Monroe in the movies

The Monroe Historical Society will sponsor a viewing of some of its movies held in its archives on Monday, May 14, at 7 p.m., at the Monroe Senior Center on Mine Road in Monroe. These movies where part of the “This is America” series filmed in the early 1940s and early 1950s’ by Larry O’Reilly, a director and cameraman with RKO-Pathe. Larry’s home was in Monroe, and felt Monroe would be a perfect backdrop for a number of the films in this series. One of the most famous films in the series was “Letter to a Hero,” a film short nominated for an Academy Award. The film told of a teacher in the Monroe High School (now North Main Street Elementary School). She writes to a former student who was now in the service overseas and tells what was happening in Monroe. O’Reilly used many local residents as film extras, as seen here in this still from the movie’s scene at North Main. (Photos provided by Jim Nelson and the Monroe Historical Society)