The Office Cast Almost Died On Set, Twice
Jenna Fischer saved the entire team and became the hero of the day.
The Office is a cult comedy series that has long stood alongside genre legends like Friends. Most of the show's action takes place within the walls of the Dunder Mifflin office, but sometimes it moves to other locations, which, as it turns out, can be deadly.
The stars of The Office, Jenna Fischer and Angela Kinsey, talked about filming the project and the most awful moments behind the scenes.
Their experiences have been collected in a book called The Office BFFs: Tales of The Office from Two Best Friends Who Were There.
In excerpts from the book, the co-stars reveal that actor Bryan Cranston took over as director for season 4 episode 9, titled Work Bus.
According to the plot, the characters were forced to leave their office building and go to the "mobile workstation" for the entire day.
Fischer noted that the small bus was filled with fourteen actors, four crew members, several desks, chairs, a water cooler, a microwave, a television, and a coffee maker.
The scene was supposed to show Dwight "driving like a maniac" while the bus was actually standing still. However, this seemed unrealistic to the show's creators, and it was decided to use a stuntman who would actually drive the bus.
Up to a point, everything went well, but then the actors heard the assistant director yell: "Swerve!"
The stunt driver swerved sharply and the actors, along with all their furniture, props and sets, were scattered all over the bus. It is a miracle that not a single pencil or pen got stuck in anyone's eye.
After the extreme ride, the actors were released for lunch. They were cheered by the news that the team had secured a portable air conditioner that would blow air through a sunroof.
It seemed that the bus ride would not be so terrible now. But another unpleasant surprise awaited them.
After some time, Fischer noticed a strange odor in the bus. At first, her words were ignored, but then the operator felt bad.
It turned out that the intake hose of a portable air conditioner was next to the exhaust pipe, and carbon monoxide was leaking into the bus, making everyone feel worse and worse.
It was Jenna Fischer who realized something was wrong and literally saved the entire cast.
The cast and crew of The Office survived a harrowing day of filming and continued to work on the final season of the sitcom. The ninth and final season of The Office ended in 2013.