Being a novice witness to something extraordinary, and now looking back at the epic adventure of a 24-year-old surrounded by the production cast and crew of LD, I still feel somewhat amazed by what happened. It was just incredible luck; truly blessed. I ended up there through happenstance, working as a Teamster responsible for the Make Up Trailer, Fuel Truck, and various other tasks—often rushed and high priority. I knew everyone, transporting actors between locations and back again, whether it was to an airport, town, or one of the remote shooting spots from Austin to Santa Fe. And everyone knew me. It’s hard not to get noticed when you're carrying a couple hundred gallons of fuel, especially when filming takes place in places like the Rio Grande banks 30 miles outside Del Rio, near Angel Fire in New Mexico, or other isolated areas. Sometimes just five gallons is enough to get back to civilization. I met actors like Bobby Duvall, Tommy Lee Jones, Danny Glover, Anjelica Huston, Diane Lane, Steve Buscemi, and Barry Corbin—it felt like just another day for me, working 16, 17, or 18-hour days, six days a week, for 16 weeks. It was unbelievable luck to be getting paid; I often laughed to myself. Surreal. I was completely overwhelmed and struggled to adjust to being so deeply involved in something like this. So, I did my best to avoid intruding on anyone’s personal space while they delivered their performances. But after sixteen weeks, you naturally get to know people—even legendary actors are just Guys, Gals, Dudes & Duddettes you work with. Everyone was professional and hardworking; that's why LD turned out so well. Every detail mattered, and it showed in the final product. It still holds up. I can hardly believe that 35 years later, you can still find LD on Prime and other platforms to watch from beginning to end—even for the 30th time. Here are a few moments I'll never forget: 1) Watching Bobby Duvall in a scene with an Indian fight near a creek bank, initially skeptical about the ketchup used for blood simulation, I quietly got close enough to see his performance. Seeing it on screen afterward was truly unforgettable—his depiction of pain and bravery was remarkable. It felt like magic; he’s a master actor with incredible skill and subtle technique in body language, voice, and presence. Lucky to have witnessed it. 2) I'm thankful that Jim and I didn’t accidentally burn down the southern Texas border near the Rio Grande. Rick Schroeder had given us a havelana shot with his bow on Moody Ranch. When we were barbecuing it at the campfire (in the Fuel Truck carrying 220 gallons of gas and diesel), Jim reacted strongly when he saw the fire outside the rock perimeter—he really panicked. If someone hadn’t sprinted to the water truck and sprayed the fire out, things could have been much worse; two acres burned in what felt like minutes, and trying to beat it only spread it further. Again, incredibly lucky. 3) Playing catch with Danny Glover between takes. He's a great actor—a C- passer, B+ pass catcher—but a genuinely kind person. Down to earth and easygoing. 4) Getting lasso lessons from Barry Corbin on a hay bale during breaks. Another fantastic, underrated actor; just a class act who’d give you the shirt off his back. 5) Seeing snow fall so heavily that it dusted the ground white—on May 27th near Angel Fire, NM. 6) Pulling over on a New Mexico highway at sunset to view Taos for the first time. I had to stop and pray, giving thanks for the beauty of it all. I could go on, but that’s a glimpse into my behind-the-scenes perspective as the Fuel Truck guy—just happy to be a small part of something epic. I'm biased, but I give LD 5 out of 5 stars. It ranks among the top American Westerns ever made, alongside films like True Grit, High Plains Drifter, Appaloosa, and Silverado. It has truly stood the test of time.

Source on TMDB