Employee from the 60s....

A man who worked at Donahue Studios for awhile in the 1960s sent in some anecdotes:

Back in the summer of 1967 and 1968, I used to work for Donahue Studios in Evansville. I am not sure if you are the same company or not. When I was there, you were taking a lot of pictures of refrigerators for Sears catalog's as well as pictures of furniture. Are you the same company? If so, is there anyone from the late 1960's who still works there? michaelkoleszar@yahoo.com

Michael, The Studio closed in 1998. Dick, Tom & Pat Donahue are deceased. I started with them in 1978 and remember Dick reminiscing to Tom, "Tommy, do you remember Mike Koleszar?" This happened several times over the years. I guess they liked you pretty well.

You probably also remember Max Hartley, set designer, Tom McKay, photolab, Paul DuPont, color separations?

I remember the refrigerators from p/t Saturday work when I was in high school - - they shot a lot of them. There's another story - - for the Sear's cover shots, models would be flown in. They had to change their clothes in that little bathroom. Sears art directors were also in attendance - - sounds like a big-time production.

I wish my uncles were still alive to see your email - - they would have enjoyed it.
Jim Donahue


Wow, did not realize I had such an impact on them at the ripe old age of 17, but very nice to hear just the same. I do remember Max Hartley. I use to ride with him to furniture stores in the area where he would borrow/rent furniture and accessories to put in the sets. I also remember Tom McKay, but I do not remember Paul.

Actally, that was my first job ever. I started out making $1.60/hour and got a pay raise to $1.70/hour within a month. I actually got the job through the Evansville unemployment office. The job title was "photographers helper" and I use to paint the "infinity wall" between sets, and help move things around. I use to hate cleaning out the refrigerators after a shoot because they would spray them down inside and out with some kind of gunk that dulled the surface.

I also remember the models coming down from Chicago and dressing in the little room. One of them was walking around between shoots with very little on. Quite an impression for a young man.

One day I was driving their van somewhere and a guy hit me. It was not my fault, but Dick was not happy because I had never been in a wreck before and did not know what to do. It did not look bad to me, so I let him go without getting any information from him.

I also remember really enjoying lunch at the Tennessean restaurant. Seems like I use to get four hamburgers for a $1.00. Have not tasted a better hamburger since.

My mother, brother, and two daughters still live in Evansville and I do get to come home now and then to visit.

Hope your business does well, and thanks for writing me back. It really brings back some good memories of my childhood. michaelkoleszar@yahoo.com