Touhy Killing
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Newsreel footage from three different news stories regarding the release and subsequent death of Roger Touhy, an Irish-American mob boss from Chicago who was imprisoned at Stateville Prison for 26 years. Touhy and his bodyguard were gunned down by mob hit men on December 16, 1959, 22 days after his release from prison.
Credits
Frank Koza (filmmaker); Roger Touhy (participant)
Complete catalog record
Cfa collection: Frank Koza Collection
Notes: The film begins with black-and-white footage of news reporters discussing the parole of convicted child murderer Nathan Leopold, Jr., who was released the same day as Touhy. Followed by a news conference with Touhy and the warden of Statesville Prison, who discuss Touhy's behavior as a prisoner. A man then reads a statement from Leopold. Silent footage of Touhy holding his autobiography, The Stolen Years, which was released that fall.; This is followed by silent footage of newspaper headlines announcing Touhy's death, including one from the Chicago Sun-Times that reads "TOUHY SLAIN - Ex-Cop Shot In Ambush - 2 GUNMEN ESCAPE." Silent footage of the scene of the murder at 125 N. Lotus Avenue. Shot of a bloody staircase followed by footage of police investigating the area. Silent footage inside a morgue, including a shot of a body, presumably Touhy's, under a sheet. A man is interviewed about why he thinks Touhy was murdered. Footage in a police station, and an interview with a detective describing the crime. More silent footage of detectives at the scene of the murder. A large crowd at the Coroner's Inquest Room as men answer questions from reporters.
Distributed by: Telenews (Firm)
Subjects: Crimes; Gangs; Prisons; Police; Chicago (Ill.) Police Dept.
Places: North America > United States > Illinois > Chicago
Language: English
Cfa elements: Print, 300 feet
Cfa records: https://collections.chicagofilmarchives.org/Detail/objects/11597
Notes: The film begins with black-and-white footage of news reporters discussing the parole of convicted child murderer Nathan Leopold, Jr., who was released the same day as Touhy. Followed by a news conference with Touhy and the warden of Statesville Prison, who discuss Touhy's behavior as a prisoner. A man then reads a statement from Leopold. Silent footage of Touhy holding his autobiography, The Stolen Years, which was released that fall.; This is followed by silent footage of newspaper headlines announcing Touhy's death, including one from the Chicago Sun-Times that reads "TOUHY SLAIN - Ex-Cop Shot In Ambush - 2 GUNMEN ESCAPE." Silent footage of the scene of the murder at 125 N. Lotus Avenue. Shot of a bloody staircase followed by footage of police investigating the area. Silent footage inside a morgue, including a shot of a body, presumably Touhy's, under a sheet. A man is interviewed about why he thinks Touhy was murdered. Footage in a police station, and an interview with a detective describing the crime. More silent footage of detectives at the scene of the murder. A large crowd at the Coroner's Inquest Room as men answer questions from reporters.
Distributed by: Telenews (Firm)
Subjects: Crimes; Gangs; Prisons; Police; Chicago (Ill.) Police Dept.
Places: North America > United States > Illinois > Chicago
Language: English
Cfa elements: Print, 300 feet
Cfa records: https://collections.chicagofilmarchives.org/Detail/objects/11597
Sources
- Chicago Film Archives · record ↗ — title, year, creator, length, format, color, sound, genre, description, credits, catalog record, video
Record added 2026-11-08 21:25:12