The Garden City Historical Society Museum will be making its television debut next summer on HBO.
George Roy, of Camaro Films, shot footage Sept. 8 for an upcoming documentary titled the “Life and Times of Julius Erving."
The documentary explores Erving’s, known to his fans as Dr. J, rise from humble beginnings to basketball legend. Born in Hempstead and primarily raised by a single mom, Dr. J moved to nearby Roosevelt where he played high school basketball and began to attract attention for his basketball skills.
Interviews with former teammates and coaches were held at the museum for the documentary. The museum was chosen as much for its proximity to the interviewees as its aesthetic appeal.
Roy, an Emmy award winner who develops documentaries for clients such as HBO, CBS, The History Channel and ESPN, hailed the museum’s beauty.
“We researched different venues nearby and logistically we were impressed,” Roy said. “The museum is television friendly, one room can be transformed into three different locations.”
Working in the museum setting also made director of photography Eli Gamson’s job a little easier.
“When working in an environment like this, it’s easy to land on a nice frame,” said Gamson.
Roy’s partner Steve Stern concurred, citing the museum’s high ceilings, lighting and architecture as quite desirable for a visual medium such as television.
Albert Intreglia, president of the Garden City Historical Society, praised the opportunity.
“We are delighted to serve as host for this documentary,” said Intreglia. “We look forward to sharing our museum and pursuing other opportunities as they arise.”
According to vice president Mary Mahoney the entire board felt very fortunate to be selected.
“It’s an honor to have the interior of the museum showcased on national television,” said Mahoney. “We’re proud of the renovations that have been completed and we consider this quite a compliment to serve as the setting for this exciting venture.”
