Support Jesse to Rebuild His Dream: Master of Metals & Props

MASTER OF METALS LIFE MELTED DOWN BY FIRE

What would you save from a burning house fire?

Seventy-seven-year-old Jesse John Hollings McLeod only had time to save himself.

Jesse spent fifty years gathering artisan tools, foundry equipment, drawings, and a 12,000 volume of art history & technical books to retire to his dream job of becoming a full-time artist in the belt buckle industry—but it was turned to ash and twisted metal in moments.

His home. His studio. His retirement dream—GONE.

On July 8th, 2024, Jesse McLeod was surfing the net before going to his studio to work on his belt buckle business when, suddenly, the power went out. He stepped outside to see what was happening, and to his shock, he saw his home, which housed his beloved 12,000-volume set of books, was on fire!

And to his horror, he heard the quiet roar of the blow torch coming from his studio.

When the fire department arrived at his property, they quickly asked him what they should try to save.

Jesse had to choose between his 12 x 12 fishing cabin, which he calls his “sleeping cabin,” and his studio workshop.

All of his identification and bank cards were in the cabin.

What would you choose? How would you cope if you lost all of your identification? How would you restart or prove who you were?

Hi, my name is Casey Noel, a Local 44 executive board member and friend of Jesse. My dad and I have known Jesse for decades, and I am trying to raise money so he can restart his life and still fulfill his dream of becoming a full-time artist in retirement. After Jesse graduated from college, he became a belt buckle artisan, and just as he was about to retire from set construction and creating props for Hollywood TV and movies, his lifelong dream melted down in a blazing wildfire; right now, Jesse is currently camping on the scorched earth of his property, and he needs our help.

Jesse is a 21-year member of Local 44, working in set construction and props for movies and television, and has been a master of metals his entire life. Before joining 44, he worked on non-union projects and helped build Walt Disney, Universal Studios, Legoland, and Las Vegas Casinos. Jesse, who is now 77 years old, had a huge workshop filled with all the tools of his trade.

You might ask, “What about insurance?” Well, times have been really tough lately, and Jesse simply couldn’t afford insurance. Fire insurance in the Lake Isabella area (and all wildfire areas in California) has nearly tripled in the last few years and is unaffordable for people in our line of work.

After college, Jesse realized his generation of counter-culture, back-to-the-landers, and the Mother Earth crowd weren’t interested in the corporate Tandy belt buckle, so he began metal casting intricate and unique buckles that are still being traded and resold on eBay and Etsy today for hundreds of dollars, which is why he needs our help. The money from individual collectors does not come to him, but his artistry is still in demand today. And because he has grown as an artist over the decades and has been exposed to the talented painters, designers, and special effects crowd in the entertainment business, he has more knowledge and expertise in creating unique, one-of-a-kind belt buckles today.

So, this is how we can help:

We can help Jesse to at least repurchase the equipment he lost in the Larson Fire, which will help sustain him financially in retirement and fulfill his dream of becoming a full-time artist. For Jesse, this is critical. To him, setting up a new living situation is secondary because he wants to continue contributing to society through his art, BUT needs his equipment to do so. Jesse already has a distributor for his belt buckles, but he needs the money to re-buy his equipment to continue getting them to his distributor.

With your help, we can move the needle forward. Currently, these are the urgent needs to get Jesse restarted so he can begin cleanup and crafting his buckles. Each donation, big or small, will make a huge difference and go to the following (amounts are approximate):

This is a call to action for everyone who loves and appreciates the joy the entertainment industry has brought us, either through movies, television shows, Disneyland or Universal with the family, or a Vegas trip with friends. And it’s a call to all the members of Local 44 to help our brother in arms. At 77 years old and already nearly broke from the last strike, this devastating blow cannot happen to a 44 brother without support from our local and its members.

Let’s all donate what we can. Click the link and then share it with your friends and family.

You can even donate in memory of a job you worked on with him, or a theme park you visited with your family, or for your favorite movie or television show!

Below is an incomplete list of just some of the jobs Jesse has worked on!

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MOVIES and TELEVISION

Transformers 5 / Wipeout / The Rescue / Captain America 2: Freezer Burn / Phoenix: Terminator 3 / Homecoming / Wizards of Waverly / Spiderman 3 / Keep Hope Alive / Christmas in Beverly Hills / Rapture / Deja Vu

Angie Tribeca / Last Man on Earth / John Claude Van Johnson / Glee / Bones / ER / True Blood / It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia / Without a Trace / Frank TV PAX / Without a Trace / State of Mind / Everybody Hates Chris / Journeyman / Saving Grace / The O.C. / Jericho / House / The Suite Life / Rise / Thick and Thin / Monk / Poseidon / Albert Brooks / Vegas

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BELT BUCKLES

Here’s a link to see Jesse’s artistry in the belt buckle industry and what he can do again with our help!!

↓↓CHECK OUT HIS BUCKLES↓↓link right there↓↓

Look how valuable his buckles are today!

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MORE ENDORSEMENTS

“I have been friends with Jesse McLeod since 2013 he is true craftsman, welder and fabricator. In our local we support each other and would do anything to help a member in distress. Ten days ago, Jesse suffered a devastating fire that led to the complete destruction of his home and shop. I call upon members of our local, friends, and anyone who can help him rebuild to pitch in.” -Armando “Grande” Gonzales

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Click to donate and then share with everyone you know who loves movies and television, theme parks, and who loves and works in Local 44!

Thank you so much. Every donation, big or small, will make a huge difference!