The movie 'Crime Busters' was shot in the US - it's a surprise to find the famous bowling alley in Italy - why was this location chosen for the movie?
The production office searched for a bowling alley in the US and also in Europe, someone traveled around to scout for the right location. My bowling alley seemed to be what they were looking for. The place had to be big as not to constrict camera movement and the lanes had to be in the right position.

How long did it take to film the famous fight scene?
The bowling alley was used for seven days. We didn't even have to close the place to the public because the actors were working here from 7.00 am to 6.00 pm. We only needed half an hour to clean up the lanes a little and then would have regular business hours in the evening. I remember that during the day there were hundreds of fans standing outside the entrance, waiting for their heroes and shouting their names. For safety reasons, we had to cover the big glass window on the roof, to stop people climbing up there to take a look inside!

It must have been a big event! Do you remember when the filming took place?
Yes, it was in October - October 1977.

What about the funny scene in which Bud uses one of the bad guys as a bowling ball...
I actually assisted the director to create this scene. He told me what he wanted to do but he couldn't find the right way. I suggested the use of a special material to place under the body of the bad guy to make him slide better. The lane was slicked with oil. The actor was pulled along the lane with a thin rope which he held in his hand. The scene took a long time to prepare but it was perfect after just one take!

Do you remember a difficult scene?
Oh yes! The scene in which Terence had to throw the bowling pins on the bad guys heads! It was difficult because the fake pins (especially made for this film) were made of polystyrene. They were so light that they didn't "fly" properly. The problem was solved by adding metal to the pins to make them more heavy. The final effect was very realistic!

Was the interior of the bowling alley changed in any way for the film?
No, nothing had to be altered. Everything was ok the way it was. If you look at the hall, it’s still the same. Many years have passed since then and we had to replace the stairs and other things, but the whole structure is still the same. The scene in which Terence and Bud come face to face with the bad guys in the back office was filmed here too, but now we use the office as a playground for children!

The office with the opening in the door through which Terence and Bud observe their opponents?
Yes! The door was not here originally, it was made especially for this film.

You were present during the filming - do you remember an interesting anecdote?
Yes, of course! I remember that Terence had an accident while jumping up on the counter, in the scene where he fights the bad guys with the bowling shoes. He hit his head on the counter while jumping up, he even had to go to hospital. The whole crew was worried about him. Fortunately he came back soon and was not seriously injured.

Terence and Bud actually had some bowling matches of their own during the breaks and I remember that Terence won most of the time.

Terence and Bud acted like real friends. They were both friendly and very professional. The whole crew and the director were great, too. I hosted other movie productions in this bowling alley, but I have to say that I will always have the fondest memories of Terence and Bud.     More >>