Introduction:
Kurt Russell is credited as ‘Boy Kicking Mike’ in the 1963 movie ‘It Happened at the World’s Fair,’ which released when Russell was 12 years old
Kurt Russell is revisiting his experience working with Elvis Presley as a kid.
Russell, 74, recalled his first-ever movie role in 1963’s It Happened at the World’s Fair during his Wednesday, March 11, appearance on Late Night with Seth Meyers as he promoted his new television series The Madison.
“We shot this, I think, in ’62,” Russell explained, as host Meyers, 52, displayed an image from the movie showing him and the late rock legend, who died at 42 in 1977, on screen together. “This is crazy. I have never seen that picture.”
“He wanted to have an excuse to meet this nurse, so he needs to figure out a way to go in there with something and he pays this kid 50 cents to kick him in the shins, so I got that job,” he remembered of the role.
Kurt, the son of 20th-century actor Bing Russell, made his screen acting debut in 1962, appearing on television shows like Dennis the Menace, The Dick Powell Theatre and Sam Benedict. He is aptly credited as “Boy Kicking Mike” in It Happened at the World’s Fair, and the actor explained that he really did kick Presley for his scene.
“That’s pre-CGI, right? So he had a pad on him, and everybody was a little worried about it. They said, ‘Now, kind of go easy,’ and I had shoes, not sneakers, and I’m looking at it like, ‘I can’t miss that,’ and I did it about 10 times,” he told Meyers. “Elvis was like, ‘I think he’s got it, I don’t think I’m too worried about that.’ “
Kurt notably portrayed Elvis himself years later in the 1979 biopic Elvis; his father Bing portrayed Elvis’ father Vernon in the movie.
On Late Night, the Smurfs actor reflected that the real-life Presley was 27 when they made It Happened at the World’s Fair — the same age he was when he portrayed the rock n’ roll pioneer.
“This is how cool Elvis Presley was: we’re back in Los Angeles shooting and my dad comes on set with me and Elvis was over there. And I see Elvis looking over, really looking over, and he says, ‘Is that your dad? Is that your father over there?’ I said, ‘Yeah.’ And he said, ‘ Oh, man, can I meet him?’ ” he recalled.
When he introduced Presley to his father, Kurt said that Presley told Bing, “Mr. Russell, I love the way you wear your hat in all the cowboy movies you do. If I ever do a cowboy movie, would it be okay if I wore my hat your way?”
“That’s how cool a guy he was. And my dad said, ‘Sure, Elvis, it’d be nice,’ ” he added. “And he did! You ever see [Presley] in Charro? That’s the way my dad wore his hat.”