Say What? FLASH GORDON Star Now A Bodyguard In Mexico

Say What? FLASH GORDON Star Now A Bodyguard In Mexico

Sam J. Jones is best known for starring in the 1980 cult sci-fi film Flash Gordon. Although he'll be making a cameo in Seth MacFarlane’s Ted, he is spending most of his time as a real life bodyguard.

By nailbiter111 - Jun 23, 2012 02:06 PM EST
Filed Under: Flash Gordon
Source: ew.com



Flash Gordon didn't do very well at the box office when it was released, but the campy film from the 80's has developed a cult following. The film is best known for it's outstanding soundtrack created by the rock band Queen. Outside of that the film is filled with bad acting, cheesy special effects and inexpensive sets. For all of its faults the movie somehow finds a way of being quite entertaining at times. So bad it's good.

The star of the film Sam J. Jones didn't get a boost to his acting career and for decades was relegated to minor roles in film and television. As acting prospects dried up the former Marine took his talents to a major security firm where he now guards high-level executives in high-risk areas of the world. The former superhero tells Entertainment Weekly about his career as a bodyguard.

What’s it like doing security work in Mexico right now? It seems a little scary at the moment.

It can be for somebody who’s not paying attention, who’s not using common sense. It could be very scary. It’s all perception. Don’t present yourself as a soft target. When we’re in these environments where it’s the real deal, we are traveling hard. We’re in armored vehicles. They look like normal sedans or SUVs, but they are armored. And we’re traveling hard and we’re traveling fast. With that said, most of the time we’re traveling low profile. We’re not putting up red flags. There are times when we have some dignitaries when we have to travel in a huge motorcade with weapons out the windows and stuff like that. But usually we stay under the radar. In other words, we don’t give the bad guys any opportunity. They’re watching us. We’re not stupid. They’re assessing, saying, “Well let me see, if I decide to hit this motorcade or this convoy, what are my percentages of success?” When they look at us and they know our training, they can only come up with one conclusion: it’s going to be a 20 to 30 to 40 percent chance, if that. So they’re not going to mess with us. And that’s not a macho statement. It’s just in the training. It’s just how we present ourselves.

What might you see that would make you turn around?

Okay, we’re at a major intersection in Tijuana and you look around at your situational awareness and you see the taco stand, everybody is doing their behavior that they’re supposed to be doing. You’ve got a couple next to you in a car who are kissing, a couple on your left who are arguing, you have people crossing the street, normal behavior. Why is there a pickup truck parked with two people in it and they’re not talking, their heads are not moving, and why are there a couple of SUVs across the street not moving? Well, I don’t know. But I’m not going to continue. I’m going to turn around. In other words, bad guys are usually bad actors. Seriously. They don’t know how to commit to the character that they’re doing.

Have clients ever recognized you from your acting?

They figure out after a while, but I separate the security industry from the film industry. When they find out that I was Flash Gordon and in the film business for years, that’s okay once I’ve already proven myself as a security professional. But when I start a project and people say, “Wait a minute, time out: you’re saying that we have a former superhero and/or actor in the movie business who’s protecting the lives of my family and me? Something’s wrong here.” [Laughs] I had a big, big successful executive at a major [movie] studio. I had been protecting him for about a year. Then he put it together. He said, “Oh my God, I know exactly who you are. I trust you with my life! Thank God I knew you as a security professional before I found out you were Flash Gordon.”




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PreparationH
PreparationH - 6/23/2012, 3:12 PM
Say What? I don't care?
CPBuff22
CPBuff22 - 6/23/2012, 3:12 PM
You gotta be a major player to have Flash Gordon as your Body Guard.
goldenavenger77
goldenavenger77 - 6/23/2012, 3:16 PM
That's kewl... but not as Kewl as my ED 209 bodyguard!

Photobucket
BlindLemonShemp
BlindLemonShemp - 6/23/2012, 3:20 PM
'Rowdy' Roddy Piper should be a bodyguard... that would be the coolest security detail ever...

'i came here to kick ass and chew bubble gum... and im all out of bubble gum' haha
goldenavenger77
goldenavenger77 - 6/23/2012, 3:20 PM
@Tea

I like the lack of concern in the mothers face as the baby slides down the window.
elcaballerooscuro92
elcaballerooscuro92 - 6/23/2012, 3:25 PM
mexico is a really scary place right now so it's a huge thing. my respect to this fail actor, hope this won't happen to me
95
95 - 6/23/2012, 3:26 PM
Accomplished career.
95
95 - 6/23/2012, 3:27 PM
@IM53 LMAO
thedudeabides
thedudeabides - 6/23/2012, 3:27 PM
My brother and I met this guy at Comic Con in 2008. He was one of the nicest people I've ever met. We even got his signature on one of the Alex Ross figures. When we were waiting outside the Convention Center, he comes walking by and shakes each of our hands before he got in the limo out front. I really wish they never dubbed his voice in the film.
marvel72
marvel72 - 6/23/2012, 3:28 PM
any of you guys remember the tv show the highwayman.

rsahadi
rsahadi - 6/23/2012, 3:32 PM
Flash Gordon was a great movie. Jones was an awesome Flash. Wish you the best, Sam and stay alert out there.
KingEmperor
KingEmperor - 6/23/2012, 3:35 PM
@marvel72

Hells, yeah. I remember Highwayman. I watched it solely for that truck. It was like a live action M.A.S.K.
GreyChaos13Zero
GreyChaos13Zero - 6/23/2012, 4:05 PM
Flash Gordon was alright, I enjoyed it for what it is?)

Bodwulf
Bodwulf - 6/23/2012, 4:06 PM
I remember the Highwayman as well! ah.. the 80's
marvel72
marvel72 - 6/23/2012, 4:31 PM
@ teabag
@ kingemperor
@ bodwulf

:D hahahaha i'm glad you liked,i thought it was pretty good back in the 80s.

it probably wouldn't stand up well today,but it was watchable back then.
brickwall
brickwall - 6/23/2012, 4:40 PM
Forgot about Highwayman gotta love the 80's tv shows... Knight Rider, Airwolf, Street Hawk, [frick]in love them years.
rocky
rocky - 6/23/2012, 4:41 PM
A former fellow Devil Dog. Much respect.

He may be a failed actor like elcaballo up there said but he is far from a failure.

Didn't know he had a cameo in TED, I'll be checking that out this weekend anyway so I'll keep my eye out
boiling
boiling - 6/23/2012, 6:02 PM
Anthrax
Anthrax - 6/23/2012, 6:07 PM
omg its jabba the hut^^
lunesta
lunesta - 6/23/2012, 6:52 PM
what the [frick] did i just see @boiling
AsianVersionOfET
AsianVersionOfET - 6/23/2012, 7:17 PM
@boiling, what the sin?!
Tainted87
Tainted87 - 6/23/2012, 7:45 PM
Timothy Dalton ftw!

Freddie REALLY got into his vocals for Flash Gordon, but we have Roger Taylor to thank for their involvement.
FlixMentallo21
FlixMentallo21 - 6/23/2012, 8:09 PM
I saw the Flash Gordon film for the first time two weeks ago, and yeah--it was a turkey. But according to some guy, everybody involved in the film probably knew they were making a turkey, so they decided to have a ball with it. Max Von Sydow has even stated that Ming the Merciless was one of his favorite roles because of all the crazy costumes he got to wear. Believe it or not, Jones had a falling out with Dino De Laurentis in post-production, so most of his lines were dubbed over by a sound-alike. At least Jones found a calling that makes a difference. I'd like to meet the guy someday.
MGS
MGS - 6/23/2012, 8:29 PM
Boiling@ that's not Sam Jones, but Maniac Cop himself Robert Z'Dar
GUNSMITH
GUNSMITH - 6/23/2012, 8:36 PM
BUTTERFACE
longbowhunter
longbowhunter - 6/23/2012, 9:26 PM
I showed my son Flash Gordon a few years ago. He was wanted to know what Sam Jones looked like today. When I Googled his name we both got a face full dong courtesy of his Playgirl spread from the 80's.
cosmicstranger
cosmicstranger - 6/23/2012, 9:33 PM
So wait a minute...the ONLY job requirement for being a bodyguard in Mexico is to have been in a Flash Gordon movie...made forever ago?
SCURVYDOG619
SCURVYDOG619 - 6/23/2012, 9:57 PM
You know who else were bodyguards? Jesse Ventura,Mr. T,and Micheal Clarke Duncan....

And Chuck Zito,of course. Ask Van Damme about him...lol
WellDrawn
WellDrawn - 6/23/2012, 10:22 PM
I disagree with the statement that Flash Gordon was so bad it was good - It's CAMP not KITSCH - In other words, it's knowingly over the top and cheesy.

It's like 60's Batman TV show - other than Adam West, no one involved took it seriously.
GoILL
GoILL - 6/23/2012, 10:41 PM
Dude looks horrible.
Danbojohnj
Danbojohnj - 6/23/2012, 10:53 PM
Just fu*king died at that gif of Teabags with the baby....nearly fell off the bog
spidey1994
spidey1994 - 6/24/2012, 2:56 AM
TheGlove
TheGlove - 6/24/2012, 3:05 AM
Gordon's Alive!!!!!!!!!!
boiling
boiling - 6/24/2012, 9:33 AM
i know that i posted Robert Z'Dar, but this pic of Sam J Jones reminds me of Robert ;)
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