By Michelle Ong

  Don "Deke" Phillips, Jr. co-stars in "No Pain, No Gain" as Dr. Martin Rabeau, PhD, a corrupt scientist who develops illegal designer steroids for Advanced Nutrition Corporation (ANC). He also served as the principal casting director for the film.

Phillips was "a key element of the production", according to producer-director Samuel Turcotte, both on and off screen. Turcotte elaborates that "Deke's performance as Dr. Rabeau is superb. He captured the intelligence and cynicism of the character, as well as his arrogance, but also added just the right dose of tongue in cheek humor that permeates the film. However, I am especially appreciative of Deke's contributions as the casting director. In that capacity he was a miracle worker and totally saved us in the last days of pre-production."   A week before filming was to commence, the casting backed out without explanation which forced an expensive delay in the start of the shoot. Co-producer Raul Carrera knew that Phillips had a network of actors from his own projects, and asked him to cast the film. Although Phillips had never undertaken casting for a feature film before, he was very eager take on the task and tackled it with "the ferocity of a tiger," says Carrera.

  On the set of "No Pain, No Gain" Phillips would encourage those working, both in front of and behind the camera, talking to them during long days and nights. His motivating personality and constant motion provided a welcomed stimulus around the set. He thus became, according to Carrera, "a strong stabilizing influence on the film." Many appreciated his helping hand, knowing that if they needed advice, Phillips would gladly and earnestly provide them with it. "He became a father figure to everyone," said star Gus Malliarodakis.

Education & Military Experience

  Don "Deke" Phillips, Jr. was a hardworking member of the Austin, Texas community. He worked for Simmons Media Group as a traffic producer and anchor at KWNX-AM, KTND-FM and KXAN-TV, and previously served five years as a helicopter traffic reporter for Skywatch Traffic and Metro Traffic Control in Austin with thirteen-affiliate radio and three television stations.

  Phillips graduated from Southeastern Louisiana University in 1975 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Speech and Theater. He later attended Donsbach University in Huntington Beach, California where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry and a Master of Science in Clinical Nutrition degrees. The latter degree relates to his childhood, growing up with parents owning a health food store that informed him about nutrition. To his friend and co-worker, Raul Carrera, Phillips "was kind of like a walking encyclopedia" with his expansive knowledge of nutrition.

   Phillips also contributed nationally, serving in the United States Army Signal Corps as captain. He served as a public affairs officer for the 101st Airborne Division and built WEGL, a radio facility at Ft. Campbell, Kentucky. He also worked in public affairs for the Texas Army National Guard at Camp Mabry in Austin, Texas for ten years.

Murder by Design

   Since 1991, he managed MbD Productions and Murder by Design, an interactive mystery and comedy entertainment company that specialized in corporate events for clients such as 3M, PricewaterhouseCoopers, and Ernst & Young as well as parties and weekend excursions. The idea behind Murder by Design began with Phillips's friend, Barbara Burnett Smith, a mystery novelist, who had participated in a dinner theater mystery in San Antonio. Smith and Phillips decided to create a business from her experience, but after Smith's writing career flourished, Don acquired her share and continued the company with his business partner, Paul Parkinson.

   At a Murder by Design show, actors would mingle with guests, until one of them is "murdered", throwing the entire party into a confusing jumble of investigation and interrogation, until the "culprit" is finally exposed. Murder by Design would also gather some background information on guests to weave them into the murder plot. Some guests would suspect the actors and the deception, while others were credulous.

   Phillips designed, wrote, cast, produced and directed more than a hundred such events for more than fifty clients. His wife, Jan Phillips, also played a role in the first Murder by Design show and continued to act in subsequent productions. Another less interactive dinner theater series was Dick Private Private Dick, based on 1930s film noir. Guests would also have the option to guess the murderer and the series would host a larger audience. Jan Phillips and Paul Parkinson are continuing the company in place of Don.

   The tight-knit community of actors that are involved in Murder by Design has also extended into Oracle theater group, performing more traditional theater, such as "The Importance of Being Earnest" based on the Oscar Wilde play, in November. Phillips had brought the theater group together and caused the creation of personal and professional relationships between cast members. With deep appreciation, Oracle dedicated the play to Phillips.

Vast Media Experience

   Media was Phillips's love. He worked twenty-one years as a production writer for radio and television. From 1996-1999, he was the managing director of the Actors' Alliance, associated with the Texas Film Alliance.

   Phillips also extended his talents into script writing, working in industrial, sales, promotional comedy and drama for radio, film and theater. He likewise directed more than fifty productions for traditional stage theater, radio production, television and video.

   In addition to being an experienced producer and director, Phillips cultivated an acting career. He starred in several movies and serial television including "No Pain, No Gain," "Lone Star," "Waiting for Guffman," "Bottle Rocket," "More than Two Dollars," "Heaven Help Us," and "A Woman of Independent Means." His acting career also involved industrial roles for the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, Texas General Land Office, Dell, VideoTelecom, UPS, the Texas Department of Public Safety, and USAA.

Contagious Enthusiasm

   Phillips was very outgoing, loving life, and enjoying every moment and experience. For Jan, after seven years of dating and fifteen years of marriage, "he was the best fun I ever had." According to her, he especially loved the people he had an opportunity to meet in his personal and professional life, and forged many lasting relationships. He believed in the necessity of respect, honesty and consideration within these relationships. To him, respect included frequently overlooked yet important acts such as returning phone calls and punctuality, and showed how deeply considerate he was of other people.

   For actor Gus Malliarodakis, Phillips was "eccentric and nice person, honest, joyful, happy." Carrera describes Phillips as being "contagiously enthusiastic" and "happy about making a movie". He was frequently described as being cordial and showed the extent of his kindness when he planned Malliarodakis's birthday party. He hosted a comedic event on a rented train including a birthday cake. Remembering the event, Malliarodakis said, "He surprised me with my birthday, and my birthday is on New Year's Eve...I thought that was really nice. I had only known him for three weeks."

   Phillips also possessed a strong work ethic. In a previous project with Carrera for the Department of Public Safety, as an actor for a ninety-minute educational video, Phillips utilized his traffic reporting skills and masterfully spoke and acted with only an ear piece that delivered recorded lines into his ear. Instead of reciting lines, he to expressed a personal knowledge of the material.

   He also differentiated his personal and professional life, working with his wife, Jan, in Murder by Design shows. As director, Phillips treated Jan like any other actor. This equality was greatly appreciated and showed sincere professional respect.

Extensive Accomplishments

   While Phillips excelled at a number of media and entertainment fields, his friends and co-workers differed on which field they believed he best excelled in. Carrera believed he excelled in radio, admitting that Phillips was an excellent actor, but chiefly a superb presenter. Instead of just repeating the script and memorized information, Phillips would always educate himself on the material, having authority over the material.

   According to Carrera, he held a "no nonsense approach. If he was going to do something, he was really going to do it." Jan believed that he was especially skilled as a producer and director. The former due to his ability to know and remember important matters necessary for productions. He was also commended as an exceptional actor and had the ability to perform any dialect and accent. He was especially adept at being able to perform at short notice. Turcotte elaborated that Phillips's greatest success was at life in general. His multiple projects, achievements and careers showed his ultimate success was in fact at living life to the fullest.

   Phillips had a number of accomplishments to be proud of, but Carrera felt he really enjoyed and was the most proud of his ability to work with younger people and that many of his projects were relevant to younger generations. A class he taught for young actors best exemplifies this. Some of his lessons dealt with staying in Austin and the unimportance of moving to the east or west coasts to form an acting career. The actors only needed to make show business a business. He was interested in encouraging young people in finding their individuality and social place. He was able to give many of them an opportunity through Murder by Design and and his film work such as "No Pain, No Gain."

His Memory Lives

   His death affected many of those close to him, including those who were touched by his work. Turcotte summarizes this feeling when he states "It just seemed like the ultimate contradiction to me that someone so giving and full of life could die so abruptly and so young."

   People will remember him for being enthusiastic, hardworking, and kind. Those who have seen or experienced his work will memorialize him. He will also be venerated for his numerous contributions to the media industry and the community. His motto was "never give up, never surrender" and he never did give up or surrender, working and juggling numerous projects, succeeding in them and retaining enthusiasm and genuine happiness.