Amersham Band star in new Bill Murray movie (From Bucks Free Press)

Amersham Band star in new Bill Murray movie

7:30am Tuesday 12th February 2013 in News By Andy Carswell

KEEP your eyes peeled if you go and see the latest Bill Murray film - because you might see eight members of the Amersham Band appearing alongside the Hollywood star.

The Bucks musicians feature in the new film Hyde Park, which was released in cinemas last week, after being selected for stardom by a film company.

The film features Ghostbusters star Mr Murray as American President Franklin D Roosevelt and members of the band have their moment in the Hollywood spotlight in a scene entertaining him at his summer house.

The script called for a small German American brass group - leading to the eight members of the Amersham Band dusting off the lederhosen and practising their oompah music.

Band member Kim Speller, who led the group, said: “We hunted around for some period instruments and hired a large bass Sousaphone to give an authentic look. Luckily in the band’s library we found several pieces of German march music which really fitted the bill.”

Band Chairman Fred Harrison said: “It was great fun to get involved and to meet Bill Murray. Once the filming was completed he even had a go at playing the Sousaphone jamming along with the band.”

Filming was done in a single day at a country house in Hertfordshire.  The movie depicts the story of the love affair between President Roosevelt and his distant cousin Margaret 'Daisy' Suckley, and is centred around a weekend in 1939 when the King and Queen of the United Kingdom visited upstate New York.