Hollywood on the Potomac
Sponsored by the Ed Berkowitz Film Education Fund
Jimmy Stewart filibustering on the Senate floor in Mr. Smith Goes to Washington…the fall down those Georgetown steps in The Exorcist…Redford and Hoffman in Watergate mode in All the President’s Men…Clint Eastwood scrambling over Capitol Hill rooftops in In the Line of Fire. Since the dawn of American cinema, Hollywood has had a fascination with the people and politics of our nation’s capital. Join author and film critic Mike Canning as he presents from his book Hollywood on the Potomac in this entertaining, clip-filled survey detailing how “our town” has been depicted by Tinseltown.
Series Events
Hollywood on the Potomac
Thu, Jun 29, 11:30 pm – 1:30 am
Mike Canning, film critic for the Hill Rag newspaper in Washington, DC for over 20 years, examined over 50 motion pictures set in the District for his book Hollywood on the Potomac. In this multimedia talk adapted from his book, he offers intriguing insights into Washington history and movie lore.
The book Hollywood on the Potomac will be on sale and the author will participate in a book signing after the lecture. Save money by combining the book with the purchase of your ticket for the lecture: $35 / $30 Avalon members.
Tickets: $18 / $15 Avalon members
Series Curator
Mike Canning saw his first film in his home town of Fargo, North Dakota, at the age of four. After a first career working for 28 years as a press and cultural officer in the Foreign Service, he moved on to a second career as a writer. A film critic for the Hill Rag newspaper in Washington, DC for over 20 years, he is also a freelance writer on film, public affairs, and politics, often writing about the depiction of Washington politics and the US Congress in American feature films. His writing led to a commission for a book on DC movies, Hollywood on the Potomac, published in 2012. He and his wife Judy have made their home on Capitol Hill for 51 years.