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charlene · 12-08-2015, 07:21 PM

http://www.cleveland.com/rocky-river...river_exp.html

By Bruce Geiselman, cleveland.com
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on December 08, 2015 at 3:54 PM, updated December 08, 2015 at 4:00 PM

ROCKY RIVER, Ohio – A new documentary on the wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald focuses on the lives of the 29 men who died 40 years ago when the freighter sank during a storm on Lake Superior.

"For the past 40 years, everyone has concentrated on trying to explain without any level of certainty why the Fitzgerald sank," Christopher Gillcrist, executive director of the National Museum of the Great Lakes, said. "No one has had the evidence to make that case. Our approach is, we are never going to know for sure why she sank. There were never any witnesses. Why not talk about the people who worked on the boat before she sank."

"A Good Ship and Crew Well Seasoned: The Fitzgerald and Her Legacy," which will be shown in Rocky River Dec. 16, includes rare photographs and film footage of the Fitzgerald, including the last known photographs of the vessel.

The 57-minute film explores the crew, most of whom came from Ohio, including three from the Cleveland area.

It also delves into the lawyer for Oglebay Norton, the company that operated the freighter. The lawyer's son died on the ship, and he had to cope with his grief while dealing with the company's legal issues and settling the affairs of crew members, Gilchrist said.

"It was reported in a small way in 1975, but it has been lost to history," Gillcrist said.

The sinking is recounted in the Gordon Lightfoot song "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald," and on the label of Great Lakes Brewing Co.'s porter.

"Their lives should never be summed up in the final few seconds they lived," Gillcrist said.

"A Good Ship" -- produced by the National Museum of the Great Lakes and Allied Media Group Inc. -- includes interviews with family members of those who died and others who served on the ship prior to its sinking.

The movie will be shown at 6:30 p.m. Dec. 16 at Memorial Hall in the Don Umerley Civic Center, 21016 Hilliard Blvd., Rocky River. Tickets are $5. Reservations are recommended and can be made by calling 419-214-5000, extension 0.

Following the documentary, Gillcrist will discuss stories that ended up on the cutting room floor and didn't make the final version of the film.

The movie premiered at the National Museum of the Great Lakes in Toledo last month.

12-08-2015, 07:21 PM	#1
charlene Moderator Join Date: May 2000 Posts: 16,001	New Doc on The Fitz http://www.cleveland.com/rocky-river...river_exp.html By Bruce Geiselman, cleveland.com Email the author \| Follow on Twitter on December 08, 2015 at 3:54 PM, updated December 08, 2015 at 4:00 PM ROCKY RIVER, Ohio – A new documentary on the wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald focuses on the lives of the 29 men who died 40 years ago when the freighter sank during a storm on Lake Superior. "For the past 40 years, everyone has concentrated on trying to explain without any level of certainty why the Fitzgerald sank," Christopher Gillcrist, executive director of the National Museum of the Great Lakes, said. "No one has had the evidence to make that case. Our approach is, we are never going to know for sure why she sank. There were never any witnesses. Why not talk about the people who worked on the boat before she sank." "A Good Ship and Crew Well Seasoned: The Fitzgerald and Her Legacy," which will be shown in Rocky River Dec. 16, includes rare photographs and film footage of the Fitzgerald, including the last known photographs of the vessel. The 57-minute film explores the crew, most of whom came from Ohio, including three from the Cleveland area. It also delves into the lawyer for Oglebay Norton, the company that operated the freighter. The lawyer's son died on the ship, and he had to cope with his grief while dealing with the company's legal issues and settling the affairs of crew members, Gilchrist said. "It was reported in a small way in 1975, but it has been lost to history," Gillcrist said. The sinking is recounted in the Gordon Lightfoot song "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald," and on the label of Great Lakes Brewing Co.'s porter. "Their lives should never be summed up in the final few seconds they lived," Gillcrist said. "A Good Ship" -- produced by the National Museum of the Great Lakes and Allied Media Group Inc. -- includes interviews with family members of those who died and others who served on the ship prior to its sinking. The movie will be shown at 6:30 p.m. Dec. 16 at Memorial Hall in the Don Umerley Civic Center, 21016 Hilliard Blvd., Rocky River. Tickets are $5. Reservations are recommended and can be made by calling 419-214-5000, extension 0. Following the documentary, Gillcrist will discuss stories that ended up on the cutting room floor and didn't make the final version of the film. The movie premiered at the National Museum of the Great Lakes in Toledo last month.