ALPENA — Over the years, numerous movies and television shows have featured Michigan, either as a filming location or in the script.

Some of the more memorable movies: “Grand Torino,” with Clint Eastwood, filmed in Detroit (2008), “Somewhere in Time,” with Christopher Reeve and Jane Seymour, on Mackinac Island (1980), Oscar-nominated “Anatomy of a Murder,” with James Stewart and George C. Scott in Marquette (1959), and “Dream Girls,” with Jennifer Hudson and Beyonce in Detroit (2006).

Some of the Michigan-themed television shows include crime and police series “Battle Creek” (2015) and “Detroit 1-8-7”. In addition, “The Fitzgeralds” was a 1978 family drama based in Flint. In the 2018 “Charmed” season was staged the fictitious Michigan city of Hiltowne.

Alpena, too, has also experienced its claim to fame on the movie screen and television sets. Here’s a roundup:

‘DIE HARD 2’

Released in 1990 was “Die Hard 2,” featuring Bruce Willis. According to a March 1990 Los Angeles Times story, “It’s Hollywood comes to Alpena.”

The movie, in a long line of “Die Hard” films, stars Willis as police officer John McClane. The plot is fueled by an organized elite terrorist group attempting to save a convicted foreign military general.

The terrorists take over Washington’s Dulles International Airport and the ground-to-air communications system is disrupted. In the air are dozens of passenger-ladened inbound flights with limited fuel to safely land. Onboard one of those flights is McClane’s wife, Holly.

The Times reported that where the movie was being filmed in Washington state, the airport lacked snow accumulation. Alpena County Regional Airport was rapidly identified for its long runways and snowy environment.

The Times went on to report, “Charter jets and semi trailers brought an entire production unit to the town in days, filling every hotel room, exhausting the supply of rental cars, and adding 400 local citizens to the casts as extras.”

A January 2013 Alpena News Facebook post collected comments about residents participating or engaged with “Die Hard 2”. Resident Paul Labrecque stated he and his wife appeared as film extras.

With a production budget of $60 million to $70 million, the film brought in over $240 million from North American box office and subsequent international viewings.

‘NOT WITHOUT MY DAUGHTER’

Dr. Sayyed Bozorg Mahmoody was an anesthesiologist who practiced in Alpena, where he resided with his wife, Betty, and daughter, Mahtob (Sheila).

The family was the basis of the book and subsequent 116-minute movie, “Not without my Daughter.” The movie starred Sally Field.

Later, residing in Southfield, the doctor took his wife and daughter for a two-week family visit to his native Iran. That occurred within years of the 1979 Iranian revolution, during which 52 American hostages were held for 444 days at the seized American Embassy.

Near the conclusion of the visit, the doctor informed his wife and daughter they would not return to Michigan. A family member under false pretenses seized their U.S. passports the day before their scheduled departure flight.

The film chronicles Betty’s confidential connections and efforts to leave Iran and return to the U.S.

The mother and daughter underwent a dangerous and arduous journey to Amkara, Turkey, where they entered the U.S. Embassy.

The film had a $22 million budget and produced only $15 million on the screen.

‘HOME

IMPROVEMENT’

From 1991 to 1999, Tim Allen (as Tim Taylor) and Richard Karn (as Al Borland) starred in the highly popular weekly ABC television comedy series, “Home Improvement”.

The series featured a suburban Detroit family, Tim, married to Jill, has two sons. Tim and Al are co-hosts of a syndicated cable television show entitled “Tool Time.”

Now, for the Alpena connections.

In the show, Tim frequently wore apparel from various Michigan colleges and universities. In season five, in the episode entitled, “Engine and a Haircut-Two Fights,” he wore an Alpena Community College sweatshirt.

A subsequent episode mentioned that “Tool Time” was available on Alpena cable television. A friend of Tim quipped, “Oh, on both television sets?”

In another episode, Tim and Al were on a flight from Detroit to Sault Ste. Marie. Poor weather diverted them to the Alpena airport. After they disembarked from the flight, they entered the terminal and meet the gate agent portrayed by actor Tom Poston.

The antics between Tim, Al, and Tom are absolutely hilarious during the airport scene, available on YouTube at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RuMTEW0op7g

‘KILLER COUPLES’

In the spring 2019, the Oxygen cable network featured a segment on a 2001 Alpena homicide. The “Killer Couples” series began airing in 2013.

According to a March 2019 Alpena News article and Oxygen promotional piece, the murder involves that of north side resident 69-year-old James Orban.

The newspaper article stated Orban hired 21-year-old Melissa Bredow-Belanger “for cleaning the house … and a lot of other things.”

Bredow-Belanger reentered a relationship with her former lover, Jason Belanger.

Belanger, believing Orban was not at his residence, went to steal Orban’s funds and possessions. He was in error. Belanger confronted him inside the home’s entrance and fatally stabbed him. The next day, Belanger set fire to the residence with Orban’s body inside.

Retired detective Larry Thomson investigated and solved the case. Belanger was convicted and imprisoned. The Alpena News reported, “Several years into his life prison sentence, he told police of Bredow-Belanger’s part of the crime, and she, too, was charged and convicted.” She maintains her innocence.

Numerous Alpena scenes and interviews with Thomson and knowledgeable residents were featured in this crime documentary.

‘UNDER THE RADAR’

“Under the Radar” is a PBS-TV produced series offering feature stories on people and sights across Michigan.

According to its Web site, the show airs on every Michigan PBS station, as well as millions of households across Canada, Ohio, Wisconsin. Indiana, Illinois, Minnesota, Tennessee and even Florida.

The show was co-founded and produced by Tom Daldin and Jim Edelman.

Alpena episodes featured the culinary skills and histories of the Fresh Palate, the former John A. Lau Saloon, and Court Yard Ristorante. In addition, the Thunder Bay Shipwreck tours, Thunder Bay Marine Sanctuary, Dinosaur Gardens, Rockport State Park, and Art in the Loft were featured.

Visit utrmichigan.com for additional information and to view prior episodes.

Jeffrey D, Brasie is a retired health care CEO and frequently writes feature stories and op-eds. He is a former Alpena resident and resides in suburban Detroit.