Boy from the ‘hood goes Hollywood

He has lived in Los Angeles for two years, but Rob McElhenney still feels at home in South Philly.

Though busy planning a new series for the FX network, McElhenney, 27, returned to his old neighborhood last week to attend his cousin’s wedding at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church, 2319 S. Third St.

The short trip gave the actor-writer a chance to reflect on the place he called home for nearly 15 years before moving to Delaware County. Like a Hollywood set, South Philly provided a rich backdrop as McElhenney played catch with his father and learned to ride a bike with his brother and sister.

"We would just be right on the sidewalk, right in the middle of this urban jungle," says McElhenney, formerly of Moyamensing Avenue and Dickinson Street. "We were not on some big, suburban street, but on some tiny sidewalk in South Philly."

The area’s simple charms and character soon will be captured in the writer’s first big showbiz venture- a TV show tentatively titled It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. The pilot, which could air as early as this summer, was partially shot in South Philly.

As the Hollywood cliché goes, McElhenney was waiting tables in L.A. when FX green-lighted his script. He is now penning the remaining shows of the season, writing four episodes on his own and three with a partner.

Costarring alongside the real-life friends he made in Los Angeles, McElhenney also will act in the comedic series that tracks a group of pals that owns and operates a bar in Old City.

The newfound fame is coming as a shock to the actor.

"Everything happened so quickly. I went from not being able to pay my credit-card bills and destroying my credit report to executive-producing and running a TV show within eight months," says McElhenney. "FX is just an amazing network and they’re willing to take risks."

THE ACTOR SOUGHT out the bright lights early, moving from Delaware County to New York City at age 18. He accepted small roles in movies, TV shows and commercials.

But McElhenney felt as if he was destined for more.

"I basically got to the point that a lot of actors hit," he says. "If you want to make it as an actor, you have to go to Los Angeles. You have to spend a significant amount of time here because the business is located here."

After a six-year stint in New York, McElhenney packed up his belongings and ventured west with a friend.

While the actor calls L.A. an "amazing place," he notes some significant differences in the people and attitudes.

"It’s like night and day," says the St. Joseph’s Prep alum. "My friends from high school are the hardest-working people I know. I often tell them, ‘I wish you guys were in entertainment because you could come out and run this place.’

"In L.A., they’re chasing some sort of dream and when things don’t go their way, they get complacent. It can really ruin a person."

Though not a subscriber to this mentality, McElhenney did begin to second-guess his West Coast move. Money was tight and acting jobs were scarce.

"I wasn’t sure if I had made the right decision in my life and I was getting nervous about getting older and having nothing to fall back on," he says.

He finally began to write, figuring he could supply his own role. After writing the first script, originally set in L.A., he showed it to his friends, whose laughter was all the validation McElhenney needed.

He transferred his words to film by using two "crappy camcorders" and his buddies as the cast.

McElhenney edited the finished product on his own computer, then sent it to his manager, who later asked an agent to distribute the film to networks. FX executives loved the show’s premise but requested a change in venue, according to McElhenney.

"They said the only thing we would have to change is the locale because there are too many shows about people living in L.A. right now."

Cast and crew set out for Philadelphia several months ago to begin shooting the pilot. One South Philly staple included in the three-day shoot was Pat’s Steaks, 1237 E. Passyunk Ave.

While McElhenney would like to shoot the entire show in Philadelphia, he says it might be too expensive. But the executive producer adds that the network has given him artistic freedom over the show’s direction.

"We have full creative control. If we can figure it out within the confines of our budget, we can pretty much do whatever we want," he says.

Despite the big break, McElhenney isn’t getting too comfortable.

"There’s no job security as an actor. One year you could do pretty well, and the next year it’s all gone," he says. "I’m trying to keep things in perspective and enjoy it because it doesn’t last forever."

The actor’s family members, many of whom live in the area, view his L.A. lifestyle as bittersweet.

"My parents are very happy for me and they wish me nothing but success, but they’re obviously upset that I live so far away," he says. "Even though it’s only a five-hour flight, it’s difficult."

After he finishes the remaining episodes of his show, McElhenney plans to clear his head by taking a "long vacation – somewhere really hot." At that point, he says, he will decide where to watch the pilot episode.

Down the road, he hopes to return to Philly for good, not just for his TV show.

"I don’t feel like I’m home. I still feel like I’m visiting. The East Coast is my home."