Peters said he was told at the end of June 2008 that filming was wrapping up and that he’d be contacted within days to arrange the return of the two-way Chicago-style 1925 Essco-design signal he rented to the film.
Until a recent inquiry was made by the News-Sun about the light, “that was the last I heard from him,” Peters said.
When he previously asked about the light in a letter he said was “sort of non-threatening,” Peters said he received a letter from ‘Public Enemies’ accounting department saying they wanted to handle the situation.
“They absolutely clammed up,” Peters said. “It could be in Michael Mann’s game room for all I know,” he said, although he admitted he has no reason to believe that’s so.
After an e-mail he received this week from a Universal official promising the production company would search for the light, Peters said, “sounds like things are starting to roll.”
The base, pole and light left Peters’ home in February 2008, headed for filming on location in Wisconsin and Indiana.
“I e-mailed my contact with the film crew, and he was extremely elated with the way things went,” Peters said.
Peters said he was told his light and reproductions of it appeared in 30 scenes.
From still photos he’s seen, “the only flaw” is that the light, which was used only in Chicago, appeared in non-Chicago scenes, Peters said.
There was one other thing only a purist would notice. When the crew had reproductions of the original made, “the doors open from the wrong side,” he said.
“All theirs have latches on the left. The originals open only from the right.”
Wearing a ‘Public Enemies’ T-shirt during an interview, Peters has been torn about the situation, still loving the movie and his lights being in it.
Worth about $5,000 when he sent it off, Peters estimated it might be worth $7,500-$10,000 after being in the movie, particularly since he has the documentation to prove its presence there.
All he needs now is the light.
Contact this reporter at (937) 328-0368 or tstafford@coxohio.com.
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