Filmmaker Rick Beyer presents free lecture on the Ghost Army
WOONSOCKET – The Museum of Work & Culture will host the third installment of its free Valley Talks series on Sunday, February 7, at 1:30pm.
Writer and filmmaker Rick Beyer will explore the local roots of the WWII deception unit known as the Ghost Army, and discuss his ongoing efforts to uncover this astonishing story. The Pentagon kept it under wraps for more than 40 years after World War II, and it remains little known today.
Beyer has shed light on the Ghost Army with his 2013 documentary, a recently published companion book, and, as he will explain, there’s even a Hollywood movie in the works. Beyer will delve into how they carried out their amazing deceptions, Woonsocket’s connection to the mission, and his journey sharing this story with audiences across the world. He will also bring a life-size replica of one of the Ghost Army inflatable tanks, many of which were made at Woonsocket’s Alice Mill.
Rick Beyer is a bestselling author, an award-winning documentary producer, and a longtime history enthusiast. His independent documentary The Ghost Army premiered on PBS in 2013 and has been broadcast in more than 20 countries. The companion book, “The Ghost Army of World War II,” written with Elizabeth Sayles, came out in 2015 and has just gone into a second printing. He also curated the 2013 Ghost Army exhibit at the Museum of Work & Culture.
Beyer has made numerous media appearances, and frequently speaks to audiences on subjects that include innovation, filmmaking, and the quirky tales that make history come alive.
Subsequent Valley Talks will include:
• February 21: Writer and historical reenactor Paul Bourget examines the Sentinelle Affair, the local underground movement that led to the excommunication of 61 congregants.
• March 6: Baseball historian Greg Rubano presents on his upcoming book, “In the Shadow of Ty Cobb: The Life & Times of Napoleon Lajoie,” recounting the meteoric rise of Woonsocket native Nap Lajoie from mill worker to Hall of Famer.