Huntsville's historic buildings used for 'Crime Wave' scenes

November 16, 2006

By PAUL ROY
Independent Herald Publisher

HUNTSVILLE — It was “Lights, Camera, Action!” here Thursday when a film crew from Jupiter Entertainment in Knoxville, along with a contingent of actors, filmed scenes for a two-hour History Channel documentary.

The old sandstone bank building which is currently serving as the Huntsville Office of First National Bank — with both interior and exterior shots — appeared to be the primary backdrop for most of the day’s work, but the old jail building and an old country road scene behind the jail were also utilized.

Planned to air in early spring is a documentary entitled “Crime Wars, 18 Months of Mayhem: America’s Greatest Crime Spree”, and while Scott County wasn’t an actual location of that crime wave, local scenery and a few familiar faces will be a part of the production.

Local residents like Scott County Sheriff’s Department Captain Rick Ward and Dedra Douglas, donned period attire and stepped into bit roles as a police officer and bank customer, respectively, in a series of three bank robberies, and other locals also had an opportunity to be part of the background for other scenes filmed Thursday.

Another local connection to the documentary will be former Oneida resident Marvin West, a full-time teacher, part-time actor from Sevier County, who plays Police Chief Percy Boyd in one Bonnie and Clyde scene filmed in Alcoa, and as a member of a Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) crew gunned down by the FBI in an attempt to kill John Dillinger in a tavern scene filmed in Townsend.

Other East Tennessee locations where various scenes were filmed include Knoxville, Oliver Springs, Harriman, Clinton and Wartburg.

In Huntsville, the bank was used for the scene of three different robberies by three different criminals; namely, Machine Gun Kelly (Jason Benjamin), John Dillinger (Lynn Bumgardner), and “Baby Face” Nelson (Jason Leith).

Two vintage automobiles, one of them a fully-restored 1934 Ford which was parked between the bank and courthouse throughout most of the day, were used in the filming in Huntsville on Thursday.

Because of the fact that the bank robbery scenes were taking place at a time when the bank was open for business, the Scott County Sheriff’s Department provided extra security. Armed with automatic rifles outside the bank throughout the filming were Deputies Doug Bertram, Andy Davis and Austin Lawson, in addition to the presence of “Capt. Hollywood” (Rick Ward).

The documentary is directed by Patrick Labell. Jupiter Entertainment’s list of credits includes the long-running City Confidential on A&E.

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