LOS ANGELES -- Britain's Princess Anne chatted with film stars, rode through a mechanical avalanche and had a close encounter with the toothy shark from the movie 'Jaws' on her royal tour of a movie studio Tuesday.
A cool Princess Anne didn't budge when a great white shark lept from a lagoon, nearly grazing her tram during the Universal Studios tour of western towns, seaside harbors and battlefields.
The princess, on five-day visit to Southern California, laughed when a dummy was ejected from the roof of careening van in a show performed by stand-ins from the hit television series, 'The A Team.'
Comedian John Candy and producer Joel Silver greeted her on the production set of the new movie, 'Brewster's Millions.' Candy later told reporters they commiserated about the recent fire at Pinewood Movie Studios in England.
Tour guide Julie Harders said when the tram went over a collapsing bridge, the princess caught her breath.
Princess Anne, president of the British Academy of Film and Television Arts, began the day at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, home of the Academy Awards, where she opened 'Bafta Day.'
The princess was greeted at the academy by child TV stars Emmanuel Lewis of 'Webster' and Ricky Schroder of 'Silver Spoons.' The pint-sized Lewis presented her with a bouquet of baby white roses.
The princess emphasized the importance of the British and American academies maintaining and honoring industry standards in a short speech.
To complete her California vist, Joan Collins, Samantha Eggars, Jeremy Irons and other British actors were among the guests to join the princess at a showing of the British film 'Comfort and Joy,' the 1983 winner of the Bafta best director award.
The princess was to fly to Atlanta and Raleigh, N.C., on Wednesday to participate in ceremonies for the 400th anniversary of the founding of North Carolina.
