‘BAFO’ crew passed up a titanic payday

“BAFO” is back in Orange County, and after six years that may still bring a bittersweet twinge to a couple of veteran South Coast Repertory actors.

Tom Strelich’s 1997 play, parenthetically titled “Best and Final Offer,” concerned five white-collar defense workers facing an economic squeeze. Commissioned and developed at South Coast, it was tailored to fit five actors who had been with the company since its beginnings in the 1960s. But fate played a game with three of them. Don Took, Hal Landon Jr. and Ron Boussom (who is no longer with South Coast) all had landed small parts in James Cameron’s “Titanic,” but shooting was going to conflict with the play. Each chose “BAFO” and missed out on a payday from a picture that set new standards for Boffo.

“BAFO” “was one of the best and most fun things I’ve done, but at the same time it cost me over $200,000,” recalls Took. “I’ve talked to other actors [in “Titanic”], and they all say the cash register keeps ringing. You make your choices and live with them, but that was my retirement.”

“It was a lot of money, but every actor’s got a story like that to tell,” philosophizes Landon, who was going to play tycoon John Jacob Astor in “Titanic.”

“BAFO” is being revived for love -- not money -- by Hunger Artists Theatre Company, which operates out of a small warehouse space in Fullerton. The Feb. 14-March 9 run offers an all-star team of sorts from the O.C. storefront theater scene, including Rude Guerrilla’s Jay Michael Fraley, Paul Castellano of the Vanguard Theatre Ensemble and Stages regular Alex Dorman joining Hunger Artists members Mark Palkoner and Allen Casey.

No conflicting engagements with Hollywood have been announced.

-- Mike Boehm