Hollywood film crew rolls into town
07.02.10
TROY — At least one customer of Kim’s Restaurant, a Troy mainstay on Long Lake, at Livernois, for 35 years, was surprised June 22 to find the restaurant closed.
Kim’s was closed to the public June 21-22 for the filming of “A Very Harold and Kumar Christmas.”
Kim’s owner Margaret Yee worked as an extra on the closed set at the restaurant June 21. By contract, she couldn’t divulge anything about the story line or actors other than that the scene was a night scene, although shooting started at 10:30 a.m. on the second longest day of daylight of the year.
“They hung a big black curtain by the front door,” she explained.
The crew also filmed at Somerset Collection June 21 amid Christmas decorations.
Yee said a Kim’s customer, Steven Schliek, who works as a location scout for film production companies suggested the restaurant to Santa Stash LLC, the company producing the movie.
“He (Steven) held his wedding rehearsal dinner here,” Yee said. “It’s his favorite restaurant.”
Yee stayed busy getting the restaurant all back together again June 23, but said that she would do it again.
“It was a positive experience,” she said. “They were true professionals.”
She added that most of the people who worked on the set were local, including 11 of Kim’s wait staff, who also worked as extras.
She said she supports the state film incentives.
“Local talent got a lot of work,” Yee said. “Michigan people were working.”
West Bloomfield resident Marnie Beals, 20, worked as an extra for pay. She found out about the opportunity from her sister, who works in the film business.
She couldn’t talk about the scene, other than to say she saw the “stars,” but didn’t name them.
“It is a lot of work,” she said.
“It was fun here,” Yee said.
Santa Stash representatives did not return phone calls seeking comment.
