While most of Erik's fans known him only as "Michael" from the first episodes of Nickelodeon's "Salute Your Shorts," the fact is that Erik MacArthur is quite an accomplished actor.
Having fairly LEAPT off of the screen in Pleasnatville (in which he co-starred with his good friend Tobey Maguire), Erik has gone on to do some small roles, but what is wowing the critics in New York and Hollywood now is his work in the short film $30, which is part of Strand Releasing's Boy's Life 3, their annual compilation of short films about young Gay men. Appearing in a Boy's Life compilation is almost a guarantee of superstardom (or at least continual work) in the independent movie scene. (Boy's Life 3 also includes "Majorettes in Space," "Inside Out" by Jason Gould, son of Elliott Gould and Barbara Streisand, and other pieces. "Thirty Bucks" -- that's how it is pronounced -- was written by Christopher Landon, Michael Landon's son, who has already brought us the wonderful Another Day in Paradise, which starred Vincent Kartheiser, Melanie Griffith, and James Woods, among others.)
In $30, Erik plays Scott, a teenager whose father decides to "make a man of him" on his sixteenth birthday by hiring a female prostitute (played by Sara Gilbert!) to teach him about hetero-sex. Fans of Erik's will be glad to see that the perpetual frowns and worry lines which usually appear on his face are nowhere to be seen in this delightful must-see for his fans. It has been one of the best-received short movies of 2000, and Erik should start seeing some big roles coming his way soon!
(The answer, btw, since we know how you fans think, is: "boxers.") And while we're not totally sure, that does look like Kerr Smith of "Dawson's Creek" romping in the surf at the beach as "Fred;" the character isn't credited, unfortunately. He's actually probably a surf buddy of Erik's or something! . . . .
Expect a full review of $30 (with color pictures) in the second week of January, 2001 (depending upon what day we receive the production notes). In Los Angeles, the film is currently screening at the Saturday and Sunday 10:00 A.M. shows at the Laemmle Sunset 5 Theater on the Sunset Strip. That is the theater which co-starred with Sean Connery, Gena Rowlands, Gillian Anderson, Ryan Phillippe, and Barley the dog in Playing By Heart, the review for which will soon be re-posted. (We're not kidding about the Sunset 5 being a character -- it even has a line -- of text admittedly, but still a line.) Feel free to tell the management that our On-Screen Reviewer, Christian Leopold Shea, urges them to show more Erik MacArthur films. Look what happened when they started showing more Ben Affleck films!
. . . Erik is Hawaiian? Well, sort of. He was born in Honolulu.
. . . Erik is unassuming? When our On-Line Reviewer first saw Pleasantville and called Erik to tell him what a delight it was to see him acting again after an absence of several years, Erik's charecteristic response to questions about his own work was: "How about that Tobey Maguire, huh?" Erik, Erik, Erik . . . thousands and thousands of fans in the US and Canada know you from re-runs of "Salute Your Shorts;" how many people could tell you who Scott Melrod was -- or who played his best friend?
By the way, for those of you who are unclear on the concept, Erik, Eric, Ryan Phillippe, Jesse Bradford, Jordan Brower, JTT, the two Mastersons (Christopher and Danny), the three Bens (Affleck, Jorgenson, and Silverstone), and most of the other stars whom we feature have no official connection with our web sites (unless we specifically indicate otherwise). Signing our Guestbook with "Private" messages to them is pointless -- "Private" messages are password-protected, and we servants of the Muse With the Jaundiced Eye are the only ones who are reading your private love notes to the stars. If you are hoping that your fave will read your love note (and occasionally a star will drop by here to take a peek), you must leave your message in the usual fashion if you want him/her/it/them to read it.
