H.B. “TOBY” HALICKI AND GONE IN 60 SECONDS
Thursday, October 15, 2026 | 7PM
Dunkirk native H.B. “Toby” Halicki was a pioneer and visionary in the world of independent film.
Gone in 60 Seconds (1974) propelled the stunt man and mechanic from his humble beginnings working in his family’s junkyard into instant stardom with its genre defining chase scenes, guerrilla approach to filmmaking, and car crashes the likes of which had never before been seen. Made on a budget of only $150,000, it grossed over $40 million at the box office, and remains a cult classic to this day.
His other major film release, The Junkman (1982), though a commercial failure, was every bit the wild ride, including plane crashes, gun battles, and even the assistance of the actual Goodyear Blimp. Expanding on the excitement of 60 Seconds, it also gives further insight into his life experiences with its semi-autobiographical meta-story. A tour de force in its own right, this hidden gem of a picture provides a prophetic roadmap for the direction Halicki’s career was heading into the 1980s, and showcases his developing filmmaking ideas, skills, and practical stunts.
Halicki returned to Western New York in the late 1980s to film Gone in 60 Seconds 2, with car chases throughout North Tonawanda, Jamestown, Fredonia, and Dunkirk that have to be seen to be believed. Tragically, he was killed during the filming of a stunt, and the picture was never completed; but his legacy lives on in every car movie made since.
Graham Tedesco-Blair, executive director of the Darwin R. Barker Library & Museum Association, director of the Historical Society of Dunkirk, and lifelong film buff, will deliver this talk about Halicki’s life, his work, and his tragic death. It will also include film clips, trivia, and rarely heard stories about the unbelievably odd creation of the movie.
Presented in Partnership with the Dunkirk Historical Society as part of Here & There – Chautauqua County History, Travelers, & Memories
Admission is FREE, although donations are gratefully accepted
