UPDATED 9/1: Bradenton-filmed Morgan Fairchild TV pilot 'Workers' Comp' to have sold-out debut screening

UPDATED 9/1: "Bradenton-shot TV pilot starring Morgan Fairchild elicits laughs at packed debut screening"

PHOTO PROVIDED BY VADAR PRODUCTIONS Morgan Fairchild, left, being filmed in a scene with Castille Landon on the Bradenton set of television show pilot “Workers’

The screening of the first television pilot ever shot in Manatee County reached capacity way in advance of its Wednesday premiere.

A fortunate 140 people will get to see the half-hour comedy “Workers’ Comp,” starring Morgan Fairchild and Robert Carradine, at the Holiday Inn by the Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport as part of a Sarasota County Film and Entertainment Office Film Mixer.

“Workers’ Comp” was shot in April, mostly at Pinnacle Plaza on Sixth Avenue in downtown Bradenton. Scenes were also filmed in Palmetto and Sarasota. I spent a wonderful day on set with Fairchild, Carradine and rest of crew.

Together with her mother, Virginia Dorris, Dori Sperko built the Bradenton-based professional services company NELCO to more than 14,000 employees in 44 states, before selling the business in 2008. During that time, Sperko oversaw more than 8,000 workers’ compensation claims, providing the idea for co-writers Castille Landon (Sperko’s daughter) and Harrison Sanborn’s series.

PAUL VIDELA/pvidela@bradenton.com 'Workers' Comp' Executive Producer Dori Sperko inside the unassuming Bradenton office complex where part of the filming for the series pilot took place.

"We are thrilled," Sperko said today from her downtown Bradenton office. "It's actually over-sold and we're trying to negotiate a way to accommodate everybody. So, although we're sad not everyone who wanted to see will be able to we are excited to hear there is so much interest." 

In addition to writing, Landon also co-stars as Fairchild’s character’s daughter.

After the screening, Sperko, Landon and Harrison will participate in an audience Q&A session.

I will be attending event for story about the show, crowd reaction, etc. I'll link to it here or find it at the home site, www.bradenton.com, starting around 1 a.m. Thursday.

The version of "Workers' Comp" being screened is “cable television content -- Rated TV-M for profanity.”

Sold out. Unable to accommodate walk-ins.

Information on the 5:30-7:30 p.m. Aug. 31 event: (941) 309-1200 ext. 104 or www.filmsarasota.com.

Official site for "Workers' Comp."

UPDATED 2 p.m.: Message from Morgan Fairchild on having arrived in Bradenton for shooting of 'Workers' Comp'

Morgan Fairchild from her Twitter page

UPDATED 2 p.m.: Morgan Fairchild and I have been messaging back and forth on Twitter. Here's what she posted on her page:

morgfair Morgan Fairchild

@wtatangelo Ah! Thanks Wade! Very interesting. Hope to meet you while I'm here. I'll retweet the article.

 And:

morgfair Morgan Fairchild

@wtatangelo Thanks! Nice 2 hear there's buzz! No idea yet what work schedule will be here. Should know more later 2day. Nice article u did!

ORIGINAL POST:

Judging by a recent tweet, Morgan Fairchild has arrived in Bradenton and had a "lovely dinner" with "Workers' Comp" creator/writer/co-star Castille Landon and her mom, the show's executive producer Dori Sperko.


Here's what the TV icon tweeted Saturday:

@jrrose18 U warned me about heat! Lovely dinner with my new writer/co-star & her mom/producer. Makes heat easier when folks are so nice!

I recently met with Landon and co-writer/director Harrison Sanborn at VADAR Productions in downtown Bradenton for "'Workers' Comp' starts filming in Manatee this week," running on front of Bradenton Herald today.

Past coverage of "Workers' Comp."


http://twitter.com/morgfair

UPDATED 4/15: Morgan Fairchild sitcom pilot 'Workers' Comp' shooting in Bradenton, Palmetto and Sarasota

Fairchild: April 5, 2010 in Los Angeles/morganfairchild.com

UPDATED 4/15:  "On set in Bradenton with Morgan Fairchild"
 
UPDATED 4/10:  "Morgan Fairchild has arrived in Bradenton for shooting of 'Workers' Comp'"

UPDATED 4/5:  "'Sopranos' actor joins cast of Bradenton-shot sitcom pilot 'Workers' Comp'"

UPDATED 4/3: OK, here are the facts. Running on front page of today's Bradenton Herald:

"Morgan Fairchild to play lead in Bradenton

Local production company lands star and others for TV show pilot"


UPDATED 3/11: "I understand Harrison (Sanborn) is a co-writer, and that the story is actually based upon the other writer’s background or family experiences of actually running a workers comp office," reads e-mail sent from Sarasota County Film and Entertainment Director Jeanne Corcoran at 2:33 p.m. March 11.  "The production company we’ve been assisting with permit information and other production questions and resources is not Sanborn Studios."
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Emmy Award-nominated actress Morgan Fairchild will be in Bradenton and Sarasota shooting the comedy pilot "Workers Comp" in April.

Sanborn Studios chief Ken Sanborn's 19-year-old son Harrison Sanborn co-wrote the script.

Sanborn Studios, which has a facility in Lakewood Ranch,  did not return a message left via phone with its receptionist this afternoon regarding "Workers Comp."

There's no mention of the show on the film and television company's website.

My e-mail exchange with Sarasota County Film and Entertainment Director Jeanne Corcoran did not reveal if Sanborn Studios is involved:

Tatangelo (7:11 p.m.): "'Workers Comp being shot in Sarasota and Bradenton ... Do you have any news regarding this Sanborn Studios production of sitcom starring Morgan Fairchild ... scheduled to shoot in Bradenton and Sarasota on April 10?"

Corcoran (8:48 p.m.): "Morgan + Robert Carradine are in 'Workers Comp' shooting here April."

Charley Koontz, Robert Carradine, Castille Landon and Jennifer Lee Wiggins also star in the independently produced "Workers Comp" from David Sauers ("Taking Woodstock") and Mark Wooster.

morganfairchild.com

The comedy centers on a family insurance business owned by Joan (Fairchild) and the often odd workers comp claims  that they are forced to manage.

"Filming will begin April 10 in Tampa, Fla.," reads Fairchild's website.

Harrison Sanborn co-wrote the script with Landon.

E-mails and phone messages were also been left this afternoon with Fairchild's rep and Sauers.

Fairchild, who was nominated for an Emmy in 1990 for her guest appearance on "Murphy Brown," can be seen on NBC's "Chuck."

Koontz appears on NBC's "Community."

Carradine's credits include "Lizzie McGuire."