THE TRAVEL CHANNEL was shooting at Eastern State Penitentiary late last week for a series called "Paranormal Challenge."
The show is hosted by Zak Bagans of "Ghost Adventures," which has already featured the famous lock-up, once home to mobster Al Capone. Bagans has called Eastern State one of the most haunted buildings in the world.
The local visit is expected to be among the first few episodes of the show when the series premieres in June.
Some groupies caught wind of the shoot and huddled outside, hoping to meet Bagans, who was gracious to his fans.
The paranormal investigator hopes to return to Eastern State in the fall for its annual Halloween- themed "Terror Behind the Walls" tour.
'Eastbound' actor at CineFest
Steve Little is best known as the sweet-yet-sorta-creepy teacher who is obsessed with former MLB star pitcher Kenny Powers on HBO's "Eastbound & Down."
And April 7 you can see him as the sweet-yet-sorta-creepy priest who is obsessed with a former high-school classmate in "Catechism Catacylsm," one of the Philly CineFest's opening-night films.
Little will be in town for a 9 p.m. screening at the Ritz East (125 Sansom). The film also plays at 11:55 Friday night at the Ritz East.
The actor was surprised at the response to the movie, which is about a rafting trip that goes crazy.
"We had an 11 a.m. Sundance screening, and it was filled with a crowd that I thought was a lot older than I expected," Little told us.
"Having old ladies come up and say 'I enjoyed it a lot,' it changes your stereotypes," he said.
Little, who spent time in the Groundlings, the comedy troupe in which entertainers such as Pee Wee Herman, Will Ferrell and Phil Hartman cut their teeth, says even he has trouble pronouncing the film's tongue-twisting title.
Little enjoys being recoginzed by fans of "Eastbound," and says he's glad he has the same first name as his character, Stevie Janowski. "If my name was Bucky, it would drive me crazy being called that because it feels sorta like that's the character's name."
The show's third season is being written now, and he looks forward to shooting it in June. Little is also working on an indie film and a Comedy Central pilot.
For a full schedule of CineFest films,
visit PhillyCinema.org.
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