Online
Radio Personality ‘big jim’ elLIot
Narrator of the Star Walker Radio ‘Preview’ Episodes & the Official Voice
of Star Walker Nemesis Sandow 3
www.thestarwalkers.com
Interview by Paul Sloan
The
following interview is by Paul Sloan taken on May 3rd, 2007. Radio Pioneer and
personality Jim Elliot, otherwise known as ‘Big Jim’ Elliot has been a key and
essential element in the ongoing Star Walker
Radio Episodes. He has also signed o as the ‘official voice’ of Star Walker
nemesis Sandow 3. Jim has a voice on par and actually beyond that of say, a
James Earl Jones. He truly possesses a voice of magnified proportions, powerful
and sometimes haunting, but always perfect in execution. He joined us for an
in-depth interview about his life, career and his incredible voice portrayal
of Sandow 3.
Tell us a little bit about where you grew up?
First off you flatter me, but I don’t think of myself as a Pioneer…That would be Jack Benny, Bob Hope, Marconi, those guys… And I must admit…that if you could physically hear GOD’S voice, I imagine it would sound like James Earl Jones… And if Mr. Jones ever needs a stand in…Call Me…after all, we both were kids growing up in Mississippi Delta country. I grew up in a small town in North East Louisiana called Oak Grove. About 15 miles from the Arkansas line and about 20 miles from the Mississippi river. Looking back, it was very much a “Mayberry” type upbringing. Summer mornings were spent in the truck patch (a big garden) pickn’ peas, then riding bicycles or play sand-lot football or baseball or marbles til sunset, go in to eat supper then go play hide n seek at night with the other kids in the neighborhood til we got the whistle to come in the house. Miss the whistle and your backside would remind you not to miss it again. Keep in mind this was in the 60’s and 70’s…Oak Grove is much bigger now, There’s the new Super WalMart, and they just got a sixth Red light…it’s a bona-fide booming metropolis now…knowhatamean!!!
Do you come from a big family?
I have three brothers and three sisters…but our family was small compared to the Townsend family across the street…they had 14 children. My brothers and sisters all try to get together at Mom and Dad’s house on special occasions but it’s tough cause we’re scattered all over now.
How do you think your life has affected your successful radio career?
Growing up, I liked imitating the big TV stars like Scooby Doo, Porky Pig, Huckleberry Hound, Yosemite Sam, Walter Cronkite, Richard Nixon, Art Carney, The guy that voiced the films you watched in school, Tony the Tiger, Fred Flintstone yadda yadda yadda…I was always imitating someone. The neighbors would be like… “here comes Little James…talking to himself again …there’s something wrong with that boy.” There’s that, and then there’s a more serious reason too. My Dad was severely burned when I was about Eleven, The outpouring of love and support for our family was so overwhelming that I vowed that when I got older, I would help people the way the way our family was helped. Radio has been a wonderful avenue to make that happen.
Who did you grow up listening to on the radio?
I was a big fan of guys like John Records Landecker, Coyote McCloud, Robert W. Morgan, Wolfman Jack & Gary Owens. I would listen to Beaker Street on KAAY Little Rock. I liked radio…WLS, WLAC, WHBQ…It was when AM radio was king…FM radio was still in diapers… “Firesign Theatre” is something else I loved…Those guys were the apex of Radio Theater. I still listen to their CD “How can you be two places at once when you’re not anywhere at all.”
Where and how did you begin your career in radio?
I was 15 years old when I rode my bicycle from Oak Grove to Lake Providence, about 20 miles away on the banks of the Mississippi River. A couple of months later, they called. I’ve been doing it ever since.
Weren’t you a former radio dj and/or disc jockey?
I still am. I do the morning show at the station I manage.
Has your radio career taken you to different cities?
Yes…besides here in Monroe, I’ve worked in Corpus Christi, Tx. … Abilene, Tx. …Greensboro, N.C. . And smallllllll markets early on such as Lake Providence, Oak Grove, Bastrop, Columbia and Natchitoches, La.
Could you tell us about your passion for radio management, and why you combined that into your current radio career?
I believe it’s like managing anything else…You have to believe in your product to be truly effective. You hire people to do the job and then turn them loose. You have to believe in the people you work with. We’re more friends than co-workers. Everyone has a say in what we are trying to accomplish. It’s when I’m forced to be ‘the Boss’ that I find uncomfortable. Radio for me and the people on my staff is like oxygen…We live it, eat it, breath it. It’s a passion. Sometimes, you feel like you are just spinning your wheels, and sometimes you feel like you really make a difference. Like the time this guy calls the request line in tears because he felt his whole world was falling apart. He wanted to kill himself. He wanted someone to talk to. Believe it or not, but I convinced him to let me put him on hold while I called someone I knew that worked with people with depression. I talked the caller into letting my friend help him. I later got a call from my friend and he told me if I had not made the call, the guy would have ended it all. My point is…It’s making a difference for the good that’s my passion.
How did you find out about Star Walker, and what drew you to Star Walker?
Through a friend, Wiley Ezell, who was talking with Eric Walker and Greg Holland about a book he had written. These two very talented men were soon guests on Wiley’s radio show promoting a project called Star Walker. The next thing I knew, I was reading for the Narrator part of a trailer they were putting together for Star Walker. Then we started talking about some of the characters. There is nothing like making a script come to life, and I wanted to be a part of it.
Star Walker Radio fans have been intrigue and down right frightened by the voice of Sandow 3 in episode III, how did you design or fashion the voice of Sandow 3?
When Greg asked me to come up with a voice for Sandow 3, without thinking I said SURE!!! No Problem…When we hung up the phone an hour later…I said to myself, I said “SELF … What cha gonna do now?” I went to the web site and looked at the sketch of Sandow 3 and thought, “this guy looks like a snake, a weasel, so his voice should be snakey. But when I went into the studio, I sounded more like Mr. Burns from the Simpsons than some evil being. My producer, while holding back his snickers, suggested more of a James Earl Jones delivery. So we did that, and it still wasn’t what we were looking for…So whadaya do…You Pray about it. The next day, we go into the studio and decided to try combining the two deliveries…and it worked! I don’t know of any other character that has a dual voice. Two different voices…the sneaky snakey side, and the gravely sinister dark side combined.
From what you know of Sandow 3 how would you describe him?
Sandow 3 is the bully who always wants you to do the dare, but he doesn’t have the guts to do it himself. Remember…It was Sandow that gave the nails to the Romans, but he wouldn’t use the hammer. It was Sandow who poured the bitterness into the carpenters cup, but he wouldn’t drink it. I’d be willing to say, most of us have met that guy before. That’s why I think his character to be more of a biography than something just thought up. I like the way he’s written.
I’m told you’re the “official voice” of Sandow 3, does that mean you will portray him in the upcoming movie version as well?
As my Daddy would say…”I reckon so”
You made a personal appearance at the 2nd Star Walker Radio Episodes Listening Event held at the Universal Hilton Hotel, what was that experience like for you?
Ya know the country-boy comes out in me when I go to certain places. I once walked into the Louvre in Paris wearing overalls that were tied together with string. One pant leg tucked into and the other covering the boot. I had on a leather doo-rag, a raggedy Harley t-shirt and a chain connected to my wallet. I did it just see the reactions of the people there. My funny little honey Cynthia nearly died laughing when the French police pulled me to the side to ask me about my wardrobe and then wanted a picture with the crazy American who was dressed like that on purpose. But she was terrified I would do the same in L.A. saying…”this is not the time.” So I didn’t. The listening event was great. I finally got to meet the people I’d been working with across 1,500 miles of phone line for the past 6 months. I was amazed at what really good people the other actors were and the members of Team Star Walker. I think I expected more of what Hollywood is personified as and was relieved that it was more relaxed. Plus I got to see family that live in Palm Springs and Yucca Valley.
Can you tell us what part of the immense Star Walker Time Line does Sandow 3 come from?
He gave the nails to the Romans, he’s stood on the moon and mocked the Astronauts…He’s been around for a long, long, long time.
Is there anything you would like to reveal about Sandow 3 that few people know about yet?
I’m not the kind of person who will tell you what happens in a movie…you have to see for yourself.
Will you be appearing in more of the Star Walker Radio Episodes?
I reckon! I hope so!!!
What do you hope to accomplish with your involvement with Star Walker?
That somebody gets it. That someone somewhere understands the message. To be able to help even more people who truly can’t help themselves. There are so many out there.
Thank you so much for sharing your time and inside information on Star Walker. Would you like to leave us with any lasting words of wisdom, or parting shots?
Peace!
© Star