R.C. Keene was born in Dallas County Tx. R.C. is a descendant of one of the earliest settlers and land holders in the area from 1846. He attended elementary, junior high, and high school in Irving, Tx, graduating in 1967. After graduation he attended the University of Texas in Austin, graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering in 1972. While still in college R.C. learned of a Sam Peckinpah-directed movie, "The Getaway", being filmed in nearby San Marcos, TX. He drove his 1967 Austin Mini-Cooper to San Marcos to check it out. He parked very near the town square where they were setting up to film a scene. During a break in the filming one of the principal actors, Steve McQueen, just happened to walk by and stopped to talk about R.C.' s car, indicating he had a car like it which he raced. While talking about cars, an orange VW Beetle drove up. The driver of the car was James Garner, who was visiting the set. He said he had been drafted to drive the VW in a scene as an unaccredited extra on a bet for $1. Mr. Garner joined in the car conversation as he had a Mini-Cooper as well. Mr. McQueen then called a an assistant over and asked him to see if they still needed some extras for the next scene and asked that R.C. be added. In the early 1970s, as R.C. traveled around the US while working full-time as an engineer, he continued to sporadically perform extra work wherever he was at the time: in New York and the west coast. Returning to Central Texas in the late 1970s, other background extra work over the past 40+ years were spur of the moment gigs including "Outlaw Blues", "Honeysuckle Rose", "Roadie", "What's Eating Gilbert Grape", "Office Space", "Idiocracy" and several Alamo history-related projects, among others. Having retired from a professional engineering technical career, R.C. is looking forward to continuing doing extra work in western and science fiction productions, developing his acting craft, as well as producing his own projects.
As a college student, was chosen for his first background extra gig as a result of a chance meeting with Steve McQueen and James Garner on the set of "The Getaway".
Attended and graduated from Irving High School with Frank Beard, future drummer with ZZ Top, and the late drummer, songwriter, and vocalist Doyle Bramhall of the Chessmen and collaborator of Jimmie and Stevie Ray Vaughn. Nearly 50 yeas later, met and befriended Doyle Bramhalls grandson Doyle Bramhall III, an aspiring actor and musician, on the set of Season 3 of HBOs "The Leftovers" being shot on location in Lockhart, Texas. He was an extra as well.
Played a stand-up cocktail drum kit in a two man lounge band for several years while pursuing a full-time career in the high tech industry.
Was in attendance at the only Austin City Limits program taped, but never aired, reportedly due to the subject matter and lyrics of the songs performed by Kinky Friedman.
Was the manager of an Austin, Texas RV/trailer park being considered in 2011 for the reality series, "Trailer Park Housewives". If the series had been filmed in Austin, R.C. would have had an ongoing presence.
Over the past 4 decades has performed sporadically as a background artist in a number of Hollywood and indie film productions while working as an engineer/technical account manager.
