Buttmunker

In Taps, released in 1981, Sean Penn had a crew cut because he was in the military academy.

In Fast Times At Ridgemont High, released in 1982, Sean Penn had long, surfer-dude hair!

Now, I am not an idiot (two-fold): 1) I know hair doesn't grow that fast; 2) This is Hollywood

Regardless, I suppose one of two things occurred: either the release of the movies were not the order they were filmed, or they had very good hair plugs, even back in 1982.

Anyone have any insight?

Geofferson

He wore hair plugs - I think Amy Heckerling and Cameron Crowe talked about that briefly in the Fast Times... commentary.

Buttmunker

Hair plugs, huh? They looked real! It was awesome! Totally awesome!!

Why can't today's bald actors wear as good hair plugs? Like Burt Reynolds or Ben Affleck?

Numanoid

I imagine that he had hair weaves, which is basically someone elses long hair intertwined with your short hair, giving the illusion of long hair.

The reason Burt or Ben (allegedly) couldn't do that is because they have no hair to attach the weaves to.

Buttmunker

You know, I don't think there was ever a movie after Fast Times where Sean Penn acted like Jeff Spicoli (and don't mention I Am Sam: Spicoli's Later Years). He did the role, and never looked back.

conscience

Buttmunker - because Penn is an awesome actor.

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Even though Heckerling and Crowe said he had hair plugs...he could have easily grown it if hair plugs weren't an option. Most films are almost entirely made a year (sometimes longer---sometimes shorter) before an actual release.

He could have easily grown a lot of hair for the role.

But it depends on when he stopped filming Taps and started on FTARH.

Tarantino

A thread dedicated to Sean Penn's hair? Sweet! Guess we're running out of "___ doesn't have an insert?" threads.

Thought I'd pop in because I love Fast Times. Why didn't Mr. Hand wear hair plugs?

For that matter, WTF is a hair plug?