The funny Pham family is back before the cameras on the west Mountain
Parishioners at a west Mountain church will likely get a kick-out-of seeing their building in the new season of Run The Burbs."
The CBC situation comedy is back in Hamilton filming its second season and filmed last month at the Immanuel Christian Reformed Church on Mohawk Road, near West 5th Street.
It then moved to a home at Westaway Place and Sanatorium Road before returning last week to Leadale Place near Buchanan Park, which doubles as the home street for the Pham family headed by comedian Andrew Phung and actress Rakhee Morzaria.
Andrew and Camille Pham, with their two children, daughter Khia (Zoriah Wong) and son Leo (Roman Pesino) live in Rockridge (which, by the way, is the name of the town in Blazing Saddles"). Andrew is a stay-at-home dad while Camille works for a company.
The last time we saw the Phams, at the end of the 12-episode first season in April, Andrew missed graduating from a course he was sure would land him a new job. His wife, believing he graduated, quit her job in a way that all of us may dream of quitting (Insults to bosses and the throwing of food).
The first season was also marked by Camille taking part in a street car race, the couple conniving to get an invite to a neighbour's pool, Andrew facing off with raccoons and everyone trying to win over a bylaw enforcement officer who wants to shut down a neighbourhood party.
The cast and crew were observed last month filming a scene in the Leadale Place parkette, kitty corner to 24 Leadale Place, which plays the Pham's home. Cast and crew also held a moment of silence to remember cast member and comedian Candy Palmater, who died Dec. 25, 2021.
One house, nicknamed the fun house' or frat house' in the show, had its front lawn covered with lawn chairs, bikes, chairs, pink flamingos, barbells and a shopping cart full of bottles. The production will rotate between Leadale Place and a Toronto studio over the next few months.
Phung has been out-and-about in Hamilton, The Calgary native, who played Kimchi on Kim's Convenience" visited Hamilton Comic Con at the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum on the Sept. 24 weekend.
He also tweeted about taking Scott Townend, who created the show with Phung, to Chicago Style Pizza on Upper Sherman Avenue. It lived up to the hype!" Phung wrote.
Dan Fraser, who lives on Leadale Place, said residents are pretty happy" with having the production on their street. He said the cast and crew are very friendly."
It's just so interesting," he said. It's like an army, how everything comes together. It's just so well organized. These guys have to shift on the run. They have to battle the weather."
He recalled watching the show on the CBC.
It was nice to see the street and recognize the little park in the middle," he said. And you're looking to recognize your own home."
Fraser said the filming has attracted the curious and probably fans of the show.
We've got tons of foot traffic," he said. People walking their dogs. There are families coming down here I've never seen before. The street is a lot busier. It's put Leadale Place on the map."
The 2nd season is expected to debut in January 2023.
The landmark Innsville Restaurant in Winona will make an appearance in the cable series Fellow Travelers."
Shooting took place at the Regional Road 8 (Highway 8) restaurant - known for its steak and prime rib dinners - at the end of last month. There were cars from the 1950s and the interior of the restaurant had been transformed for the production.
Fellow Travelers" is about a romance between two men in the U.S, between the 1950s and the 1980s. It stars Jonathan Bailey of Bridgerton" and Matt Bomer of White Collar" and is set for Showtime.
Daniel Nolan is a freelance writer who writes about film for The Hamilton Spectator. He can be reached at dannolanwrites@gmail.com