I always thought I belonged in the movies.

When I was young, I always thought I looked like Robert Mitchum. Now I think I look like Sean Connery. Blue Eyes says, “I wish.” Neal Parent always said I looked more like “Gabby” Hayes, the faithful and bushy-bearded sidekick of Roy Rogers.

I paid no attention to either of them. After watching “Waterworld,” I figured that anyone could make a movie. Then Hollywood called. When I read that “Empire Falls” was being filmed in Waterville, I just had to attend the casting call at the Bourque-Lanigan Legion Post, along with 5,000 other Mainers with cinema fever.

This production will have a decidedly Maine flavor. “Empire Falls” is the story of a Maine clothing mill closing (how topical) and won the Pulitzer Prize for Camden author Richard Russo, a former Colby professor. The scenes will be filmed at Waterville area barrooms, houses and football fields, as well as a few scenes at Ogunquit beaches.

The production will include my old friends Paul Newman (Paul and I once drank Buds in the same tiny off-Broadway boite) and his wife Joanne Woodward. (Joanne once called Cobb Manor looking for my summer boarder.) Classy actors Ed Harris and Helen Hunt round out the rest of “our” cast.

When I arrived at the back door of the Legion post on a blistering hot August afternoon, I found that many Mainers were as star-struck as I was. The lines wound around the parking lot, out to the street. First you had to stand in line to get a number. Then you had to wait “a few hours” to try out for one of the speaking parts.

What were the chances?

Slim, according to Cameron Bonsey of Maine Talent Source, the group that was running this “cattle call.” By the time they wrapped up the two-day talent search, about 1,900 had taped their attempts at the 30 speaking parts. Another 3,000 aspiring thespians had signed up for the 1,000 extra jobs.

Why do so many people come from so far and stand in the humid parking lot with so little chance for success?

“It’s the thrill of it. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and you have to give it a shot. I tell my kids that life’s opportunities are limitless. There was a lot of prepublicity and the word was out all over the state. I think that’s why we had such large numbers,” Bonsey said.

The time went by. I thought my feet were going to melt into the pavement of the parking lot. They said it would be “several hours” to try out for a speaking part.

But those who wanted to sign up for extra jobs or to rent vehicles could fill out a form and leave for home and await the call from Hollywood. The hotter it got, to less I wanted a speaking part.

I signed up for renting my truck. I signed up for being an extra ($6.25 an hour) in crowd scenes at a football game, a diner and a barroom.

I have plenty of experience in all those areas. I am waiting for the call now from Paul and Joanne.

Send complaints and compliments to Emmet Meara at emmetmeara@msn.com.