Movie featuring Jon Bon Jovi may be filmed here
By J.D. Walker
Staff Writer, The Courier-Tribune


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ASHEBORO - Just call us Hollywood East.

Another production is interested in filming in Asheboro, this time in the historic Randolph County Courthouse on Worth Street and featuring well-known rocker-turned-actor Jon Bon Jovi.

Linda Brown, Randolph County Tourism Development Authority (TDA) director, will address county commissioners Monday to request permission to use the facility as a film site.

Brown said Wednesday that National Lampoon producers want to film a courtroom scene for an upcoming, low-budget comedy entitled "The Trouble with Frank."

The film production is based in Greensboro. If use of the site is approved and film producers confirm their intent, actors and crews will be in Asheboro around May 8-14.

The movie stars Bon Jovi whose music credits include such hits as "Wanted Dead or Alive" and "A Wing and a Prayer" and his film credits include "U-571," "Vampires: Los Muertos" and "Pay It Forward." He also took a turn in several episodes as Ally McBeal's love interest before that show was canceled in 2002.

The comedy is about long-time loser and chronic dreamer Frank Hopper, who is convinced he's hit the jackpot when he receives a credit card in the mail, said Brown. Soon he's on his way to financing his dream of creating an all-woman ice hockey team, and also in debt to the tune of over $300,000.

Other players being solicited for the film include Cary Elwes ("The Princess Bride"), Jonathan Silverman (the "Weekend with Bernie" series), Nora Dunn ("Saturday Night Live," 1985-90) and David Faustino ("Married With Children").

Brown toured the old courthouse Wednesday with local officials, producer Phil Smoot, the film's assistant director and the set builder.

Brown said she will ask the county to make the courthouse available at no charge. She will make a similar appeal to the Asheboro City Council on April 8 for special parking consideration and help in managing traffic.

Brown said it is common practice at the state level not to charge for use of state facilities. County commissioners voted in support of film industry incentives in December 2003 when the possibility was raised that production of a movie on the life of Richard Petty might be filmed in Georgia.

At the time, Georgia officials were rumored to be offering larger tax breaks and cash incentives to lure the production away from Petty's home state.

Brown said the goal is to encourage movie makers to think of North Carolina first (and hopefully, the Piedmont next) when they consider where to locate. Experts estimate that 25 percent of a film's production costs stays in the area where it is filmed in terms of money paid to hotels, restaurants, retail outlets, trades people, movie extras and construction workers.

Films also give an area valuable national exposure that lasts long after the movies leave the theater, said Brown.

"And you can't buy that kind of publicity."