How to be a Hollywood Background Actor (Extra) in TV & Movies Central Casting

Extra! The unheralded "stars" of movies. CBS News Sunday Morning took a behind the scenes look at Central Casting.

"Welcome to Central Casting, the leading Background Actors casting company in the United States. Central Casting has provided the entertainment industry with Background Actors for more than 90 years. Our offices in Los Angeles, New York, Georgia, and Louisiana offer a full range of background services for every type of production. Whether you’re a producer looking for background or a Background Actor looking for work, Central Casting has the experience and expertise to meet all your background needs.

Central Casting has been the recognized leader in casting for Background Actors since its inception in 1925. Over the years there have been many changes in the entertainment industry, but Central Casting has always remained at the forefront of background casting. Today, Central Casting is a division of Entertainment Partners, a 100% employee-owned company, and the largest provider of entertainment industry services and solutions in the U.S. This means complete background casting and payroll services are under one roof.

From the moment an actor walks in the door through receipt of the paycheck, Central Casting delivers excellence every step of the way.

HISTORY
By 1922, there were an estimated 30,000 extras in LA and not nearly enough jobs to go around. With no system in place to regulate Background Actors, many people looking to break into the industry were exploited. To restore Hollywood’s image, Will Hays, the president of the Motion Picture Producers and Distributors of America, formed the Central Casting Corporation in 1925.

For producers, the creation of Central Casting allowed them to continue operating without government interference while providing a consistent stream of Background Actors for their films. For Background Actors, Central Casting provided a road map to working as an extra in Hollywood.

Since Central Casting was sold to private interests in 1976, the company has grown and flourished like never before, becoming the leading supplier of background talent in the industry. And just like it was more than 90 years ago, Central Casting is still the first stop for many people looking to break into film and television." ~ centralcasting.com

Appearing:
Lee Cowan - CBS News
Leonard Maltin - Film Critic and Historian
Jennifer Bender - Executive Vice President, Central Casting
Cecil B. DeMille - Film Director
Chris Bustard - Director, Business Affairs Central Casting
Brad Pitt - Actor
John Wayne - Actor
Ronald Reagan - Actor / President
Eva Longoria - Actor
Summer Wesson - Casting Supervisor, Central Casting
Jesse Heiman - Actor
Glee - TV Show
The Social Network - Motion Picture
Spiderman - Motion Picture
Mark Horowitz, Producer NCIS
Suzanne Saltz, Second Assistant Director NCIS LA
Shirell Ferguson-Coleman - Actor

Original airdate: February 26, 2012

CBS News Sunday Morning:
Producer: Reid Orvedahl
Editor: Joseph L. Frandino

©2012 CBS News
(cbsnews.com)

Posted for entertainment and educational purposes only.
No copyrights infringed. All works property of the company listed above. Please do not reproduce without their expressed written consent.

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"World's Greatest Extra" (Jesse Heiman) produced by Wilhelm Hempel: youtu.be/IdEBu7ODVk8

YouTube Thumbnail Photo Credit:
Ryan Fonseca - Assistant Web Editor - Times Community News, Los Angeles Times

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