This clown was in 'Platoon,' 'Delta Force'

It was the 1980s and by some twist of fate for a flighty young Eric Hahn, the Philippines had become the unlikely hub of the movie industry. One stuntman class later, he was on movie sets, hanging out with big Hollywood names by any standard. And though his days as a stuntman are past him, he looks back on the experience fondly.

Name: Eric Hahn

Hometown: Washington, D.C.

Where he lives now: McAllen/Reynosa, Mexico

What he did: Stuntman/actor/casting director/production assistant

What he does now: Works at IHOP; on the weekends he entertains young diners as a balloon animal-making clown

Notable works: Platoon (1986), Blackbelt II (1993), Delta Force 2: The Colombian Connection (1990), Dune Warriors (1990), Women of Valor (1986), Behind Enemy Lines (1986)

How long he worked in movies: about 10 years

What it was like being a stuntman in the Philippines: A flood of movie productions in the area had prompted gyms to create stuntman schools, forming troupe-like groups of action movie actors and extras. Sometimes, there would be three or four movies filming at the time.

On his Platoon gig: "A friend gave me a tip about a new director named Oliver Stone who was going to be filming a low-budget movies in the area," he remembers. And he walked onto set in that exact mind frame: It's just another movie. So he would chat with actors, talking mindlessly about nothing important. Hahn would later find out that those guys were be big name stars Johnny Depp and Charlie Sheen. It also came to a shock to him that the "low-budget" movie he had attached himself to would go on to win four Academy Awards.

Odd fact: "Sometimes I'd die 50 or 60 times in one movie. I'd be the guy blowing up in the background."

Behind the scenes: Hahn remembers that while on the set of Delta Force 2, actor Chuck Norris was "friendly with everyone and would go talk to us and give us advice on how to stay in shape," he said. "He wasn't a stuck-up star."

Why it came to an end: As violence picked up in the Philippines, movie companies began having trouble getting insurance and work became scarce. Hahn also suffered a personal tragedy that made him want to return to the States.

How he ended up in the Valley: After leaving the Philippines, Hahn thought moving to the region would be an easier adjustment that returning to his native Washington D.C. "The people here are laid back and nicer people," he said.

Future plans: Hahn is looking to get back into the industry. He recently updated his Internet Movie Database profile with a resume and is hoping to get some work soon.

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