Meet Dr. Evil's maker

Chair-maker, that is.

Jim Hayes has set up Louisiana Hot Props, a props rental and manufacturing house, in Shreveport. His business partner is local music pro Jeff Burton.

An industry veteran, Hayes has been fashioning some very unusual items for a long time. He was director of manufacturing for the Los Angeles-based Hand Prop Room for 15 years.

He’s made tons of just plain cool stuff, including weapons for “Scorpion King” and the infamous Dr. Evil chair and the “enema bug” for “Austin Powers.”

How fun was imagining the last item?

“It was pretty gross,” Hayes confessed. Hopefully the testing phase didn’t last too long.

You’re bound to see lots of Hayes’s work in the future. He has supplied props for “The Mist,” “The Better Man,” “The Pardon” and the current “Major Movie Star.”

Setting up shop in Shreveport has turned out to be a good move. He’s glad friends encouraged him. “I saw the need through the local film commission,” Hayes said. “They all convinced me I could make a living here. It’s been on an upward role since then.”

He’s also working with the Robinson Film Center to create some funky designs for the interior of the new building (for downtown Shreveport). Among his best will undoubtedly be custom-made bar stools for the film center’s bistro.

Local music aficionados and motor heads may be very familiar with Hayes. He designs and builds hotrods. He designed the paisley fire adorning the second signature James Burton electric guitar for Fender.