“Butch” Pelletier breaks into the movie business.

AUBURN – Acting in a movie was the farthest thing from Roland “Butch” Pelletier’s mind this winter.

But, thanks to Mitsy, his family’s 5-year-old dachshund, and being in the right place at the right time, Pelletier was the only person in Maine to land an acting role in director Kieth Merrill’s “12 Dogs of Christmas” movie.

Actually, Pelletier, 54, of Auburn garnered two roles – that of sheriff and town clerk, affording him the opportunity to work opposite venerable and seasoned actor Richard Riehle, who plays the mayor in 12 Dogs.

“It was fabulous!” Pelletier said of the experience of working as a first-time actor for seven weeks during filming of the movie from March 21 through May 1 in Maine, New Hampshire and the Bethel area.

“It was so fantastic to do something like that! I really enjoyed myself. It was awesome! Would I do it again? In a heartbeat at the drop of a hat,” he added.

And not only did Pelletier get paid “generously” (he won’t say how much), but he’s now a member of the Screen Actors Guild.

Born and raised in Rumford, Pelletier graduated from Stephens High School in 1969, got drafted, served three years in the Navy, and worked 28 years for General Electric of Auburn before retiring.

Two months ago, after seeing a Sun Journal story about a “12 Dogs” casting call for canines, Pelletier’s wife, Nancy, asked him to audition Mitsy for a part.

He did so on March 20. Then, as a lark, he read lines for the role of the butcher and went home. The next day, Roland Pelletier – not Mitsy – got a phone call to show up on the set as an extra.

Pelletier said that when he arrived, he didn’t know it was an hour and a half after a Boston actor had reportedly turned down the dual roles of sheriff and town clerk.

“I walked in and Kevin Merritt, the production assistant, looked at me and said, You’re going to be our next sheriff and clerk.’ I couldn’t believe it happened to me,” Pelletier said.

He was then whisked into wardrobe, makeup and right onto the mayor’s office set on March 21 at Hanscom Hall at Gould Academy in Bethel.

Pelletier was also given a movie contract, a Screen Actors Guild contract and a script with his first lines for a part that took three hours to set up and film.

“I had to pinch myself to make sure I was alive.”

Old cars, handcuffs

Memorizing and reading lines weren’t the only tough things he had to do. Starting and driving standard-shift, push-button antique cars was another experience.

Others included learning how to handcuff a prisoner with vintage cuffs, and not to chit-chat when wired for sound.

That one he learned when acting opposite the “12 Dogs: villain, actor John Billingsley, who was fresh off his big success as supporting co-star to Denzel Washington in “Out of Time.”

“I had to go to the dog fight scene and arrest John Billingsley – who played dog catcher Doyle – and as I handcuffed the guy, I brought him over to the car, and started talking with him. I didn’t remember I was wired for sound, and we had to do it all over again,” Pelletier said.

Now he’s looking forward to possibly going to the movie’s grand premiere for “12 Dogs” actors this fall in either Manhattan or Salt Lake City. That and his next acting gig.

“I want to enjoy Maine for the summer, and, hopefully, next fall, contact the SAG union and get my name in for some acting jobs in L-A – not Lewiston-Auburn,” Pelletier added.

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