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Home > Blogs > Arts and Entertainment > Archives > 2010 > March > 08 > Entry
No regrets for ‘Last Truck’ at Oscars
The Dayton area’s representatives at the 2010 Academy Awards didn’t have an Oscar with them when they waited for their return flight from Los Angeles Monday afternoon, March 8.
“The Last Truck: Closing of a GM Plant” lost out to “Music by Prudence” in the best documentary short category of the 82nd annual event, held Sunday night at the Kodak Theatre.
Paul “Popeye” Hurst, one of four former General Motors workers who donned evening wear to attend the event in hopes of celebrating a win for co-directors Steven Bognar and Julia Reichert, said there were no regrets.
“It would have been a thrill to win. It’s been a lot of fun. But I’m ready to come home and get back to just being plain old Popeye,” he said.
The long-bearded Riverside resident was one of the people featured in the 40-minute documentary about how more than 2,400 workers lost their jobs when General Motors closed its Moraine truck assembly plant in December 2008.
“Steve and Julia put their hearts and souls into this project. It would have been great to see them win,” he said.
“There’s a part of me that believes if we had won, people would have to acknowledge that there’s a problem in the United States,” he said in reference to those left jobless and without benefits. “But we saw all of the other films and the one that took the award was very good. There is no shame in losing to that one.”
He had “a personal thrill” before the broadcast began when he got to talk with show business legend Mickey Rooney “for two to three minutes in the lobby. He was a very gracious man. He has always been a favorite of mine,” Hurst said.
The former GM workers doubled up in hotel rooms — Hurst with Kim Clay, Kathy Day with Kate Geiger.
“We stayed at the Peninsula Hotel, which was ultra fancy. When we got to our room, one pillowcase was embroidered with Kim’s name and one had mine on it. That was very cool,” Hurst said.
Bognar, Reichert and the others expected to arrive in Dayton about 11 p.m. on Monday.
Permalink | Comments (8) | Post your comment | Categories: Film
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By Hurrican24
March 8, 2010 6:17 PM | Link to this
What happened to all the post? Who robbed all the comments I read earlier?????
By Hurrican24
March 8, 2010 6:21 PM | Link to this
Hey TIGRE, someone stole all the comments :(
By tygre
March 8, 2010 9:34 PM | Link to this
figures the poeple who didnt work there doesnt want to be reminded that they really miss the workers at moraine assembly. for all the good we did for them. hope they choke on the taxes that we gave them a break from seems like they have to start paying them now.hahahahahahahahhahaha.
By Joe Smhoe
March 9, 2010 7:20 AM | Link to this
“There’s a part of me that believes if we had won, people would have to acknowledge that there’s a problem in the United States,” YES there is, UNIONS are killing people. Look at those picketing at Chemineer. 23hr jobs and they are upset that the company wants to freeze wages for a little bit, guess what EVERYONE has been experiencing this. Oh too bad they want you to work over time and get paid for it. I hope they all get canned over there too.
By GoBucks
March 9, 2010 7:56 AM | Link to this
There could have been a “Last Cash Register” movie made back in the 70’s. Or now the Last NCR Employee standing, or “Last Dayton Tire” The “Last Flight out of Dayton International as a Hub” (Eastern)
By enough
March 9, 2010 8:35 AM | Link to this
please please please please - enough with this story. all long are these people going to whine
By American Worker
March 9, 2010 9:53 AM | Link to this
As to the LA Times Writer calling Moraine Assembly Workers- “Trailer Trash”? It is soooooo wrong! You should well know that their is much more “Trash” walking the red carpet in Hollywood. They’re called “Industry Veterans” but they’ll never come close to veterans who died for your rights that you so readily abuse.
By tired
March 11, 2010 10:38 PM | Link to this
I agree with “enough”. I am tired of hearing about this film and the workers in it. Move on, for pity’s sake. It was a documentary - not a Hollywood movie - and the people in it have had their 15 minutes of fame. So, quit whining.