Hero Street: A Historical Documentary Film Series

“Hero Street” Documentaries air on WQPT-PBS Memorial Day May 29th

Four of the completed films from Fourth Wall Films’ award-winning Hero Street documentary series will air on WQPT-PBS (Channel 24) on Memorial Day, Monday, May 29^th.

Honoring the memory of the Hero Street Eight and all of the U.S. military personnel who have died while serving in the United States armed forces, WQPT will broadcast:

• "Riding the Rails to Hero Street" airs at 7 pm
• "Letters Home to Hero Street" (Frank Sandoval's story) - An Emmy-nominated co-production of WQPT and Fourth Wall Films - at 7:30 pm
• "A Bridge too Far from Hero Street" (William Sandoval's story) at 8 pm
• "An Infantryman from Hero Street" (Joseph Sandoval's story) at 8:30 pm

“Hero Street,” a multi-part documentary series by Kelly and Tammy Rundle of Fourth Wall Films, explores the compelling true story of eight Mexican-American heroes from Hero Street, USA in Silvis, Illinois: Tony Pompa, Frank Sandoval, William Sandoval, Claro Solis, Peter Masias, Joseph Sandoval, Joseph Gomez and John S. Muños.

Only a block and a half long, Second Street in Silvis, Illinois lost six young men in World War II and two in the Korean War, more than any other street in America. Hero Street, as it is now known, has provided over 150 service members since Mexican-American immigrants settled there in 1929.

“[The Rundles’] beautiful Hero Street series will be a monumental, lasting legacy to ensure that current and future generations will be sure to recognize and salute the selfless patriotism of these families, showing an inspiring example to us all.” Jonathan Turner, Digital News/Entertainment - WHBF

The Rundles are currently in production on the fifth in the series, “The Last to Fall from Hero Street” (John Muños’ Story) which is slated for release in early 2024.

The documentaries were funded in part by grants from the Illinois Humanities, and Humanities Iowa with support from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) and the Illinois General Assembly; the Moline Foundation; RDA; Quad Cities Community Foundation; and, through its fiscal sponsor the Black Box Theatre a Quad City Arts Dollars grant provided by Illinois Arts Council Agency, Hubbell-Waterman Foundation and John Deere.

Fourth Wall Films is an award-winning and four-time Emmy® winning independent film and video production company formerly located in Los Angeles, and now based in Moline, Illinois. For more information visit HeroStreetMovie.com.

To purchase the documentaries on DVD click HERE.

"Infantryman from Hero Street" Encore Broadcast on WQPT-PBS Tues. March 28 5pm

IMAGE: Three rivers... Brothers Frank (Eric Juarez) and Joseph Sandoval (Emmanuel Juarez) at the Mississippi River's edge near Silvis, Illinois. Frank would die in during WWII in a battle near the Irrawaddy River in Burma. Joe would die a year later in 1945 during a battle at the Elbe River in Germany.

AN ENCORE BROADCAST! Tune in Tuesday, March 28 at 5:00 pm to WQPT-PBS (Channel 24 and 24.1 (HD) for an encore broadcast of AN INFANTRYMAN FROM HERO STREET.

The Emmy-nominated LETTERS HOME TO HERO STREET co-produced with WQPT will follow.

Joseph Sandoval. One of the Hero Street eight of Silvis, Illinois.

If you are hosting a watch party, please send us your photos!

The DVD is also available at https://docublogger.typepad.com/fourth_wall_store/

WQPT-PBS airs “An Infantryman from Hero Street” airs on March 26 and 28

 

Emmanuel Juarez as PFC Joseph Sandoval & Eric Juarez as his brother PFC Frank Sandoval in
"An Infantryman from Hero Street".

“An Infantryman from Hero Street”, a new documentary by Emmy Award-winning filmmakers Kelly and Tammy Rundle of Moline-based Fourth Wall Films, will air on WQPT-PBS Sunday, March 26 at 7 p.m. and again on Tuesday, March 28 at 5 p.m.

“An Infantryman from Hero Street,” the fourth episode in the "Hero Street" documentary series, tells the true story of PFC Joseph Sandoval who was born in a boxcar to Mexican immigrants in the Silvis, Illinois rail yard. In 1944 Joe, married with two young sons, was drafted and shipped to Britain with the 41st Armored Infantry Regiment. His unit helped fight the second stage of the Normandy Invasion in France. In April 1945, the Allied forces reached an agreement regarding post-war Germany, and Joe and his fellow soldiers were told the war was essentially over. Joe was killed just days later during a German counter attack near the Elbe River in Schönebeck, Germany. In the two weeks that followed, U.S. and Russian troops shook hands across the Elbe, and Adolph Hitler committed suicide.

Only a block and a half long, Second Street in Silvis, Illinois lost six young men in World War II and two in the Korean War, more than any other street in America. Hero Street, as it is now known, has provided over 150 service members since Mexican-American immigrants settled there in 1929.

"An Infantryman from Hero Street" stars Emmanuel Juarez as PFC Joseph Sandoval, Eric Juarez reprising his role as Joe’s brother PFC Frank Sandoval, and actor Matt Walsh as 1st Lt Frank Houcek. The film features commentary by First Army Support Command Historian 1st Lt Kevin Braafladt, Rock Island Arsenal; authors Marc Wilson “Hero Street, USA”, Carlos Harrison "The Ghosts of Hero Street" and John C. McManus “September Hope”; and members of Joe Sandoval’s family, including Tanilo Sandoval, Henry Sandoval, Georgia Herrera and Irene Mawson.

Award-winning composer William Campbell produced the "Hero Street" series opening music theme.

The “Hero Street” film’s opening theme was scored by award-winning and Emmy® nominated composer William Campbell of Davenport.

WQPT-PBS provided its broadcast studio for filming portions of the documentary. WQPT’s Lora Adams assisted with production, and Chris Ryder created special visual and sound effects. WQPT-PBS previously partnered with Fourth Wall Films in 2015 to co-produce the Mid-America Emmy nominated "Letters Home to Hero Street” which tells the story of Frank Sandoval who died while serving in Burma, India during WWII. “Letters Home” will air following each of the “Infantryman from Hero Street” broadcasts in March.

Matt Walsh as 1st Lt Houcek

“Hero Street,” a multi-part documentary series by Fourth Wall Films, explores the compelling true story of eight Mexican-American heroes from Hero Street, USA in Silvis, Illinois: Tony Pompa, Frank Sandoval, William Sandoval, Claro Solis, Peter Masias, Joseph Sandoval, Joseph Gomez and John S. Muños.

“[The Rundles’] beautiful Hero Street series will be a monumental, lasting legacy to ensure that current and future generations will be sure to recognize and salute the selfless patriotism of these families, showing an inspiring example to us all.” Jonathan Turner, Digital News/Entertainment - WHBF

“An Infantryman from Hero Street” was funded in part by a grant from the Illinois Humanities, with support from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) and the Illinois General Assembly; a grant from the Moline Foundation; and, through its fiscal sponsor the Black Box Theatre, a Quad City Arts Dollars grant provided by Illinois Arts Council Agency, Hubbell-Waterman Foundation and John Deere.

Fourth Wall Films is an award-winning and Emmy® winning independent film and video production company formerly located in Los Angeles, and now based in Moline, Illinois. For more information visit HeroStreetMovie.com.

Order the Hero Street documentary film series DVDs at https://herostreetmovie.com/

Hero Street Films air on WQPT-PBS Nov. 5

WQPT-PBS will air three of the documentaries from Fourth Wall Films’ “Hero Street Film Series” on Thursday, November 5th. “Riding the Rails to Hero Street” will air at 8:00 p.m., the Regional Emmy-nominated "Letters Home to Hero Street" at 8:30 p.m., and “A Bridge too Far from Hero Street” will air at 9:00 p.m.

Riding the Rails to Hero Street explores the immigrants’ journey from Mexico to the Quad Cities segregated communities of Cook’s Point in Davenport, Holy City in Bettendorf, and the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad yard in Silvis, Illinois. Featured interviews include Latino Studies professor Brian Behnken of Iowa State University and Marc Wilson, the author of “Hero Street, U.S.A.”

Letters Home to Hero Street, the Emmy-nominated and award-winning 30-minute documentary produced by WQPT-PBS and Fourth Wall Films focuses on young Mexican-American veteran Frank Sandoval's personal view of World War II, as told through the letters and V-Mail (Victory Mail) he sent home to his family on 2nd Street in Silvis, Illinois.

Frank was just beginning a new job at the Rock Island Arsenal when he was drafted by the Army in 1942. He sent dozens of letters to family and friends during the two years he was in the service and the more than 100 letters that remain tell a story of one man's epic journey from Illinois to India. Killed on the Irrawaddy River in Burma in June 1944, Frank becomes one of eight veterans of WWII and the Korean War from Hero Street, USA killed in combat.

The film stars Eric Juarez as Frank Sandoval, Maya Chavez, Cindy Ramos, and Josh Wielenga.

A Bridge too Far from Hero Street tells the story of Pvt. William “Willie” Sandoval who was assigned to Co. F, 504 Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division and became part of the ill-fated Operation Market Garden plan. The day after his 21st birthday, Willie was one of 20,000 paratroopers who leapt into the sky over German-occupied Holland on September 17, 1944.

 “A Bridge Too Far From Hero Street” features commentary by historian John C. McManus, the author of “September Hope: The American Side of A Bridge Too Far.” Acoustic guitar music was provided by Joe Soliz whose great uncle Claro is among the Hero Street Eight. Quad Cities’ artist Bruce Walters created original art for the film.

Only a block and a half long, Hero Street in Silvis, Illinois lost six young men in World War II and two in the Korean War, more than any other street in America of any size. Hero Street has provided over 100 American military service members since World War II.

The Rundles’ Hero Street proposed ten-part documentary series, will explore the personal and family sagas behind each of the eight heroes and tell an unforgettable true story of American courage, character, and perseverance. "Letters Home to Hero Street" (co-produced with WQPT) was the first film created for the series, and it received a Mid-America Emmy-nomination. “Letters Home” is available with lesson plans to teachers nation-wide via the PBS Learning Media website.

Fourth Wall Films is an award-winning independent film production company formerly located in Los Angeles, and now based in Moline, Illinois.

To order the DVD for Riding the Rails to Hero Street  or A Bridge too Far from Hero Street or Fourth Wall Films' Emmy-nominated and award-winning film Letters Home to Hero Street (co-produced with WQPT), CLICK HERE!

New Hola America WQPT-PBS Program to Discuss "Hero Street" Documentary

Hola America premieres on WQPT September 20, 2013 with host Natalie Zarowny and will feature a segment on the new documentary Hero Street by Emmy-nominated filmmakers Kelly & Tammy Rundle.

WQPT-PBS will launch a new program with Hola America beginning Friday, September 20, 2013 at 6:30 p.m.  The show's host is Natalie Zarowny of WHBF who will take viewers on a weekly journey focusing on the contributions of the Hispanic community in the region.

"Hola America represents a partnership that we are proud to add to our programming schedule.  Tar Marcias, editor of the Hola America newspaper, had been producing Hola America and airing it on local cable, but wanted to revitalize the program and bring it to the WQPT audience.  I invite you to tune in," said Mary Pruess, WQPT General Manager, in a statement in the station's Program Guide.

Emmy-nominated filmmakers Kelly and Tammy Rundle of Fourth Wall Films will be guests on the new Hola America during the September 20th WQPT broadcast and will talk about their new documentary Hero Street, currently in production.

"We are honored to be guests on Hola America and given the opportunity to talk about Hero Street and the significance of preserving this important story," said producer Kelly Rundle.

"We have been receiving wonderful support from various organizations and groups, including the Mexican American Veterans Association (MAVA) and Hola America, as well as family members of the heroes, and individuals not only in the Quad Cities area, but from all over the country," said producer Tammy Rundle.

 Hero Street is slated for release in 2015.  For information on how to contribute to the documentary project, visit HOW YOU CAN HELP at www.HeroStreetMovie.com.