In the Chicago office of Civilian Pictures, the phone rang just like any other time. It was after hours, but the small staff was still hard at work. John Murphy picked up.  “What do you think about doing a film about Charles Nelson Reilly?”, said the voice on the other end.
  

“That’s the best idea I’ve heard in at least three years,” responded Murphy.  After a few other calls like that one, Barry Poltermann, the voice on the other end, was convinced – The Life Of Reilly had to be made.
   

Poltermann then recruited a highly skilled team, including co-director Frank Anderson, unit production manager Adrian Selkowitz, and producers Robert Fagan and Wrye Martin. At the same time, he was attempting to gain the go-ahead from Charles Nelson Reilly himself, not only to okay doing a film about him but to agree to perform his since-retired one man show one more time. Charles was won over by The Life Of Reilly team’s conviction and respect for the material, and agreed to put on, one more time, the show that had been referred to by critics as Charles’ performance of a lifetime.

The El Portal Theatre in North Hollywood, California agreed happily to host the show. A venue where Charles had played before, the management of the El Portal knew they would have brisk ticket sales and a satisfied audience at the end of the night.

With Charles now on board, and the support of Civilian’s Peter McDonnell, the team at Civilian put together the funds to make the film.

The original set for "The Life of Reilly" at the El Portal Theater in 2001.

    

Once the financing was in place, the team now began preparations to put on the show as well as preparations to film the show.  The play was staged to be as close as possible if not exactly the same as it had been a few years prior when Charles unofficially retired it. The play’s stage manager, David Mangrino, and director, Paul Linke, were kind enough to lend their services to the cause.

The movie was produced on High Definition video and shot entirely hand-held by a crew of cameramen under the supervision of accomplished cinematographer Anthony Balderrama.  Mr. Poltermann edited the film and Mr. Anderson provided the score, with additional music being provided by Donita Sparks.

       

The house was packed with audience members, famous friends of Charles’, rock bands with an affinity for Mr. Reilly, and a few lucky friends of the production team.  We even managed

to squeeze several HD Cameras, sound equipment, dollies, and lights into the El Portal.

    

SXSW Premiere, March 12, 2006

The film debuted at the 2006 South By Southwest Film Festival to enthusiastic reviews and is currently making the festival rounds. 

Its running time is 87 minutes.

 

 

Additional Photos

Location Shoot

 
 

  

L’ORANGE FILMS Presents


In Association With CIVILIAN PICTURES


CHARLES NELSON REILLY in


The Life Of Reilly


A Film By BARRY POLTERMANN, FRANK ANDERSON, and
CHARLES NELSON REILLY


Directed By FRANK ANDERSON and BARRY POLTERMANN


Produced By BOB FAGAN


Produced By WRYE MARTIN


Written By CHARLES NELSON REILLY and PAUL LINKE


Directed For The Stage By PAUL LINKE


Unit Production Manager ADRIAN SELKOWITZ


Line Producer TAYLOR LAWRENCE


Executive Producers CARRIE HECKMAN, PETER MCDONNELL, and
JOHN LYONS MURPHY


Executive Producers DAVID DAHLMAN and STEVE FARR


Associate Producers DAVID MINGRINO and JESSE TROTT


Cinematographer TONY BALDERRAMA


Music FRANK ANDERSON


Editing BARRY POLTERMANN


Assistant Director J.P. VELASQUEZ


Set Designer PATRICK HUGHES


Production Designer SEAN CARSON


Sound Designer STEPHEN ROBINSON


Sound Mixer MIKE DRAGHI


Theatrical Sound Design STEVE SHAW


Recordist BIL MARTEL


Still Photography JOE PICCIOLO


Hair And Makeup MARTHA CLARK


Wardrobe Designer NOEL TAYLOR


Gaffer SCOTT SPENCER


Best Boy ROBERT CHAMBERS


Technical Director CRAIG HOUSENICK


Theatrical Lighting Designer ADAM GREEN


First Assistant Camera MAURICIO GUTIERREZ


Assistant Editor DAN ELORTEGUI


additional music written and performed by
DONITA SPARKS


camera operators
FRANK ANDERSON
ANTHONY BALDERRAMA
JOHN LYONS MURPHY
WRYE MARTIN
JOSEPH PICCIOLO
ADRIAN SELKOWITZ


First assistant camera
SHARON ALLEY
PETER LEE
TONY SCHULTZ


Second Assistant Camera
RON RASCHKE


Camera Technician/Logger
KIRK SMITH


Swing
MAX POMERLEAU


Second Grip/Driver
DAVID HOWARD


Seamstress
ANITA GNAN


Lead Production Assistant
GERRY MULLINS


Production Assistants
CAROLYN MORRIS
DECKER WATSON
IAN BUNCH
ROB WOOD


Assistant to Mr. Reilly
GARY ROSEN


Assistant to Mssrs. Anderson & Poltermann
JACOB DERRICK


Stage Manager
DAVID MINGRINO


Theater Management
JAY IRWIN
PEGGY FORREST


House Management
STEVE SHEDD


Stage Lighting
OLU KIARA
MICHAEL ITUARTE
AARON STAUBACH


Theater Sound
STAFFORD FLOYD


Theatrical Publicity
FORREST & ASSOCIATES


Avid provided by
MIDWEST MEDIA GROUP


High Definition Dailies
HD STUDIOS, CULVER CITY


Legal Services
DARREN GREEN, Esq.
JOSEPH MADONIA, Esq.


Mr. Reilly’s Representation
THE ARTIST GROUP


Production Bookkeeping
GIOVANNA BUHL
MELISSA MOORE


‘Behind the Scenes’ Director
DAVID DAHLMAN


Rear Screen Photography
ADRIAN SELKOWITZ


“COLUMBUS THE MAN”
Producer DEBRA SYPEK
Costumes AMELIA ANDERSON
Key Grip OLIVER ANDERSON


Performed by
SEAN HUSSEY
JACOB NIELSEN
MAGGIE AMBROSIUS
RACHEL NIELSEN
COREY BURNS
JOHN DRESCHER
KASSIA GROSSKOPF
AMEILIA ANDERSON


With thanks to PATTI EBBEN, CHERYL MEYER and the
JEFFERSON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL in APPLETON, WISCONSIN


Special thanks to
PETER ANDERSON
ELIZABETH LEE ANDERSON
RON & DEBBIE FREEDMAN
EMIL HAMMERSTROM
RICHARD HAMMERSTROM
PHIL JENTGEN
MARY MCDONNELL
BRETT & MICHELLE YOUNG
ANNE MCDONNELL
JAMES F. MCDONNELL
REDSKY FINANCIAL
PATTY ROGERS
JODY & BILLY JOE TODD
BRAD & KELLY POLTERMANN
BRUCE & KAY POLTERMANN
MARK RUBIN
JOHN & JOAN SCHACHT


Civilian Pictures would like to thank
SEAN BISCEGLIA
TONY & JOLENE BIESACK
JOHN BIESACK
STEF DURDIC
ADAM EILENBERG
MARK FAIRBANKS
ANDREW FRIEDMAN
PETER FUHRMAN
AL GIROD
KEITH GORDON
BILL & CHRIS HAMMERSTROM
JERRY & HANNA HOLBUS
ETHAN HAWKE
DIANE KEATON
DAVID KIRKPATRICK
RICHARD LINKLATER
JULIE LYNNE
JIM MACKAY
JERRY MURRAY
GRANT NIMAN
NOELLE NOVACK
DAVID NOWICKI
BOB OKABE
WARREN OVERTON
WESLEY PAUL
JOE PERRY
LISA REARDON
DENIS RICE
DAVID REILLY
BILL ROBINSON
TRACI ROBINSON
REID RUNZHEIMER
RHODA RUNZHEIMER
ANTHONY SALIBA
JOHN SLOSS
CHRIS SMITH
BRENT STARCK
ERWIN STOFF
ANNE WALKER-MCBAY
JAMES WATERBURY
DANIEL WEAVER
ANDY WINTHEISER
SCOTT WINTHEISER


Thanks to
ANNE & LORNE AVERY
MIKE MCDONALD
PETER & FRANCES MARTIN
THOM BOWEN
JACK DAVIDSON
JULIAN JAMEL
ROSE CHAMPAGNE
JOHN E. & MARGARET MURPHY
PETER BROWN
JOHN & JANET PIERSON
JOSEPH PEPE
NED WHITE
CHARLIE RYAN
ROBERT MALCOLM
CHRIS & KATE CORSMEIER
DICK & DONA FARR
NICK GAGLIANO
ANGIE LUKECZEWSKI
PATRICK BUCKLEY
TONY WOOD
CLAUDI LOOZE
SUE BIESACK
SARAH PRICE
MIKE IMM
JAMES MURPHY
ALDIS STRAZDINS
PETER READ
MIKI MOSMAN
NICK & KRISTA PIPITONE
WESLEY PAUL
CHRIS KENNEDY
JENNIFER ZORDANI
MAGGIE MAGEE
JAQUES WELCHE
JILL TRACHTE
ANDY GORZALSKI
MIKE BYRNE
JOHN ELMENDORF
LOWELL & KAY HELLERVICK
JANET GRIDLEY
DENISE MCKEE
ALTON HARRIS
PHYLIS FUNKENBUSCH
DICK GILLESPIE
SERENA HARRAGAN
SHARON DAY
ERIC LEZOD
BRIAN MATTMILLER
DONOVAN BRANDT
CHARLIE SCHWEITZER
EDWARD SCHRAG
STAN WERTLIEB
ALEX COSTAKIS
JILL PAIZ
CHAD HARKIN
KEVIN CURRAN
DARREN BELITSKY
JOSEPH TOMKIEWICZ
JEFF ROSE
JANELLE TUROWSKI
JAN PETERSON
JEFF SOTZIG
WES NICKERSON
RICH BARBER


PURPLE ONION ENTERTAINMENT
THE ENGINE ROOM EDITORIAL
OCTANE ADVERTISING
EDDIE BRANDT’S SATURDAY MATINEE


Original score recorded by JIM HENDRICK at IPS STUDIOS, Appleton
Wisconsin.


And produced by FRANK ANDERSON & JIM HENDRICK


Musicians
Cello, piano MATT TURNER
Percussion, flugelhorn, coronet MIKE HALE
Bass JOHN GIBSON
Harp JANE KNEECE
Guitar JIM MEYER
Violin AUDREY MCTIERNAN
Guitar, accordian, keyboards FRANK ANDERSON
Violin TOM BAKKEN
Trombone JIM HENDRICK
With the kind assistance of FRED VERMEERN & VINCE SCHIEBL


Songs
THIS IS WHERE I BELONG
Written by Ray Davies
Performed by Frank Black


CAN’T GET USED TO LOSING YOU
Written by Jerome ‘Doc’ Pommus & Mort Schuman
Performed by Andy Williams


BYE BYE BLUES
Music: Fred Hamm, Dave Bennett, Bert Lown, Chauncey Grey
copyright 1930


NAUGHTY MARRIETTA
Music by Victor Herbert
Lyrics by Rida Johnson Young
Performed by Jeanette MacDonald
& Nelson Eddie


THEME FROM THE TONIGHT SHOW
Written by Paul Anka
Performed by Doc Severinson
And the ‘Tonight Show Orchestra’


ELECTRIC LADYLAND
Written & Performed by
Fantastic Plastic Planet


HELLO DOLLY
Written by Jerry Herman
From the Original Broadway Cast
Recording of ‘Hello Dolly’


THIS IS WHERE I BELONG
Written by Ray Davies
Performed by Donita Sparks


CAUGHT IN THE RAIN
Written by Spiral Stairs
Performed by Preston School of Industry


Acknowledgements
THE NBC COMEDY HOUR
Courtesy of the National Broadcasting Company


THE LIFE OF RILEY
Courtesy of Filmtone Productions


THE TEXACO STAR THEATER
Courtesy of the National Broadcasting Company


THE DEAN MARTIN CELEBRITY ROAST
Courtesy of Dean Martin Productions


THE MATCH GAME
Courtesy of Mark Goodson Television Productions


THE PATTY DUKE SHOW
Courtesy of the American Broadcasting Company


THE GHOST AND MRS. MUIR
Courtesy of 20th Century Fox Television


LIDSVILLE
Courtesy of Krofft Entertainment


ROWAN & MARTIN’S LAUGH IN
Courtesy of George Schlatter-Ed Friendly
Productions, NBC & Romart Inc.


LOVE AMERICAN STYLE
Courtesy of American Broadcasting Company /
Paramount Television / Parker-Margolin Productions


THE TONIGHT SHOW
Courtesy of Carson Productions


Shirley Booth clips from the motion pictures
“The Matchmaker” & “Come Back Little Sheba”


Hume Cronyn clips from the motion
pictures “The Postman Always Rings Twice”
& “Brute Force”


Claire Trevor clips from the motion picture
“Key Largo”


Burt Lancaster clips from the motion
pictures “Come Back Little Sheba” & “Brute Force”


Liv Ullmann & Max von Sydow clips from
the motion picture “Hour of the Wolf”


The Hartford Circus Fire clips courtesy of
Arts and Entertainment Network

"Bic Banana" television commercial courtesy of

The Bic Corporation


Filmed on location at the
EL PORTAL THEATER North Hollywood, California


Copyright 2006 Life of Reilly LLC

  

____________________________________________________________

  

Charlesnelsonreilly.com is the official website of the film "The Life of Reilly".

© 2007 Life of Reilly LLC.  All rights reserved.