Justin Guarini, Sal Mazzotta, and other members of the cast and crew behind the scenes of
"The Unknown: Frankie the Squirrel" on location at the Trump Plaza in Atlantic City, May 2005
(click on photos for larger versions)

Other behind the scenes photos of other cast members can be found at Eagle Films, Inc.'s site and also here.

Justin plays a character named "Keith," a highroller that "Frankie" (played by writer/producer Sal Mazzotta) encounters at a roulette table in Atlantic City. Frankie is a gambler, down on his luck, who gets some lucky numbers from a mysterious man, "Lucky Smith," played by David Proval ("The Sopranos"). As Frankie and Keith play roulette, Frankie's luck changes. Suddenly, he's winning, he’s on top of the world, and beautiful women (always present at roulette tables) want to be with him.  Who is the mysterious man who gave him the numbers and what does he want in exchange??

The show is in the vein of The Twilight Zone, and very Hitchcock-like. Adam West will be the voice of the narrator, "Dr. Sol Rubin," taking the place of his good friend Frank Gorshin who passed away. Justin is in one scene but he is considered one of the principals in the episode. They had a blast shooting the scene at the Trump Plaza in Atlantic City.

Sal Mazzotta - Frankie The Squirrel (Lead)

Adam West - Dr. Sol Rubin

David Proval - Lucky Smith

Abe Vigoda - Uncle Morty

Justin Guarini - Keith

Johnny Williams - Mr. Tanner

Anne McDaniels - Misty

Chuck Astoria - Rocco

Linda Axelrod - Belle

William DaRuffa - Casino Owner

Freddie Ganno - Bouncer #1

Richard Hidlebird - Reggie

Jack Hoffman - Jimmy

John Benjamin Martin - Casino Dealer

Tony Luke Jr. - Tony

Vinny Pecora - Bouncer #2

Joe Procopio - Gambler Man #1

Matt Storm - Bruno

The Unknown Trilogy, including Frankie the Squirrel as the first installment, had its theatrical premiere on March 22, 2007, at the Prince Theater in Philadelphia.  The movie will be released on DVD on January 29, 2008, and can be ordered online at Amazon.com and other video sales outlets.

Click here for the official website of the producer, Eagle Films, Inc.

For more talk and tidbits, check out Essential Justin's "The Unknown" Discussion Forum.

In the Philadelphia Daily News

• June 14, 2005

  Shore things
  
  Doylestown "American Idol" alum Justin Guarini was dancing and flirting with a cute blonde Saturday night at Jerry Blavat's club Memories in Margate (Amherst & Madison). There with Guarini was whacked "Sopranos" alum David Proval, who played Richie Aprile, and producer Sal Mazzotta, who is working with Guarini and Proval on an upcoming project, "The Unknown."
   

• May 31, 2005

  Speaking of The Riddler

  Sal Mazzotta says he's signed Adam West for a role in "The Unknown," a "Twilight Zone"-esque project he's producing and starring in. West's role was to have been played by his former "Batman" TV enemy Frank Gorshin, who died this month.

  West played the Caped Crusader and his alter ego Bruce Wayne, and Gorshin played the Riddler on the 1960s series.

  Mazzotta and crew are off to L.A. this weekend to film West's parts in the short film/TV pilot.

  Another co-star in "The Unknown" is actor Chuck Astoria, who will also be seen in the upcoming "Annapolis," playing a boxing referee for some of James Franco and Tyrese Gibson's fights in the naval drama.

   

• April 28, 2005


Director Brian Cavallaro and producer Sal Mazzotta are getting ready to start shooting "The Unknown: Frankie the Squirrel" in Atlantic City. Mazzotta, who will also star, says the project is in the vein of "The Twilight Zone."

Mazzotta's not sure if they're working on pilot of a TV series, or a series of short films to be compiled for DVD release.

Actors slated to film May 9-14 are Frank Gorshin, Abe Vigoda, "Sopranos" alum David Proval, Johnny "Roastbeef" Williams, and Doylestown "American Idol" Justin Guarini.


• May 26, 2005


Gorshin's final role - almost

Just weeks before he died, Frank Gorshin was to travel to Atlantic City to work on producer/actor Sal Mazzotta's "The Unknown: Frankie the Squirrel."

Mazzotta learned that Gorshin was sick and made plans to shoot the former "Batman" TV star in L.A.  It never happened.

Mazzotta is bummed about not being able to work with the master impressionist, who would have played the narrator of his "Twilight Zone" styled project, directed by Brian Cavallaro. Mazzotta says "The Unknown" will soon shoot in Prague.

He's not sure whether it's a TV pilot or a series of short films, to be compiled for a DVD release.

In the Philly City Paper ("Icepack"):

• March 10-16

  We hear local producer/actor Sal Mazzotta may have plenty to celebrate. Is his Mafioso: The Father, The Son picked up by Showtime? Is he doing a pilot for a series for the SciFi Channel called The Unknown whose first episode is based on a script called "Frankie the Squirrel" he wrote with Leo Rossi?

In the Press of Atlantic City

• May 15, 2005


Film shooting at Trump Plaza

An independent film titled “Frankie the Squirrel” is currently shooting scenes at the Trump Plaza. The movie stars David Proval (“Mean Streets,” “The Shawshank Redemption”), Abe Vigoda (“Fish,” “The Godfather”) and “American Idol” contestant Justin Guarini (“From Justin to Kelly”). The film also stars Spock himself, Leonard Nimoy, but the “Star Trek” star wasn’t coming to A.C., according to sources.