Page 16 - Robeson Living Spring 2022

During his two years in service, Brewer also worked part- can Gothic” and the “Matlock” Series with Andy Griffith, from
time at Cheyanne Mountain Zoo in Colorado Springs when whom he received an autographed picture. The list goes on and
stationed out west. In coming home to Wilmington, Brewer on.
worked as an appliance repairman for Sears, Roebuck & Co.
for 23 years and then in fulfilling a lifelong dream and doing Brewer left the movie sets and zoo behind — which reopened
something “that just felt right,” he bought a zoo. under original ownership with a new name, Tregembo Animal
Park — when he decided to move to Robeson County. He took
And not just any zoo, mind you, but Tote ‘Em In Zoo, his child- a job with a home health company as the maintenance supervi-
hood and young adulthood zoological training ground. The sor, a position he held for his first decade here.
1990 purchase opened a whole new world and even screen to
the North Carolina native. He is now retired and enjoying time in the woods and on the
water. His newest adventure is in leading kayak trips down the
The big screen. Lumber River with like-minded acquaintances and friends, all
deeply committed to keeping the waterway clear from hurri-
“The movie industry was really big in Wilmington in the ‘90s,” cane debris and felled trees. That’s no easy job in this storm-
Brewer said. “The zoo was already leasing animals to be used riddled area but all in a day’s work for the most interesting man
in movies. After I bought the zoo, they still wanted the animals, in Robeson County.
everything from alligators and snakes to rats, birds and spiders,
but they also wanted me as an animal wrangler. I managed to
do that and keep the zoo running with Sherrie managing the
zoo a lot. They paid me to put the animals needed in any given
film at the right place and the right time. I had to train and man-
age the animals, too. It was often crazy but a lot of fun, too. I
met and worked with many famous actors and actresses in over
30 movies.”

“Sometimes it wasn’t putting the animals there but instead
animal removal,” he continued. “In the filming of “Dawson’s
Creek,” a long-running TV series based in Wilmington, the pro-
ducers hired me to make sure the location was free of snakes
and alligators. You know they have alligators in Wilmington. Send Money with Zelle ®
Well, once I had to catch an alligator and tie it up so it would
Lumbee Guaranty Bank has partnered with Zelle so you can
not just go right back where it came from. I made sure it was all easily send money to friends, family and others you trust. I t's a
right and then released it when we finished filming. That was fast, safe and easy way to send and receive money, split the cost
of a bill or pay back your roommate for your share of the rent. 1
my one Crocodile Dundee gig.”

“They started out only wanting to pay me to be on the location FAST
one day but after I picked up a rattlesnake from under the pro- Send and receive money
typically in minutes 2
ducer’s foot, they would hardly let me leave.”
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A few times Brewer acted as a stunt double for animal phobic Send money using
actors. “Like once an actor was supposed to lead a miniature only an email
address or US
mobile phone
donkey around, but he wouldn’t because he was scared. So, number
they put a big ‘ole sombrero on me and a poncho around me (@
and asked, ‘Can you lead him?’ to which I said ‘sure.’ When EASY
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The donkey routine pales in comparison to the scene where account
Brewer doubled for a man bitten by a rattlesnake while in bed.
The actor had a double. The snake didn’t.
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Brewer’s illustrious movie resume includes the films “Domes- 1 In order to send payment requests or split payment requests to a U.S. mobile number, the mobile number must already be enrolled in Zelle.
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