Few Complaints from Local Couple who Filmed "Royal Pains" Episode

Geri Ertle is a real estate agent and George Ertle runs his own healthcare consulting business, but the Setauket couple last week got a taste of what it feels like to be television actors.

The Ertles were cast as background players – or extras, in non-industry terms – in an episode of the USA network's Royal Pains shot Aug. 17 and Aug. 18 in Bay Shore. They came away from the experience with a new appreciation for what goes into making a television show.

"It was fun to watch how each scene gets set up and how many times they shoot the scene to get the final take," George Ertle said. "You go there to have fun, to have an interesting day ... It was tiring, but it was fun."

Geri Ertle agreed.

"This is something I never would have imagined doing," she said. "We’re probably going to be a blur in the background, but it was an experience."

A casting associate with Grant Wilfley Casting Inc. said the Ertles were chosen "because of their 'upscale look' that was to portray the guests of a high-society party scene set in the Hamptons."

While other background players relied on the show's wardrobe for appropriate attire, the Ertles showed up looking their best in their own clothes – and got a thumbs-up from the crew. Geri wore a chic dress in summer colors, while George wore dress pants and a jacket with a blue shirt and tie. They even got a callback to film a second day at the Bay Shore location.

"Color is very important," George said. "When they were setting up a scene, if there were five people wearing light colored outfits, they’d have to mix it up a little bit."

It was Geri who got the ball rolling by sending in photos of herself, her husband, her daughter, and her daughter's boyfriend – without their knowledge – to the casting agency. Then the agency actually called.

"She kind of told me, 'You're not doing anything for the next couple of days,'" said George, 50. "I said, 'What are we doing?' She said 'We're going to be on TV.'"

The couple spent two 11 to 12 hour days filming the show, during which they mimed conversations with other background players, faked taking sips of beverages, followed the instructions of the directors, and did it all over again every time the crew called for a reset.

Geri, 49, admitted she wasn't familiar with Royal Pains prior to applying to be a background player. Since then, though, she has been watching every episode she can find, and has been enjoying the show.

"When you watch a TV show or a movie, you don’t realize the background people," she said. "Now when we watch TV, we notice the extras."

RELATED: Read Southampton Patch editor Brendan O'Reilly's account of .