The Bigfoot of Deadbeats
Posted by: Craig Woolheater on June 22nd, 2006
The Cleveland Scene reports on Bob Gray, director of and an actor in Bigfoot.
This is quite possibly the worst Bigfoot movie that I have ever seen, and I’ve seen a lot of bad ones.
It looks like he has bigger fish to fry than a bad review of his movie however…
The Bigfoot of deadbeats
Filmmaker Bob Gray is the easiest guy in the world to find if you want to talk about his latest project, Bigfoot, which he shot in and around Mentor on a budget consisting of change he found under his sofa cushions.
But if you’re trying to track him down for the $68,000 in child support he owes his ex-wife for their teenage son, you’d have better luck capturing the real Bigfoot.
Diane Gray hadn’t seen her ex-husband in 17 years. He vanished from their home in Canton when their son, Alex, was only a year old, to pursue his dreams of Hollywood stardom.
His career had its ups and downs, the highlight being a searing performance as a choir singer in the slasher flick Stepfather II: Make Room for Daddy. He even made a foray into primetime — on QVC. But Gray has always been an A-list deadbeat.
"In all this time I don’t even think I’ve received $1,000 from the $68,000 he owes," says Diane. "He just abandoned us."
It wasn’t until last year, after Bigfoot premiered at the storied Mentor Lagoons Marina, that Diane learned her husband was back in town. For Alex, it was the first time he’d seen his father’s face. (Of the movie, Alex says: "From what I saw it was really, really hokey.")
Diane reported Bob to Mentor Police, who set up a sting operation at the local IGA, where Bob would eventually come to refill the shelf of Bigfoot DVDs. Though he never showed up — Diane suspects he was tipped off — he was arrested nonetheless at his home near Brunswick and taken to the Stark County Jail.
Gray called Scene to talk about Bigfoot, but went silent when we started asking questions about his family, making it the first time he’s ever declined to comment.
Co-founder of Cryptomundo in 2005.
I have appeared in or contributed to the following TV programs, documentaries and films:
OLN's Mysterious Encounters: "Caddo Critter", Southern Fried Bigfoot, Travel Channel's Weird Travels: "Bigfoot", History Channel's MonsterQuest: "Swamp Stalker", The Wild Man of the Navidad, Destination America's Monsters and Mysteries in America: Texas Terror - Lake Worth Monster, Animal Planet's Finding Bigfoot: Return to Boggy Creek and Beast of the Bayou.
Just reading about this “man” makes me want to cave his head in. When he dumped his wife and one-year-old child, he truely became a total scumbag. I will never give him the pleasure of watching his movie. I hope he rots in jail, Yarri
Unfortunately, this only goes to show that there’s all kinds of bad apples in Bigfootry and movie-making, just like in the rest of the world.
I feel for young Alex. What a sad story.
As for me, I don’t think I’ll be purchasing this DVD, unless, that is, Gray’s son could get all the money, which I doubt.
yes it is a sad story. However if the film maker was dim enough to go back to his home town ,where he would obviously be seen, it doesn’t say alot for the intelligence behind the film and therefore it’s quality.
While I feel sorry for Gray’s family and hope their situation is rectified, I’m not quite sure why this article was posted. The personal lives of people tangentially (if at all…) involved in cryptozoology seems to be somewhat outside the scope of this website, and could represent a “slippery slope,” so to speak.
I refuse to believe this movie was worse than “Harry and the Hendersons.”
OK, here’s the challenge LSU_Crypto.
Watch this miserable excuse of a Bigfoot movie and compare it to Harry and the Hendersons, and then report back with your findings.
If he had directed a good Bigfoot movie, would we still be discussing his personal life?
Hey! I liked Harry and the Hendersons!!
Just FYI, I think “SASQUATCH” starring Lance Hendrikson (sp??) was the best BF film. What do the rest think?
oh, and the guy mentioned at the beginning of this blog should be beaten.
jjames,
Since you have made 2 pointed comments here, I will address them here.
1) This article was posted here because I, as the author of this blog, chose to post it here. The original source was an online newspaper, why not ask them why they chose to post it in the first place? It discussed the director and actor of a Bigfoot movie, so I felt it was relevant.
2) see #1
Nice one Craig.
Newspapers report about deadbeat dads all the time. It’s deemed a “newsworthy” topic by some. However, my point is that blogging about situations like that here at Cryptomundo doesn’t seem to mesh with the rest of the content.
I understand that it’s your blog, but posting something like this that’s so far outside the realm of anything remotely entertaining or enlightening as it pertains to cryptozoology represents (at least for me) an unwelcome change. Are we now going to get blog entries about Ryan Schifrin’s dating habits, Charles B. Pierce’s on-set preference for brown M&M’s over yellow, Tom Biscardi’s financial details, or Matt Moneymaker’s personal hygiene?
Good afternoon Craig….
Speaking of deadbeats….Texas Joe is dawg ass tired and bleary eyed at 2 AM…when…wham bam smash….he nails an 8 foot juvenile stone dead in the crumpled brush bar of his one ton Powerstroke…just north of Lake of the Pines…between Avinger and Hughes Springs….who’s he gonna call…where’s that toll free TBRC rapid response number in last month’s co-op newsletter…it may have already happened….
seeing is believing….
ole bub and the dawgs
Well, it IS enlightening, as I will not buy his movie, and appreciate the heads-up. You keep on postin’ Craig, it’s your ballgame. Yarri
Yarri –
Were you going to buy the movie before you read this story? Were you even aware that the movie existed?
Yes, as a matter of fact I have seen the movie for sale. I am a bigfoot “person”, and try to keep up everything bigfoot related. But now I know to steer clear of this dvd. I would hate to line the pockets of this deadbeat dad. Yarri
“Sasquatch” with Lance Henriksen-terrible. Bad costume-looked like a body builder in a black wet suit with a couple poodle puffs glued on the ankles and wrists… AND what was with the bald head?! The story was stupid, The cinematography was bad and the psychadelic stuff was nauseating on top of it.The acting was bad, the gratuitous hot tub scene was embarrasing, and well, I guess that about sums it up. NO, NO wait! The cover art of the creature looked like a cross between a baboon with tusks and a werewolf, like I detailed before; that is NOT what the films actual creature looked like. Cheese with pretense is much worse than plain cheese.
Yep, I have seen Sasquatch, Sasquatch Hunters, Abominable and probably every other Bigfoot-related movie out there.
Trust me, this one is the worst one ever. I purchased it on Dec. 1st, 2005, so I was well aware of it before the story of him being a deadbeat was published.
Does this mean that the personal lives of all bloggers, contributers or anyone that is liked or disliked by the users of this site can be put up for assesment?
This is a great site full of mainly relevant information regarding a subject that many find fascinating.
If some ‘deadbeat’makes a bad film then so what-Either watch it or choose not to but why get involved with something that has diddly squat to do with what I assumed this site was about.
I’m sure Craig you will give me a terse reply but surely we are allowed to post our views as well?
Guys let it go. Just agree to disagree. Craig has a right to put anything he likes on his Blog, you have a right to your opinion. Just because one blog is about someone who has behaved badly, it doesn’t mean they all will be and to think so is a bit extreme.
We live in a media obsessed world, which means no one seems to have the right to privacy anymore. I don’t publish academic work under my real name anymore because I got stalked.
I think if we want to to taken as professional in our approach to cryptozoology we shouldn’t degenerate into snapping at each other like alligators.
Chill out, shake hands and move on.
hey craig and everyone here hollywood filmakers need to make friendlier movies about sasquatch & other cryptozoology animals
Craig – While I agree with several of your bloggers that Bob Gray’s personal status as a ‘deadbeat dad’ should not affect his movie reviews or perhaps even be discussed on your cryptozoology blog, as the mother of his only known child, I personally appreciate your bringing these facts to light. I have not seen his Bigfoot movie – only the trailer. My only comment is, as far as low budget, indie trailers go – kudos! However, Bob should consider staying behind the camera, as his acting talents are, ah, … well, if I can’t say something nice… you know. But any advice on how we could get any of his DVD proceeds directly to go towards back child support ($68,930.58 as of June 23, 2006), would be very appreciated. FYI, Yarri – thanks, sweetie! Footnote: Bob’s son, Alex, is an awesome, kind, well adjusted young man now. He is surrounded by a supportive family, & we are all very proud of how great he’s turned out, irregardless of his absent, deadbeat dad.
# YarriWarrior Says:
June 22nd, 2006 at 9:03 pm
Yes, as a matter of fact I have seen the movie for sale. I am a bigfoot “person”, and try to keep up everything bigfoot related. But now I know to steer clear of this dvd. I would hate to line the pockets of this deadbeat dad. Yarri
Howdy, Yarri.
What if you found out he made this movie to pay off his child support?
Just kidding, but think about it.
OK, his non-supporting status aside… What the heck does this news story have to do with his movie?
Geez, and I thought it was only REAL celebrities the people were interested in reading “dirt” on.
It’s times like this that I understand why folks have skewed views on journalism.