Tom Palazzolo Collection
Inclusive Dates
1940 – 2001
Bulk Dates
1966 – 1994
Preservation Sponsor
Abstract
The Tom Palazzolo Collection consists of experimental films and documentaries, their elements, and outtakes made by Chicago-based filmmaker Tom Palazzolo, once called "Chicago's filmmaker laureate" by critic Roger Ebert. Although the subjects of his films vary widely, they are all united in their humanist depiction of those living on the margins of society. Included in the collection are well-known works like Jerry's (1976), featuring the explosive owner of a deli in Chicago's Streeterville neighborhood and At Maxwell Street (1984), about the city's storied Maxwell Street market, as well as lesser-known films like Pigeon Lady (1966), Palazzolo's first film, and Rita on the Ropes (2001), the most recent film in the collection.
Series In this Collection
Intellectual organization and arrangement
The Tom Palazzolo Collection is arranged into four Series:
SERIES I: Finished Films by Tom Palazzolo
SERIES II: Personal Films
SERIES III: Sketches, Unfinished Films, and Miscellanea
SERIES IV: Collected Films
SERIES I: Finished Films by Tom Palazzolo
SERIES II: Personal Films
SERIES III: Sketches, Unfinished Films, and Miscellanea
SERIES IV: Collected Films
Collection Items
To request more information about the items in this collection, please contact the archive at
info@chicagofilmarchives.org.
Items with Viewable Media
- [4th of July Roofer] (Audio)
- 50th Wedding Anniversary: Reels 4 & 5 (Audio)
- 50th Wedding Anniversary: Reels 5 & 6 - Speeches at Reception (Audio)
- 50th Wedding Anniversary: Roll 3 (Audio)
- 50th Wedding Anniversary: Rolls 1 & 2 (Audio)
- [72 Miss Amer: Music]
- 1974, April 1: Bowling Alley, Ford City (Audio)
- 1986, April 4: Class Tape (Audio)
- [1987, Fall: Class Interview] (Audio)
- [1993, September 27: Chesterton] (Audio)
- [Added Lessons, Noah's Park - Israel] (Audio)
- Added Lessons: Outtakes Mag Track
- Added Lessons Reel 1
- Added Lessons Reel 2
- [The Artist's Napkin]
- At Maxwell Street
- Bean's Bachelor Party: Roll 2 (Audio)
- [Calagari's Cure: Neg Outs]
- Caligari's Cure: Andy Naration (Audio)
- City
- [Class Fall 90] (Audio)
- Dracula: Mag W. Pix
- Gay Auction at The Baton - Preacher
- He
- I Married a Munchkin [Mag Mix Track]
- I Married a Munchkin [Mag Mix Track]
- [Illegible]
- Indy
- It Won't Hurt
- [Kids Play] (Audio)
- Lake Front (Audio)
- [Lidu Pupka Train Yard Bridge]
- Lilly's World of Wax: 2/27/85 SR #2 CR4 CR5 (Audio)
- Lilly's World of Wax: 2/27/85 SR3 - CR 6 (Audio)
- Lilly's World of Wax [Audio] (Audio)
- Lilly's World of Wax: Front of Wax Museum (Audio)
- Lilly's World of Wax: Last Show (Audio)
- Lily's World of Wax: Outs
- [Loop People - James Bond on Sound] (Audio)
- [Mix Polish Wed / E Chicago Mag]
- Music Track 3
- [Negatives: Maxwell St - Wax Museum - City etc.]
- Old Couple Wisconsin
- [Optical Track: Experimental Noise?]
- [Oz - Sears - Lilly] (Audio)
- [Pets on Parade: Reel 2] (Audio)
- [Picture Booth - Me as Arab - Rod + Vincent Orig]
- Pigeon Lady [Music] (Audio)
- Pigeon Lady Poster (Paper or Photographic Materials)
- [Pt 2 Mag Track]
- [Rear Shot Sound]
- [Reuse/Unused - Roll 5] (Audio)
- Revere Model 90 8mm Projector Manual (Paper or Photographic Materials)
- [Roll One: Mary Ellen Backyard - Jim Bond] (Audio)
- Sarah as Baby (Audio)
- Sarah's 13th Birthday Party (Audio)
- Spectre Woman Chronicles: Search For The Lost Idol
- Spectre Woman: [Neg] A Roll
- Spectre Woman: Neg B Roll
- [St Lou. Me Lyn - Jan Dance - Men'Drag Orig]
- Surf Noise - Class (Audio)
- [Tattooed Lady and Added Lessons Outtakes]
- Thinking of Her: Misc Sound Mag Track
- Thinking of Her: Music Mag Track
- [Title: By Tom Palazzolo]
- [Todd?]
- [Tom and Marcia 4th of July: Mag Track Roll 1]
- [Unlabled Audio] (Audio)
- [Untitled A Roll Optical Track]
- [Untitled Audio Tape] (Audio)
- [Untitled Mag Track]
- [Untitled Mag Track]
- [Untitled Mag Track]
- [Untitled Mag Track]
- [Untitled Mag Track]
- [Untitled Optical Track]
- [Untitled Optical Track]
- [Untitled Optical Track]
- [Unused Audio Tape] (Audio)
- [Used No Sound] (Audio)
- Vatican World: Reel 1 (Audio)
- Vatican World: Reel 2 (Audio)
- Vatican World: Reel 3 (Audio)
- Vatican World: Reel 4 (Audio)
- Vatican World: Reel 5 (Audio)
- '68 Convention
- Added Lessons
- America's In Real Trouble
- Anderson/Loosely
- Ann & Lawrence Stroccia's 50th Wedding Anniversary
- Another Millionaire
- Anyone Can Whistle
- At Maxwell Street
- Bride Stripped Bare, The
- Caligari's Cure: Part One
- Caligari's Cure: Part Two
- Caligari's Cure, Reel 1
- Campaign
- Conversation With Barbara Schermer, A
- Enjoy Yourself (It's Later Than You Think)
- First Annual Miss Illinois Bikini Contest, The
- Gay for a Day
- He
- Hey Girls
- Hot Nasty
- I Married a Munchkin
- I Was a Contestant at Mother's Wet T-Shirt Contest
- It’s This Way at Deel Ford
- Jerry's
- Labor Day East Chicago
- Lilly's World of Wax
- Love It/Leave It
- Marquette Park I
- Marquette Park II
- New School Dedication Day
- Nonna
- O
- Pets on Parade
- Pigeon Lady
- Practice Wedding
- Ricky & Rocky
- Rita on the Ropes
- Roger the Dodger
- Sharie Holeb's Prom Night
- Tattooed Lady of Riverview, The
- Thinking of Her
- Vatican World
- Venus and Adonis
- Your Astronauts
- Gay For A Day - '76 Gay Parade Shot By 2nd Unit Camera
- Gay For A Day - Orig MOS
- Gay For A Day - Out
- Gay For A Day - Out Orig Color
- Gay For A Day - Outs 2nd Unit
- Gay for a Day Outtakes
- Gay For A Day - Outtakes WPrint 76 Gay Parade
- Gay Parade 76 Outs
- Gay Parade OPTICALS Gay Day STEP PRINT
- Gay Parade Trims
-
1 Picnic @ Filter Plant with Qs
2 Sarah Naked in Tub
3 Todd Hulks Out St. Louis
4 Easter 76?
ORIG - [1930s: Southwest Vacation]
- Amy's 4th or 5th B-Day
- [Neighbor Kids & Our Kids: Backyard]
- Our Wedding 12-68 / Marcia & Tom
- Sarah's 6th BDay
- [Sound Home Movie Reel]
- Todd Outs
- Todd's Film Outtakes
- Todd Summer 77? Halloween S-A&T with friends / Todd Dance 77-78 Halloween
- 8[2?] Daley
- 86 Class Student Loop B&W
- 1970 Student Film
- 1979: Film Class at Daley - Slow Mo Juggler
- Animation Daley Orig.
- Art Institute Students Play Guitar Mag Edge
- B&W Student Film?
- B&W Student film / ONE class student film (beer commercial) / Dan Popish / EARLY Bogan classroom (1 roll color)
- Bogan Student in Drag Neg. Orig.
- City College - Graduation 80s Work Orig - VNF Daley Graduation Mag Sound
- Class Dx Snipp Double Exposed Class B&W
- Class Found Room
- Class Summer (Art Inst) at Desk - B&W Work Pix
- Class Synk Orig B&W / Talk - DuPont - Richman
- Class Winter 85 - Eco Orig
- Daley - City College - My Film Class - Workpix
- Dayle Student [Sestra?]
- Fall 89 Class SAIC B&W Orig
- Fashion Show at SAIC 1965 Reversal Positive
- Found Color Footage - Student
- In My Car with Students
- Interviews outside The School of the Art Inst. w/ mag
- James Bond SOUND Class He TALKS orig
- Jim Class Tom Stinit B&W Orig Sync Shoot
- Live action classroom and outside Bogan / Pie in my face - Southwest B&W - Daley BW and color
- Mayor Daley ORIG Student Dramas Etc
- Mayor Daley Workprint Daley College
- Me Class / Student
- Milwaukee Talkee
- Milwaukee Talkie
- Milwaukee Talkie Mag Trk A
- Milwaukee Talkie Trk B
- Milwaukee Talkie - Work Pix
- Palazzolo Class / Me @ Table DUMB / Noises on / Orig B&W
- SAIC Class Front of Toot - Buckingham Fountain Lake Color Orig NOT GOOD SAIC 90
- SAIC Class Sync Track Replace
- SAIC Film Cartoon News FISH Removed W/pix
- SAIC Film Neg Orig Out
- SAIC Misc Mag
- SAIC Orig Students 80 & 81
- SAIC Workprint from Eco
- Stud Loop Class / Sync Sail
- Student Abstract Animation
- Student Daley
- Student Film?
- Student Film
- Student Film [Eleven?]
- Student LOOP from Neg
- Student Shoot Winter 85 Orig Neg MOS
- Student Summer 83 Neg Orig
- Student Work = Zoo = State St. Bond Orig
- Students 86 Orig EF B&white too
- Students Film B&W Pictures Neg
- Students on Hill
- Students Outs
- Students Shoot in Loop Wild Neg. Palazzolo
- Students TV Museum 92 Orig
- Tom Palazzolo with Students - SAIC
- "WAR" / Southwest College
- Was It Rem - Outs
- Was It Remorse Pix Caroline Miller
- Was It Remorse / SAIC Film Student Caroline Pleasak / ORIG NO TRACK
- 80s Pilsen Backyard Circus
- 1966: Peace March
- Bat Colum Pix Mag
- Baton Lounge
- [Baton Lounge Toy Drive]
- Bears Win Loop Celebration
- Film Center C. Cook
- Freemason Parade circa 1956
- Gay
- Gay Kiss-In At The Picasso
- Me as Chaplin? Tom Chi Story 60s Workprint
- Pizza Commercial @ Rodney's w/ John - Me
- Suburb - Leaning Tower (Joggers)
- [Collected Educational Films]
- Comes to a Point Like an Ice Cream Cone
- Filmmaker, The
- In the Corner
- Johnny Johnny Johnny / Sheila Moloney
- Lemmy Caution - Rodney Quirconi
- Marcia Animation
- The Mini Mystery Tour
- The One With All the Feet
- The Reebie Storage Company
SERIES I: Finished Films by Tom Palazzolo
SERIES II: Personal Films
SERIES III: Sketches, Unfinished Films, and Miscellanea
SERIES IV: Collected Films
Collection Identifier
C.2013-08
Extent of Collection
1,729 reels of 16mm film totaling approximately 420,800 feet; 28 reels of Super 8mm film totaling approximately 1,400 feet; 11 reels of 8mm film totaling approximately 1,100 feet; 10 videocassettes; 11 DVDs
Language Of Materials
English
Custodial History
Most of the collection had previously been stored in Tom Palazzolo's home in Oak Park, IL until being brought to CFA in multiple trips over a period of seven years (2013-2020). Between 2005 and 2007, Chicago Filmmakers preserved eight of Palazzolo's films and the preservation elements were subsequently stored at CFA until becoming part of the collection in 2018, along with an additional donation of preservation prints that were previously stored at Chicago Filmmakers.
Related Materials
The Bill Stamets Collection also includes a number of prints of films by Tom Palazzolo that are also available in the Palazzolo Collection.
Access Restrictions
This collection is open to on-site access. Appointments must be made with Chicago Film Archives. Due to the fragile nature of the films, only video copies will be provided for on-site viewing.
Use Restrictions
Chicago Film Archives holds the copyright for the films created by Tom Palazzolo. For additional materials published by others, any determination of copyright status for reproduction is the responsibility of the user.
Creators
Palazzolo, Tom
(was created by)
Tom Palazzolo (1937- ) was born in St. Louis, MO in 1937. His interest in painting led him to move to Chicago in 1960 and begin studying at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, where he also studied photography with Kenneth Josephson. Ken encouraged Tom’s interest in filmmaking, and Tom was given use of a Bell and Howell 16mm camera that had been donated to the department by a veteran WWII cameraman. Tom’s first films were completed shortly after his graduation with both bachelor’s and master’s degrees in photography in 1965. At this time, he also began teaching art and photography at Richard J. Daley College.
In the 1960s Tom was associated with a group of “underground” filmmakers and in 1968 had a one-person film show at MOMA. That same year he married Marcia Daehn. Tom was then hired in 1969 by the US Information Agency (USIA) to show and discuss American independent films in the Middle East. His mission was to show how American democracy allowed for greater freedom and creativity than other forms of government. Before leaving on the tour, the Washington office informed Tom that he should never mention the United States’ then-involvement in Vietnam.
Tom has continued making and showing documentary films right up to the present; most recently, he produced Kapra Fleming's film Lee Godie: Chicago French Impressionist (2021). In 2018, his films were part of the Art Institute of Chicago’s “Never a Lovely So Real: Photography and Film in Chicago, 1950-80” exhibition. He has also been featured at the Whitney Museum of American Art, Lincoln Center, Robert Flaherty Film Seminar, Museum of Contemporary Art, the New Wing of the Art Institute of Chicago, Gene Siskel Film Center, and the Walker Art Museum, among other venues.
Tom has been the recipient of grants and awards from the American Film Institute, National Endowment for the Arts, Illinois Arts Council, Center for New TV, Illinois Academy of Art, and the Andy Warhol Foundation, as well as a National Film Preservation Foundation grant to preserve a selection of films in 2006. His work has been reviewed by Roger Ebert (Sun-Times), Gene Siskel (Tribune), New York Times, Variety, Village Voice, and London Times, among others, and has screened at festivals including the Chicago International, Ann Arbor, New York, Cannes (out of competition), Edinburgh, and more. Tom has had retrospectives at the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago in 1977 and at Arsenal – Institute for Film and Video Art in Berlin, Germany, in 1989
In the 1960s Tom was associated with a group of “underground” filmmakers and in 1968 had a one-person film show at MOMA. That same year he married Marcia Daehn. Tom was then hired in 1969 by the US Information Agency (USIA) to show and discuss American independent films in the Middle East. His mission was to show how American democracy allowed for greater freedom and creativity than other forms of government. Before leaving on the tour, the Washington office informed Tom that he should never mention the United States’ then-involvement in Vietnam.
Tom has continued making and showing documentary films right up to the present; most recently, he produced Kapra Fleming's film Lee Godie: Chicago French Impressionist (2021). In 2018, his films were part of the Art Institute of Chicago’s “Never a Lovely So Real: Photography and Film in Chicago, 1950-80” exhibition. He has also been featured at the Whitney Museum of American Art, Lincoln Center, Robert Flaherty Film Seminar, Museum of Contemporary Art, the New Wing of the Art Institute of Chicago, Gene Siskel Film Center, and the Walker Art Museum, among other venues.
Tom has been the recipient of grants and awards from the American Film Institute, National Endowment for the Arts, Illinois Arts Council, Center for New TV, Illinois Academy of Art, and the Andy Warhol Foundation, as well as a National Film Preservation Foundation grant to preserve a selection of films in 2006. His work has been reviewed by Roger Ebert (Sun-Times), Gene Siskel (Tribune), New York Times, Variety, Village Voice, and London Times, among others, and has screened at festivals including the Chicago International, Ann Arbor, New York, Cannes (out of competition), Edinburgh, and more. Tom has had retrospectives at the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago in 1977 and at Arsenal – Institute for Film and Video Art in Berlin, Germany, in 1989