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Miniseries filmed in Eastern Panhandle to premiere

Journal photo by Mary Stortstrom Kelly Tanksley and Holly Mercer try on 1920s flapper accessories in the Martinsburg Roundhouse at the reception for “The Making of the Mob: New York,” filmed in Berkeley and Jefferson counties.
Journal photo by Mary Stortstrom
Kelly Tanksley and Holly Mercer try on 1920s flapper accessories in the Martinsburg Roundhouse at the reception for “The Making of the Mob: New York,” filmed in Berkeley and Jefferson counties.

MARTINSBURG, W.Va. — Extras and behind-the scenes workers on the recently-completed AMC miniseries “The Making of the Mob: New York” gathered at the Martinsburg Round House on Saturday evening dressed in their 1920s best for a reception.

Serenaded with swingin’ tunes from the Martinsburg Jazz Orchestra, attendees mingled while enjoying hors d’oeuvres and looking at some props from the production.

According to Pam Haynes, director of the West Virginia Film Office, “The Making of the Mob: New York” is the most recent miniseries from producer Stephen David of Stephen David Entertainment, but not the only show filmed in the Eastern Panhandle.

 

David filmed four other miniseries in Berkeley and Jefferson counties since 2012, and has plans for more, Haynes said.

“The preservation of historic buildings in this region is important, but Stephen fell in love with the area because he can take a train from New York to this area to film, and he loves riding trains,” she said. “Also, the (West Virginia Film Office’s) tax incentives for the production are a big economic factor.”

Through the tax incentive program, the West Virginia Film Office provides a production company tax credits based on a percentage of what they spend to film in West Virginia.

Haynes said “The Making of the Mob: New York” will be fun for locals to watch as they recognize locations in their hometown, but said the people who worked as extras and worked behind the scenes will appreciate it more.

“The people that participated in it will get more out of it. Those people will find a great deal of pride in seeing their hard work on the screen,” she said.

Laura Gassler, director of the Martinsburg-Berkeley County Convention and Visitors Bureau, said the CVB worked with the Film Office and Stephen David Entertainment to secure locations for filming and help the cast and crew find places to eat and shop in Berkeley County.

“It’s a great thing to do for the Eastern Panhandle, and it’s an economic driver no one thinks about,” Gassler said. “The cast and crew become like locals while they’re here filming. A lot of businesses and a lot of people are feeling the positive impact of them filming here.”

Holly Mercer and Kelly Tanksley, employees of the Martinsburg Public Library, attended the event.

Tanksley said the library was not used in the filming of “The Making of the Mob: New York” but the two were helping set up the reception.

Tanksley, who was planning on attending the sneak-preview screening at the Apollo Civic Theater after the reception, said she also has the show set to record on her DVR.

“The Eastern Panhandle has a lot to offer the United States, so I’m really happy to see Martinsburg showcased. We have great architecture and it was great to see them making this movie in Martinsburg,” Tanksley said. “I think it’s a great thing.”

“The Making of the Mob: New York” premieres on AMC at 10 p.m. June 15, and chronicles the rise of notorious 1920’s gansters Charles “Lucky” Luciano, Meyer Lansky, Benjamin “Bugsy” Siegel and others.

-Staff writer Mary Stortstrom can be reached at 304-725-6581 or www.twitter.com/mstortstromJN.

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