Along with booze and shoes, one of St. Louis' most valuable exports is talent. These days, bistate expatriates are especially noticeable in movies and television.

Affton native John Goodman has roles in two best picture nominees: "The Artist" and "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close." West County cousins Brian and Mark Gunn wrote the adventure sequel "Journey 2: The Mysterious Island," which opens nationwide Feb. 10. And while Clayton's Jon Hamm waits for the March 25 season premiere of "Mad Men," his romantic comedy "Friends With Kids" is touring the film fest circuit.

For a sense of how show business is a small world, consider the case of Ken Kwapis. The Belleville native is the director of the new save-the-whales comedy "Big Miracle," which opens nationwide today. He's been living in Los Angeles since 1980, when he attended film school at the University of Southern California, yet he remains just a step or two removed from numerous St. Louisans in the limelight.

In a phone interview this week, Kwapis said that when he helped develop the American version of "The Office," he met and cast Manchester native Jenna Fischer because she reminded him of girls he went to high school with. (At the time, Fischer was married to writer-director James Gunn, brother of Brian.)

Kwapis directed the pilot and several subsequent episodes of the show, which also features St. Louisans Phyllis Smith and Ellie Kemper. (The latter was Hamm's drama student at John Burroughs High School.)

Kwapis, who moves easily between the big and small screens, directed the movie "The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants," which starred America Ferrera. Ferrera was in "Steel City," which was directed by Alton native Brian Jun. Jun studied film at Webster University with instructor Brian Hohlfeld. Hohlfeld wrote Kwapis' romantic comedy "He Said, She Said." "He Said, She Said" starred Kevin Bacon.

Bacon — well, you know how that game is played.