By Karissa Minn
kminn@salisburypost.com
EAST SPENCER — A movie that includes a local face releases today in theaters across the Southeast.
East Spencer Police Chief Floyd Baldo played a football coach as an extra in the movie “The 5th Quarter,” which was filmed in Winston-Salem.
“It’s going to be a really good movie,” Baldo said. “Especially for Wake Forest fans, it’s a must-see.”
The film stars Aidan Quinn, Andie MacDowell and Ryan Merriman and tells the story of a star football player at Wake Forest University named Jon Abbate.
In February 2006, Abbate’s 15-year-old brother, Luke, was killed in a car wreck due to his friend’s reckless driving. Abbate considered quitting the football team, but a coach persuaded him to keep playing.
Instead of his usual No. 40, he asked to wear the No. 5, his brother’s number while playing high school football. At the end of the third quarter, he would hold up five fingers in honor of Luke, and the rest of the team and even the fans followed his lead. Soon, at Wake Forest the fourth quarter became known as the fifth quarter.
Baldo, who has no lines in the movie, said he enjoyed working on set with the cast, crew and other extras for six days in late 2008.
He hadn’t seen the final cut of the film Thursday, but he knows he appears in a locker room scene where the head coach gives the team an inspirational speech. A clip of the scene is available on the movie’s website, along with the trailer.
The 5th Quarter hits theatres in limited release today in North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Tennessee and Virginia. A wider release may be possible in the future.
The movie is playing at the Carmike Cinema 8 in Lexington, AmStar Stadium 14 in Mooresville and AMC Concord Mills 24. Baldo plans to see it today in Winston-Salem, where it can be viewed at three locations.
For more information about The 5th Quarter and a full list of theaters, visit the5thquartermovie.com.
Contact reporter Karissa Minn at 704-797-4222.