When the old-timers in the local movie business gather round to moan about their industry’s woes, they invariably tell the tale of the director from LA hired by the state to film a commercial promoting tourism in Illinois. “If you want to know why the film industry here is hurting so much, that about sums it up,” says Peter Donoghue, a veteran film-crew worker here. “The state might as well put up a billboard saying, “Don’t come to Chicago. The talent’s no good.”‘
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In many ways Donoghue’s career reflects the ups and downs of the local industry. His first job, back in 1975, was working as a gaffer, the set electrician, on a small-budget movie called Towing. After that he worked on Stony Island, directed by Andrew Davis, a Chicago native who went on to direct The Fugitive and other action hits. By the late 1970s Donoghue was well into the business, which was booming.
“There was a time when the old Mayor Daley was in office that Chicago was not welcoming movies to town,” says Joe Rowley, executive producer of Southpaw Productions, a local production house. “It was an issue of control. Mayor Daley didn’t trust outsiders. He wanted to review scripts. He didn’t want them making gangster movies that might hurt the city’s image.”
“In a good year a gaffer could make $60,000–that’s how much work there was between TV shows, movies, and commercials,” says Donoghue. “And there were a lot of jobs–on any given film you have seven employees in the electric department, props has five, set dressers seven. You’re talking about 35 gainfully employed people making at least 50 thou. And they aren’t throwing it away–they’re buying cars and mortgages and iceboxes. They’re spreading it around the local economy.”
Donoghue began pressing Kellett and Charles Geocaris, head of the city’s film department, demanding to know what they were doing to promote new business and how he could help. “I don’t want them to take this personal, because it’s not about them–but no one’s doing enough to promote our city,” says Donoghue. “Always it’s with the excuse. “Oh, the exchange rate with Canada’s killing us, so they’re going north to shoot.’ Fine. Then tell me why Minnesota’s booming? They say, “Minnesota’s willing to work for cheap.’ I said, “We’ll cut our rates. We’ve already made some concessions. And besides they ain’t working for cheap in New York.’ Then they tell me, “The problem is you guys steal’–you know, equipment from the set. Can you believe that? First of all, they never get specific. And second of all, what are you telling me–they don’t steal in New York? That’s where stealing was invented. We’re her [Suzy Kellett’s] product, and all she does is run us down. We’re expensive, we’re thieves, and we don’t know what we’re doing. No wonder no one wants to work here.
Donoghue says he wants to play. “They’re taking it personally,” he says. “Charlie Geocaris calls me up and says, “What, do you want my job?’ I say, “No, Charlie, I don’t want your job. I want my old job.’ And I’m gonna do what it takes to light a fire under this industry.”
