Director Otto Preminger, left, and John Voelker talk about filming “Anatomy of a Murder” while in the circuit courtroom of the Marquette County Courthouse. (Photo courtesy of John Pepin, “Anatomy '59” film project.)

During the first few days of June 1959, finishing touches were being put on Otto Preminger’s “Anatomy of a Murder,” a gritty courtroom drama filmed entirely on location in Marquette County.

The motion picture was based on a bestselling book by local prosecutor turned defense attorney John Voelker of Ishpeming. In turn, the book — written under Voelker’s pen name, Robert Traver — was based on real events that occurred in Marquette County in 1952, including an alleged rape, killing and week-long jury trial.

In the biggest case of his legal career, Voelker defended Army Lt. Coleman Alonzo Peterson — a 38-year-old doctor’s son from Chicago stationed at an anti-aircraft artillery battery at Big Bay — who stood trial for murdering Maurice “Mike” Chenoweth, proprietor of the Lumberjack Tavern.

Chenoweth, 48, was a former Michigan State Police trooper and a reported crack shot with a gun. Despite his exemplary state police background, he was known to some locals as a womanizer, SOB and perhaps worse.

Peterson claimed he killed Chenoweth with a German luger after the barkeep allegedly raped Peterson’s wife, Charlotte. Chenoweth had given her a ride back from the bar to the couple’s trailer at Perkins Park.

Voelker won an acquittal for his client, based on a legal precedent suggesting the defendant acted under an “irresistible impulse.”

Preminger — the director of numerous noteworthy films including “Laura,” “The Moon is Blue” and “Carmen Jones” — had read Voelker’s book.

Afterward, he said he “itched” to make the movie version, which featured James Stewart — star of several famous motion pictures including “It’s a Wonderful Life,” “Vertigo” and “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington.”

The movie also showcased the talents of several actors who would later become big stars themselves, including George C. Scott, Ben Gazzara and Lee Remick. The soundtrack was written and performed by jazz great Duke Ellington.

Scenes were filmed in Marquette, Ishpeming and Michigamme. Stars stayed at the Mather Inn in Ishpeming and the Hotel Northland in Marquette.

Preminger filmed the movie in black and white to imitate the late winter-early spring of the Upper Peninsula. “Anatomy” was the first movie production ever to film at the scene of an actual murder, which Preminger chose to do in his pursuit of realism and authenticity.

During those last weeks leading up to the “world preview” of the film, activities were ongoing at a dizzying pace.

On May 16, the eight weeks of filming wrapped up. On June 4, sound effects and the musical score were being dubbed over the film. Ellington finished the score June 5, with the music recorded in only three days.

A “Look” magazine feature about Voelker hit newsstands June 9. The previous month, “Life” magazine had included a story profiling Joseph Welch, the national star of the Army-McCarthy hearings, who was cast as the judge in “Anatomy.”

Preminger reported he was “tremendously pleased” with the film, with the world premiere scheduled for July 1 in Detroit.

A private screening of the film, attended by Preminger in Chicago, took place June 22. Preminger expected to be dogged by sensors because of his film’s dialogue, which was considered provocative for its day.

Meanwhile, tickets sold out for the June 29 first public showings of “Anatomy of a Murder” at the Nordic Theater in Marquette and the Butler Theater in Ishpeming. A total of 889 tickets were sold, providing $9,000 for the Bay Cliff Health Camp.

Voelker attended the Butler showing. It was his 56th birthday. The preview showings in Ishpeming and Marquette had been a birthday gift to Voelker from Preminger.

Stars from the movie had left town weeks earlier, with Stewart and actor Arthur O’Connell remaining longest to finish the final scenes of the movie filmed at the Carnegie Library and Nault’s Bar in Ishpeming.

The Ishpeming City Band led a parade of guests from the Mather Inn to the Butler.

Two days later, in Detroit, the world premiere showing of “Anatomy” was sold out, with the film opening subsequently in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, Washington and San Francisco.

“Anatomy of a Murder” was named Michigan’s Product of the Year. The motion picture was nominated for seven Academy Awards, including best picture, best screenplay, best supporting actor for O’Connell and Scott and best actor for Stewart.

However, “Anatomy” was shut out at the Oscars, overshadowed by the $15 million blockbuster “Ben Hur,” which starred Charlton Heston. The film won 11 Academy Awards, a record that would not be eclipsed until 1997’s “Titanic.”

Today, the only surviving cast members from “Anatomy of a Murder” are Grant, who is 85, and Bean, who is 90. Preminger died in 1986 in New York. Voelker died in 1991, after suffering a heart attack while driving.

“Anatomy of a Murder” remains a compelling courtroom drama, scheduled to show at 1:15 p.m. July 27 and 10 p.m. Aug. 7 on Turner Classic Movies.

EDITOR’S NOTE: John Pepin is a writer, photographer and filmmaker who produced, wrote and directed the documentary “Anatomy ’59: The Making of a Classic Motion Picture,” which was released in 2009 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of “Anatomy of a Murder.” Contact: Anatomy59@charter.net