Lynn celebrates ‘St. Patrick’s Day’ for movie shoot

LYNN – Bobby Lucier and his dog Louie came to Central Square Monday because, he said, it’s not often you get to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day in June.
Lucier donned a green t-shirt and snapped a green collar and leash on Louie hoping to slip into the filming of “Black Mass,” starring Johnny Depp as the infamous mobster James “Whitey” Bulger and Benedict Cumberbatch as his brother, former politician and Boston University President William Bulger.
“I live just around the corner,” he said. “I just came down with the intent to potential pop in as an extra but that didn’t work out.”
Bagpipers, marching bands and extras dressed as 1980s politicians riding in 1970s and 1960s-era convertibles trailed Miss Southie, a Boston fire truck and a company of Lexington Minutemen re-enactors as part of the make believe parade.
The marching musicians posed as the Boston University Marching Band, but bandleader Aaron Goldberg said it was actually composed of students from a variety of schools including Boston College, UMass Lowell, Northeastern University and even some from Long Island who volunteered for their time. Goldberg said he received more than 300 emails from willing participants but only had suits enough for 100.
“This band only existed for a couple of hours so far,” said Goldberg Monday morning adding that the group had only one two-hour rehearsal prior to Monday’s festivities.
Dave Kemper is also an extra in the film and spent his day dressed as a minuteman.
“It’s all wool but it’s not so bad,” he said. “It’s not as hot as you’d think.”
Police detail officers and production assistants guarded the set asking onlookers to stay out of the shots so that the film’s 1980s era credibility wouldn’t be ruined by a rogue extra caught on their cell phone.
As parade marchers wound down Mt.Vernon onto Exchange then Union streets the crowd tested it’s limits by pressing in close to taped off areas trying to catch a glimpse of the action.
They were not disappointed.
Tammy Felton’s hands literally shook when she caught sight of Cumberbatch dressed as Billy Bulger and wielding a gold scepter as he led the fake parade.
“It’s been the best two hours,” she said and giggled.
Cumberbatch, a British actor, is perhaps best known for playing a 21st century Sherlock Holmes in the joint BBC/PBS series and as Khan in “Star Trek into Darkness.”
Felton, along with her friend Misty Howard were on vacation in Philadelphia when they learned via a fan website that Cumberbatch would be filming in Lynn on Monday. The die-hard fans, who had driven to Pennsylvania from their home in Birmingham Alabama decided to extend their trip north. Howard said they would love to see Johnny Depp as well but they were satisfied with Cumberbatch.
“We got to see Benedict, he is for real,” Felton said.
April Alves, who called Cumberbatch and Depp her favorite actors, was hoping for a little bit more.
“I came here hoping for more than just seeing (Cumberbatch) from a distance,” she said. “But I largely doubt that we will meet him.”
Alves, from Fall River, hit the road at 3 a.m. with her friends Annette Desrosiers and Nicole Gotovich, both from Rhode Island, and headed to Lynn in hopes of seeing Cumberbatch or Depp.
“I’m settling for the view from a distance,” Desrosiers said.
Gotovich borrowed a Star Trek costume and props from her husband hoping to attract Cumberbatch’s attention to no avail.
The Outzen family, vacationing from Colorado, said they followed a trail of breadcrumbs to Monday’s shooting event and they were happy to see anyone famous.
Dad, Randy Outzen said they learned the movie was shooting in Everett then followed it to Lynn.
“It’s a fun thing to be a part of,” he said. “You do all the same stuff when you’re on vacation, we like to try and break it up when we can.”
Richard Scuzzarella joked that it was Roxie, the pitbull he and his wife Holly Shea recently adopted that insisted they come to the movie set.
“Roxie said she knew Whitey from way back a