Studio Back Lot with Movie Magazine
In 1963, Elgin Park was chosen as a backdrop for a major motion picture. Way up in the township, not that far from the WLGN TV station, a series of back lots were constructed to represent the 1920's. The work continued for several months and WLGN TV was invited to do a special LIVE program to document the progress.
In this photo you can see the 'LGN TV camera mounted on the dolly that had been
pushed down the street for a pan shot.
The people of the town were more than delighted by the spectacle and a sense of civic pride swelled throughout the area.
To add to all of the excitement, Boxoffice
magazine did a cover story in their June issue, featuring not only the creation of the backlot but a sidebar story of Elgin Park itself.
To this day, people still go up to the heights to view what's left of the false front town and reminisce about watching it all happen.
Aside from the UFO crash, this was the biggest thing to hit Elgin Park.
This particular photo was taken while I was in Pittsburgh signing books.
The actual place was a former steel mill site that is now basically a desolate flattened area.
Because it is private property, I always ask permission to set up my stuff. A group of truck drivers, who were standing by their rigs, said: "they didn't give a flying _ at a rolling donut", so I took that as a YES.
When I tried to engage them in a conversation about what I was doing, there was little interest.
When I thought about it later, it must have seemed odd to them that an old man was fussing about with little buildings and cars, set on a card table in the middle of acres of a demolished steel mill.
Ya know, it is odd!
PS: You can see the scaffolding up against the building on the right.
www.flickr.com/photos/24796741@N05/18928843966/in/datepos...
And a better view of the false front building:
www.flickr.com/photos/24796741@N05/15690462829/in/datepos...
PPS: Here is shameless self promotion of the new Book!
www.flickr.com/photos/24796741@N05/19121278518/in/photost...
Studio Back Lot with Movie Magazine
In 1963, Elgin Park was chosen as a backdrop for a major motion picture. Way up in the township, not that far from the WLGN TV station, a series of back lots were constructed to represent the 1920's. The work continued for several months and WLGN TV was invited to do a special LIVE program to document the progress.
In this photo you can see the 'LGN TV camera mounted on the dolly that had been
pushed down the street for a pan shot.
The people of the town were more than delighted by the spectacle and a sense of civic pride swelled throughout the area.
To add to all of the excitement, Boxoffice
magazine did a cover story in their June issue, featuring not only the creation of the backlot but a sidebar story of Elgin Park itself.
To this day, people still go up to the heights to view what's left of the false front town and reminisce about watching it all happen.
Aside from the UFO crash, this was the biggest thing to hit Elgin Park.
This particular photo was taken while I was in Pittsburgh signing books.
The actual place was a former steel mill site that is now basically a desolate flattened area.
Because it is private property, I always ask permission to set up my stuff. A group of truck drivers, who were standing by their rigs, said: "they didn't give a flying _ at a rolling donut", so I took that as a YES.
When I tried to engage them in a conversation about what I was doing, there was little interest.
When I thought about it later, it must have seemed odd to them that an old man was fussing about with little buildings and cars, set on a card table in the middle of acres of a demolished steel mill.
Ya know, it is odd!
PS: You can see the scaffolding up against the building on the right.
www.flickr.com/photos/24796741@N05/18928843966/in/datepos...
And a better view of the false front building:
www.flickr.com/photos/24796741@N05/15690462829/in/datepos...
PPS: Here is shameless self promotion of the new Book!
www.flickr.com/photos/24796741@N05/19121278518/in/photost...