State Rep. Loge nets a few seconds on hit show 'Yellowstone'

Being an extra on the "Yellowstone" production set can be both interesting and exciting, but one thing the extras, or seconds, agree on is that it also can be really boring.

Just ask Denley Loge, a St. Regis resident and member of the state Legislature, who spent three days on the hit TV show's set while it filmed in Helena last summer. All totaled, it netted him about 1.5 seconds on the episode that aired Sunday, Nov. 17. 

“You wouldn’t know if you made the screen until it aired and many, if not most, never saw themselves, but if they did, it was usually brief,” Loge said.

Depending on what scenes an extra was involved in, the day is mostly spent waiting for instructions, eating snacks (healthy or preservative packed), and talking with others doing the same thing. No pictures can be taken whatsoever. Do not approach the actors (Kevin Costner, Kelly Reilly, Cole Hauser, etc.) for any reason and stay within the assigned area until summoned. 

However, people did learn something about the magic behind the scenes, such as clapping without making noise, being celebratory without saying a peep and finding that the employees making the program are mostly pleasant and enjoy being in Montana because of the friendly residents.

“The filming was for two days in July," Loge recalled. "It was in Helena at the Capitol and they rented it or made some arrangements to use the hallways, stairways and Senate chambers. They had done that the year before. At that time, they sent out an invite if legislators or staff wanted to take part. I did that time for a day but my sitting then did not air.” 

Loge is currently House District Representative 14 but becomes the Senate District 45 Representative next year after completing the four terms maximum that a House member can serve.  

“They kept my name and sent out a letter if I was interested again this year. I said yes, so I was to show up in legislative attire. They didn't like my tie so I had to wear theirs. It was about 10 hours the first day. The actual shooting I was in on the first day took about three hours with about 15 takes, and all the rest of the day was sitting outside and waiting.” 

Extras are kept in the dark, but they were not mistreated unless monotony is a crime. 

“The next day we met around 8:30 a.m. and sat around and waited until about 1 p.m.,” Loge continued. “That’s when we finally went into the Senate chambers. Some were on the floor and some went to the balcony. I was in the balcony that didn't get in a shot, but we did clap for about ten takes. Some folks on the floor did get their faces on a quick shot but not many.  That whole shooting process took about three hours. When we were released from that, we went home.” 

The storyline isn’t shared and props (cocktail glasses, kazoos, Dutton for governor buttons, etc.) were accounted for as they were to be returned. 

“I think my take home pay was around $159 a day,” he said. “Yes, I would do it again just to meet the other seconds. The negative was just sitting and waiting. I kept thinking of the haying I could have been doing at home."

And then Loge was told by a few friends that they had seen him on the program recently. 

“I watched the rerun and I did recognize a few of the staff on the televised version. They were walking the halls or the stairways.  A second and a half wasn't too much fame,” he chortles.

But from the get-go, Loge said he did this out of curiosity. He’s said he's keeping his swather over moving to Tinsel Town.