Page 3 - The Wayne Dispatch

Wayne alumni thankful to all who have touched his life

By Carolyn Marnon “into pinnacles of police television.”
“I’m still reeling from the amazing Abigail Hawke, who plays Det. Abi-
weekend that I got,” said Tony gail Baker, arrives before Greg and
Award-winning actor and Westland Bob, but they all arrive before the
native and Wayne Memorial High show’s star with whom they have
School alumni Gregory Jbara (Greg most of their scenes, Tom Selleck.
to his friends) after a whirlwind Once Tom arrives, they all step
weekend Sept. 27-29 that had him onto the sound stage to rehearse
flying into Detroit and attending a with all the actors in the scene, the
Wayne Memorial football game on director, several executive producers
Friday night, being honored at a sign and the script supervisor. Greg says
unveiling ceremony at Westland City “There’s no point in memorizing any
Hall, a luncheon, his 40th high of my lines” because over the five
school reunion on Saturday, and previous days, he’s already been
then a 4-hour luncheon with the given 3 different scripts and once on
Lebanese American Chamber of set, he receives “sides” that are pages
Commerce and a 3-hour lunch with that include scenes that are being
Armando Delicato (former Media shot that day that are already differ-
Specialist at WMHS) and his wife on ent than the script he got 24 hours
Sunday before flying to New York earlier.
Sunday, night so he’d be available for Greg says Tom has a legal pad of
work Monday morning in his role as notes and is always writing because
NYPD Deputy Commissioner of Pub- he is working non-stop filming the
lic Information Garrett Moore on scenes that include the family dinner,
CBS’s hit Blue Bloods, now in its the commissioner’s office as well as
10th season. Greg said it was a love- clandestine conversations. “He’s not
filled weekend bouncing from event sitting around; his time is efficiently
to event, and once back in New York, managed.” Greg says the first 30
he was back to the regular grind minutes of rehearsal will be spent
again. discussing the words on the “sides.”
September 28 was Greg’s 58th The cast members will share addi-
birthday. He spent it amidst family tional ideas for the scene. They will
and friends at Westland City Hall then run the scene 2-3 times to do
where he was honored with the un- camera blocking while department
veiling of a sign bearing his name heads (costume, lighting, etc) look
and Westland as his hometown that on. Tape marking will be done to
will be placed, at his request, at mark their spots as they move
northbound Merriman Rd. at the through the scene. Once they are
border of Westland and Romulus. done and go to put on their cos-
Greg told organizers of the sign event tumes, stand-ins will take their
the location was a no brainer. "Grow- places on set so the lighting and cam-
ing up, that drive down Merriman to era moves can be worked out.
Detroit Metro always represented the Tony Award-winning actor and Wayne Memorial High School alumni Gregory Jbara. Memorizing 5 pages of dialogue
excitement of seeing the world. Now in 30 minutes while putting on his
when the world comes to Michigan, I day. He spent seven hours at the could never afford for myself,” he suit in his dressing room is no prob-
get to show off the hometown to class reunion catching up with every- says. Research shows that a stan- lem for Greg. He says a different part
which I owe all my success in life. An one on Saturday night. It isn’t hard dard room starts at over $600 per of the brain is used for TV vs. doing
unimaginable honor. "Another sign to believe because Greg likes to talk. night. a show on stage. All he needs is his
will be placed by Westland City Hall. He said he had two scenes to shoot His ritual is an organic salad, short-term memory and “gratefully
Before the ceremony, Greg stood at on Monday where he had to speak quinoa sushi and a Fuji water before I’ve got my senility,” he laughs.
the entrance to City Hall and greeted eloquently, and he was so grateful getting 8 hours of sleep before the A five-page scene takes about 2
each guest who came through the that his voice had recovered by then. next day’s call time. An hour before ½-3 hours to shoot because of all the
doors, spending time with them and When asked for an overview of he is picked up by a studio car, he camera angles. Imagine putting 40
posing for photographs. He did not what his day was like when shooting gets up and puts on his Great Lakes crew members and 3 cameras
want to leave the event until he had Blue Bloods, Greg harkened back to Brewery work-shirt that he uses as around the cast while the walls slide
a chance to talk to every person who Sunday evening. His plane landed at his makeup shirt. The driver, out.
wanted to talk to him. LaGuardia at 8:00 p.m. He used the Damon, will pick up Robert Clo- Having started at 8:50 a.m., Greg
Back in New York in his hotel Uber app for the first time. The fast hessy who plays Lt. Sid Gormley be- is wrapping up one scene in the com-
room Greg talked about the horrible drive “home” is to the Marriott- fore picking up Greg. They are taken missioner’s office and one scene of a
case of laryngitis he developed over owned New York EDITION where to the soundstage in Greenpoint, a press conference in the conference
the weekend. He said he’d been non- CBS provides him with accommoda- neighborhood of Brooklyn where room at 3:15 p.m. Greg says the di-
stop talking since his plane landed tions as part of his contract when he they hop into the hair and makeup
in Detroit at 2pm the previous Fri- is filming. “It’s a standard of living I chairs where they are transformed See Alumni, page 4
The Wayne Dispatch · November 2019 · 3