Flash back four years ago at this point, and industry Republicans were lining up largely behind Rudy Giuliani and John McCain, who courted coin and endorsements from figures like Robert Duvall, Sylvester Stallone and Jerry Bruckheimer.

By contrast, the present GOP candidates have not been as aggressive in mining showbiz dollars and support. McCain and Giuliani, celebrities in their own right, had long-time Hollywood ties, while few in the current GOP field have that kind of cachet. The ones that do, like Sarah Palin and Donald Trump, teased candidacies but chose not to run.

There’s also a certain wariness in lining up behind a candidate too soon. Giuliani drew politically active supporters like Kelsey Grammer and Jon Voight, but backers watched in disappointment as his late-in-the-game primary strategy fizzled in Florida. On the day he dropped out of the race, in fact, he was to have appeared at a fundraiser at the home of producer Joel Surnow.