'Guardian' visits Donora

DONORA - Amy Smaracheck got up at the crack of dawn Wednesday to catch a glimpse of her favorite television show being filmed in Donora.

Her 5:30 a.m. arrival to the set of "The Guardian," paid off as the Belle Vernon resident not only got to see the cast and crew of the popular CBS show, but also got to work as an extra.

"I am just so excited!" exclaimed Smaracheck, owner of the Second Time Around consignment store in Belle Vernon. "I wouldn't have missed this for the world, and to be cast as an extra in my favorite show is just amazing."

Smaracheck was one of many Mon Valley fans who spent the day hanging around the set as scenes for an upcoming episode were shot all day in the former steel town.

The legal drama, starring Australian Simon Baker as Nick Fallin, is directed by its creator, Pittsburgh-native David Hollander, whose father and grandfather hailed from the Monessen and Pricedale areas.

Hollander's brother, Scott Hollander, still lives in Pittsburgh and is director of KidsVoice, a child advocacy agency that was the inspiration for the show.

"The Guardian" films once a year in Pittsburgh, but included Donora in its schedule this year for a scene on the second episode of the show's third season, which premieres Sept. 23.

News of the cast's and crew's arrival had the small town buzzing all morning, as motorists stopped to check out the long caravan of trailers parked off of McKean Avenue near 10th Street.

In this episode, titled "Big Coal," Nick Fallin and new Fallin & Fallin criminal defense lawyer Sadie Harper (actress Gina Torres), try to get 23 people who live in the fictional town of Vernon to accept checks and sign waivers stemming from a coal mine fire that may be burning beneath the town.

At the top of 10th Street, the crew set up in front of a cream-colored house - the fictional home of Ezra Pence - played by guest star M. Emmet Walsh, a racist who wants more out of Fallin than the $30,000 offered.

Co-executive producer Vahan Moosekian said Donora was perfect for the scene.

"We wanted a rural area that was real," Moosekian said. "Donora fits the story and we had to change very little of the scenery to get prepared."

Moosekian and other crew members said they received a "great reception" from the folks in Donora, a far cry from the bustling streets of Los Angeles, where the majority of scenes are filmed.

"It's always great to go be on a location where you're welcomed," Moosekian said. "The people in Donora have been fabulous."

Production Manager Kate Gleason agreed.

"Everyone here has been so willing to help. It's been great," Gleason said.

As filming began, crew members hushed fans. Curious neighbors crowded into the background to watch the action. Police Superintendent James Brice had extra police on duty to direct traffic near 10th Street at the Donora-Webster bridge intersection. Scenes were also shot near the bridge, with the the Monongahela River in the distance.

Regina Dunseath's house is within walking distance of the set, and she arrived at 8:30 a.m. to see her favorite show being filmed.

"This is so exciting, especially for Donora," Dunseath said. "Nothing exciting ever happens here."

Her grandmother, Elizabeth Zimmerman, said she had no recollection of previous filming in the riverfront community.

"Oh, it's just wonderful," she said with a big grin.

Donoran Jamie Dickie and her 3-year-old daughter, Lauren, were among the spectators.

"When I heard they were going to be in town I knew I had to come up and check it out," she said.

The crowd also included four women - self-proclaimed "Guardian angels" - who traveled from as far away as Dallas to see the show being filmed. They came equipped with binoculars and cameras.

Shirley Goates drove 11 hours from Birmingham, Ala., to Pittsburgh, and made the trek to Donora early Wednesday morning.

Goates said navigation was not a problem. She just followed the arrows with "Guardian" written on them that were posted on Route 51 and lead her to Donora.

"I think this is a great little town," Goates said.

The excitement among the crowd heightened when Baker arrived shortly before 10 a.m. Clad in a sharp black suit with a baby blue dress shirt, he warmly greeted the crew and asked Gleason if there was a place in town for espresso, specifically a "double shot of latte with skim milk." Baker had to settle for a cappuccino from the Uni-Mart in Donora.

He must not have been disappointed; between scenes, Baker wandered over to the fans and signed autographs.

"The Guardian" was expected to resume filming in Pittsburgh today.

"I hope they come back next year," Smaracheck said as she waited for her call as an extra. "I'll definitely be back."