In a state of being rather drunk, Craig Fass, Brian Turtle and Mike Ginelli, after raiding their local video store, reasoned that every movie actor, living or dead, could be linked to Bacon, basing the premise on the play Six Degrees of Seperation. The game spread across campus via e-mail, thus onto the internet at large, which led to the publication in 1996 of the book Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon, complete with a foreword by Bacon himself!
The reason that Bacon was so easy to track down is due to appearing in a multitude of ensemble pieces such as Diner (1982), as well as films with large casts, especially JFK (1991). For those interested, some of his other works include National Lampoon's Animal House (1978-his debut), Friday the 13th (1980), Footloose (1984), Tremors (1990), Flatliners (1990), Apollo 13 (1995), Sleepers (1996) and Wild Things (1998).
More recently, Bacon has had the opportunity to lead in a big film with Stir of Echoes (1999), and already has several projects lined up awaiting release, including Novocaine and The Hollow Man, which will get competitors more than ready for the latest leads. He also formed a folk band with his brother Michael, The Bacon Brothers.
Other variations have been created, such as and Arnie version, and for the musical world, Six Degrees of Limp Bizkit (a game I regrettably invented), but Bacon still holds the top spot of celebrity linkage. Up to 240,000, to be exact.
As for the game itself, has he recovered? Well, after thinking he was the butt of one of the meanest jokes in world history, he met up with the creators, and seems to be OK with it now, and the fame it gave him. What he doesn't know is that The Oracle of Bacon (listed below) names 691 actors that are better centres of the universe than him...
The Oracle of Bacon/ Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon.
After growing up in Red Bank, New Jersey, working at a convenience store whilst collecting comics, he wanted more (well, who wouldn't?) His first feature was Mae Day: The Crumbling of a Documentary (1992, aka Mae 1), which he wrote, directed, produced, as well as starring as himself, alongside long time friend and collaborator Scott Mosier. The film only ran for 10 minutes, but showed the humor that Smith was to take on as his trademark, as well as line itself up for being one of the umpteen films that The Blair Witch Project ripped off, since it's a fake documentary.
However, his next project, which he wrote, directed, produced, edited and starred in is more widly known. A little film known as Clerks (1994), to be exact. Filmed at the convenience store where he worked after hours, the film went on to become a huge cult hit, many proclaiming Smith the discovery of the decade. The film contains all the writing skill that Smith made his own, as well as several other aspects that go into all Smith films. Those being Brian O' Hallorahan (playing Dante here), ice hockey, Star Wars and the sequels and Julie Dwyer drowning in the YMCA pool all turning up in discussion and, of course, Jay and Silent Bob, with Smith playing Silent Bob.
Funding the film ws a bit of a problem, since it was Smith's first venture into the world of film making. To combat this, he sold his comic book collection (which he bought back when the money started rolling in) and maxed out several credit cards, as well as casting numerous friends (Jason Mewes-aka Jay-was a friend since childhood), shooting on black and white stock, as well as the aforemeantioned use of location and production.
The filnm managed to get lumbered with an NC17/18 certificate, due to various subjects that the censorship boards don't like, such as drug use going npunished, necrophilia, rather a lot of swearing, as well as the notorious blow-job conversation. However, the slacker population didn't care, and flocked to see the film in swarms.
After the overnight success, which led to an MTV friendly soundtrack being tacked on to get some more money out of it, Smith turned his eye to Mallrats, this time with the budget to film in color, as well as some teen-friendly cast members (Shannon Doherty, to be exact). Once more O' Hallorahan turned up, Jay and Silent Bob got a more prominent role, as well as some memorable lines, and some memorable set pieces, such as Jay and Silent Bob trying to demolish the stage, the dating game at the end, and the 3-nippled fortune teller. Smith also cast then-girlfriend Joey-Lauren Adams, as well as ben Affleck and Jason Lee, who would go on to turn up in all his following films. He even managed to pul off a coup by landing legendary comic book writer Stan Lee. However, the critics weren't as welcoming to the film, and once more the crowds were the typical cult audience.
After writing and Silent Bobbing in Drawing Flies in 1996, suddenly '97 got busy.
As well as making his next film, Chasing Amy, again not a hit with the critics, although this time not with the fans either. The original plan was to do a John Hughes type comedy, but since Mallrats didn't break that many blocks, it was changed to a lesbian romantic comedy, for lack of better description. He also produced A Better Place and, more notably, Good Will Hunting, bagging some Hollywood backscratching awards to go with his MTV ones from Clerks.
In his time off from directing, he produced and starred in Vulgar (1998) as Martan Ingram (Mosier and O' Hallorahan both turned up), appeared as himself in the TV documentary Independent's Day alongside the likes of Steven Soderbergh and Sydney Pollack, and was uncredited for writing Overnight Delivery (both '98), as well as producing Big Helium Dog ('99). On amore personal level, he married Jennifer Schwalbach and had a daughter, Harley Quinn (named after a character in Batman: The Animated Series) in 1999, aswell as opening a comic book store in Red Bank, Jay and Silent Bob's Secret Stash, they also starred in their own series of comic books, as well as the series of Clerks comics alongside. On top of all of this, he was involved with the Superman Lives project, but walked out on it due to the usual big studio hassles, handing over to Tim Burton.
And then it was back to the screen, this time with the film he always wanted to make, even before Clerks, Dogma. This time plenty of money was made, especially with the all-star cast including Matt Damon, Salma Hayek, Alan Rickman and Linda Fiorentino alongside the usual suspects-Affleck, Mewes, Lee, O' Hallorahan and Smith himself, and a far greater budget than usual. However, this time it wasn't the critics that caused him grief, it was the Bible Belt blasting the film as 'blasphemous'. Like he cared.
Into 2000, and yet more projects in the pipeline. As well as Clerks: The Animated Series, there is a live action version starring the original cast in the works as well. He is also busy producing the upcoming Preacher movie, as well as the rather unexpected appearance of Jay and Silent Bob in Scr3am, as well as being involved in writing Coyote Ugly. So at least he's keeping himelf busy, and giving me RSI at the same time. Thanx Kev...
And to keep with the latest info, Smith has just started filming Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, featuring characters from Clerks, Mallrats and Chasing Amy. How Jason Lee will play Brodie and Banky, as well as both versions of Willaim (from the first two) remains to be seen. Then there's parts for the actors used only in Dogma, such as Chris Rock and Matt Damon. It will also be the last in his New Jersey cycle, if rumors turn out to be fact.
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