Exclusive Interview: Ron Millkie
Following a service in the Air Force, Ron Millkie found his way into acting with a prodcuction of West Side Story, before relocating to New York to pursue a career on screen. Having collaborated with director Sean S. Cunningham on an industrial film, Millkie saw an advert for Friday the 13th in a newspaper and immediately contacted Cunningham for a role in the movie. With all the principals cast, Millkie was brought onto the set for one scene, in which he would cameo as the quirky-yet-memorable Officer Dorf.
Ron Millkie talks about his short time working on Friday the 13th.
Officer Dorf was one of the more peculiar characters in Friday the 13th, and contributed to the film’s most amusing scene. How did you prepare for the role and how long were you on set for?
I didn’t have much time to prepare for the role. I believe I was the last person cast in the film and they were already into shooting. I had heard about Sean Cunningham’s new horror feature and I had worked with Sean a few years earlier. I remember my phone conversation; “Is it totally cast, Sean?” Sean: “Yeah, Ron, were already shooting… wait a minute… yeah, there might be a part for you. I was going to play the part myself (yes, Sean would have played Officer Dorf if I hadn’t made the call that day). Why don’t you come up to Blairstown (N.J.) tomorrow and I’ll have you read.” The next day, I had about fifteen minutes to read over the part and read with Harry Crosby, Kevin Bacon and Laurie Bartrum (God rest her soul). Sean was smiling and said, “You got the part.” I only had a couple of days to learn the lines and the role sort of kicked in when I was learning the lines. I was on the set for two days and was present in the cabin when Kevin Bacon got the knife through the throat. It was done with such precision and professionalism, I knew it was going to be a class production.
How much of the script did you read before shooting and what did you think of the final result?
Never had a chance to read the script.
Was there ever talk about Dorf returning for one of the sequels and have you seen any of the subsequent movies? If so, what is your opinion on the direction the series took later on?
The only mention of Dorf returning were in two separate scripts by two different screenwriters called Jason vs. Officer Dorf. When I told Sean Cunningham (and Steve Miner, the A.D.) the thought cracked them up, but the screenplays never went any further (so far.) And yes, I would play Dorf again when, twenty-five years later, he comes out of retirement with some new suspicious murders at Camp Crystal Lake.”
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