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CLEVELAND, Aug. 5, 2025 –Hollywood on the Cuyahoga: Northeast Ohio and the Movies will debut this fall at the Western Reserve Historical Society Cleveland History Center, with a grand opening fundraiser scheduled for Sept. 25.
The exhibit, sponsored by PNC Bank, showcases the region’s important contributions to the movie industry, which brings over $100 million to the local economy each year. Hollywood on the Cuyahoga: Northeast Ohio and the Movies complements “Ohio Goes to the Movies”, a statewide film festival and signature event of America 250-Ohio in 2026 that features Ohio actors, directors, writers, composers and others who bring the magic of the movies to life.
“Hollywood on the Cuyahoga is a first for our community,” said Kelly Falcone-Hall, WRHS president & CEO. “While people are becoming more aware that movies are made in Northeast Ohio, there has never been a comprehensive look at how this industry has, over the years, blossomed into a major part of our cultural landscape and an economic engine for the region, and all of Ohio.”
In recent years, the birthplace of the first American Superhero – Superman - has become a go- to place for filming superhero films such as the Avengers, Spiderman 3 and Captain America: The Winter Soldier. Project Manager Dennis Barrie of Barrie Projects explains that “Hollywood on the Cuyahoga uncovers these stories. From The Deerhunter, Christmas Story, Shawshank Redemption, Superman and more. Yes, we do make movies in Ohio.”
In 1897, the Thomas Edison Company made a 45-second-long film in the Cleveland Flats. Entitled Coal Unloader, it marked the birth of filmmaking in Northeast Ohio. More than a century later, Clevelanders Joe and Anthony Russo became the most financially successful movie producers in history. In between, the region has had a memorable history of movie making and movie makers.
“Our sponsorship of Hollywood on the Cuyahoga: Northeast Ohio and the Movies reflects our commitment to supporting the arts and local projects that make communities a better place to live, work and play,” said Pat Pastore, PNC regional president for Cleveland. “The film industry has blossomed into a major component of our economy, generating tens of millions in local spending every year. We commend the WRHS for creating this incredible exhibit that showcases our city and its place in entertainment history.”
Hollywood on the Cuyahoga is a journey through Northeast Ohio movie history, and it is a remarkable one. The land that produces such well-known stars as Bob Hope, Paul Newman and Halle Berry, also produced legendary figures behind the camera. The Warner Brothers, directors Wes Craven and Jim Jarmusch, composer Henry Mancini and screenwriter Joe Esterházy all trace their roots back to Northeast Ohio. In the first half of the 20th century, Cleveland was the biggest center of movie poster publication in the country. In the 1950s,60s and 70s Cleveland became the capital of industrial filmmaking. And, since the 1980s, this region has seen scores of top moviemakers filming in our cities, suburbs and country sides. With the creation of the Cleveland Film Commission in the 1990s, film and TV production really began to grow with multiple productions taking place in the city at the same time and hundreds of professionals earning a living working those productions.
Hollywood on Cuyahoga opens Sept. 25 at the Cleveland History Center in University Circle and runs through October 2026.
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