Netflix acquires Jack Black movie with ties to North Union Township native
North Union Township native John Koterba, who lives in Florida, shows off his "Polka King'' shirt during a recent visit to Fayette County. The shirt is a tie in to a new comedy starring Jack Black that was recently acquired by Netflix. Filmmakers used Koterba's videos and photographs of Jan Lewan, a Polish immigrant who became a success as an entertainer and businessman before experiencing a downfall over a Ponzi scheme. Lewan is the subject of "The Polka King'' while co-director and co-writer Wallace Wolodarsky plays Koterba in the film.
North Union Township native John Koterba, who lives in Florida, shows off his "Polka King'' shirt during a recent visit to Fayette County. The shirt is a tie in to a new comedy starring Jack Black that was recently acquired by Netflix. Filmmakers used Koterba's videos and photographs of Jan Lewan, a Polish immigrant who became a success as an entertainer and businessman before experiencing a downfall over a Ponzi scheme. Lewan is the subject of "The Polka King'' while co-director and co-writer Wallace Wolodarsky plays Koterba in the film.
Submitted photo
John Koterba (left) is a North Union Township native now living in Florida who contributed to a new Jack Black movie called “The Polka King’’ that’s based on the life of Pennsylvania entertainer and businessman Jan Lewan. A videographer, Koterba filmed Lewan’s travels, concerts and personal life for 30 years. Pictured are Koterba, Jo McGinnis, Koterba’s girlfriend and business partner; and Black.
Netflix has acquired a new Jack Black movie “The Polka King” that has ties to a Fayette County native.
“We were real happy about that because Netflix is worldwide, so it should get a lot of exposure,” said John Koterba, who was raised in North Union Township and has lived since 1980 in West Palm Beach, Florida.
Koterba, a videographer whose business is called Lightning Videos, shared his videos and photographs with the creators of “The Polka King,” a comedy about the real-life rise and fall of Polish-born Jan Lewan, who immigrated to America where he enjoyed success in music and business before a downfall that ended with his being imprisoned for a Ponzi scheme.
Koterba filmed his best friend Lewan for more than 30 years, first covering Lewan’s group tours abroad and then filming his concerts and personal life. Designers used Koterba’s films and photos to create sets while Black studied them to mimic Lewan’s accent and demeanor. Koterba was also delighted to discover Wallace Wolodarsky, the film’s co-director and co-writer, is playing him in the movie.
The film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in Utah last winter. Netflix picked up the film this summer.
Lindsay Colker, who does public relations for Netflix, said in an email, “You are correct in that we acquired ‘The Polka King.’ We have not yet announced a launch date.”
A description of film comes up in a search on the Netflix Media Center website, noting it stars Black, Jenny Slate as Lewan’s wife, and Jason Schwartzman as his sidekick Mickey.
Koterba, Lewan and Jo McGinnis, who is Koterba’s girlfriend and business partner, have been treated warmly by the film’s producers, cast and crew.
The three visited the movie set during filming in Rhode Island and were invited to appear as extras. They had front-row seats for the Sundance premiere and were called up on stage to greet the enthusiastic crowd.
Koterba, who recently visited family and friends in Fayette County, is the son of the late Frank and Irene Koterba and has two older sisters who live in Uniontown, Annie Daugherty and Mary Kay Koterba.
A 1975 graduate of Laurel Highlands High School, Koterba was employed at Malloy’s Cameracade in Uniontown before moving to Florida where he worked as a newspaper photographer and then opened his videography business.
Over the years, Koterba has filmed many famous people, including St. John Paul II, Pope Francis, former Polish President Lech Walesa, author James Patterson and entertainers like Kristen Chenoweth. Koterba has met President Donald Trump at his Mar-A-Lago resort in Palm Beach where Koterba has filmed events over the past 20 years.
Koterba met Lewan in 1986 when his father invited him to take a trip to Poland that Lewan was organizing. Koterba created a video of the trip and other travelers asked to buy it. Lewan was impressed with the video and invited Koterba to do the same on a trip to Italy. In all, Koterba would accompany Lewan on 72 tours to countries throughout Europe and Middle East.
Koterba developed a friendship with Lewan, who emigrated as Jan Lewandowski from Poland to Canada in 1972 and started using the stage name Jan Lewan. He came to the United States in 1981, becoming a citizen in 1986.
Lewan made his home in Hazelton in northeastern Pennsylvania and traveled around the country performing with his orchestra. He was nominated for a Grammy in 1995 for best polka album.
Life became complicated when Lewan’s wife won Mrs. Pennsylvania in 1998 but was later forced to give up her crown amidst allegations the contest was rigged.
Tragedy struck in January 2001 when Lewan’s bus crashed and two of his musicians were killed. Koterba noted Lewan’s son, Daniel, was also critically injured but recovered.
In addition to performing, Lewan organized tours and purchased items when he was in Poland that he re-sold in his Pennsylvania store. But after the accident, Lewan experienced financial difficulties that were compounded as he accepted money from investors and was unable to pay them back.
Delaware convicted Lewan of fraud in 2003, sending him to jail.
After his release in 2009, Lewan lived in Hazelton a while — his wife had remarried — but moved in with Koterba and McGinnis four years ago.
Koterba said Lewan is repaying the money, noting in a February interview with the Herald-Standard, “Jan will get some money from the movie, but much of it will go to his restitution, and he’s very happy for that.”
The movie is based on a 2009 documentary called “The Man Who Would Be Polka King” that featured interviews with Koterba as well as his films of Lewan.
Koterba, who only saw “The Polka King” once is anxious for its release on Netflix, whose website says is “the world’s leading internet television network with over 83 million members in over 190 countries.”
“It’s like waiting for a baby to be born,” Koterba said. “It’s exciting but the waiting is a killer.”