New Haven Independent

At about 2:30 p.m. Thursday, a stunt man tumbled to the ground during a chase. Fire officials found him “cut up” and “semi-conscious,” and sent him to the hospital, according to Fire Chief Michael Grant.

Earlier that day, crowds gathered to watch snippets of the Hollywood spectacle created before their eyes.

“That’s not Harrison Ford!” came the disappointing revelation as the man on the motorcycle dismounted on College Street. Indy wasn’t even driving the motorcycle — he was sitting on the back. But the commotion still set the streets abuzz.

Thursday, the first day the film crew started shooting Indiana Jones IV on New Haven streets, moviemakers set up shop on two locations: Inside at Yale’s William L. Harkness Hall (WLH), Harrison Ford filmed a classroom scene, out of sight of passersby. Outside on College Street, drivers of old-time cars enacted, and reenacted, a chase scene between Grove and Chapel Streets. (Click on the play arrow to watch).

Crew members guarding the perimeter detained pedestrians for 15-minute blocks of time as the old cars, from 1945 to 1955, motored down the street. Behind an old-time bus, riding on the back of a motorcycle behind a younger man in a leather jacket, was Indiana Jones.

This extra leaned against the wall, in a sweltering suit, between episodes of strolling, and re-strolling, by Yale’s campus.

The crew said they got there at 5 a.m. By 11 a.m., these old cars were worn out from all the action: The one on the left had to be jump-started by its driver. Those whose cars were chosen got to drive the cars in the scene. They also got to wear hot pink tape on their pants identifying them as “Driver driver driver.”

Upstream from the action on Elm Street, Fannie Brooks (pictured) took a break from her job at Yale’s Berkeley College. “I saw Harrison Ford this morning! He was getting out of an Escalade,” she said. “He was walking with his pretty suit, and his smooth hair — he looked sharp!”

(Ford was also spotted Wednesday night eating dinner at Barcelona, the hip new downtown tapas bar.)

How did Brooks like having all the Hollywood action on campus? “It’s fun, but it’s a pain in the butt trying to get to work,” said Brooks. The scene — set in 1957 — did stir up good old memories, however. “The costumes are great, the skirts with all the flare. Those were the days of my era. I remember them well!”

As the cars repeatedly rushed down College Street, set dresser Steve Finkin stood by this cart, stacked with old-style road signs and camouflage netting. His job was to take the street and “turn it back 50 years,” replacing streetlights, removing parking meters, changing signs (New Haven to Bedford, Yale University to Marshall College).

What’s the netting for?

“You throw it over a car if you don’t want it in the scene,” he said, pointing to a modern SUV parked near the staging area. “Or if someone refuses to move, we throw it over them!”

As Finkin raved about his profession — “it’s the most fun job — we’re there at the beginning, and we’re the last to leave” — a call came over the radio fixed to his hip.

“Linkin’ Stinkin!” said a voice.

“That’s my nickname,” said Finkin.

And poof— he was whisked away on a John Deere four-wheeler before he got time to be photographed.

Filming continues until July 6.