It’s been a case of burnout for “Burn Notice” star Jeffrey Donovan. He admits the grueling work pace of his hit USA Network series has left him feeling so exhausted that changes must be made. “We start production of Season 4 in March, and they’re going to try to diminish my presence in the show. It’s been 95 percent. They’re going to try to get it down to 80 percent,” reports the affable star.

The action comedy-drama, in which he plays disenfranchised government spy Michael Westen, returns for the second half of its third season Jan. 21, with an episode that has his series mom, Sharon Gless, working with her former “Cagney & Lacey” cohort, Tyne Daly.

With all of Season 3 in the can, Donovan says, “I worked the last two hiatuses, and I was worn out. So instead of going after jobs this hiatus, I’m starting to develop projects myself, working with writers.”
Donovan also spent some hiatus time “visiting troops in Iraq with Bruce,” he says, referring to cast mate Bruce Campbell. “It was an amazing experience, meeting these soldiers. On the way back, we visited Walter Reed (Army hospital), talked to soldiers who’d been injured, who’d lost limbs — it was just heartbreaking, absolutely heartbreaking. It took every bit of strength I had not to lose it. Not because I felt sorry for them, but because of their courage. One thing they all said was that they felt bad they weren’t back there helping their friends.”

As far as what’s coming up on the show, Donovan says that “Burn Notice” fans can expect lots of big changes. As far as complaints: “The ratings are great and I know the network is very happy — but the show doesn’t get the accolades it should. I’m not talking about my performance at all,” he insists, “but the writing on the show. The writers do such an amazing job. And I think Sharon should get every award for her work.”

Source: Hollywood Exclusive by Marilyn Beck and Stacy Jenel Smith

The USA series returns on January 21, Michael Westen (Jeffrey Donovan) will reportedly find himself in more trouble than ever before. As it turns out, his only link to the Intelligence Agency is dead and his biggest foe wants him dead (or else, play mind games with him). On “A Dark Road” A widow whose husband died during a fake insurance scam begs Fiona for help getting her husband’s dangerous associates away from her and her son.

BAGHDAD, Iraq – On television, actor Jeff Donovan plays a defunct spy who has expertise in explosives and weapons.

Recently, however, at Combat Outpost Meade, south of Baghdad, it was Donovan who took pointers from the Soldiers of 113th Field Artillery Battalion, 30th Heavy Brigade Combat Team.

Donovan was accompanied by Don Campbell, military advisor for the tour, and Bruce Campbell, Don Campbell’s brother, and also a cast mate of Donovan.

Bruce Campbell is a star in his own right, from films such as, “Army of Darkness,” and “Bubba Hotep.” Both Donovan and Bruce Campbell appear on the USA network television show, “Burn Notice.”

During their visit at COP Meade, Bruce Campbell and Donovan tried their hand at the firing range and met with Soldiers as part of a morale, welfare and recreation tour throughout Iraq.

“Everybody should support the troops,” said Bruce Campbell.

Only a few minutes after landing in a UH-60 Black Hawk, the two actors were greeted by cheers and shouts, “Hey Bruce!”

“Hi guys, how is it going,” said Bruce Campbell as he and Donovan walked into a maintenance bay.
The Soldiers were appreciative as the actors posed for photos and signed autographs.

“It was inspiring because somebody cares enough to come here and entertain us,” said Sgt. Micah Joseph, a human resources specialist from Charlotte, N.C.

Bruce Campbell and Donovan were as interested in the Soldiers as the Soldiers were of them, taking nearly as many photos and asking as many questions of the Soldiers.

“I am impressed by individuals I have met; how mentally strong they are,” said Donovan. “It takes a certain mentality to do the job out here from the boredom to sudden violence.”

Donovan tried on one of the Soldier’s body armor.

“You don’t have to work out, just carry the weapon and armor,” Donovan said while wearing the armor.

Later, the actors went to the firing range for an opportunity to fire an M-249 Squad Automatic Weapon, the M-4 rifle and an M-9 pistol. After a short safety briefing, the actors put in earplugs and fired the weapons safely down range.

After another quick orientation and brief, Donovan then climbed atop an armored humvee, dropped into the gunner’s turret, and fired the M-240-Bravo machine gun once the range was cleared for firing again. The actor had to make some slight adjustments at first.

“It was a learning experience,” said Donovan.

“It is more fun out here than firing on a film set,” Bruce Campbell said. “We have editors who make sure we always hit the target.”

The three all have ties to the military. Donovan’s father served in Vietnam and Korea, and Don Campbell currently serves in the reserves.

Don Campbell, who has 28 years in the military, tours with his brother and helps the actors with a few pointers.

“When Bruce volunteered I told him what to expect; military dos and don’ts, Arab culture,” Don Campbell said.

He also showed brotherly concern as well.

“I told him what could happen; there is no guarantee of a safe journey,” Don Campbell said.

Don Campbell and the actors visited an Iraqi bazaar that supported local widows and orphans in the area. Bruce Campbell, and Donovan greeted some of the Iraqi Soldiers who train alongside U.S. Soldiers on the COP.

After the two hour visit, the three men went to the helipad to catch a ride to the next post on the tour.

Bruce Campbell left with a message for his fellow actors back in the U.S.

“Everybody should go, there is nothing more real than a war,” he said.

More stories and photos of their visit can be found at:

• Jeffrey D’s Twitter photo account
• The Road to Overcoming Adversity
• SPC Reynold’s MySpace
• Official Burn Notice Message Boards
• Sings the Magpie
• Out of my Mind
• Ditto
• Denzel the Great
• Jeff’s Myspace
• Josh’s MySpace
• K’s Myspace page
• hound176’s LiveJournal

Source: http://dvidshub.net

Better known as a spy who uses special ops training to help people, Jeffrey Donovan played a lobbyist for the TV (news) cameras Tuesday to highlight the economic impact his show brings to South Florida.

The star of USA Network’s top-rated show Burn Notice, Donovan was at the Capitol to lobby for more state film incentives and to help announce the new Film, Entertainment and Television legislative caucus.

Flanked by about a dozen lawmakers, CFO Alex Sink and State Film Commissioner Lucia Fishburne on the Fourth Floor Rotunda, Donovan relayed one example of how his show pumps up South Florida’s economy.

While filming an episode in the second season, the film crew befriended a flower vendor in a bad area near Hialeah. The next season, a writer for the show crafted an episode around a similar flower vendor and the show paid $10,000 to rent out his shop for a day.

“The impact locally was, for this gentleman, enormous,” Donovan said.

Fishburne said Burn Notice has paid more than $28.4 million in Florida wages and is responsible for booking more than 7,000 hotel room nights.

Of the $10.8 million incentive budget in the current fiscal year, the TV show will receive $5.2 million.

“It has truly become an incentives game,” Fishburne said.

State Rep. Michelle Rehwinkel Vasilinda, D-Tallahassee, formed the new film industry caucus, which counts 20 lawmakers as members.

“The purpose of the caucus is to put a spotlight on the industry so we can re-gain our competitive edge,” she said.

Florida has slipped from third in the county (behind California and New York) to out of the top 10 in terms of the number of productions shot in the state.

As an aside: Donovan noted – to thunderous applause — that he is in the process of establishing residency in Florida – which lost population last year for the first time since WWII.

Not to piggyback on his star power, but this reporter is also in the process of establishing his residency in the Sunshine State.

Here are some fan photos from the day.

Source: Miami Herald