The City of Wilmington’s roots in the film industry reach back to at least 1983, when producer Frank Capra, Jr., selected several local spots as filming locations for his project, Firestarter. The Center’s collections offer a treasure trove of information on the film industry in North Carolina, featuring documents such as scripts, casting headshots, posters and publicity material, original artwork, and production files for both feature films and television shows.
One of the Center’s most extensive collections related to the film industry is MS 175 Fincannon and Associates Script Collection. Fincannon and Associates, a casting agency based in Wilmington, was founded in 1979 by Craig Fincannon, later assisted by his brother, Mark. The company has been involved with numerous major motion pictures and television shows over its 40-plus years of operation, collaborating with major industry leaders such as Steven Spielberg, George Lucas, and Dino DeLaurentiis.
One such project was 1999’s Muppets from Space, filmed locally at Screen Gems Studios in Wilmington, located out near the airport. Shooting began in the fall of 1998. It was the second Jim Henson production to be shot in Wilmington, after Elmo in Grouchland, which wrapped earlier that summer. Muppets from Space centers on the character Gonzo, who discovers his extraterrestrial origins after years of referring to himself as “a whatever.” In addition to Screen Gems Studios, other filming locations included the Dixie Cement Company and Fort Fisher; the house shared by the Muppets in the film was located on North Seventh Street. Stars such as Jeffrey Tambor, Andie MacDowell, and Ray Liotta traveled to Wilmington to shoot scenes alongside local cast members and extras. The film must have been a fun challenge for Fincannon and Associates to cast, due to the large number of cameo appearances made by major celebrities (for which the Muppets franchise is well known).
Below are some samples of documents from the production, all reproduced from the Fincannon and Associates Script Collection. If you’d like to learn more about this region’s connection to the film industry, check out the Center’s subject guide, Hollywood East: Film in Southeast North Carolina. Or you can visit our reading room to view these original documents in person.
