23 replies to this topic

[nicky]

I only met Richard Chaves and thought he was great. It was only his 2nd con in 10 yrs due to a stalker issue he had years ago but he seemed to be having a good time. We talked about his "problems" with Jesse Ventura on Predator and what he actually did in Vietnam and his experiences as a veteran and how Richard was cast.

I told him I grew up watching Predator since it first arrived on VHS when I was 12 and he said comments like that really mean a lot to him. He also said he was gonna be in The Three Amigos! originally as a henchman but landed Predator, a much bigger role, instead when the casting director spotted him in a play. He said Shane Black was on Predator to basically finish off his script fopr Lethal Weapon ?? I didnt quite get what he meant by that but he did also say that he was an uncredited consultant on LW.

It was quite fun to see that group of women from his old fanclub clamering around him in a group hug too.   I also forgot to ask him on his thoughts on how accurately the team in Predator worked seeing as he was ex-special forces and if he was ever given any backstory to his character. Anyone ask him?

Edited by nicky, 08 June 2009 - 10:28 AM.

[robert_bond75]

I met Richard Chaves and i have to say that he has probably the nicest of all the guests this time around, and that is saying something as all the guests were very pleasant. I met him on the Friday so i was able to have a good chat with him. We spoke about his role in War of the Worlds. In general he was one of the best guests i have met at a Collectormania event yet.

[Matt2006]

I agree, he was the nicest guest I met at the weekend too. I commented on his original 'The Predator' jacket which he liked. He also said the only person he keeps in touch with from the film is Arnie who he speaks to about once a month. Went around his desk for a photo which turned into 4! He kept saying 'take another'.

[friday13thfan]

I was first to meet him on Sunday morning, WHAT A STAR!!!! he hadn't even sat down and he was introducing himself to my gf who drove me there and then waiting for me to pay for my stuff so he could introduce himself to me....
Like Nicky, I told him I was a huge Predator fan and it's my all time fave movie.... he said it meant alot to him as he put his hand to his heart....
We talked about how he grew up hunting and was in the Marines and Vietnam. He was telling me about Arnie and how unless anyone can achieve half of what that man has achieved then he wont have a bad thing said about him and I also asked if the jokes were true (messin with bicep measurements etc) and he was like 'ooooooooh yeah lol, but I stayed out of all that', he also said that it was great coz he was able to do some stuff the bigger guys couldn't, the director would ask Jesse or Bill or Sonny to do something and they couldn't but he could drawing from his military past.....a reason why he thinks his character was last to die..... the man was truely amazing to meet and talk too.... and he LOVED my Predator collection poster... who I now only need Shane Black and Elpedia Corrila to complete the Predator 1 cast (with the exception of KPH for obvious reasons)
Thank you SM for bringin the amazing man to us

[Pork Chop Express]

I got to meet RC on Saturday afternoon and he was by far the best guest I met that day.

He told me and my friends a story about driving home one day. He stopped at the lights and in the car that pulled up next to him was Arnie and his wife. Maria was driving while Arnie was fast asleep on the passenger side. Richard saw them and waved hello, Maria waved back and then smacked Arnie in the head to wake him up to say hello.

Apparently the security detail with the Governator spotted the 'contact' with this unidentified man in the next car and were about to step in with Maria had to tell them to back off, it was their friend!

He also made similar comments about his respect for Arnie's achievements, and unlike other politicians 'you won't catch Arnold getting a blow job in the office.'

I then told him about a drinking game I played at uni with friends, arguing what movie characters would beat who in a fight. I also championed Poncho because he takes a TREE to his chest and carries on going. He laughed at that and said with all the banter on the set, they often talked about who would beat who in a fight. He said to Jesse, Arnie, Weathers that 'you guys may win... but we're ALL going to the hospital.'

Great bloke.

[Crow T. Robot]

By far the the best and most talkative guest there along with Marc McClure that I met.

I asked Richard a few question. First off was why did he get the weakest of all the deaths (Billy not standing as it happened off screen) and he said that it was originally planned for Poncho to be impaled onto a tree by the Predator using a spear. When it came to shooting the scene (which was the first death to be filmed) they couldn't get the effect right and the producer in a desperate attempt to get the scene in the can came up with the get shot in the head death.

I also asked him about the rumor of Jean Cluade Van-Damme being fired from the movie for breaking a stuntman's arm. Richard said that what really happened was Van-Damme did a lot of complaining about wanting his face to be seen in the movie (as he was playing the Predator) thinking no one would know it was him and Richard told him that people would because nobody could move like he can. However, after the first set of dallies were sent back to 20th Century Fox, upon viewing them, a studio exec complained that Van-Damme "moves like a rat" so the producers fired him for that.

Hope Showmasters is able to get him back. Would love to meet him again!

[nicky]

Crow T. Robot, on Jun 8 2009, 10:55 AM, said:

I also asked him about the rumor of Jean Cluade Van-Damme being fired from the movie for breaking a stuntman's arm. Richard said that what really happened was Van-Damme did a lot of complaining about wanting his face to be seen in the movie (as he was playing the Predator) thinking no one would know it was him and Richard told him that people would because nobody could move like he can. However, after the first set of dallies were sent back to 20th Century Fox, upon viewing them, a studio exec complained that Van-Damme "moves like a rat" so the producers fired him for that.

Wow! I always belived JCVD just quit, not that he was fired!


Also I never knew about his original death, thanks for that.

[ToyDreamer1976]

Meeting Richard was great. Predator is my all time best film, the story, actors, location, alien, soundtrack, quotes!! It has the whole package. I had my photo shoot with him first and that was cool. Then when meeting him for the second time for his autograph he remembered my name which was nice. I told him that Predator is my all time favourite film and he said that means a lot for him.

I asked him if he would write "strap this to your sore ass Blain" and he said ok that’s a good quote know one has ever asked for that one.

A very nice man.

[nicky]

ToyDreamer1976, on Jun 8 2009, 11:18 AM, said:

I asked him if he would write "strap this to your sore ass Blain" and he said ok that’s a good quote know one has ever asked for that one.

I thought of that but generally prefer to leave it to the guest to write what they want. He wrote, "You're hit, you're bleeding" but I think "got time to duck?" is probably a better line.

[Matt2006]

friday13thfan - Any chance of a pic of your Predator poster? Must look quite impressive!

[ToyDreamer1976]

nicky, on Jun 8 2009, 11:27 AM, said:

ToyDreamer1976, on Jun 8 2009, 11:18 AM, said:

I asked him if he would write "strap this to your sore ass Blain" and he said ok that’s a good quote know one has ever asked for that one.

I thought of that but generally prefer to leave it to the guest to write what they want. He wrote, "You're hit, you're bleeding" but I think "got time to duck?" is probably a better line.

"strap this to your sore ass Blain" is my fav Ponch quote. Sometimes I feel that if you don't ask most guests just write their name, or can refuse.

[gfanuk]

I didn't plan on getting his autograph, but he had no one there when I walked past on Friday and thought why not. He was actually my favorite guest. So polite, very chatty. He was telling me about how harsh the filming was in the jungle (got bitten about 40 times!) and how he was begging the director to be in the sequel. He had it all planned out how he survived by using the predators healing technology lol. Such a nice bloke.

[mackmick]

Richard Chaves was just brilliant , a very big 10 out of 10 from me . I met him on sunday, and he stood up shook my hand with warmth and just chatted like we were old mates ! I told him how brilliant Predator was and asked him what Arnie was like. He described him as the most brilliant man he had ever met. Fantasticly intelligent with a brilliant business brain and incredibly sharp wit.  He also said he would never let Richard smoke cigarettes, he would take them off him and give him the best quality cigars like the ones he smoked himself. Not encouraging him to smoke , but if you do then only smoke the best !
A really fantastic guest and a pleasure to meet him . I met about ten guests yesterday , they were all really good but Richard Chaves was the tops for me

[shaz xx]

Caught richard going off for a sneaking fag on his own. So went upto him and asked for photo he was more than happy put his hand out to shake mine introduced himself to me, like i didnt know. Had the photo done and then he asked to see it said how lovely i looked and how awful he looked ( what a charmer)

Saw him later when he was back at the table to sign asked if he enoyed his fag break, then he went on to say that he must give up as he is 56 and needs to look after the 6 pack that he still has.
Really nice guest showmasters

[Lennybear]

What a nice bloke he told me Filming stopped on Predator for a week as all the cast come down with the two bob bits and that Kevin Peter Hall got stuck in the cockpit when he filmed his helicopter pilot scenes at the end of the movie and had to be cut out.

Edited by Lennybear, 08 June 2009 - 04:46 PM.

[reddragon]

Lovely man - we had a chat about his role in the series War of the Worlds and he said that Colonel Ironhorse was the best role he ever had"!

[gebes]

I met him and chatted about his experiences on Predator, I found Richard to be incredibly friendly , and saw him over the weekend taking part in a photo with the Predator, Alien and the Marines. He stood there after it and thanked the crowd that had gathered for making him feel so welcome over the weekend.

He was a prime example of how you as the attendee , go away with a great memory of meeting a guest.

On a side note, Sonny Landham was the same at Midlands, chatted for ages about Predator and Golf !

If all the cast are as great as these 2 to meet, Showmasters, when are you announcing the next Predator cast member ?? lol

[nyhobbit79]

I always forget what I want to ask the guests when I get to the table. I worry that I will ask the same things everyone else has.

I would love to meet Richard again, all of us seem to have come away with the best memories of him.

I chuckled inside when he introduced himself, he didn't need to - he is my favourite Predator character, but it was so kind and thoughtful. You could see he was so grateful that fans were eager to meet him for something that he made 20 years ago and it's brilliant to have a guest thank you for coming to see them and really mean it.

I have nothing but respect and admiration for this man, I hope Jason and team can get him back another time, perhaps with some other Predator guests (Sonny Landham sounds awesome) and then we could have one amazing talk.

I forgot to ask him for a photo in all the excitement,

[Werewolf Tickler]

Richard Chaves was the only guest I met at Collectormania MK and he was awesome!
He was so friendly and introduced himself straight away as I shook his hand. As you will all have found out, it was a bit chilly over the 3 days but Richard confessed to being a fan of British weather! I told him the weekend before had been warm but he didn't seem to mind the chill in the air on that Friday morning. I then got my Predator group shot signed and asked him to put one of his favourite lines on there as well, it was one that I'd not thought of. Bonus. We both agreed that Predator was a very quotable movie and that Poncho had a few of the best lines.
I did meet him again before I had to go for a personalised auto and a "you got time to duck" dedication.
Showmasters, you have exceeding yourselves. I loved meeting Richard and can't wait for you to announce Jesse, Bill, Carl, Shane or even Arnold! All 5 would be a bit greedy!!!

Thank you

[puddlejumpers]

Totally agree with everyone - he was genuinely lovely.

He told us that he loves the UK and would really like to move here.

Incredibly nice guy