After graduating from HS I took on a job as a lifeguard. (WOW, can I tell you stories!) This allowed me to continue to go on auditions. We had ½ hour shifts and would rotate. I cut a deal with the other lifeguards to take my place and I would do the same for them. This law was designed to keep a lifeguard alert. Staring at faces in a pool for more than a ½ hour in the sun could very easily put you to sleep. Thank God for mirrored sunglasses to conceal my closed eyes because I used to rely more on hearing a scream than seeing anything else. By the way, I worked from 9 - 5pm but also had another job from 8 to 4am so I was always pretty tired. After filming and returning as a local celebrity to the swim club, as a lifeguard I was plenty tired for sure but this time it wasn't from working two jobs!

Here are a few pics FRANK took while on the set. The picture on the left was taken during set up for the "Volleyball Scene" and the photo on the right was taken during set up for the shot where John's body floats in the river after the opening boating accident.

I used to sneak out of the Forest Hills Country Club to pursue the auditions for SC through the back of the kitchen, jog a mile (up hill both ways) to the train station and take three trains to the audition. Am I showing my age with that joke? Anyway, I was always in a bathing suit when I auditioned for Robert and Missy but obviously they didn't know it because I wore pants over it. When I returned to the pool club I usually had to sit on duty for at least 2 hours straight. I got some of my best sleep on the lifeguard stand! I remember being told to stay out of the sun because I was getting too dark for the film. I thought, what kind of Sleepaway Camp is this? One in which the campers only come out at night when the sun is down? Being of Sicilian heritage I was always pretty dark. By the way, because I was a certified lifeguard I became the official lifeguard on the set. Anytime someone was in the water I was there. Too bad Robert wasn't making a film about some hot synchronized swimmers!

I think I spent a lot of time observing and enjoying not only my own experience but observing and enjoying the experiences of others particularly that of Felissa because she was so young and had such a big part. She was like the little sister I never had. As her designated and protective older brother (I designated myself) I always kept one eye on her too, even though her mom had it completely covered. Joan was an absolutely lovely woman. Neither Felissa nor her mom, seem to have aged at all from the pictures on your site! I don't know how so much talent could come in such a small package but Felissa obviously pulled it off or else we wouldn't be having this conversation 23 years later! I was a little older than most of the other actors but I got to make friends with most if not all of them. When it came to chow time we all got together to talk about the days events and share stories. I loved the camaraderie. We were like a big family. I even took out my guitar and sang for everyone at the mess hall. I sang privately for a couple of the locals also. Whoa! I just had a complete blast! It was the greatest time for me because of many things. I am sure that you have heard the phrase, "love it when a plan comes together". Well for me, passing the audition and the subsequent filming was witnessing my plan coming together. It is wonderful to see the fruits of your labor unfold before your very eyes. It was great to know that hard work does pay off. That was my first big accomplishment after experiencing so many failures on other fruitless auditions. It proved to me that you can indeed succeed after trying "just one more time"!

This invaluable experience became a foundation for many more of my building blocks. Ultimately, this happily brought me to where I am today. Remember how important this was to me because I had already decided not to pursue my Air Force career and was still very skeptical about knowing if I had done the right thing. Being in SC and getting my Screen Actors Guild card helped me find the peace I so desperately needed. I was filled with renewed hope and confidence.

In the first movie I was in I never got to see the filming and all that was involved. However out on location with SC, I got to see almost everything that went into it and developed a great appreciation for those that work so hard behind the scenes to make it all come together. So much credit is given to the stars when just as much, if not more should be given to the people behind the scenes. 'Till this day, whenever my wife and I watch a movie I always wait until the credits roll at the end so I can cheer for the electricians. My wife cracks up. I am actually a third generation "A" Journeyman electrician and still hold my International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers card for Local #3 in NY for over 20 years.

Another reason why it was so good was an obvious reason, one that I'm not too sure Robert wants to hear but the cash was great! Young, single and a pocket full of cash: all I kept thinking about was Cagney's line, "I'm on top of the world Ma"! I thought I was on the road to the Magic Kingdom! The best part was that we had to get paid even if we didn't work. The simple fact that we were there and available for work made us eligible even if I was fishing or (the other "f"). Scratch the last line if any kids read this stuff! LOL. Bottom line was that I was in Heaven.

All in all my experience with the film and everyone associated with the film was absolutely priceless! I was certainly blessed to have been a part of Sleepaway Camp and it remains to be one of my, most fondest memories!

Jeff: Tell us a few interesting stories about things that happened during the course of making this movie.

Frank: Hanging around the set of a horror film was sure to bring a surprise to any unsuspecting victim. I was one of those victims on more than one occasion! We were shooting the "social" scene. As I recall we were shooting at an ungodly hour - about 4am. Although I tried to sleep during the day in preparation of the late night, it was impossible. I think we were picked up for breakfast at midnight with the anticipation of shooting at 1 am or something strange like that. I just remember my entire biological clock being turned upside down. I felt like a zombie and I knew I was not alone. We were all messed up.

Anyway while we were in the process of shooting I became even more tired and very thirsty. I went wandering around alone looking for something to drink when I came across a refrigerator. I assumed that the solution to my thirst would be found within the confines of this box. As I opened it up waiting to find something cool, refreshing and invigorating what I found at 4am startled me enough to make any woman proud. Did you ever hear of "Jack-in-the-box"? Well I found "Kenny-in-the-box"! I included the picture of him, as I found him in the refrigerator.

Remember the scene where Kenny is found washed up on the beach after the lifeguard curses the campers for trashing the place? Well the lifeguard says, "what is this doing here" or "how did this get here", I don't really remember but he turns over the canoe. When he does so he is horrified to find Kenny's decaying body with a snake exiting his mouth! Well I had never seen this before. I didn't even know it existed. Evidently the corpse was made out of a gelatin that needed to be refrigerated. It was the entire torso. Can you imagine being half awake and in desperate need of something to drink at 4am, alone and running across this!!! Another quick story, I was eating dinner next to Kathy Kamhi. She was about to do the scene where she is found dead by Mel after being sliced in the back. Kathy had just come from makeup and she looked great. Her face looked absolutely ghoulish. It was odd to be enjoying such a nice conversation with a living, breathing stiff! She had the jagged slice down her entire spine and it couldn't have looked more real. I guess it must be nice to know that you can still look pretty even as a stiff!