More Missing Pieces – Tim and Tom’s Taxi-Dermy

Tim and Tom's Taxi-Dermy logo
Tim and Tom’s Taxi-Dermy logo from Twin Peaks Access Guide to the Town.

We’ll drive anyone anywhere*
We’ll stuff anything, even a bear**

My exploration of deleted scenes from Twin Peaks continues with a look at Tim and Tom’s Taxi-Dermy. The first time I saw this transportation service was in the “Twin Peaks Access Guide to the Town.” I thought these photos were something created only for the book. Thanks to the release of Twin Peaks on Blu-ray in 2014, we have a look at how the “taxi-dermy” would have appeared in Episode 2020.

Tim and Tom's Taxi-Dermy and JJ Wheeler
Episode 2020

On Disc 3 of the set, there is a sampling of Season 2 photos that includes a deleted scene of Tim Pinkle and  John Justice Wheeler at airport. Let’s examine this scene from that was written between January 30 – March 12, 1991:

FADE IN:
22. EXT. BLACK LAKE AIRPORT – DAY

Near sunset. A taxi sporting the sign “Tim and Tom’s Taxidermy” and bearing a huge set of antlers on its roof rolls up to the lone jet on the runway. A voice is heard inside the taxi:

VOICE
Straight… hold… steady… stop.

The taxi jerks to a stop in front of the jet. A piece of luggage falls to the runway, followed by Wheeler, who pulls himself to safety from the back seat where TIM PINKLE sits. His blind brother, TOM, sits behind the wheel in the front seat. Wheeler stares at the blind man. Tim explains his brother.

TIM
He loves to stuff, and he loves to drive. Otherwise he sleeps.

WHEELER 
Well, I am very glad to have the opportunity to be thankful for arriving here.

TIM
The pleasure is half mine.
(pointing to the antlers on the hood)
Remember, we’ll stuff anything.

WHEELER
Right.

Tom shouts to Wheeler as he moves towards the jet.

TOM
Welcome to Twin Peaks.

The taxi pulls away under the direction of Tim’s voice- “Right, easy, right again, straight.”

Google Maps
Google Maps

The scene was shot at Whiteman Airport  located at 12653 Osborne Street in Pacoima, California. It’s interesting to note that the airport is called “Black Lake Airport” in the script versus Old Unguin’s Field from the “Access Guide.”

Pete Martell's truck and Wheeler's Jet
Episode 2020

You can see the same signs – Pull for Service – in the background of this image of Pete Martell arriving at the airport with Audrey Horne.

The Access Guide was published in June 1991 (despite my thinking it had existed since the first season). The Twin Peaks Gazette – the short-lived official fan publication – even teased the guide in one of it’s three issues.

Twin Peaks Access Guide to the Town
Twin Peaks Access Guide to the Town

The faux advertisement for Tim and Tom’s appears on Pages 58-61 in the book. Episode 2020 aired on April 18, 1991, so it makes sense that Tim and Tom’s were included in this guide (especially since viewers would have recently seen them on television). I wonder if they were to play a bigger part if there would have been a Season 3 on ABC.

Tim and Tom's Taxi-Dermy
Twin Peaks Access Guide to the Town

Here’s a larger image of Tim and Tom from the Access Guide.

Twin Peaks Access Guide to the Town
Twin Peaks Access Guide to the Town

The faux advertisement continued on pages 60-61.

Tim and Tom's Taxi-Dermy
Twin Peaks Access Guide to the Town

Through the magic of telepathy, blind Tom pictures vividly everything his brother says. Born in Twin Peaks, never having left for anything, the brothers are inseparable. The only time they’re not working is when they’re sleeping – and even then they’re sawing logs.

Tom from Tim and Tom's Taxi-Dermy
Twin Peaks Access Guide to the Town

Tom says: “Don’t be nervous, just close your eyes like me.”

Gregg Fienberg
ABC Photo Archives with thanks to The Mauve Zone

Tom was played by Gregg Fienberg, supervising producer for Twin Peaks. The photo above comes from the ABC Photo Archives with thanks to The Mauve Zone.

Tim and Tom's Taxi-Dermy
Twin Peaks Access Guide to the Town

Come ride and stuff with us.

Tim from Tim and Tom's Taxi-Dermy
Twin Peaks Access Guide to the Town

Tim says: “Tom’s blind … come ride in the back with me I’ll drive.”

Of course, Tom’s brother – Tim Pinkle – was played by David L. Lander and had become a well established character by this episode.

Double Ed from Blue Velvet
Blue Velvet

I can’t help but think of Double Ed from David Lynch’s Blue Velvet when I see Tim and Tom.

Sadly, we never see Tim and Tom’s Taxi-Dermy on screen. Perhaps they are still “riding and stuffing” somewhere among the pines.

*(Within Twin Peaks City Limits)
** (Has to be dead.)

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