  There's a new web site for the law office up and running. Check it out if you get a chance. I'm still in there plugging away, helping folks who have been kicked in the teeth by this lousy economy get a fresh start.  www.CroleyLawOffice.com 

Til next time, then, in this irregular blog of mine.... THANKS!!! And HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

  ---Russ


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That's Not A Real Cigar......

7/3/2012

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Yeah.... I know. Sure looks like a real cigar, though, right? Movie magic.... Cardboard and a little red aluminum foil! This is Capt. Mitchell of the Union Army, April, 1865, in Claude D. Miles' "Paradise".  Check it out on Internet Movie Database:  http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1825913/combined


I had a great two weeks down in Florida working the  Veterans Administration program, along with some fantastic actors, clinicians, and administrators. We worked a week in Miami, I flew home for Father's Day, and then was back to Tampa for another week.  There was a bonus in Tampa, too, because my Mom and brother live there--I got to hang out with them.

Getting geared up for my role as POTUS (President of the United States) in William Lee's "Architect of Chaos", shooting of which starts this month, as does "Sometimes She Bites", Lee Zellar's newest film venture.  Both are being shot in Ohio, which for the last few days has been hotter than it has down south... these 100+ degree days are rough, I'll tell ya!

Fright Night/Fan Fest in Louisville was a huge success last weekend, or so they tell me. Unfortunately I was unable to get up there this year. It is one of the largest "Cons" (Conventions for those of your not familiar with the slang) in the Midwest/South.  Swimming Pools....
Movie Stars.... Monsters..... .

Big News for ZP International Pictures..... A new release of some of ZP's most popular films, including "Bunker of Blood", in which I appear as General Titus, will be showing up on retailer's shelves later this summer, including your local Wal-Mart.  They will be packaged in a bundle of DVD's for one low price--a GREAT BARGAIN!! I'll post more about this as the release date gets closer!

I'm excited about getting back to work in the VA program later this summer. The next workshop will be in Montana, and that's one place I've never been before, and I'm certainly looking forward to seeing some Big Sky!


Time to start the big Independence Day holiday..... And, as always, let's remember those who have served our country to preserve our Liberty--especially those who have paid the ultimate price!

Til Next Time!

--Russ




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First Entry....."What's Going On", You Ask?

6/3/2012

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Russ Croley as the Head Nerd Engineer in the 90 second industrial video/commercial/spoof for Lexington's "Big Ass Fans" (seriously--that's the company name; check it out at www.bigassfans.com)





    Hello Everyone, and thanks for stopping by! This is the first of my occasional blog posts which will center around my acting and other production oriented pursuits.

    The upcoming summer promises to be busy, with five separate gigs lined up for the Veterans Administration (VA), all on the road in Florida and Montana. Now, you ask, what does the VA have to do with acting? Good question!

    The VA Hospital in Lexington, KY, started a pilot program to train medical professionals, as well as administrators, how to better handle situations which may be "sensitive", e.g. not only disclosure of mistakes which may have been made medically, but also how to better deal with patients and family whenever there is a tough situation. A series of videos were produced at the Louisville, KY, VA Hospital, and those videos are used at workshops for VA hospitals around the country. But here's the twist: After showing each video, the workshop participants move into live role playing situations which are an extension of each video, often with the very same actors playing the very same roles as they have just watched in the video. 

    Of course, the use of role playing in training workshops is nothing new, but the Lexington model, using professional quality mini-movies for the set up, coupled with professional actors to keep the role playing sessions "real" (kind of ironic isn't it?) results in an unparallelled quality learning experience. This type of acting job ("gig") is classified as "industrial", as opposed to TV, film or movie, commercials, etc.  It's a lot of fun, great experience in both camera acting work and live performance--improvisation is the main staple here, an essential skill for a good actor--and the travel nationwide is a bonus. It's also a fantastic opportunity to work with top notch professional actors and medical pros, as well.

    Thanks to Lorilynn Rosa's casting agency, The Talent and Crew Network, based in Evansville, I recently shot some commercials, to be periodically released over the summer and into the fall, for a major West Kentucky/Southern Indiana chain of automobile dealerships, had a small role in Michael Rosenbaum's (you'll remember him as Lex Luthor on the TV series "Smallville") comedy feature film "Old Days", shot in and around Evansville, Indiana in the spring; and filmed some for scenes in my (so far!) recurring role as Rod, they guy you love to hate, in the web series Girl/Girl Scene, shot and set in Lexington, KY. All this was in addition to regular appearances in the interactive murder mystery troupe for Todd Fluhr's "The Game Plays You", which regularly challenges the audience to get involved and solve the mystery in performances in the South and Midwest.

    In addition to racking up frequent flyer miles traveling to VA hospitals around the country, I'll be playing POTUS (President of the United States) in William X. Lee's "Architect of Chaos", which features Charlie Sheen's uncle and Martin Sheen's brother, Joe Estevez, in the enviable role of God. Architect of Chaos will shoot in Ohio and Kentucky, starting in June.

    And last weekend I discovered horse racing isn't the only thing that goes on at Churchill Downs in Louisville.... I had a great afternoon traveling there with good friend and fellow actor Claude D. Miles and his lovely wife Tanya to attend the Bluegrass Movie Experience, which was presented as part of an arts fair in the Churchill Downs infield--while the horses were racing around us on that famous track! A couple of shorts in which I appear were shown there: "Paradise", written and directed by the aforesaid Claude D. Miles, and "The Lynnville Incident", written and directed by Ryan Lincoln McCurdy, a recent film school graduate from the University of Southern Indiana.  Kudos to Jason Crowe and Roni Jonah, two of Louisville outstanding filmmakers and actors, for hosting that event!

    And before I sign off for this blog (or maybe "blab" would be more appropriate?), I want to thank all the great actors, agents, directors, cinematographers, writers, producers, and everyone else--all too many to mention individually here--with whom I have and am having the privilege to work in this amazing business. You know who you are!! LOL

    Till next time, then, in this irregular series of rants, thanks for dropping in, and please feel free to chime in with your comments! The more, the merrier!

    Best,
    Russ


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First Entry.... 06/03/2012

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