Titanic cameos

Who is authentically attired for a gentleman in 1912—the wardrobe specialists did a great job, particularly with the hat!
Yes, a lot of the costumes were actually from this period. Costume Designer Deborah Scott won an oscar for her work for this movie.

By the way, Deborah Scott said in an interview (‘Titanic’ Costume Designer on Wardrobe Details You Might’ve Missed from the Film) that they built replicas of the costumes for the sinking scenes because they didnt want to put real garments in the water. It's reassuring that no expensive costumes were damaged during the sinking scenes :)
 
Yes, a lot of the costumes were actually from this period. Costume Designer Deborah Scott won an oscar for her work for this movie.

By the way, Deborah Scott said in an interview (‘Titanic’ Costume Designer on Wardrobe Details You Might’ve Missed from the Film) that they built replicas of the costumes for the sinking scenes because they didnt want to put real garments in the water. It's reassuring that no expensive costumes were damaged during the sinking scenes :)
Wow! I didn’t realise that original clothing from the period was used. It doesn’t get more authentic than that :) Deborah Scott certainly earned her Oscar—all those extras required mountains of clothing! I’m guessing that a mixture of original and replica outfits was used, even in the non-sinking scenes.
 
The appearance of Jack Thayer is a question that is not easy to answer. This is mainly because there are three or four extras who could play Jack Thayer, including this young man in the gymnasium. I also found a young man on the Carpathia who really looks like Jack Thayer.

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A little update to the Jack Thayer discussion. This man on the Carpathia was played by Gary De Lellis who first was the light double of Ioan Gruffudd and later for the rest of the shooting the light double of Leonardo di Caprio. He also has an Instagram account where he regularly shares memories and photos of the shootings. During the shootings he was put in many scenes as an extra, for example in the Southampton scenes, the discussion in the palm court, in the Carpathia scenes and even in the sinking scenes in the grand staircase. So I think, the young man on the Carpathia is not Jack Thayer.

From his Instagram account I got following informations:
When I first saw this picture, I thought immediately of Hugh McElroy, but why would a purser check passengers for lice? And why don’t we see the actor in any other scene except the port scene in Southampton, when purser McElroy was an important figure on the ship and especially in first class? What do you guys think?

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This man was actually James Camerons body guard and it seems that he was only put in the Southampton scenes because they needed so many people.
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This extra is actually production designer James Lamont (1929-2020). The lady behind his shoulder is Alexandra Boyd, who said in an podcast interview that Lamont sat at the captains table and was supposed to be one of the ships doctors, so most likely surgeon William O'Loughlin.
 
This man was actually James Camerons body guard and it seems that he was only put in the Southampton scenes because they needed so many people.
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This extra is actually production designer James Lamont (1929-2020). The lady behind his shoulder is Alexandra Boyd, who said in an podcast interview that Lamont sat at the captains table and was supposed to be one of the ships doctors, so most likely surgeon William O'Loughlin.
The rank insignia matches with O'Loughlin too.
 
I wish this site has a section for a repository of background cameos, characters that Cameron had snuck into scenes, without overtly indicating it to be anyone, however, may bear a consideration to a certain real life counterpart. Anyway, I cannot find such topic in the archives.

Perhaps this can be an official list.

My first entry is this balding fellow with a moustache and glasses. My thoughts perhaps it could be George D. Widener on the right? Not sure who the fellow next to him could be. Seeings how a lot of the richest men in the movie seemed to have congregated to the GSC as a final death spot, it seems likely to me this is Widener.

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This is a very interesting and honorific post!

As a child of the 80s, having been raised watching The Young and The Restless with my mom, I've been a MAJOR fan of Eric Braedon for quite a long time.

I am aware that the true JJ Astor was close to 50 when he died (and he looked pretty young still!), and that Eric Braeden was almost 60 when he portrayed JK Astor 84 years later. However, I was excited by his casting, small as the role really was for that particular plot. He just seemed to "fit", based upon my viewings of his decades long career, and he has the demeanor of a Gentleman of the Gilded Age.


Additionally, I had researched as much as possible about the tragedy and major / most well known names from the disaster prior to the movie's release ad for being roughlt 10 years older than JJ Astor at the time of his passing, he remains one of the best physical matchups of the film's major (real life) characters.


I wish this site has a section for a repository of background cameos, characters that Cameron had snuck into scenes, without overtly indicating it to be anyone, however, may bear a consideration to a certain real life counterpart. Anyway, I cannot find such topic in the archives.

Perhaps this can be an official list.

My first entry is this balding fellow with a moustache and glasses. My thoughts perhaps it could be George D. Widener on the right? Not sure who the fellow next to him could be. Seeings how a lot of the richest men in the movie seemed to have congregated to the GSC as a final death spot, it seems likely to me this is Widener.

View attachment 45072
 
Yes, Eric Braeden was born as Hans-Jörg Gudegast in Bredenbek, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany in the year 1941. He emigrated to america in 1959 and soon became a famous actor and soap opera star.

If he actually survived the sinking of the Wilhelm Gustloff as a four-year-old, then this is a big miracle, since very few children survived the freezing cold night (it was almost -20 degrees Celsius). Eric Braeden also said in an interview that Astors death scene in the 1997 production was a shocking experience due to his own biography. So the shocked facial expression in this scene is probably not only part of his role, but actually real.
 
I posted this on our Facebook group and someone replied to say it was not in his autobiography but a fake story shared around the internet. Have you read it, can you confirm the claim does appear in his book?
 
I have not read it but he was interviewed and I saw it on Wikipedia. Buy no I haven't read it. Although I'd love to!! Good to know... regardless, he seems to genuinely empathize with the Titanic victims.
 
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