Our parents
David Hallinger
Videos and photos
Videos
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A one-hour documentary about the underground filmmaker George Kuchar. David was creator and producer of this film, as well as the cameraman. It features interviews with George Kuchar and others, as well as clips of his off-beat, funny, and sometimes lurid film and video projects. If you like George Kuchar’s works, or just enjoy that style of early underground film making, you will enjoy this video,
A one-half hour video about Phil Llewellyn. Phil was a friend of David’s (and mine) ever since elementary school. He was well known in Wyncote and beyond for his zany humor, his philosophical discussions, and his love of wild good times. Phil was ill with cancer when David made this video. It features interviews with Phil in his apartment (and on the roof), and traveling around Germantown, Valley Green, Lee’s Hoagies, and Wyncote. It includes a tour of the old Hallinger house in Wyncote with the new owners, and a refreshing dip in Creighton’s pool just up the street.
Photos/Biography
Early Years
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David grew up in Wyncote, in the suburbs of Philadelphia. He lived in a huge old stone house, with our family of 6 and tons of friends stopping by at all times. It was the 1950’s.
Tree House
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He was chief planner and builder of a 5 story tree house located in our yard near the garage. It had bunk beds, stuffed couches, and a library. He ran cables out from the house to equip it with electric lights and a phone landline.
Teen Years
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He was a hipster and a rebel at a young age. He loved photography, especially taking black and white photos. He build a darkroom in the basement to develop his pictures. He always had a lot of girlfriends!
Mexico
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He went to college in San Miguel de Allende in Mexico for one year, studying photography at the Art Institute. He loved the Mexican culture and speaking Spanish. What an amazing town!
South America
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David took a year-long trip around South America, taking pictures and having adventures. Later he went back to South America again, and visited many of the same places.
San Francisco
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David moved to San Francisco, and went to the S.F. Art Institute. He started in photography until he took George Kuchar’s video making class. After that he switched to videos and film. He and George became good friends, and appeared in each other’s videos. David made an hour-long documentary about George called “The Comedy of the Underground.”
Los Angeles
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David moved to Los Angeles, graduated from American Film Institute, and shared a house with our grandmother. He did camera work (often in special effects) in many films, such as “Ghostbusters 2”, “Top Gun,” and “Back to the Future 2.” Later the availability of camera work dried up, and he renovated an old building near Hollywood and created The Farmhouse Cafe, serving Thai food, along with his partner Chin.
Oregon
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David lived Oregon his final years, in a house in the country, with 4 dogs and a horse. He built a restaurant/B&B overlooking the harbor in Newport, Oregon called the Sail Inn. He lived near a native American Reservation in Siletz and liked to photograph the pow-wows there.
Final Year
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David was sick with cancer for his last year. His siblings Chris and Linda visited him, Colleen and Chin cared for him while he did treatments. He rallied himself to take a final trip to Ecuador in hopes of seeing a healing Shaman in the Amazon. But it was too late for healing by then, and he died right after returning to the U.S. There was a memorial for him Oregon, and later one in Philly for all his old friends there.
