On October 24, 2002 Austin State Hospital (ASH) employees were seeing stars! Robert Duvall, Michael Caine and Haley Joel Osmett were on campus shooting the movie "Secondhand Lions". The movie will be premiered in November of 2003 here in Austin, Texas. The movie was originally scheduled to shoot on November 20th, but continuous rains forced the film crew to seek shelter under ASH roof a month earlier. Within 24-hours, several rooms of the third floor Administrative Building were
transformed into a "working" 60's rural hospital. Floors were polished,
walls textured and painted, and props were gathered and set. It took a lot
of teamwork between several Hospital departments to accommodate Avery Pix,
Inc. and approximately 100 crew members!
In appreciation for our "above and beyond" efforts, Avery
Pix., Inc. donated $2,000 to the Volunteer Services Council. The Council's
mission is to improve the quality of life for ASH patients. The VSC also
secured a movie script signed by Duvall, Caine and Osmett. The script will
be used as a silent auction item during a future fundraiser.
Finally, the film company has completed some permanent
modifications to the Administration building --including replacing banister
spindles on the main staircase of the administration building.
