Drop Dead City: Free Screening & Panel Discussion

The Deadline Club with Fordham University Present

DROP DEAD CITY IN FREE 50TH ANNIVERSARY SCREENING

AT FORDHAM LINCOLN CENTER, WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 22

NEW YORK, N.Y. – Fifty years ago, as New York City faced an imminent financial catastrophe, the President of the United States effectively declared – so what? The moment was captured in one of the most famous newspaper headlines in New York history - “Ford to City: Drop Dead."

To look back — and forward — at that historic event, Fordham University and The Society of Professional Journalists’ Deadline Club (www.deadlineclub.org) are partnering to offer a free screening of Drop Dead City, the acclaimed documentary explaining New York City’s 1975 fiscal crisis, on Wednesday, October 22 at 6:30 p.m.

The screening will be followed by a panel discussion including the film’s producers, urban academics, and New York reporters from the era.

“Every New Yorker – and especially every New York journalist – needs to see this film,” said Steve Dunlop, Deadline Club past president and panel moderator. “The city came literally within minutes of an unprecedented budgetary meltdown, and we now have generations of New Yorkers that are completely unaware of it. Drop Dead City is a reminder that no city, no matter how mighty, is immune from collapse.”

The October 22 event at Fordham University Lincoln Center’s McNally Amphitheater will take place just days before the 50th anniversary of the Daily News headline from which the documentary takes its title.

Drop Dead City has won critical plaudits and multiple awards, including the prestigious Lavine/Ken Burns Award from the Library of Congress. It also holds a rating of 91% on Rotten Tomatoes.

“The participants in the film don’t all agree with one another, which makes for a richer tale,” wrote Alissa Wilkinson in the New York Times. “No story about money is straightforward, but this version is about as fun and vivid as it could be without skimping on the details.”

Tickets to the screening and panel are free, but space is limited and advance registration is required.

The panelists:

Michael Rohatyn, a co-producer / director of Drop Dead City, is a filmmaker, composer, writer, and producer whose work often bridges documentary and narrative storytelling. He co-wrote the Sundance Grand Jury Prize winner Forty Shades of Blue. As the son of Felix Rohatyn, the late former chairman of the Municipal Assistance Corporation, he knew many of the players. His deep, personal connection informs Drop Dead City’s urgency, archival richness, and emotional clarity.

Mike Eisgrau spent 24 years at WNEW Radio (1967–1991), serving as reporter, editor, and news director. In addition to the 1975 fiscal crisis, he covered historic events from Woodstock to the funerals of Robert Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr., to presidential campaigns, earning a reputation for clarity, authority, and integrity. A trusted New York voice, Eisgrau also mentored young journalists and championed thoughtful, rigorous reporting.

Dr. Jessica Baldwin-Philippi is an Associate Professor in Fordham University’s Communication and Media Studies Department. She is the Director of the McGannon Center for Communication Research and teaches courses on digital advocacy, civic media, and media's role in democracy. Her work focuses on political communication, and offers insights into how media and technology influence citizen engagement, providing context for understanding the dynamics depicted in Drop Dead City.

Steve Dunlop (moderator) was a Fordham University student and the Assistant News Director of Fordham’s WFUV-FM during the fiscal crisis. He covered New York comptroller Abraham Beame, who was elected mayor in 1973. Dunlop went on to have a long career in journalism, including stints at WOR Radio, Channel 5’s Ten O’Clock News, WNBC-TV, and most recently, CBS News. He is a Deadline Club past president and a member of the Club’s Board of Governors.

ABOUT THE DEADLINE CLUB: The Deadline Club is the largest chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists, serving New York area journalists, students and supporters since 1925. The club promotes journalistic standards, community and professional development through its awards programs, scholarships, public talks, workshops and social events.

Movie poster illustration by Franz Kantor.

AT A GLANCE

WHAT: Drop Dead City: Documentary Screening & Panel on 50th Anniversary of NYC's Fiscal Crisis

WHEN: Wednesday, October 22, 6:30 p.m.

WHERE: McNally Amphitheater, Fordham University Lincoln Center, 140 W. 62nd St., New York, NY

RSVP: Tickets are free, but RSVPs are required.