My exploration of deleted scenes from Twin Peaks continues with a look at Tim and Tom’s Taxi-Dermy. The first time I saw this transportation service was in the “Twin Peaks Access Guide to the Town.” I thought these photos were something created only for the book. Thanks to the release of Twin Peaks: The Entire Mystery on Blu-ray in 2014, we have a look at how the “taxi-dermy” would have appeared in episode 2.020.
MISSING PIECES – TIM AND TOM’S TAXI-DERMY
On Disc 3 of the The Entire Mystery set, there is a sampling of season two photos that includes a deleted scene of Tim Pinkle and John Justice Wheeler at Black Lake Airport. Let’s examine this scene from that was written by Harley Peyton and Bob Engles between January 30 – March 12, 1991:
FADE IN:
22. EXT. BLACK LAKE AIRPORT – DAY
Near sunset. A taxi sporting the sign “Tim and Tom’s Taxidermy” and bearing a huge set of antlers on its roof rolls up to the lone jet on the runway. A voice is heard inside the taxi:
VOICE
Straight… hold… steady… stop.
The taxi jerks to a stop in front of the jet. A piece of luggage falls to the runway, followed by Wheeler, who pulls himself to safety from the back seat where TIM PINKLE sits. His blind brother, TOM, sits behind the wheel in the front seat. Wheeler stares at the blind man. Tim explains his brother.
TIM
He loves to stuff, and he loves to drive. Otherwise he sleeps.
WHEELER
Well, I am very glad to have the opportunity to be thankful for arriving here.
TIM
The pleasure is half mine.
(pointing to the antlers on the hood)
Remember, we’ll stuff anything.
WHEELER
Right.
Tom shouts to Wheeler as he moves towards the jet.
TOM
Welcome to Twin Peaks.
The taxi pulls away under the direction of Tim’s voice- “Right, easy, right again, straight.”
WHERE IS THE TIM AND TOM’S TAXI-DERMY SCENE LOCATED?
The scene was shot at Whiteman Airport located at 12653 Osborne Street in Pacoima, California. It’s interesting to note that the airport is called “Black Lake Airport” in the script versus Old Unguin’s Field from the “Twin Peaks Access Guide to the Town.”
You can see the same signs – Pull for Service – in the background of this image of Pete Martell arriving at the airport with Audrey Horne.
The Access Guide was published in June 1991 (despite my thinking it had existed since the first season). The Twin Peaks Gazette – the short-lived official fan publication – even teased the guide in one of it’s three issues.
The faux advertisement for Tim and Tom’s appears on Pages 58-61 in the book. Episode 2.020 aired on April 18, 1991, so it makes sense that Tim and Tom’s were included in this guide (especially since viewers would have recently seen them on television). I wonder if they were to play a bigger part if there would have been a Season 3 on ABC Television.
Here’s a larger image of Tim and Tom from the “Access Guide.”
The faux advertisement continued on pages 60-61.
Through the magic of telepathy, blind Tom pictures vividly everything his brother says. Born in Twin Peaks, never having left for anything, the brothers are inseparable. The only time they’re not working is when they’re sleeping – and even then they’re sawing logs.
We’ll drive anyone anywhere*
We’ll stuff anything, even a bear**
Tom says: “Don’t be nervous, just close your eyes like me.”
Tom was played by Gregg Fienberg, supervising producer for Twin Peaks. The photo above comes from the ABC Photo Archives with thanks to The Mauve Zone.
Come ride and stuff with us.
Tim says: “Tom’s blind … come ride in the back with me I’ll drive.”
Of course, Tom’s brother – Tim Pinkle – was played by David L. Lander and had become a well established character by this episode.
I can’t help but think of Double Ed from David Lynch’s Blue Velvet when I see Tim and Tom. Sadly, we never see Tim and Tom’s Taxi-Dermy on screen. Perhaps they are still “riding and stuffing” somewhere among the pines.
*(Within Twin Peaks City Limits)
** (Has to be dead.)
