The Shot Felt 'Round The World: The Untold Pittsburgh Polio Story
Steeltown Entertainment Project, in partnership with WQED, 1905 Productions, and the University of
Pittsburgh, has completed a 55-minute rough cut version "The Shot Felt 'Round The World: The Untold
Polio Story."
In a story resonant with contemporary relevance as we face today's healthcare challenges, the film
tells the unlikely but inspirational story of how, from 1947-1955, an ambitious but unknown
scientist, Dr. Jonas Salk, along with a team of researchers and volunteers from the University of
Pittsburgh and its surrounding communities, worked together to defeat a common enemy, conquering the
most feared disease of the last century, polio.
The film debunks the myth of a single "miracle worker" discovering the Salk Polio Vaccine - instead,
through a series of interviews of those who were part of one of history's greatest medical
achievements, reflects the collective effort of people who worked directly with Dr. Salk: visionary
civic leaders, a dogged team of medical scientists, tireless medical staff, and selfless human
volunteers in or around the Pittsburgh area, who collectively laid their resources and families on
the line to fight a disease which often crippled young children, leaving many of them in the dreaded
iron lung. Remarkably, in just seven short years, a "safe and effective" polio vaccine would be
developed, saving millions of lives.
Starting with a group of students filming the 50th anniversary of the polio vaccine at the
University of Pittsburgh in 2005, a short trailer was made on this subject, involving many who had
not spoken before on camera. Like the polio vaccine itself, this project was developed through the
generosity of many private individuals and regional institutions and foundations into its present
form. "The Shot Felt Round The World" was recently screened for two of the sons of Jonas Salk who
have lent their own support to the film. Speaking on behalf of himself and his brother, Dr. Peter
Salk, Dr. Jonathan Salk called the trailer and the rough cut "the best pieces of film I have seen
about the polio vaccine and Pittsburgh's seminal role in its creation and success." In encouraging
further support of the film, he went on to write: "by showing what was done by through the
cooperation of people with initiative, intelligence, courage and goodwill in Pittsburgh and the
entire nation, a full-length "The Shot Felt Round the World" would serve the people everywhere by
informing and inspiring a new generation to adopt similar approaches to the problems that face us
today."
To view selected scene clips from "The Shot Felt 'Round The World," that are being presented to
media members during the G20 summit in Pittsburgh, click here.
For further information on the film, or to contribute to its completion, please contact Jodi
Klebick, Steelown's managing director, at Jodi@steeltown.org.
