TV’s Brooke Burns remembers Detroit visit and sends a Lansing shout out

Actors who live in and around Hollywood, California see vacationers riding open-air busses driving people past the “stars homes” on tours that originate from the Walk of Fame area near the Hollywood’s iconic Chinese Theater. Those vacationers have chosen to visit Tinseltown and see the big screen scene, where they might also be part of a studio audience for the taping of a game show or sitcom.

Sometimes performers are sent to shoot films on-location. Sir Michael Caine, for instance, reportedly agreed to appear in the low-brow “Jaws 4” in part because it was filming in the Bahamas and in addition to the good weather, was a convenient stopover while he was moving from LA to London. And since Caine was beached on set during the Academy Awards Hollywood had to present his Oscar in absentia for an earlier film.

London is a favorite location for Famke Jansen, who appeared in a 007 movie and the “Taken” and “X-Men” films.

“I love London. I would like to make that my second home,” Jansen told me, via phone, from her home in New York City. “I love traveling. I am a nomad and have been wandering my whole life. It would be hard to tie me down and keep me in one place.”

Her roles have found her filming on-location in Cape Town, Istanbul, Malibu, Monaco and more. Some of her “Bond villain” scenes in “Goldeneye” were set in Cuba but filmed in Puerto Rico.

“I did a DNA test and I have a little bit of Irish in me. I love the Irish,” said Jansen, who starred with Irishmen Pierce Brosnan as 007 and Liam Neeson in “Taken.”

“I stay within my 5-mile radius picking (up) my kids from school,” laughed Emmy-nominated TV star Brooke Burns, who appeared on Baywatch and Melrose Place, two hit shows set near her home in the Los Angeles area. She said she likes to hike the area’s scenic canyons and trails.

“The weather here in Los Angeles is often beautiful so I like to be outside in God’s nature.”

Despite her hometown girl-next-door image, the actress had her “Grace Kelly moment” when she married the son of the Australian Prime Minister.

Burns also remembers traveling to Detroit to tape the finale of the series “Motor City Masters,” a show about car designers.

“I remember the local food. We ate very well. It was my first time visiting there and I did a little tour on the sky train for the birds-eye-view,” said Burns, referring to a ride on the People Mover. “There were sections of the city where you could see there had been struggles, but it was great to see the city coming back to life.”

Burns is a Dallas Cowboys fan. “Shout out to Lansing for sending us Cooper Rush,” she said in support of the former Lansing Catholic High School quarterback who is now wears the star on his helmet in the NFL.

John Roth, a state representative from the Traverse City region, told me he’s proposed legislation that can lure more movie productions to Michigan through his Multi-Media Jobs Act.

“Forty other states have incentives. We need to make it so people stay here and create jobs in Michigan," he said.

A movie was once filmed at the Bowers Harbor Yacht Club’s marina, which Roth ran. The beautiful sunset setting on Old Mission Peninsula won the indie sailing film called “The Hideaway,” a cinematography award. His daughter is studying film production at Grand Valley State University.

Contact Michael Patrick Shiels at MShiels@aol.com  His radio program may be found at MiBigShow.comor weekday mornings from 9-noon on WJIM AM 1240

This article originally appeared on Lansing State Journal: TV’s Brooke Burns remembers Detroit visit and sends a Lansing shout out