Grammer sighting
By Cindy Wojdyla Cain ccain@stmedianetwork.com April 11, 2012 6:40PM
A crew sets up a light on the former Silver Cross Hospital campus during filming for the second season of "Boss" Wednesday, April 11, 2012, in Joliet. | Matthew Grotto~Sun-Times Media
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Updated: July 9, 2012 2:39PM
JOLIET — Actor Kelsey Grammer filmed scenes for his Starz TV show “Boss” at the former Silver Cross Hospital campus last week and this week.
But he was not expected at the location on Wednesday, said production assistant Mike, who did not want to give his last name.
In the show, Grammer of “Cheers” and “Friends” fame plays fictional Chicago Mayor Tom Kane, who is suffering from a degenerative brain disorder.
Mike said the vacant hospital was a perfect setting for the show, which is filming its second season. (Silver Cross moved to a new hospital complex in New Lenox in February.)
“The hospital was a good location because it’s closed down so we can kind of just do whatever we want,” he said during a brief interview outside the vacant hospital early Wednesday morning.
Mike would not say if the Kane character was receiving treatment for his brain disorder in the scenes filmed at the hospital.
“Unfortunately I can’t divulge that information,” he said.
The production crew was expected to wrap up work in the city late Wednesday afternoon after filming at Jitters coffee shop on Chicago Street in downtown Joliet.
Last week, the crew set up shop in the parking lot of the now-vacant hospital at Route 6 and Draper Avenue. Semi-trailers filled with equipment and recreational vehicles that housed offices and bathrooms were parked in the hospital’s lot as the film crew shot scenes inside. On Wednesday morning, extras dressed as nurses and doctors were filmed inside the hospital to fill out some scenes, Mike said.
Scenes also were shot at The Department Restaurant in downtown Joliet on Tuesday morning.
Mike did not know if the crew would return to Joliet to film prior to the end of production in mid-July.
“It’s hard to tell,” he said. “It’s all by the seat of our pants. They scout everything day by day.”
Joliet was a great city to film in, Mike added.
“Everybody has been very nice. Everybody is real receptive. The (police) officers in the downtown area were more than helpful. Everybody was great.”
Scenes for the first season of “Boss” were shot in Joliet last year at the Joliet Restaurant on Clinton Street. Others scenes were shot in Romeoville, Aurora and Chicago.
