Have you ever asked yourself, "Is there any connection between Liam Neeson and the city of Des Plaines?" Well, the Readers Services Department has. One such way they've come up with is the following sequence:1. In 1993 Liam Neeson played the lead role in the play “Anna Christie” on Broadway.
2. Natasha Richardson also starred in Broadway's production of “Anna Christie”, where she met Liam for the first time. They were married in 1994.
3.Natasha Richardson starred with Christopher Walken in the 1990 film The Comfort of Strangers.
4. Christopher Walken played a supporting role in the 2002 picture Catch Me If You Can, which was directed by Steven Spielberg.
5. Steven Spielberg played a cameo role as the Cook County Assessor’s Office clerk in the 1980 movie The Blues Brothers.
6. The Howard Johnson’s motel that was used as a location in The Blues Brothers was torn down as part of the re-construction plan of the Des Plaines Oasis on Interstate 90.
This and five other connections of Liam Neeson and the Chicago area (mostly Des Plaines) can be found on the 3rd floor on the poster "Six Degrees of Liam Neeson". This display itself is a part of a floor-wide program known as Project Ireland meant to celebrate Ireland and its influence on our lives today (by the way, "Tionscadal na hÉireann" means Project Ireland in the traditional Irish language).
What better place to celebrate the Irish culture of storytelling and music than in the fiction, film, and music departments at the library? There is a display that illuminates Irish music beyond the commonly known groups of the Clancy Brothers and U2, another depicting Irish travel DVDs and magazines, a display portraying Ireland as seen in cinema, and one exploring the crime fiction explosion that is currently happening on the Emerald Isle; all brought to you by members of the Readers Services Department. Whether you are Irish or not, come on in and enjoy the Wearin' of the Green with us this St. Patrick's season!
The following is a time-honored Irish blessing I'd like to extend to you, the reader:
"May love and laughter light your days,
and warm your heart and home.
May good and faithful friends be yours,
wherever you may roam."
Hopefully one of the places you'll roam is to the 3rd floor of the Des Plaines Public Library, where your friendly neighborhood Readers Services Department would be glad to see you!
6 comments:
I love it! Nothin' says happy Saint Paddy's Day like a beautiful headshot of Liam Neeson! Take a trip through the Emerald Isle on the 3rd floor of the Des Plaines Public Library. And...
"May you be in heaven a full half hour before the devil knows you're dead."
Love it, Joel! St. Patrick's is one of my favorite holidays, so thanks to Readers Services for all of these great displays and showing people there is more to Ireland than beer and shamrocks.
I love this post, particularly the fab pic of Liam! In honor of St. Paddy's Day, I'm reading the new John Banville novel, The Infinities.
Liam Neeson was also the voice of the priest who converted Homer to Catholicism on The Simpsons. I was surprised that this pertinent fact was not included on your otherwise perfect poster.
Great poster and PES post Joel! Many of my favorite dark mysteries and suspense novels take place in Ireland.
Liam certainly makes a habit of speaking from a divine standpoint: lending his voice to Homer Simpson's priest, as well as to the cinematic depiction of C.S. Lewis's great character Aslan, and appearing as Zeus in the recent remake of Clash of the Titans. Ironically, my favorite performance of Mr. Neeson's is as a legitimately flawed and conflicted character in Schindler's List.
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