Cast and crew of the TV series Heartland converged on Torrington last week to film scenes for an upcoming episode.
Scores of people lined First Avenue to watch as cast, sound, props, lighting and directing staff busily worked at getting several exterior shots outside Pizza 'N' More Eh! in the can last Tuesday.
"It's really something for this little town," said Lois Gorr, a longtime Kneehill County resident who came in to the small community to watch the filming.
It's the farthest north filming has taken place for the longest running one-hour dramatic series in Canadian television history.
Heartland is a family drama centred on a horse ranch in the foothills of Alberta. The ranch set and many of the scenic locations are in Millarville, while all scenes in the show's fictional town of Hudson, including Maggie's Diner, are filmed in High River.
The show has a loyal following of young and old and gains new fans all the time.
Gorr's son Allen watches the show. He joined his elderly mother on First Avenue hoping to catch a glimpse of Amber Marshall who plays Amy Fleming in the series and maybe get his picture taken with her.
While Marshall wasn't there, Kataem O'Conner who plays Adam, and Alisha Newton who plays Georgie Fleming Morris were, and acted in scenes along with Dempsey Bryk who plays Wyatt.
Chris Potter, who plays Tim Fleming in the show, was on the other side of the camera last Tuesday as director.
He directs two episodes in Season 11.
"Cut" could be heard many times throughout the day, but none got more laughs than the break that had to be taken when Torrington's church bells began ringing, signalling the lunch hour, as they do every day.
"Only in Torrington," said Gorr with a smile when the first bells rang. Filming started again, only to be stopped very shortly after when the next round of church bells rang out. Once the third and last of the bells sounded, filming got back on track.
One interior and five exterior scenes were to be filmed in the community for the seventh episode of Season 11.
The facade of Pizza 'N' More Eh! on First Avenue was turned into the fictional Big John's Gas N Go for filming.
Unconfirmed reports suggested scene shots would also occur at the Gopher Hole Museum and Clem T. Go-Fur statue.
"The museum is very well known all over," said Gorr. And its inspiration -- the statue of the cartoonish gopher -- stands in front of the arena named after her husband Ron.
The chance that the hamlet might get an even bigger airing through Heartland was exciting, she said.
Season 11 of Heartland begins airing this fall.
"It's really something for this little town."Lois GorrKneehill County resident
