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Urbana native, car get 3 seconds of fame

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Urbana native Jeff Kelch poses with his 1934 Chrysler on the set of the movie “Public Enemies” filmed on location at the Biograph Theater in Chicago. Kelch, along with his Chrysler, is an extra in the movie that stars Johnny Depp as the notorious criminal John Dillinger. The bank robber was gunned down by the FBI in an alley next to the Biograph on July 22, 1934.

Contributed Photo Urbana native Jeff Kelch poses with his 1934 Chrysler on the set of the movie “Public Enemies” filmed on location at the Biograph Theater in Chicago. Kelch, along with his Chrysler, is an extra in the movie that stars Johnny Depp as the notorious criminal John Dillinger. The bank robber was gunned down by the FBI in an alley next to the Biograph on July 22, 1934.

Jeff Kelch was one of 49 owners of 1930-34 era cars selected to be in ‘Public Enemies.’

By Joanne Huist Smith, Staff Writer Updated 6:41 PM Sunday, June 28, 2009

Urbana native Jeff Kelch sat behind the wheel of his 1934 Chrysler waiting patiently as the driver of the car in front of him learned to maneuver a clutch. The driver clearly didn’t know how to shift the manual transmission in the antique auto.

Kelch’s location: the set of the movie “Public Enemies” being filmed in Chicago in the spring of 2008; The other driver: Hollywood heartthrob Johnny Depp playing the role of bank robber John Dillinger.

“It was absolutely something I will never forget,” Kelch said.

Kelch’s film adventure sprang from a family heirloom, the royal blue Chrysler with front-opening suicide doors, purchased new in Urbana by his great-uncle William Gribble.

When Kelch learned through a magazine ad that Universal Studios was searching for 1930-34 era vehicles for the movie, he sent in photos of the family car. Director Michael Mann selected the Chrysler for several scenes.

Kelch said he spent 10 nights on the set, driving the car himself in a number of scenes. His effort resulted in about three seconds of movie footage of the car.

“I’ve heard about so many extras ending up on the cutting-room floor,” said Kelch, 51, who now lives in a suburb of Chicago. “For me, it was a remarkable experience.”

Kelch, like many of the 49 owners of picture cars who worked during the Chicago filming, had anticipated the production crew would want their cars “shiny and bright.”

On arrival, Kelch’s Chrysler went directly to a area designated Car Make-up.

“People sprayed-painted the car with dirt,” he said.

Rehearsal and filming of the Dillinger death scene, shot on location in front of the Biograph Theater where FBI agents gunned down the bank robber, took six nights. During much of that time, Kelch waited or slept in the back of his car stationed in an alley across the street from the spot where Dillinger died.

Then a production assistant knocked on his car window and asked, “Are you ready for your starring role?”

Mann had called for the big Chrysler, driven by Kelch, to quickly pull out of an alley immediately following the shooting of Dillinger. Christian Bale, who plays Melvin Purvis, the FBI agent who led the manhunt for Dillinger, would walk through the glow of Kelch’s headlights.

“It was remarkable,” Kelch said. “I had to be careful to actually not hit Christian Bale.”

Kelch slipped on his black fedora, rolled up the sleeves of his white shirt, then pulled the Chrysler out of the alley.

Seated in the car beside him and dressed as a photographer was Bryan Burrough, who wrote “Public Enemies,” the book on which the movie was based.

Contact this reporter at  (937) 225-2362 or  josmith@DaytonDailyNews.com.

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