Day of the Wolves movie extra Ben meeting actor Mike Riley (the Sheriff) at the When Hollywood Went to Havasu casting Party at Northside Grill. Photo by Phaedra Veronique
LAKE HAVAUS CITY – Havasu pioneers were in for a real treat as they were able to view Day of the Wolves, the very first movie filmed in Lake Havasu City. The memorable When Havasu Went to Hollywood casting party and film viewing, took place on Friday, October 25 at Northside Grill and Star Cinemas.
Directed and written by New Jersey filmmaker Ferde Grofe, the 1971 film lacked funding and never made it to the big screen. However, in the 1980s, the movie was released to VHS tapes in the midst of the video boom of the era.
In 2010, San Diego filmmaker Greg Quinn, created a documentary about the movie titled, Return to Lake Havasu. In a 2012 interview with Real Political Talk, Quinn shared his first viewing of the film being in the mid 1970s on a UK television station.
Quinn recalls being captivated by the movie’s ending and the rock n’ roll score that went along with it. According to Quinn, the movie was never shown in the United States, except for a few limited runs in 1971 and 1972 in Lake Havasu. In 2022, the filmmaker contacted Lake Havasu’s Chamber of Commerce in search of the actors who starred in Day of the Wolves.
The organization put him in contact with local Havasu Pioneers Radio Show host Dan Delasantos. According to Delasantos, they had a long conversation about getting Return to Havasu and Day of the Wolves in a local movie theater.
A casting party was discussed too with the Havasuvians who starred in the film. Through multiple signings of waivers by Delasantos, the radio host says it took two years to get an agreement for the movie to be shown for one night only in Lake Havasu.
Delasantos contacted the owners of Northside Grill who agreed to cater the event at their restaurant, and Star Cinemas donated their theater for the special one-time event. With legendary movie actors like Richard Egan starring in the film, many of the cast members are now deceased.
But what Delasantos did find, was the sheriff in the movie played by Mike Riley, an extra played by Ben, who was just a little boy, and did not have any speaking parts. Other actors of the film showed up as well, some were Havasuvians, and others traveling from as far as Europe to enjoy the occasion. Cinematic history will forever remain in Lake Havasu City.
Phaedra Veronique
