“The National Tourists Enquirer – All the Hints that are Fit to Print!”

Recently, a group of “Hollywood types” from California were in the area shooting a commercial for Chevrolet Impala. Chasing Cowboys, the production company handling the project, stayed in Oak Harbor. The filming was done out at Ebey’s Landing and Ebey’s Prairie and involved cars and helicopters running wild against the beautiful backdrop of Admiralty Inlet and the Olympic Mountains. It also involved closing a few roads for a time, but that’s another story. Wherever these companies go to do a “shoot,” they have a major impact on the local economy. Think about lodging 60 people for three days, feeding those 60 people, transporting those people to and from the film site, and then take into account all of the “stuff” they have to buy locally as they discover they need it to make the commercial. It’s huge business for many local merchants.

What has happened to all of the Hollywood business that we used to get to come our way? We’ve had many film companies working in the Whidbey area in past years. The cast of “Officer and a Gentleman” stayed in Oak Harbor for a few days while filming at Fort Casey and in Port Townsend and Fort Worden. I’m told that Richard Gere really is that cute. Who knew?

Also, “The War of the Roses,” shot in Coupeville, saw the likes of Danny De Vito, Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner, gentlemen all I understand (Ms. Turner used to end her day with a soak in the tub, a glass of whiskey, and a fine cigar), staying at a cozy Coupeville bed and breakfast. Other stories of this trio circulate through the lodging community of Coupeville and Oak Harbor to this day. You can still see the fund-raising bricks purchased by these stars, and others, at the Historical Museum in Coupeville.

The casts of both “Practical Magic” and “Snow Falling on Cedars” stayed in Oak Harbor while working on their respective movies; with the exception of Nicole Kidman, she flew back and forth from Seattle in her private helicopter. The “Practical Magic” production manager had an entire phone system installed in one of the rooms which controlled 24 phone lines. Our system at the time was not able to handle the volume of calls these producers and directors seemed to feel they must make. We still have the Sandra Bullock room at the Coachman Inn. Ethan Hawke one of the stars of “Snow Falling on Cedars,” was reported as a bit of a handful to keep happy, but Aidan Quinn of “Practical Magic” was very nice and polite, and a great tipper, so say the housekeepers.

I got my first look at Cuba Gooding, Jr. before I knew who he was. I must have missed “Jerry MaGuire.” During the making of “Navy Divers” (later released as “Men of Valor”), Cuba attended “saluting school” at NAS Whidbey to learn proper military etiquette and saluting, etc. Robert DeNiro, also in the film, did not attend. He stayed in Seattle at the U of W Marine Research Lab. It is supposed that the veteran actor already knew how to stand at attention. Film crews and extras were also in the area not too long ago, filming chase sequences featuring Deception Pass Bridge for the suspense thriller “The Ring.”

What’s my point, other than name dropping (and I love to do that) or trying to sound like a tabloid column dishing the dirt? Where have all these acting troupes gone? Canada! There are movies out that use Whidbey Island for a setting, but don’t even film here, like “Double Jeopardy,” starring Ashley Judd and Tommy Lee Jones. When the Canadian dollar was at an all time low vs. the U.S. dollar, many companies from Hollywood recognized that they could save significant sums of money by filming in Canada. Whole studios were constructed to handle all of the new business that the scenery, beauty, and economic savings of British Columbia drew northward. Now that our two dollars are much closer in value the film industry, already entrenched in Vancouver, has stayed put up there. So, I’m open to suggestions on how to lure the movie makers back to Whidbey and Oak Harbor. We have beautiful scenery too. Maybe a few more roundabouts . . . I mean traffic circles . . . in place will convince them of our European charm and unique quaintness. (Did I say that out loud?)

Randy Bradford is general manager of The Coachman Inn in Oak Harbor.