Today was the first of a two day movie prop sale. The movie, The Edge of Darkness, has recently finished filming in Boston. My parents decided to visit the prop sale this morning since my great-grandfather, Maurice Sullivan, will be making an appearance in the movie (we hope). I have posted on my blog here a few times about Maurice. I even included a photo of him in this post: Srgt Maurice Sullivan catches his man. The photo in that post caught the eye of a Hollywood set dresser. I was contacted to see if we would be willing to let the photo be used in the movie as part of the set background. My Mom agreed, and now, some 75 years after his death, my great-grandfather will finally be in the movies!
But back to today's sale. There is Mom, Sue Deedy, in front of the door near the loading docks. The sale took place in Chelsea in an old furniture warehouse. My Dad was the photographer on today's expedition. I could not attend since I was working. They quickly found the enlarged and framed photo of Maurice Sullivan. The shaking hands photo should be seen in a police station hallway (I believe) in the movie. I will have to look closely for it once the picture is released sometime in 2009.
You can click on any image to see larger. The shaking hands photo was priced at $134.00. Mom did not buy it, but she really wanted to! Instead, she purchased some other small items. The prop sale mostly had household goods items. Lots of lamps, books, kitchen ware, furniture - that kind of thing. Stuff you could find at any yard sale. Well, maybe not any yard sale. Dad made sure to take a photo of the toilet that is for sale (since Mel Gibson is starring in this movie, perhaps someone wants Mel's throne?)
Dad was also amazed to see kitchen appliances for sale - appliances that looked like they are from different eras. Now we will have to wait until the movie is released and hits the theaters. Everyone be on the lookout for that shaking hands picture!
Update: Looks like the movie is expected to be in theaters June 2009 - at least that is what one of the set people staffing the sale told my Mom when she went BACK today!
Labels: Sullivan
Stumbled upon your blog today after going to the prop sale myself. After reading this post, I think I may have seen your mother there today at the checkout area. Did she go back for the picture, and get it for a better price? I did not see the picture on the wall, so someone bought it. Very cool, hope your piece of family history makes it into the movie!
Hi Brian,
Yes, Mom could not help herself. She went back during the last hour of the sale today and found a few more items. She did get the picture (marked down to $45) so she now has a copy of the original! But this copy is the movie copy and much larger and nicely framed... So I am sure it was worth it. She was very excited by the whole experience and now can't wait until the movie is released and she can go see it in the theaters.
I actually found your website by chance. Last year my son, a 7th grader at BC High was doing a project on Day of the Dead. He needed to bring in pictures of deceased family members. He picked pictures of his great great grandparents, Susie and Maurice Sullivan. When talking to my Dad he mentioned my great grandfather was a Boston Police Officer. I googled his name w/BPD and found your website. I have lots of questions 1. How did the picture make it to the movie people? 2. How do you think Maurice Sr was related to Senator Caraway? I found all the info on Sgt Sullivan really interesting.
I just spoke to my Dad and he never new that his grandfather was a Sgt. I plan to print out info for him to read.
Maura Sullivan
Daughter of Joseph Sullivan
Grand-daughter of Maurice Sullivan Jr.
Great grand-daughter of Maurice Sullivan Sr.
Hi Maura,
It is wonderful that you found my blog! It would appear we are 2nd cousins since Srgt. Maurice Sullivan BPD was my great-grandfather as well (his daughter, Helen was my grandmother).
To answer your questions:
1) A person who works for the movie people was looking for boston police photographs and while searching the internet he must have found my website. He emailed me, explained that he was looking for images and asked if I had others like the one I had posted on this site.
I spoke to my Mother and we hunted among the boxes of scrapbooks, photo albums, etc. that she inherited from my Nana, Helen.
I scanned the originals and sent them to the movie people who then made large copies and framed them. So the pictures are part of the background of the movie set.
2. Unfortunately, I do not have Maurice Sullivan's original letter that was sent to the Senator. All I have is the response Senator Caraway sent to Maurice. But I would think that Maurice was writing because his mother was named Jane Brady. Jane Brady's mother (so Maurice's Grandmother) was named Margaret Caraway of Sligo, Ireland.
I can only assume that Maurice had read something in the newspapers about Senator Caraway and wondered if the Senator was related to his grandmother.
I wish we had Maurice's letter to the Senator since I am sure that piece of paper had a lot of information about Margaret Caraway Brady that I would love to find.
Don't stop posting such themes. I love to read blogs like that. Just add some pics :)
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