Tom Tuttle From Tacoma

A lot of people are not familiar with the movie Volunteers, but have likely come across it on some random channel on cable over the years. I am not a movie critic, but always enjoyed John Candy and really enjoyed this movie. I mean, a guy named Tom Tuttle from Tacoma, Washington sings the Washington State Fight Song, so how could I not like it, right?

What is really funny is that it has been a standing joke in our family that my Dad is basically Tom Tuttle, only from Everett, WA, not Tacoma, WA. He was in the Peace Corps in the 1960's in India, went to Washington State, is known to sing the WSU Fight Song and even bears a slight (sorry Dad) resemblance to Tom Candy (see below).

What I found out just recently is that Mariners broadcaster Ken Levine was one of the main writers for the movie. I work with Ken, and when I found out that Volunteers is one of his many (and I mean many) credits, I immediately e-mailed him to find out the story behind Tom Tuttle from Tacoma, Washington.

This is what Ken had to say about the development of Tom Tuttle:

In developing the Tom Tuttle character we wanted him to be a real do-gooder from an All-American college. The Midwest seemed so over used that we thought Washington State was just off-beat enough. We also thought it would be fun to have alliteration in his name, just to help make him seem that much more officious. We then went backwards. Figured he should be from Washington State. Tacoma sounded right. Thus Tom Tuttle from Tacoma. Neither of us knew a Tom Tuttle. It was all just servicing the needs of the character.

So there you go. The real story about Tom Tuttle from Tacoma, Washington, but I am still going to believe that a small part of the character was based off this guy!

My Dad in action (decked out in Cougar gear) on his last day at the Washington State Patrol (37 years, 3 months, 7 days)