Larger than Life: The Red Grange Story

How do you turn two tons of copper into a statue? Illinois alumnus George Lundeen has been doing this for more than 30 years. Lundeen creates realistic portrayals of athletes, presidents and animals in his Colorado studio. Now, Lundeen has been given the honor of creating a 12-foot replica of one of the University's most famous alumni, Harold “Red” Grange. As an artist, Lundeen is faced with the task of creating a piece encompassing the persona of an individual whose very name is synonymous with Illinois Football. This program is a companion piece to the sculpture that now stands west of Memorial Stadium in Champaign. This documentary takes viewers behind the scenes at Lundeen’s studio to learn how he envisioned his giant likeness of Grange. Alongside the progression of Lundeen’s work, viewers will also learn the history of Red Grange at Illinois. The program takes us past Grange’s accomplishments on the gridiron, to reveal him as an the first sports superstar and a man who transformed the NFL.