'MoCo Goes Hollywood' exhibit opens

Red carpet rolled out at the building's entrance and the smell of popcorn wafted through the air, greeting the attendees Friday evening. After walking up the stairs, guests could get a photograph with actress and singer Liza Minnelli or the Invisible Man from the Abbott and Costello movies. Visitors were not attending a movie premiere, however, but the grand opening of the exhibit "Lights! Camera! Action! MoCo Goes Hollywood!," now on display at the Monroe County History Center. \nThe exhibit features Monroe County's connections to Hollywood and the movie-making process. Co-curator of the exhibit Jamie Wissink, sporting a red feather boa for the event, said members of the history center started talking about the idea two years ago.\n"People are always very interested in movies, and it crosses across socioeconomic lines," Wissink said.\nThe center put the idea aside at first, thinking only 15 to 20 connections existed. The result proved to be much higher.\n"We now have more than 125 in the collection," Wissink said. "And more are coming in as we speak."\nIn the downstairs reception room, volunteers treated guests to traditional movie fare, including hot dogs, popcorn and soft drinks. The centerpiece of the room was John Ford's 1941 Best Director Oscar statue, protected by a hired guard and displayed courtesy of the Lilly Library. \nAs guests entered the exhibit upstairs, costumed members of the Bloomington Playwright's Project, including those dressed as Minnelli and the Invisible Man, took photographs with guests. Hollywood memorabilia ranged from a dress worn by jazz vocalist Ella Fitzgerald to the press kit from IU-attendee Ryan Murphy's Oscar-contending movie "Running with Scissors." Guests could also participate in Movie Magic, seeing themselves on a television screen through the use of blue screen technology. A bulletin board titled "Paparazzi Gallery" showed photos of Monroe County residents with Hollywood stars, including a picture of "Sex and the City" star Sarah Jessica Parker with her son and four Bloomington girls.\n"If people have been in any movies and have been on any sets, we encourage them to give us their photos," said Jill Lesh, managing director of the center.\nAmong the event's attendees was Angelo Pizzo, screenwriter for the movies "Hoosiers" and "Rudy" and an IU alumnus. Pizzo donated a display case worth memorabilia from the movies, including Japanese poster that normally hang on a wall at his home.\n"It's fabulous. I think they did a great job," Pizzo said of the exhibit. "I'm very impressed."\nAnother display included material lent by the Indiana University Student Foundation from the movie "Breaking Away", including an original copy of screenwriter Steve Tesich's original script and a jersey worn by one of the Little 500 riders in the film. Doug Bruce, a Bloomington architect and IU alumnus at the event, was an extra in the movie.\n"I still get goose bumps when I see it," Bruce said.\nThe exhibit is open to the public from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays until March 28 at the Monroe County History Center. Tickets cost $2 for adults and $1 for children. Members are free. For more information, call the center at 812-332-2517.