In
the annals of modern film history there is no one more elusive than
character actor George "Buck" Flower. My many attempts 
to
come up with a biography or even a somewhat complete filmography of
the man proved fruitless because very little has been written about
him. (Note:
The Internet Movie Database
[www.imdb.com]
has a fairly detailed filmography on Mr. Flower). My efforts to
contact Mr. Flower personally have proven equally ineffective.
Getting a decent photo of him is like pulling teeth. So why do a
profile on him? Because he happens to be one of my favorites and I
feel it is about time something was written about him, even if I know
absolutely nothing of the man except what I have seen of him on the
screen. Buck is definitely one of those unsung heroes of low budget
cinema. He is one of those actors whose face you always recognize but
never seem to remember what films you saw him in. His pot-bellied,
redneck appearance made him ideal for drive-in backwoods trash
cinema. As far as I can tell, he made his film debut in a series of
hillbilly flicks directed by Bethel Buckalew for Harry Novak's
Boxoffice International Pictures. The first one was SOUTHERN
COMFORTS (1971), a charming story about a moonshiner who
becomes involved with five backwood hillbilly babes. Buck was never
the star of these films, but rather a supporting player. His parts
were small, as if to add some local color. Most of Buck's career in
films has been as a supporting or bit player, relegated to a few
minutes or 
seconds
of screen time. He is also one of the very few actors who has
appeared in the full spectrum of the MPAA ratings system. He can be
seen in the G-rated ADVENTURES
OF THE WILDERNESS FAMILY
(1975), the PG-rated BACK
TO THE FUTURE
(1985), the PG13-rated MASTERS
OF MENACE
(1990), the R-rated CHEERLEADER
CAMP
(1988) and the X-rated NIGHT
OF THE WARLOCK
(1971). Buck's grizzled looks and raspy voice made him perfect for
roles as bums, winos, janitors, sheriffs, grandfathers and farmers.
Perhaps his best known role is that of a disheveled drifter in John
Carpenter's THEY
LIVE
(1988). When we first spot him in this film he is a filthy mess, with
his dirty, torn clothes and unkempt bearded face. Later on (after he
sides with the invading alien race) he can be seen clean shaven,
wearing a tuxedo and extolling the virtues of the aliens to Roddy
Piper. It was a small, but pivital, role that exemplifies the greed
of human nature; selling out one's own race for personal gain. (Buck
is a recurring player in many of Carpenter's films.) Buck is no prude
either, as he has doffed his clothes for full frontal nude shots in VIDEO
VIXENS
(1973) and INNOCENT
SALLY
(1973) as well as portraying a tranvestite in director Chris Warfield's
1972 film NORMA.
Buck also appeared in the infamous ILSA
- SHE WOLF OF THE SS
(1974) as Binz, the male doctor under Dyanne Thorne's control.
Apparently, even he was taken aback by the finished product, as he
opted to use the pseudonym "C.D. Lafleuer" in the credits
(Producer David F. Friedman refused to take any credit!). Buck also
has some experience behind the cameras, as he has written or
co-written the screenplays for TEENAGE
SEDUCTRESS
(1971), DRIVE-IN
MASSACRE
(1976), BABY
DOLLS
(1982) and IN
SEARCH OF A GOLDEN SKY
(1984). He was also co-producer of the Robert Z'dar 
starrer,
NIGHT
STALKER
(1986). His biggest role of recent years was that of Jake Jericho, a
kindly, beer drinking uncle who is being tracked down in the Arizona
desert by crazed killer Robert Z'dar in DRAGONFIGHT
(1990). Not only does he get plenty of screen time but he also acts
as the film's offscreen narrator. It's not a good film, but Buck does
have a memorable death scene. As a matter of fact, he's the best
reason to watch the film. Buck has worked for many well known genre
directors, including Anthony Hickox, Bill Rebane, Matt Cimber, Jim
Wynorski, Robert Zemekis and the aforementioned John Carpenter. With
all this exposure, you would think that more would be written about
him. The sad fact is that most reference books don't even acknowledge
his existance. The few reference books that do mention him give
sparse information, only bothering to refer to his most widely-known
films and not offering any personal data like the year he was born (I
believe it was 1936) or where he was born. If anyone out there can
supply me with this information or knows how I can get in contact
with Buck, please let me know. He is the only true enigma in my
constant search for cinematic truth.
LATE
NEWS: Mr. Flower has contacted me by email and sent me the
following interview by Spanish web site Terror
International. Click HERE
to see the interview. Psychotronic
Video magazine is also interested in doing an extensive
interview with Buck. It's about time that he gets the recognition he deserves!
SAD
NEWS: Mr. Flower passed away in his sleep on June 18, 2004 after
battling an illness for most of the year. For more on his passing
away, click HERE.
GEORGE
"BUCK" FLOWER FILMOGRAPHY
|
TITLE |
DATE |
DIRECTOR |
|
1970 |
TED ROTER |
|
|
COUSIN JED RISES AGAIN (X-RATED) |
1970 |
? |
|
ALIAS SMITH AND JONES (TV GUEST) |
1971 |
? |
|
SATAN'S
LUST (X-RATED) |
1971 |
|
|
1971 |
BETHEL BUCKALEW |
|
|
1971 |
BETHEL BUCKALEW |
|
|
|
BETHEL BUCKALEW |
|
|
1971 |
SAM WESTON |
|
|
MOTHER KNOWS BEST (X-RATED) |
1971 |
BEN ROSE |
|
TEENAGE SEDUCTRESS (SCREENPLAY) |
1971 |
CHRIS WARFIELD |
|
1971 |
COREY ALLEN |
|
|
SEX IN THE COMICS (X-RATED) |
1972 |
ANTHONY SPINELLI |
|
1973 |
BETHEL BUCKALEW |
|
|
TEENAGE
INNOCENCE |
1973 |
CHRIS WARFIELD |
|
1973 |
GEORGE DRAZICH |
|
|
1973 |
BYRON CHUDNOW |
|
|
THE DIRTY MIND OF YOUNG SALLY a.k.a. INNOCENT SALLY |
1973 |
BETHEL BUCKALEW |
|
1973 |
ROBERT E. PEARSON |
|
|
THE DIRTY DOLLS (X-RATED) |
1973 |
STU SEAGAL |
|
SUCKULA (X-RATED) |
1973 |
ANTHONY SPINELLI |
|
THE SEX PROPHET (X-RATED) |
1973 |
R. LEVI SALONEN |
|
GUESS WHO'S COMING THIS WEEKEND (X-RATED) |
1973 |
? |
|
VIDEO
VIXENS (X-RATED) |
1974 |
RON SULLIVAN |
|
1974 |
||
|
1974 |
GREGORY CORARITO |
|
|
1974 |
||
|
1974 |
ALLAN MUIR |
|
|
1974 |
||
|
1974 |
DUKE MITCHELL |
|
|
INVISIBLE
MAN (TV SERIES GUEST) |
1975 |
SIGMUND NEUFELD, JR. |
|
1975 |
CARLOS TOBALINA |
|
|
1975 |
MATT CIMBER |
|
|
1975 |
MATT CIMBER |
|
|
1975 |
||
|
1975 |
||
|
1975 |
MATT CIMBER |
|
|
1975 |
FERD & BEVERLY SEBASTION |
|
|
1975 |
||
|
1975 |
NICK MILLARD |
|
|
1975 |
STEWART RAFFILL |
|
|
1976 |
STEWART RAFFILL |
|
|
1976 |
||
|
LOVE GAMES (X-RATED) |
1976 |
ED DE PRIEST |
|
DEEP JAWS (X-RATED) |
1976 |
PERRY DELL |
|
1976 |
||
|
1976 |
||
|
1976 |
STU SEGALL |
|
|
1977 |
||
|
JOYRIDE TO NOWHERE (SCREENWRITER) |
1977 |
RONALD C. ROSS |
|
THE CLIFFWOOD AVENUE KIDS (TV) |
1977 |
WIN OPIE |
|
1977 |
BILL REBANE |
|
|
1977 |
FRANK ZUNIGA |
|
|
1978 |
WILLIAM CRAIN |
|
|
BIG BOB JOHNSON (TV) |
1978 |
JACK STARRETT |
|
THE TIME MACHINE (TV) |
1978 |
HENNING SCHELLERUP |
|
1979 |
JAMES HONG |
|
|
1979 |
BILL REBANE |
|
|
1979 |
JOHN HAYES,EDDIE RYDER |
|
|
1979 |
JOHN COTTER |
|
|
DUKES
OF HAZZARD (TV SERIES GUEST) |
1979 |
ROD AMATEAU |
|
FLO (TV SERIES; 8 EPISODES) |
1980 |
MARC DANIELS & OTHERS |
|
BEYOND EVIL (PRODUCTION ADVISOR) |
1980 |
|
|
TERROR ON TOUR (PRODUCTION MGR.) |
1980 |
|
|
1980 |
||
|
1981 |
BERNIE ROLLINS |
|
|
1981 |
JOHN CARPENTER |
|
|
1981 |
PETER WINOGRAD |
|
|
1981 |
DAVID R. ELLIOTT |
|
|
STRANGE TRUE
STORIES (TV) |
1981 |
JIM HANLEY |
|
1982 |
ANTHONY SPINELLI |
|
|
1982 |
MATT CIMBER |
|
|
THE
LONELY LADY |
1983 |
PETER SASDY |
|
CUTTER TO HOUSTON (TV SERIES GUEST) |
1983 |
? |
|
CALL TO GLORY (TV SERIES GUEST) |
1984 |
? |
|
1984 |
JEFFERSON RICHARD |
|
|
BREAKIN' (ADDITIONAL VOICE) |
1984 |
JOEL SILBERG |
|
1984 |
GARY LEGON |
|
|
1984 |
JOHN CARPENTER |
|
|
1984 |
ED HANSEN |
|
|
1985 |
ROBERT ZEMEKIS |
|
|
OUTLAWS (TV SERIES GUEST) |
1986 |
? |
|
1986 |
MAX KLEVEN |
|
|
RIGGED AKA: HIT AND RUN |
1986 |
CLAUDIO CUTRY |
|
1986 |
JOE TORNATORE |
|
|
GROTESQUE (PRE-PRODUCTION COORDINATOR) |
1987 |
JOE TORNATORE |
|
W.A.R.: WOMEN
AGAINST RAPE |
1987 |
RAPHAEL NUSSBAUM |
|
1987 |
ED HANSEN |
|
|
BATES MOTEL (TV MOVIE) |
1987 |
RICHARD ROTHSTEIN |
|
1987 |
DAVID DECOTEAU |
|
|
1987 |
ED HANSEN |
|
|
1988 |
JOHN CARPENTER |
|
|
1988 |
WILLIAM LUSTIG |
|
|
1988 |
NICK MILLARD |
|
|
CHEERLEADER
CAMP |
1988 |
JOHN QUINN |
|
1988 |
JEF RICHARD |
|
|
1988 |
||
|
1988 |
STEWART RAFFILL |
|
|
1988 |
MITCHELL LINDEN |
|
|
1989 |
TOBE HOOPER |
|
|
L.A.
LAW (TV SERIES GUEST) |
1989 |
MAX TASH |
|
SISTER KATE (TV SERIES GUEST) |
1989 |
JEFFREY MELMAN |
|
BLOOD GAMES (as "Ernest Wall") |
1989 |
TANYA ROSENBERG |
|
1989 |
ROBERT ZEMEKIS |
|
|
1989 |
WILLIAM LUSTIG |
|
|
1989 |
DALE TREVILLION |
|
|
1989 |
MAX KLEVEN |
|
|
1989 |
ANTHONY HICKOX |
|
|
GHOST WRITER (TV) |
1990 |
KENNETH J. HALL |
|
1990 |
ED HANSEN |
|
|
1990 |
DANIEL RASKOV |
|
|
1990 |
DAVID ALLEN |
|
|
DOWN HOME (TV SERIES GUEST) |
1990 |
JOHN RATZENBERGER |
|
THEY CAME FROM OUTER SPACE (TV) EPISODE: RODEO ROMEOS |
1990 |
SIDNEY HAYERS |
|
1990 |
WARREN STEVENS |
|
|
1990 |
ROBERT C. HUGHES |
|
|
NERDS OF A FEATHER (YOUNG HEARTS, DEADLY SPIES) |
1990 |
GARY GRAVER, MARIO ROMEO MILANO |
|
1991 |
JIM WYNORSKI |
|
|
1991 |
ANTHONY HICKOX |
|
|
1991 |
ARTHUR N. MELE |
|
|
1991 |
RAPHAEL NUSSBAUM |
|
|
1991 |
MALCOLM MARMORSTEIN |
|
|
1991 |
JAMES ROBERSON |
|
|
1991 |
A.G. HIPPOLYTE |
|
|
BIKINI CAR WASH COMPANY (WRITER) |
1992 |
ED HANSEN |
|
1992 |
JIM WYNORSKI |
|
|
1992 |
VARIOUS DIRECTORS |
|
|
1985/93 |
STEVE BARNETT |
|
|
1993 |
ANTHONY HICKOX |
|
|
1993 |
CLARK BRANDON |
|
|
1993 |
JOHN CARPENTER |
|
|
ADVENTURES
OF BRISCO COUNTY JR. |
1993 |
GREG BEEMAN |
|
1993 |
ED HANSEN |
|
|
1994 |
THOM KEITH |
|
|
1994 |
STEVEN LOVY |
|
|
1994 |
||
|
1994 |
||
|
1994 |
JOHN QUINN |
|
|
1995 |
ED HANSEN |
|
|
1995 |
ALEX WRIGHT |
|
|
RENEGADE (TV) |
1992 & 1995 |
MIKE MARVIN |
|
NIGHT STAND (TV SERIES GUEST) |
1995 |
? |
|
LIVE
SHOT (TV SERIES GUEST) |
1995 |
ANSON WILLIAMS |
|
1995 |
JIM WYNORSKI |
|
|
1995 |
JOHN CARPENTER |
|
|
DEATH FALLS (SCREENWRITER) |
1996 |
JUNE SAMSON |
|
1996 |
JIM WYNORSKI |
|
|
1996 |
JOSEPH MERHI |
|
|
1996 |
DAVID DECOTEAU |
|
|
1996 |
RICHARD PEPIN |
|
|
1996 |
SERGE RODNUNSKY |
|
|
1997 |
ROBERT KURTZMAN |
|
|
1997 |
AARON NORRIS |
|
|
1997 |
PAOLO MAZZUCATO |
|
|
1997 |
JOHN QUINN |
|
|
E.R.
(TV SERIES GUEST) |
1997 |
CHRISTOPHER CHULACK |
|
N.Y.P.D.
BLUE (TV GUEST) |
1997 |
MICHAEL WATKINS |
|
1997 |
JOHN DE BELLO |
|
|
1998 |
PETER BUNCHE |
|
|
1998 |
FRED OLEN RAY |
|
|
BLOODSUCKERS (VAMPIRE CLUB) |
1998 |
ULLI LOMMELL |
|
POWER
RANGERS IN SPACE |
1998 |
JONATHAN TZACHOR |
|
BROOKLYN
SOUTH (TV SERIES GUEST) |
1998 |
JAMES WHITMORE, JR. |
|
DR.
QUINN MEDICINE WOMAN (TV GUEST) |
1998 |
JEROME R. LONDON |
|
BEYOND BELIEF (TV GUEST) |
1998 |
TONY RANDALL |
|
THE PRETENDER (TV GUEST) |
1999 |
JAMES WHITMORE JR. |
|
1999 |
DONALD P. BORCHERS |
|
|
1999 |
JAMES ALLEN BRADLEY |
|
|
1999 |
SERGE RODNUNSKY |
|
|
18
WHEELS OF JUSTICE (TV GUEST) |
2000 |
STEWART RAFFILL |
|
POWER
RANGERS LIGHTSPEED RESCUE |
2000 |
RYUTA TASAKI |
|
2000 |
JIM WYNORSKI |
|
|
FLAMINGO DREAMS |
2000 |
LAMAR CARD |
|
2000 |
ROBERT FEDOR |
|
|
2001 |
LESZEK BURZYNSKI |
|
|
2001 |
JORDAN BRADY |
|
|
POWER
RANGERS TIME FORCE |
2001 |
KOICHI SAKAMOTO |
|
2003 |
||
|
2004 |
