Gene Hackman meets residents from the Altenheim during his tour of the facility during his break from filming “The Package.”
Gene Hackman (with black knit hat) shoots a scene outside the Altenheim kitchen door.
Film superstar Gene Hackman in Forest Park to shoot “The Package” in December of 1988.
In December 1988, Forest Park had a brush with Hollywood during the production of “The Package.” Gene Hackman starred as Johnny Gallagher, the Army Special Forces Master Sergeant in this cold war era thriller. The Altenheim German Old People’s Home, originally built in 1885, was featured as the American Military Headquarters in Berlin. This “location” included vintage U.S. Jeeps outside.
Hackman took a tour of the Altenheim while he was there, met residents in the dining room and offered holiday greetings and apologized for the filming disruption.
The Altenheim also was featured in the 1974 film, “Harry and Tonto,” which included oscar -winning performance by Art Carney. Again in 1991 the Altenheim was featured in the big screen when film crews came to the site for “The Babe” staring John Goodman. The Forest Park Mall’s Child’s World was used for a segment of Paul Newman and Tom Cruise film, “The Color of Money.”
