Inqlings: Cooper seldom seen at the scene
The Center City filming of The Dark Fields has brought out gawkers - mainly young women seeking a smile from star Bradley Cooper.
![Former Flyer Dave "The Hammer" Schultz takes in a screening of the HBO documentary "Broad Street Bullies" at the Wachovia Center.](https://www.inquirer.com/resizer/c5kX0SdG_g-hPZ0gWfIhM8Y9Jq8=/760x507/smart/filters:format(webp)/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-pmn.s3.amazonaws.com/public/P6BE267OJBGFTCULMYA7V6KALE.jpg)
The Center City filming of The Dark Fields has brought out gawkers - mainly young women seeking a smile from star Bradley Cooper.
Most of the scenes are interiors, meaning fans may wait for hours for actors to emerge from cars or buildings for a fleeting encounter. The Rydal-bred Cooper has been scarce, devoting his energy to a role that has him changing from slacker to suave to desperado.
Friday's shooting had him inside an apartment in the Cosmopolitan at 12th and Locust Streets that serves as the flat of his character's girlfriend (Abbie Cornish). Though trailers were parked outside City Hall, nothing was filmed there.
Caroline McCormick, 22, a senior majoring in materials science and engineering at Drexel, reported that she was waiting outside the Hotel Palomar at 17th and Sansom Streets, a location used Wednesday, when Cooper walked out to his car - while following two unsuspecting paparazzi who'd been waiting for him. McCormick, who shared the anecdote on Twitter, later told me that a security guard had winked at her, in effect begging her silence. She agreed. The paps never saw him, and now McCormick hopes karma will grant her an audience before Cooper and company wrap May 28.
Ashley Sindaco, 23, of King of Prussia, said she liked the "whole moviemaking process" in addition to gawking. "It's great to see them coming to Philadelphia," she said.
Monday's shoot will be at the Happy Rooster, a bar-restaurant at 16th and Sansom Streets, for a scene that has Cooper's character having a drink with his ex-brother-in-law, played by Johnny Whitworth (3:10 to Yuma).
Synergy
A rare era of cooperation has gripped the media world.
Personalities from CBS's five Philly radio and two TV stations are crossing over: In what CBS3 general manager Jon Hitchcock calls "unifying our brands," Danny Bonaduce of WYSP-FM (94.1) is doing hits on the CW Philly 57's morning news show, while CBS3's Ukee Washington turns up on KYW-AM (1060). Possible: Angelo Cataldi of WIP-AM (610) and Michael Smerconish of WPHT-AM (1210) on CBS3 or CW. Hitchcock says CBS radio reaches 31 percent of the local market. Add CBS's TV stations here and the figure rises to almost 97 percent.
Partnerships are moving beyond singular companies. While CBS is the only media giant in the region with both TV and radio outlets, Fox will partner with anybody. Switch on Fox29's Good Day show at its new earlier start of 4:30 a.m. and the anchors will be chatting via Skype with radio personalities about topics du jour. It's simply promotion, not paid. "It's a work in progress," says Fox29 news director Kingsley Smith. Patty Jackson of Clear Channel-owned WDAS-FM (105.3), who also is seen on NBC10; Preston & Steve of Greater Media-owned WMMR-FM (93.3); Mike Missanelli of Greater Media's Fanatic 97.5; and even Dom Giordano of CBS's WPHT-AM (1210) have been heard.
Media people
NBC10's Jamison Uhler is headed to Tampa, Fla., for an evening anchor's job at the ABC affiliate that goes by Action News, according to sources at both stations. The Media native, 34, did not return a call for comment. He's been at NBC10 for more than four years after a stop in Orlando.
Several hundred people gathered at Deliverance Evangelistic Church in North Philadelphia on Friday to say goodbye to veteran Channel 3 reporter Malcolm Poindexter, who died March 30, four days before his 85th birthday. The service included opera and gospel performances as well as a dance show in tribute to Poindexter, a patron of the arts. Speakers included Gov. Rendell, Mayor Nutter, Councilwoman Jannie Blackwell, and former coworkers Pat Ciarrocchi and Ukee Washington, as well as Orien Reid, who spoke of Poindexter's struggle with Alzheimer's disease. Also there: former Evening Magazine host Ray Murray, retired CBS3 reporter Trudy Haynes, retired meteorologist Tom Lamaine, Fox29's Joyce Evans, sportscaster Bill Vargus, and former NBC10 anchor John Blunt.
Havertown's Denny Somach, who produced Larry Kane's "Ticket to Ride," the recent live series at the Franklin Institute, says the two are in discussion with two talent agencies interested in booking a national tour, encompassing the same cities that the Beatles played in 1965. Kane and Somach are in England as Kane conducts interviews in London and Liverpool for his next book, When They Were Boys, and Somach helps with research and filming the interviews for a companion documentary.
Charitably speaking
Musician/author/activist Peter Buffett - he's financier Warren's son, no relation to Jimmy - will do a benefit Monday night at World Cafe Live for LiveConnections.org, a nonprofit that partners with World Cafe Live to offer music-education programs for city kids and special-needs populations. Buffett mixes in thoughts from his new book, Life Is What You Make It: Find Your Own Path to Fulfillment. It's $25 a ticket, $10 for students. Doors open at 6 p.m.; tickets: http://tickets.worldcafelive.com
Frank Sinatra Jr. will headline St. Ignatius Nursing Home's annual fund-raiser May 4 at the Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in University City; seats are $55 and $65. Details: www.stignatiusnursinghome.org
Eagles kicker David Akers will host a June 6 fund-raiser for Children's Hospital of Philadelphia at Cescaphe Ballroom in Northern Liberties. Headliner is comedian Joe Conklin; it's $150 a head. Details: http://davidakerskicksforkids.org
The circuit
The Philadelphia Theatre Company has extended Red Hot Patriot, the one-woman show starring Kathleen Turner as Molly Ivins, through next Sunday at the Suzanne Roberts Theatre.
A collection of Flyers from the past gathered at the Wachovia Center Tuesday for a premiere screening of the HBO documentary Broad Street Bullies. Goalie Bernie Parent said that while the show had brought back memories, "the one thing I took from it was now the younger generation will be able to see what a great team we had and the love this city has for its hockey team." The special premieres at 10 p.m. May 4.
Olympian Apolo Anton Ohno, who spent a few days here, dined at Parc on Rittenhouse Square on Wednesday. And no, wise guy, he did not have skate for dinner.