Anyone who ever watched a movie in the 80’s, undoubtedly knows who Courtney Gains is. You might not know his name, Hell, you might not even KNOW you know who he is, but you do.

Courtney was the quintessential, red-headed stepchild, Malachi, in the epic 80’s Horror classic, Children of the Corn. He was also the frighteningly stoic and aptly-named white gangster “Whitey” in Colors, also appearing in little movies like Back to the Future, Memphis Belle, Can’t Buy Me Love, The ‘Burbs, as well as the cult T&A fest Hardbodies, where he brilliantly portrayed the eternally stoned and sexually frustrated Rags.

“Ohhhh.. that guy!” Yup.

And while Courtney might eternally be “that guy”, his contributions to American cult cinema put him on a plane few actors ever achieve.

In addition to an acting career spanning over two decades, with an upcoming role in Rob Zombie’s Halloween, and more recent film performances including Sweet Home Alabama, Benny Bliss and the Disciples of Greatness, and National Lampoon’s Dorm Daze (on which Courtney served as an Executive Producer), and TV appearances including  ER, Jag, Alias, Charmed, Nash Bridges, and Seinfeld, Gains is an accomplished musician, releasing a self-titled independent CD  in 2000, (featuring a guest appearance from Guns N’ Roses Matt Sorum and Slash), and contributing songs to many of his film projects, including writing all the songs for the aforementioned Benny Bliss.

Mr. Gains was good enough to sit down (well, sorta) with Loudside’s resident horror geek Thom Hazaert for an intimate chat about life’s finer things - Breasts, Mass Murder,  Punky Brewster. Yeah, keep reading.

 LS: Hey Courtney, thanks for taking some time out to talk to us. How you doing?

CG:  I’m doing well thanks.
 
LS: So if you don’t mind, tell me a little about your personal background and early acting career, and how you got involved with acting in the first place.

CG: I knew I wanted to be an actor since I was six years old. That’s when I started doing plays and I got hooked. At 13,  I met my acting mentor, Virgil Frye, Soleil Moon Frye, aka Punky Brewster,’s father. He trained me and became my manager and got me started.

LS: Obviously, you are still probably best known for the extra creepy role of MALACHI in Children of the Corn, which IMDB says was your first movie, although Hardbodies is listed the same year. (Personally I remember seeing Hardbodies first.) So which came first, and how did you get involved with these 2 extremely polar opposite projects?

CG: COTC was first. Linda Francis, the casting director, liked my work and brought me for the audition. As soon as I got back from shooting COTC I did Hardbodies. I studied in an acting class with the director, Mark Griffiths, and he wrote the role for me.
 
LS: Any interesting stories from the filming of either?

CG: The best COTC story is when Linda Hamilton jumped back from the dead kid on the road the actor snuck under the sheet and really scared her. On Hardbodies one of the stunt men was Kane Hodder [who would later become known for his legendary portrayal of JASON VOORHEES in the latter films in the Friday the 13th series] . Who knew...
 
LS: So how come you didn’t come back for HB2? It wasn’t actually a terrible script, but obviously the biggest issue was the absence of pretty much the entire original cast. I mean, hell, even Teal Roberts didn’t come back, and I’m pretty sure her sole career after Hardbodies was bit parts as Strippers. (actually, I’m fairly certain you’re about the only person who worked after that movie.) So, yeah, suddenly Rags is an attractive brunette who looks like he just walked off Zuma Beach. What gives?

CG: Long story... Grant Kramer (Scotty Palmer) was doing a soap at the time, and I had trouble getting a Passport.
 
 LS: Also, as far as I know Hardbodies has yet to see a DVD release. Any idea if there are plans for one anytime soon?

CG: No but if it does I want one.

LS: Ok so since i’ve spent half my interview rambling about probably the most pointless and obscure movie of your career, let’s move on. Hahaha.

CG: Hey that movie is a frat house rite of passage. Don’t make me flip you off in 40 languages.... [Ed. - Insert hysterical laughter.]
 
LS: So, let me tell you Children of the Corn was actually the first horror movie I ever saw, I was, literally, like 9 years old and my older brothers thought it would be a good idea to get me stoned and take me to see it. Needless to say it was a pretty life-changing experience. (Not to mention Hardbodies was actually my favorite movie through most of my adolescence. I still can probably recite it word for word.) So, I can tell you you are, partially responsible for at least one porn and horror obsessed, rock n’ roll degenerate.

CG: Good job. Yup another one bites the dust.
 
LS: But that said, your first two major roles were in arguably 2 of the cult classic movies of all time. Was it a hard thing to break away from professionally, or were you typecast as a.) The Stoner surfer guy, and b.) The scary red headed kid?

CG: First off,  I think everyone is typecast, though in the 80’s, I did a pretty good job mixing it up - Cant Buy Me Love, Memphis Belle, Colors etc....
 
LS: So have you ever had any scary/embarassing fanboy moments, someone screaming “Outlander, we have your woman” across a crowded restaurant, etc?
 
CG: Oh yeah walking down the street, so many times it ain’t even funny. And I just stay away from malls.

LS: Hahahaha. So, speaking of which, another role I actually really loved you in was Colors, yet another of my favorite films, which was obviously a very different role for you, and I must say, you were pretty gangster for a white kid. How did you get involved with that project, and what did you do to prepare for it?

CG: Well Gerardo Mejia and I were doing Can’t Buy Me Love when he got the script and told me they needed a white gangbanger. I told Virgil [Frye, Courtney’s manager], who knew Dennis Hopper. I went in, took a meeting and they gave me the job. I grew up in tough neighborhoods in Los Angeles so I knew the drill.
 
LS: So as most of the Horror fanboy world, I’m dying to hear about RZ’s remake of Halloween, another project you are currently linked with. How did you get involved with it, and if you can, tell us a little about the movie, and your role in it.

CG: I was auditioning for another film and they were casting Halloween as well so I asked if they had anything in it for me and Rob gave me a part. Everyone is pumped. I worked towards the end of shooting and the crew seemed excited which is a good sign.

Myself and Lew Temple (Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning, The Devil’s Rejects) play hospital attendants who take a chick down to Myers room and do nasty things to her and provoke big Mike. Oops.
 
LS: You’ve been doing some other stuff as well, directing, producing, etc. Can you tell me a little about some of these projects, and what you have coming up.

Last year I did three projects, I was a producer as well as lead actor...a short called Lost Dog, I play a scam artist in prison who answers lost dog ads and scams kids out of money until a blind girl gets hurt by it, a thriller called The Phobic, where I play Dr. Cecil Westlake a famous phobic expert who meets his match when he encounters a female patient who is the queen of phobias, and Benny Bliss and the Disciples of Greatness, a Rock and Roll road comedy. I play Benny Bliss, think Elvis meets Evil Kneivel. Benny, via electric shock treatments, gets a message from God –“We have become addicted to technology and have lost our way”. He commandeers a band and goes on the road to spread the word of the Lord and rids the world of the evils of technology. I front the band and all the music is live. All projects are finishing post production and should be out this year.
 
LS: You obviously have a very diverse and complex body of work, Children of the Corn, Colors, Can’t Buy Me Love, Dreamers, Sweet Home Alabama, Back to the Future. Hell, you were even on Seinfeld. What have been your favorite roles, and why?

CG: That I cant really answer...but this Benny Bliss role was quite a blast....
 
LS: What a lot of people might NOT know, is that in addition to being an incredibly versatile actor, you are also an accomplished musician, releasing several eclectic independent CD’s (one of which actually features a guest appearance from GNR/Velvet Revolver’s Matt Sorum and Slash) and contributing some music to some of the films you have been working on as well. Can you tell me about your musical endeavors and how you became interested in playing music. Also, How did the collaboration with Matt and Slash come about?

CG: I’ve been playing guitar since I was 13 as well, it is my hobby. I really enjoy crafting songs, and I played in bands and solo gigs around L.A. for years. We’re putting out a soundtrack for Benny as well, and I wrote 4 songs on it.

Matt[Sorum] produced a song call "Journeyman".... I was dating his girlfriend, at the time’s, best friend, he liked my voice and offered to do a session at his studio. I really needed a rock/blues guitarist in the song, Slash wanted to record some tracks at Matt’s and they made a trade. To sit and watch Slash play was watching a master of lead guitar. I am grateful to both of them.
 
LS: What are some of your musical influences/inspirations?

CG: As a kid, Oldies and Show Tunes because of my mother, Jazz because of my father, Zep and Rush, 70s rock as a teenager and now I’m listening to more Blues.
 
 LS: Anything else you want to add, plug etc?

CG: Nope I think we know more about me than we may have wanted.

http://www.courtneygains.net