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Mark McDonald & crew of ILLINOIS STORIES were in town last week, filming a short piece about the making of THE BOOTLEGGER. The segment will air on PBS starting tomorrow:

WSEC/Jacksonville-Springfield
WQEC/Quincy
WMEC/Macomb

Thursday, April 18, 7:30 PM
Friday, April 19, 6:30 PM
Wednesday, April 24, 6:30 PM

Here is the new website for THE BOOTLEGGER, where I will post regular production updates, photos, articles, outtakes, and more.

http://bootleggerfilm.tumblr.com/

Cheers,
Ryan

Here are the details on Thursday night's presentation, straight from the museum's website. http://westernillinoismuseum.org/blog/2012/07/10/the-bootlegger-kelly-wagle-and-his-era/

The Western Illinois Museum is pleased to present a program with John Hallwas and Ryan Walker, two creative talents who are intrigued by the life and times of the infamous bootlegger Kelly Wagle. Hallwas, author of the 1999 book The Bootlegger, is advising filmmaker Ryan Walker on his upcoming documentary film on the life of Colchester native, Kelly Wagle. Ryan’s first documentary film, Zielinski, was screened in Macomb at the Cornfed Film Fest. The program will be held at the museum on Thursday, July 19, at 7:00 pm. Refreshments will be served and the program is free and open to the public.

Thomas Henry Wagle was born on January 14, 1886, the third of six children, to Alice Walley and Arch Wagle from Colchester, Illinois. At the age of nine, he took the nickname “Killie” after Jake Kilrain, the fighter. The complexity of his character appears at a young age. He proves to be an intense competitor, have a violent temper, yet is generous, well liked and deeply attached to Colchester. The narrative of Wagle’s life reads like a crime novel with bootlegging, fast cars, heartbreak, corruption, and a man whose luck runs out on April 8, 1929, when he is gunned down on the streets of Colchester. With plot lines like these, there is no doubt about why writer John Hallwas and filmmaker Ryan Walker are telling his story.

Join us for an evening of spirited conversation about the larger-than-life characters in our region who walked the streets of McDonough County during the prohibition era. A special feature of the program is a preview of some of the footage Ryan Walker is shooting this summer for his upcoming film, The Bootlegger.

The Western Illinois Museum is located at 201 South Lafayette Street, one block south of Macomb’s Courthouse Square. For more information contact the museum at 309.837.2750 or info@westernillinoismuseum.org.

The Western Illinois Museum is pleased to present a program with John Hallwas and Ryan Walker, two creative talents who are intrigued by the life and times of the infamous bootlegger Kelly Wagle. Hallwas, author of the 1999 book The Bootlegger, is advising filmmaker Ryan Walker on his upcoming documentary film on the life of Colchester native, Kelly Wagle. Ryan’s first documentary film, Zielinski, was screened in Macomb at the Cornfed Film Fest. The program will be held at the museum on Thursday, July 19, at 7:00 pm. Refreshments will be served and the program is free and open to the public.

Thomas Henry Wagle was born on January 14, 1886, the third of six children, to Alice Walley and Arch Wagle from Colchester, Illinois. At the age of nine, he took the nickname “Killie” after Jake Kilrain, the fighter. The complexity of his character appears at a young age. He proves to be an intense competitor, have a violent temper, yet is generous, well liked and deeply attached to Colchester. The narrative of Wagle’s life reads like a crime novel with bootlegging, fast cars, heartbreak, corruption, and a man whose luck runs out on April 8, 1929, when he is gunned down on the streets of Colchester. With plot lines like these, there is no doubt about why writer John Hallwas and filmmaker Ryan Walker are telling his story.

Join us for an evening of spirited conversation about the larger-than-life characters in our region who walked the streets of McDonough County during the prohibition era. A special feature of the program is a preview of some of the footage Ryan Walker is shooting this summer for his upcoming film, The Bootlegger.

The Western Illinois Museum is located at 201 South Lafayette Street, one block south of Macomb’s Courthouse Square. For more information contact the museum at 309.837.2750 or info@westernillinoismuseum.org.

A lot is happening all at once with the BOOTLEGGER project.

Last week, I spent three days transforming my dad's study into a little studio, clearing space and straightening bookshelves.

On Thursday, July 12th, I filmed the first interview with Dr. John Hallwas, author of The Bootlegger. Here is a sneak peak (still image) from the footage.

For those in the Macomb/Colchester area, Dr. Hallwas and I will give a presentation this Thursday (July 19) at 7 pm at the Western Illinois Museum about Kelly Wagle and his era. Details here. 

The McDonough County Voice is running a three-part series in preparation for The Game of the Year. Here are the first two parts. --Part One-- --Part Two-- All the details about The Game of the Year can be found here. Flyer below. 

Back at it,
Ryan