'A call to arms' — cast asks for help

CHARLESTON - Less than two weeks after almost losing the state incentives that would keep "Army Wives" filming in Charleston, about a dozen cast members held a town hall meeting asking for help Sunday.

"We shouldn't have to do this dance every year," said Wendy Davis, who plays Lt. Colonel Joan Burton on the television show. "The public doesn't understand how much money the film industry pours into the local economy."

The Carolina Film Alliance organized the meeting in the Hippodrome lobby downtown. More than 100 people turned out. The goal was to figure out how to convince state lawmakers that the money the film industry puts into the local economy more than offsets lost tax revenue from incentives.

"We almost lost 'Army Wives,' " said Richard Bryant, a Charleston native who plays Private 1st Class Jeremy Sherwood on the show. "It's a call to arms."

Catherine Bell, who plays Denise Sherwood, spent time in Columbia at the end of June lobbying lawmakers to continue the incentives, which Gov. Mark Sanford vetoed. The Legislature narrowly overturned the veto.

"It was exhilarating, but I really don't want to do that next year," Bell said Sunday.

She said she expects to have her baby in her home here in about five weeks. She and her husband, production assistant Adam Beason, are among several cast and crew members who have bought houses here and want to stay.

The actors say they have spent more than $120 million locally during the first four years of production. Producers say they hired 355 employees and 1,101 extras this year while filming the fourth season. They say that more than makes up for the state rebates of 20 percent for residents' wages and 30 percent for supplies purchased from in-state businesses.

Other producers would love to film in Charleston, but they have to know the tax incentives are going to stay, said Terry Serpico, who plays Lt. Col. Frank Sherwood. Otherwise they will go to neighboring states that have the incentives in place, he said.

"If you keep these incentives in place, production will come," he said.

"I've never understood why it's such a battle for this incentive to go through," said Brian McNamara, who plays Maj. Gen. Michael Holden.

"It's a simple matter of mathematics," said Jeremy Davidson, who plays Sgt. 1st Class Chase Moran. "No matter how much you love a place, you have to go elsewhere without these long-term incentives."

Reach Dave Munday at 937-5553 or dmunday@postandcourier.com.