By Becky McKinnell, Archivist/Historian
Hollywood has long been drawn to the Reformatory, and one of the notable productions 
filmed here was Tango & Cash in 1988, starring Sylvester Stallone and Kurt Russell. Filming took place while the Reformatory was still an active prison, with inmates continuing their daily routines. Guards served as extras, and several staff members used personal or vacation
time to work with the production crew.
Dolores Kolic, principal of Field’s High School—the school serving the Reformatory—worked
nights providing security during filming. She recalled the night the escape scene was shot. Although the scene required heavy rain, the weather was clear and starry, so a large water truck was brought in to simulate the storm.
For the sequence, a full-size tree was temporarily planted near the exterior wall, despite such placement being unrealistic for a functioning prison. The actors were filmed throwing a rope to the tree and sliding down using their belts, and production had to move quickly as the tree began to die shortly after planting.
A former inmate later shared that during filming, another inmate boasted about breaking into Stallone’s trailer and stealing the belt used in the escape scene. When asked if he wanted it as a souvenir, the inmate replied, “No—he just wanted a better belt.”
