From The Ashes: The Life and Times of Tick Hall
Encyclopedia
From The Ashes: The Life and Times of Tick Hall is a documentary film made in 2003 by filmmaker Scott Morris. It is about the historic Montauk, New York
home known as Tick Hall. It was lost in a fire in 1997 but was rebuilt by its owners, Carrie Nye
and Dick Cavett
.
chronicling the history, loss, and rebuilding of a landmark, 125-year-old house known as Tick Hall. In 1997, a huge fire burned Tick Hall to the ground, leaving only the blackened chimney
standing. The loss was a blow to the community and Tick Hall's owners - talk-show host Dick Cavett and his wife, actress Carrie Nye - who lived there for 30 years. Because of its historic and artistic importance, the Cavetts embarked upon an ambitious three-year project - rebuilding Tick Hall exactly as it was.
Located on a remote cliff overlooking the ocean, Tick Hall was one of a group of seven houses designed by the architectural firm of McKim, Mead & White in 1879. Known as the Montauk Association, the houses are among the first examples of a uniquely American 'shingle-style' architecture, and were host to many generations of New Yorker
s looking for an escape from the pressures of city life. The entire district was added to the National Register of Historic Places
in 1976.
Through old photographs, fine cinematography and interviews with the Cavetts, local residents, historians, and architects, "From The Ashes" evokes Tick Hall's complex past and brings to life the process of rebuilding an historic treasure. The stories of several generations of owners are revealed by the late Barbara Tweed Estill (who was 93 years old); local historian Elaine Peterson describes the wild shores of Montauk in the 1880s; and Samuel White
, architect and great-grandson of Stanford White
, provides perspective on Tick Hall's architectural significance.
The Cavetts and their friends offer a touching account of life at Tick Hall from the 1960s to the present, and describe the tragic fire and its aftermath. Architect James Hadley and a team of conservators guide viewers through the process of recreating the original house without the benefit of the original plans. Using "forensic architecture," they sift through debris and analyze photographs to determine materials and techniques used 125 years ago, and locate highly specialized craftsmen and artisans to recapture the feeling of the original house.
Unlike the typical restoration programs prevalent on cable television, From The Ashes is a highly personal and reflective film about life before, during, and after a tragedy and the efforts of a diverse group of people to restore a little-known national treasure. Produced, directed and edited by award-winning filmmaker Scott Morris, From The Ashes is photographed in 16mm by Jefferson Miller, features an original score by Michael Bacon, and is narrated by Len Cariou
.
Montauk, New York
Montauk [ˈmɒntɒk] is a census-designated place that roughly corresponds to the hamlet with the same name located in the town of East Hampton in Suffolk County, New York, United States on the South Shore of Long Island. As of the United States 2000 Census, the CDP population was 3,851 as of 2000...
home known as Tick Hall. It was lost in a fire in 1997 but was rebuilt by its owners, Carrie Nye
Carrie Nye
-Early life:Nye was born Caroline Nye McGeoy in Greenwood, Mississippi; her father was a vice president of a local bank. She attended Stephens College and then went on to the Yale School of Drama.-Career:...
and Dick Cavett
Dick Cavett
Richard Alva "Dick" Cavett is a former American television talk show host known for his conversational style and in-depth discussion of issues...
.
About the Film
"From The Ashes" is a 57-minute documentary filmDocumentary film
Documentary films constitute a broad category of nonfictional motion pictures intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record...
chronicling the history, loss, and rebuilding of a landmark, 125-year-old house known as Tick Hall. In 1997, a huge fire burned Tick Hall to the ground, leaving only the blackened chimney
Chimney
A chimney is a structure for venting hot flue gases or smoke from a boiler, stove, furnace or fireplace to the outside atmosphere. Chimneys are typically vertical, or as near as possible to vertical, to ensure that the gases flow smoothly, drawing air into the combustion in what is known as the...
standing. The loss was a blow to the community and Tick Hall's owners - talk-show host Dick Cavett and his wife, actress Carrie Nye - who lived there for 30 years. Because of its historic and artistic importance, the Cavetts embarked upon an ambitious three-year project - rebuilding Tick Hall exactly as it was.
Located on a remote cliff overlooking the ocean, Tick Hall was one of a group of seven houses designed by the architectural firm of McKim, Mead & White in 1879. Known as the Montauk Association, the houses are among the first examples of a uniquely American 'shingle-style' architecture, and were host to many generations of New Yorker
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
s looking for an escape from the pressures of city life. The entire district was added to the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 1976.
Through old photographs, fine cinematography and interviews with the Cavetts, local residents, historians, and architects, "From The Ashes" evokes Tick Hall's complex past and brings to life the process of rebuilding an historic treasure. The stories of several generations of owners are revealed by the late Barbara Tweed Estill (who was 93 years old); local historian Elaine Peterson describes the wild shores of Montauk in the 1880s; and Samuel White
Samuel White
Samuel White was an American lawyer and politician from Wilmington, in New Castle County, Delaware. He was a member of the Federalist Party, who served as U.S. Senator from Delaware.-Early life and family:...
, architect and great-grandson of Stanford White
Stanford White
Stanford White was an American architect and partner in the architectural firm of McKim, Mead & White, the frontrunner among Beaux-Arts firms. He designed a long series of houses for the rich and the very rich, and various public, institutional, and religious buildings, some of which can be found...
, provides perspective on Tick Hall's architectural significance.
The Cavetts and their friends offer a touching account of life at Tick Hall from the 1960s to the present, and describe the tragic fire and its aftermath. Architect James Hadley and a team of conservators guide viewers through the process of recreating the original house without the benefit of the original plans. Using "forensic architecture," they sift through debris and analyze photographs to determine materials and techniques used 125 years ago, and locate highly specialized craftsmen and artisans to recapture the feeling of the original house.
Unlike the typical restoration programs prevalent on cable television, From The Ashes is a highly personal and reflective film about life before, during, and after a tragedy and the efforts of a diverse group of people to restore a little-known national treasure. Produced, directed and edited by award-winning filmmaker Scott Morris, From The Ashes is photographed in 16mm by Jefferson Miller, features an original score by Michael Bacon, and is narrated by Len Cariou
Len Cariou
Leonard Joseph “Len” Cariou is a Canadian actor, best known for his portrayal of Sweeney Todd in the original cast of Sweeney Todd, the Demon Barber of Fleet Street...
.
Cast
| Cast | Character |
|---|---|
| Dick Cavett | Talk-show host and owner of Tick Hall from 1965 to the present |
| Carrie Nye | Actress and wife of Dick Cavett |
| Samuel G. White | Architect and Great-grandson of Stanford White |
| Barbara Tweed Estill | Owner of Tick Hall from 1941 to 1965 |
| Elaine Peterson | Montauk resident and local historian |
| Regan McLemore | God-daughter of Carrie Nye |
| Roberta Gosman-Donovan | Neighbor of the Cavetts |
| Barbara Friedman | Friend of the Cavetts and Montauk resident |
| Greg Donohue | Montauk resident and landscaper |
| James Hadley | Architect |
| Bruce Popkin | Architectural conservator (Wank Adams Slavin Associates) |
| Jim Boorstein | Architectural conservator (Traditional Line Ltd.) |
| James Dean | Stairbuilder |
| Steve Hirschfeld | Senior Restorer (Traditional Line Ltd.) |
| John Therese | Project Manager (Traditional Line Ltd.) |
| Jim Kim | Contractor (Men At Work) |
| Louis Edmonds | Actor and friend of the Cavetts |
| Len Cariou | Narrator |
External links
- http://www.tickhall.com/tick/html/index.html
- http://www.scottmorrisproductions.com/