City enjoys ride with 'Hack'
PHILADELPHIA -- It's sweltering and he's wearing a button-down shirt and jeans, but actor David Morse appears cool as he hops out of his cab and saunters up the steps of a rowhouse on the set of "Hack" in West Philadelphia.
He chats easily with a neighbor working in her garden, flashes a quick grin, and heads inside the house as though it were his own.
But the scene is more than just slick acting -- it's almost reality for Morse, who lives in the city with his family. The show's locale is also a rarity for network TV series, almost all of which are filmed in New York and Los Angeles, or across the border in Canada, where lower fees and the friendly exchange rate help cut costs.
"Hack" (which airs at 9 on Saturday nights on CBS) stars Morse as Mike Olshansky, a decorated Philadelphia cop who was booted off the force after pocketing drug money from a crime scene, and then turned to driving a cab to make ends meet.
The series was originally going to be set in New York, but producer Nan Bernstein said that Morse felt so strongly about filming the show near his home in Philadelphia that the producers decided it was worth the extra $40,000 to $70,000 an episode to film in the city.
"It became more of a wish to have David in the show," said Bernstein, who added that despite the hassles generated by bringing in crew and equipment, the city has been very accommodating. "The city was not selected as much as David Morse very, very much wanted to be in the show."
So the show was moved to Philadelphia, where virtually all filming is done, pulling an estimated $38 million into the local economy during the first season alone, according to the Greater Philadelphia Film Office.
Morse said he thinks it's refreshing to film outside New York and Los Angeles. He's one to know, having starred in the 1980s series "St. Elsewhere," which was set in Boston but filmed mostly in Los Angeles.
"They're able to fake it," Morse said. "But it feels fake. It doesn't feel genuine."
Philadelphia has hosted several major films, including the "Rocky" movies in the 1970s and 1980s, "Trading Places" in 1983 and "Philadelphia" and "Twelve Monkeys" in the 1990s. And filmmaker M. Night Shyamalan has reinforced Philadelphia's reputation for movies by shooting his films -- including "The Sixth Sense" and "Signs" -- almost exclusively in the city and its suburbs.
Ch. 7 names Nix as sports anchor
WHDH-TV (Channel 7) said yesterday it has named Wendi Nix as its weekend sports anchor.
Nix replaces Joe Amorosino, who was recently promoted to sports director. She will also work as a sports reporter on weekdays.
She comes to the station from the Fox Sports Network, where she was a national reporter. Having worked at WHDH as a freelance reporter for about a month, Nix will begin her staff job on Wednesday.
SUZANNE C. RYAN
On Boston.com
2 p.m.: AAA Car Doctor John Paul chats about proper vehicle maintenance.
Globe on NECN
Here's what's happening on "Around the Globe" today on NECN:
12:30 p.m.: "Globe at Home" -- Life at Home writer Benjamin Gedan and Dorian Solot, author of "Unmarried to Each Other: The Essential Guide to Living Together as an Unmarried Couple."
4 p.m.: "Around the Globe"
6:30 p.m.: "New England Business Day"
8 p.m.: "NewsNight" Schedule is subject to change.
Talk of the dial
7 a.m. WBNW-AM (1120) -- "ChickChat." Guest: Paige Davis, co-host of "Trading Spaces" on The Learning Channel and author of "Paige by Paige."
10 a.m. WBIX-AM (1060) -- "Stu Taylor on Business." Guests: Pia Poral and James Ringrose of "The Restaurant Review" show; Morgan Stanley executive director Bill Sullivan.
2 p.m. WSRO-AM (650) -- "The Frankie Boyer Show." Guest: Dr. David Orms Jons.
4 p.m. WBIX-AM (1060) -- "Market Wrap With Mark Mills." Guests: Beacon Fiduciary Advisors senior vice president Sandy Colby; Bob LeClair, author of "Bob LeClair's Financial Markets Newsletter."
Other radio highlights
8 a.m WGBH-FM (89.7) -- "Classics in the Morning." Rimsky-Korsakov's Russian Easter Overture, Op. 36; Beethoven's Piano Sonata No. 13 in E-flat, Op. 27 no. 1; J.C. Bach's Flute Sonata in C, Op. 18 no. 1; Bartok's Piano Concerto No. 2; Telemann's Motet, "Jauchzet dem Herrn, alle Welt"; Brahms's Horn Trio in E-flat, Op. 40.
Noon WUMB-FM (91.9) -- "Live at Noon." Guest: Kristin Sweetland, Canadian singer-songwriter.
9 p.m. WCRB-FM (102.5) -- Brahms's Serenade No. 1 in D Major; Rachmaninoff's Rhapsody on a theme of Paganini, Op. 43; Haydn's Symphony No. 40 in F Major.
