The Verne Miller Story: Difference between revisions
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==References== | ==References== | ||
* Keith, Susan (July 29, 1988) "[ The mark of the mobster: Birmingham hasn't forgotten the gangster that brought Hollywood to town]." {{BPH}}/''[[Kudzu]]'', p. 6- | * Keith, Susan (July 29, 1988) "[https://www.newspapers.com/article/birmingham-post-herald-the-mark-of-the-m/138203264/ The mark of the mobster: Birmingham hasn't forgotten the gangster that brought Hollywood to town]." {{BPH}}/''[[Kudzu]]'', p. 6-8 | ||
==External links== | ==External links== |
Latest revision as of 21:11, 6 January 2024
The Verne Miller Story (debuted as simply Verne Miller, later distributed as Gangland) is a 1987 feature film produced by Alive Films. It was written and directed by Rod Hewitt, and starred Scott Glenn as a hit-man for Al Capone's Chicago mob. The sensationalized story was inspired by actual persons and events. Some scenes for the feature were filmed in the Birmingham area, and the completed film had its world premiere at the Alabama Theatre on July 30, 1988.
Birmingham's Carl Spurlock played a judge in the film and Bob Penny portrayed a real estate agent. Bessemer's Henry David DeBardeleben worked on the production as second unit director. Production credits in the film included recognition for the Alabama Film Office, Birmingham Film Council, Alabama Landmarks, Alabama Power Company, the Alabama State Highway Department, UAB, University of Montevallo and University of North Alabama.
The producers convinced organizers of a Halloween Bash at University Inn on October 31, 1986 to advertise a 1930s theme for their costume contest as a means of casting extras.
Filming locations in Alabama included:
- The Alabama Theatre, the projection room was used for a scene. The upstairs ladies lounge was made into a dressing room for Vi, the stair to the second balcony was used as a hotel stair, and scenes set in a brother made use of the balconies and stage.
- The Theodore Swann residence on Redmont Road, served as Verne Miller's residence
- The Woodward House on Red Mountain was used as Al Capone's residence
- The pedestrian tunnel under Independence Drive between Shades Cahaba Elementary School and Piggly-Wiggly's parking lot was used for scenes set in Chicago's underground tunnels.
- Rooms in the Rhodes Professional Building on Rhodes Circle were dressed as bedroom sets
- The Ridgely Apartments (Tutwiler Hotel) served as an exterior backdrop
- Shelby County Highway 25 between Leeds and Vandiver was used for a kidnaping scene.
- Downtown Springville stood in for Hot Springs, Arkansas)
- Romeo's on 7th Avenue South was made use of as a speakeasy
- The Bessemer Depot was used for the scene of the Kansas City massacre
Period automobiles in the film were lent by the Moore Auto Classic Museum.
The film was screened at the Montréal World Film Festival on August 30, 1987. It's "world premiere" followed at the Alabama almost a year later. It was originally released on videocassette under the Verne Miller title, but was later distributed on videocassette by Nelson Entertainment as Gangland.
References
- Keith, Susan (July 29, 1988) "The mark of the mobster: Birmingham hasn't forgotten the gangster that brought Hollywood to town." Birmingham Post-Herald/Kudzu, p. 6-8
External links
- The Verne Miller Story at IMDB.com