Detective show's stars, creators to ‘Grace' the city with a visit

By Gene Triplett
Entertainment Editor

"The controversial cop drama "Saving Grace” may be shooting on the actual streets of Oklahoma City if a visit next week from the cast, key writers and producers is successful in raising $3 million to foot the bill.

Series star Holly Hunter, co-stars Leon Rippy, Laura San Giacomo and Bailey Chase, and the show's Oklahoma City-raised creator, Nancy Miller, will be part of a 22-member group arriving late Wednesday and early Thursday for a four-day tour of the metro area.

They are to meet with civic and business leaders aimed at raising money to finance location filming here.

"The primary reason for the trip is research, for the writers and the cast to really be on the ground here and get a feel for the place and get to know the place,” said Jill Simpson, director of the Oklahoma Film and Music Office.

Fundraising is the secondary goal of the trip, Simpson said. Because of budget restrictions, the basic-cable show has used southern California and Canadian locations almost exclusively in its first season.

Producers are hoping to convince prospective corporate benefactors that putting the real Oklahoma City on the nation's home screens every week will work wonders for its image and economy.

"Basically, $3 million would secure a seven- to 10-day shoot in January, which would be to shoot enough footage of them on the streets of Oklahoma City to cut into the first six to eight episodes of season two,” Simpson said.

What's in it for the city?

Mayor Mick Cornett will present Hunter and Miller with keys to the city during a Thursday morning news conference at the Skirvin Hilton Hotel, said David Holt, the mayor's chief of staff. Afterward, Hunter and Miller will address a joint meeting of the board of directors and the advisory board of the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce.


"They're doing a lot for Oklahoma City, from an image perspective,” Holt said of the show and its producers. "I've seen all the episodes. The episode where Holly walked in front of a giant post card on a wall, and it said ‘Visit Oklahoma City,' six million eyeballs saw that ... So that's a great vehicle for us to have that kind of visibility.”

Chamber President Roy Williams said he would have to hear details of the production company's proposal before speculating on the business community's response.

"This is kind of unusual. It's not in the typical sense of sponsoring an event or sponsoring some athletic tournament because there's none of the ticket sales, retail sales, that kind of impact.

"That's not to say it's a bad idea. It's just to say, how does a business person go about thinking about this? I think it raises an opportunity potentially for some businesses, perhaps product placement within the show. Perhaps there are some companies or organizations or businesses who have a deep sense of interest in image promotion of Oklahoma City.

"So I think we have to tap into and share with the business community some very different opportunities that usually don't present themselves when you're dealing with these kinds of requests,” Williams said.

Miller, who grew up in Oklahoma City, said from Los Angeles she created the show as "my valentine to Oklahoma City.”

"To people who are offended, I understand that,” she said. "The show isn't for everybody. It's for adults, so you shouldn't watch it with your kids. I know why I'm doing the show, and I know I have nothing malicious in my heart and only good will for Oklahoma City.”

What's in it for the show?

Miller said she is proud of how Oklahoma City responded to the tragedy of the Murrah Building bombing in 1995, an event she feels has been almost forgotten by the rest of the country after the 9/11 terrorist attacks.


"I wanted to set something in Oklahoma City to show there's great people there,” she said.

"This is a great place to live, a great place to visit, there's a lot to us.”

Miller, who is also the show's executive producer, said shooting in Oklahoma City would also add more authenticity to the show and provide the city a chance to show off its most attractive landmarks, notable attractions and scenery.

"It's really hard to double Los Angeles for Oklahoma City,” she said. "Every street's got a ... palm tree on it with mountains in the background, and it's really difficult.

"We have some beautiful parts of Oklahoma City ... I want to see Grace rowing down the Oklahoma River.

"I want to see that Porsche going by the skyline downtown at Christmas time, how they light up the building with a cross. I want to see her Porsche driving past that,” Miller said."

Pretty cool! But a shoot in January??? NOOOOOO!! It's so cold and drab in January!

OH well, I'd take what we can get! Come on business leaders... pony up .. it can only help our tourism and business prospects if they do it correctly!

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