A Visit to the Williamsburg Film Festival

With its big star lineup and restoration premieres, the TCM Classic Film Festival has become the annual convention for many classic film fans. However, if you prefer a more intimate setting, a smaller crowd, and the chance to chat with the stars, there are better choices! Last year, I attended the Western Film Fair and Nostalgia Convention in Winston-Salem, NC, where I spent an afternoon interviewing Piper Laurie as she signed autographs. Earlier this month, I attended my first Williamsburg Film Festival in the historic Virginia town.

Presented by the Williamsburg Classic Film Guild, the Williamburg Film Festival has been an annual tradition since 1997. Like the Western Film Fair, it was started by fans of old cowboy films. Although the festival's scope has expanded, those passionate Western film buffs still make their presence known. On the day I attended, there was a theater devoted for much of the day to "B" Westerns featuring favorites such as Tex Ritter and Allan Lane. There were also a number of attendees dressed in elaborate Western gear, to include six-shooters danging on their hips.

Despite icy weather, the vendor room
was a popular place.

The festival's format follows the same formula as the Western Film Fair, Mid-Atlantic Nostalgia Conventions, and similar events. Movies play in multiple theaters throughout most of the day. Each star participates on an interview panel (usually following a showing of one of their films or a TV series episode) and answers questions from the audience. And there's a banquet on the last evening. However, the highlight for most festival attendees is the "vendor room," where the stars sell personally autographed photos and other memorabilia and vendors offer everything from comic books to collector plates featuring famous stars.

The best-known guests for this year's Williamsburg Film Festival included:

Lana Wood.

Lana Wood. Natalie Wood's sister never achieved major stardom, but remains a favorite among James Bond fans for her appearance as Plenty O'Toole opposite Sean Connery in Diamonds Are Forever. She also played the "Younger Debbie" in The Searchers (Natalie played the older Debbie) and was a regular for two years on the Peyton Place TV series. Lana was one of the reasons I wanted to attend the festival and she kindly agreed to do an interview with me.

Johnny Crawford. The actor who played Chuck Connors' son on The Rifleman is always a popular attraction. He headlines the Johnny Crawford Dance Orchestra these days and will autograph a copy of one of his CDs. He loves to chat with fans, but be prepared to wait in line for awhile if you see him at another nostalgia convention.

Michael McGreevey.

Michael McGreevey. A Disney regular in TV and film during the 1960s and early 1970s, McGreevey is a fine storyteller. He started his career on the TV series Riverboat with Darren McGavin and Burt Reynolds. He eventually became a writer-director and penned episodes of TVs series such as The Waltons and Fame. He recently participated in a documentary about Waltons creator Earl Hamner, which was shown at the festival. Needless to say, he gave a great interview.

Belinda Montgomery and friend.

Belinda Montgomery. One of the busiest actresses on American television in the 1970s and 1980s, Montgomery was a regular in three prime time series: Aaron's Way, Doogie Howser, M.D. (she played Neil Patrick Harris' mother), and Man from Atlantis (with Patrick Duffy). She also appeared intermittently on Miami Vice as Sonny Crockett's first wife (and later ex). On the big screen, Belinda Montgomery co-starred as real-life skier Audra Jo Nickolson in The Other Side of the Mountain (1975) and its sequel.

Sharon Farrell.

Sharon Farrell. A familiar face to film and TV fans for three decades, she starred alongside major stars such as Steve McQueen (The Reivers), James Garner (Marlowe), and Kirk Douglas (A Lovely Way to Die). It seems like she guest-starred in almost every hit TV series that aired in the 1960s and 1970s, from The Man from U.N.C.L.E. (three appearances) to Love, American Style. She also starred in Larry Cohen's cult classic It's Alive.

If you're interested in learning more about the Williamsburg Film Festival, click here.

Get Ready for the 2014 Mid-Atlantic Nostalgia Convention!

Angela Cartwright will be there!

The Mid-Atlantic Nostalgia Convention--or MANC as its fans call it--will be held September 18-20 in Hunt Valley, Maryland. Now in its ninth year, the MANC attracts thousands of fans of classic films, television, and radio. This year's impressive line-up of celebrity guests includes: Connie Stevens, Piper Laurie, Angela Cartwright, Veronica Cartwright, George Lazenby, and Lana Wood. Like other fan conventions, attendees can get autographed photos from the stars (usually for a price) and buy memorabilia from vendors. However, MANC also features seminars, panel interviews, a banquet, and special screenings of rarely-seen movies and TV series. A highlight of the three-day event is a celebrity auction with all proceeds going to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. Martin Grams, the event coordinator for MANC, was nice enough to talk with us about this month's MANC.

Café: What inspired the very first MANC back in 2006?

Martin Grams: As an attendee and vendor at more than 26 conventions a year, I observed over time what I thought was the best and worst of ideas. Every convention has its own flavor. After seeing the handwriting on the wall at a few of these events, I felt it was more important to help carry on the tradition with the best of ideas. So friends of mine and I put together MANC, applying the best of what we observed at other events. This turned out to be a recipe for success because the crowd has consistently grown about 200 to 300 people in attendance every year. People keep referring to our show as a throwback to the way conventions used to be. And that is a good thing. 

Café: Some of our favorite stars will be at this year's MANC. How do you determine who to invite? 

Margaret O'Brien at the 2013 MANC.

MG: There are multiple factors that we take into consideration when determining which celebrities attend MANC. Draw appeal and popularity is one factor. We have a working budget but we have to be careful not to go into the red. The rising cost of airfare has not been helping. Celebrities who attend other events are scrutinized. If they develop bad reputations among attendees at those shows, we look in another direction. If they win over the attendees, we take them into consideration. If they are celebrities requested by frequent attendees, we also take that into consideration. The age and health condition of the celebrity is another factor. But the decision is based on educated and practical reasons. Of course, a sponsor for MANC can also wave our decision in a specific direction.

Café: Your screening schedule includes a plethora of hard-to-see movies (e.g., four Danny Kaye shorts, the Ritz Brothers' Straight, Place and Show) and TV series' episodes (e.g., Casablanca, the Playhouse 90 teleplay of The Days of Wine and Roses). Which ones were the hardest to track down?

MG: We pride ourselves on screening rare films that you won't see anywhere else. While our event is not a film festival per say, the selection of films makes our event qualified as a film festival. Especially if the films are not available on DVD through the commercial market or the "grey" market. This year we are screening the lost 1955 I Love a Mystery television pilot with Howard Duff. The film was discovered a year ago and transferred to digital exclusively for us for the convention. You won't see that available anywhere else. We never seek out rare films. We have access to hundreds of rare films and when one strikes our fancy, or there's a connection with a celebrity we have at the show, it's a natural selection.

Café: The MANC web site lists all the interview panels, screenings, and seminars--but are there any events that you'd like to highlight? 

Rocky Lane played Red Ryder--
and was the voice of Mister Ed.

MG: There are so many events at the show that it is difficult to highlight one above the other. Authors, historians, museum curators, film preservationists, and other notables host panels and slide show seminars. We encourage slide show seminars rather than have a guest speaker stand up on stage and talk. The attendees enjoy visuals during presentations. In the past, we had some top-notch lectures such as the history of Dick Tracy in comics by author Garyn Roberts and a history of Buck Rogers by Maury Cagle. This year the most anticipated event is probably the Allan "Rocky" Lane slide show. Linda Alexander, author of the new Allan "Rocky" Lane book, contacted Lane's family and had access to the family photos. Her presentation will no doubt impress even the most die-hard of cowboy fans. I heard more queries from attendees about that presentation than any other this year. 

Café: What can attendees expect at the dinner banquet?

MG: We always have a musical performance from a gifted singer. Sometimes a magician or Abbott and Costello impersonators entertain. Donald and Mary Ramlow direct a "lost" radio re-enactment on stage complete with microphones, sound effects and scripts. This year's highlight is the very first Dragnet radio broadcast from 1949, which does not exist in recorded form. The first two or three radio episodes never had the familiar theme song and to ensure accuracy, we will include that theme song. We also have an awards ceremony.

Café: This year, you're doing something very unique by streaming the MANC over the Internet. How will that work?

Piper Laurie--another 2014 guest.

MG: As easy as it sounds. We will set up a camera with a computer, connected to the internet, and people from all over the globe can, with the push of a few buttons, watch the events live as it happens during the weekend. All of the seminars, panels and presentations are streamed. There is a small fee to pay for the service, but it costs money to upload the video to the internet and the nominal service fee people pay is usually a lot cheaper than flying to Maryland to attend the show. Especially if they live in Alaska, Hawaii, California, Canada, you get the idea. But if potential attendees live within a couple hours drive of the hotel, they might as well make the trek since the cost of admission is the same as paying to watch the events live on their computer. 

Café: We're going to put you on the spot here: Who are some of your favorite celebrities from previous MANCs?

Roy Thinnes of The Invaders.

MG: Well... since this interview will be made public, that does put me on the spot. I wouldn't want celebrities from past events to discover their names were omitted. Let's just say the three celebs that left me with a big impression were Roy Thinnes, Ron Ely, and Jeff Connors (son of Chuck Connors). Educated and well-spoken, you could have an intelligent conversation with them and long for more. But celebrities who attended past MANC events have all been wonderful and hospitable. Our priority is to have attendees having fun all weekend and the celebrities make good on that policy.

Café: The celebrity auction to benefit St. Jude Children's Research Hospital sounds like a great event. What are some of the items donated by celebrities this year? 

MG: In the past, we have had autographed items donated by Elizabeth Taylor, Casey Kasem, Alan Young, and other celebrities. This year, we have autographed items from David Hedison, Peter Fonda and two more just came in this morning. We have original television scripts donated by actor Jim Rosin. Attendees always bring vintage merchandise to donate to the auction and I am constantly impressed with some of the items people are willing to part with--great stuff that helps support children with treatable cancer.

Café: Finally, what advice can you give someone coming to their first MANC? 

The autograph and vendor room.

MG: This is a large venue so attendees have to expect the usual handicaps that result from large events. What might be considered the best seating in the panel/seminar room will fill quickly so people need to get in the room 10 to 20 minutes early if they want the best seats. Don't book your hotel room the night before the convention. The hotel sells out quickly. This is the first year we sold out of dinner tickets in advance, so anyone who usually shows up at the door and buys dinner tickets at the show will probably be disappointed when they discover that the dinner tickets are all sold out. The Saturday night dinner banquet is certainly a highlight of the weekend. 

Café: Well, we do have one last question: Any hints about what stars may be attending in 2015? 

1960s pop singer Lesley Gore
on TV's Batman.

MG: We have a cast reunion for My Three Sons, Donna Douglas, Jon Provost and Lesley Gore slated. There are two big surprises I am forced to withhold until contracts are signed, but I can tease they are very huge names. The best way to keep informed of the latest news is to subscribe to our email newsletter or "like" our Facebook page. Even if they do not live close enough to consider traveling to the show, they should still subscribe to our email newsletter because we offer free surprises throughout the year, giveaways, informative articles and much more.

You can learn more about the Mid-Atlantic Nostalgia Convention on its website.

The Western Film Fair Brings Classic Stars and Fans Together

Hawthorne Hotel and Conference Center.

Last week, I joined over 500 Western movie buffs as they assembled in Winston-Salem, NC for the 37th annual Western Film Fair. One of the oldest fan conventions in the U.S., this year's event featured guest stars such as Piper Laurie (The Hustler, Carrie), Jon Provost (Timmy on Lassie), Johnny Crawford (The Rifleman), Parker Stevenson (The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries), and Joyce DeWitt (Three's Company). All the celebrities had a Western connection, ranging from Piper Laurie's co-starring role in 1955's Smoke Signal to Parker Stevenson's guest appearance on the contemporary Western TV series Longmire.

The format was the standard one for film fan conventions, consisting of: panel discussions and autograph sessions with the stars; movie screenings; and a room full of vendors selling DVDs, movie posters, comic books, etc. My goal was to interview some of the celebrities for this blog, though--having never attended a fan festival--I didn't know if my plans were realistic.

The wonderful Piper Laurie.

On my first afternoon, I approached Piper Laurie at the autograph table and asked if I could interview her. I spent the next 45 minutes sitting next to her, asking detailed questions about her career, her co-stars (e.g., Rock Hudson, Tony Curtis), and personal life as she stopped periodically to autograph photographs. The charming Ms. Laurie discussed life as a Universal contract player in the 1950s, her three Oscar-nominated performances, and acting on the stage and in live television drama. If my Western Film Fair experience had ended right there, I would have deemed it an unqualified success.

Parker Stevenson--on the right--and me.

Still, that same afternoon, I scored interviews with Jon Provost and Parker Stevenson. Both actors were incredibly gracious and gave delightful interviews. Stevenson even insisted on taking a selfie of the two of us, warning me not to crop myself out of the picture. The only disappointment of the day was a minor one. I spent a half-hour sitting next to Johnny Crawford--but a constant stream of fans prevented an interview.

Most of the stars signed the Western Film Fair program for free. However, they charged $20 to $30 for an autographed photo and $10 to autograph an item provided by a fan. One gentleman had Piper Laurie sign a mint-condition, one-sheet poster of her horror film Ruby, which undoubtedly increased the value of that collectible significantly. By the way, Ms. Laurie posted a sign stating that all the proceeds from her autographs would be donated to the Wounded Warriors Project. Such a classy lady!

Johnny Crawford.

I was amazed by the patience exhibited by the stars, who would listen intently as gushing fans described favorite TV episodes or other stars they had met. Some of these encounters lasted for five to ten minutes (even when other people were waiting in line). None of the celebrities charged to pose for a photograph with one of their fans. I know these stars appear at fan conventions to make money, but, frankly, I was impressed at the way they treated their fans.

Jim Rosin with one of his books.

On the second day, I interviewed Jim Rosin, an actor and writer who penned several episodes of Quincy M.E. (and played an alien in the popular cult film The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai). Rosin has also written several books on classic TV series such as Wagon Train, Route 66, and The Naked City. That's no surprise as he was a great storyteller, sharing anecdotes about working with Jack Klugman, interviewing George Maharis, etc. Rosin also served as the moderator for the panel discussions with the stars.

After screening the Western Smoke Signal, I stayed for the panel discussion with Piper Laurie. Jim Rosin spent the first half-hour asking questions about her career, from her start in Hollywood at age 18 to a recent appearance in the stage musical A Little Night Music. Ms. Laurie then spent another thirty minutes fielding questions from the audience of about 60 people. Of her Smoke Signal co-star Dana Andrews, Piper Laurie said she idolized him as a teen ("My girlfriend and I would go to see films he did with Linda Darnell six times"). Yet, when she first met him at his Burbank home, he was "out cold" from intoxication in the backseat of his car. He struggled with alcoholism throughout the making of Smoke Signal. Ms. Laurie ended, though, by adding: "Mr. Andrews became sober, rehabilitated himself completely, became president of the Screen Actors Guild, and became a useful member of society and a star of Broadway after all this."

Tommy Hildreth, one of the organizers.

That evening, after the panel discussion, I watched The Mississippi Gambler starring Tyrone Power and Piper Laurie (she won the role over Linda Christian, who was then Mrs. Power). The film, which also featured Julie Adams, was shown on 16mm. I learned later that the print belonged to Tommy Hildreth, one of the Western Film Fair organizers. When I asked him to name some of his all-time favorite guests at the event, he deferred initially. But when I pressed for an answer, he admitted that Julie Adams and Piper Laurie were probably his favorites, adding that he had been a fan of both actresses since the 1950s.

The Purple Monster!

During the convention's three days, over 70 digital and 16mm films were screened in multiple rooms, from ten o'clock in the morning until after midnight. While most of them were "B" Westerns featuring cowboy stars such as Hoot Gibson, there were also TV series episodes and serials. The latter included one of my childhood favorites, The Purple Monster Strikes, about an evil Martian decked out in a very cool--if impractical--costume.

Bob "Fuzzy" Brooks.

A primary attraction for many of the Western Film Fair attendees was the vendor room. Collectors scoured the vendor tables carefully, looking for desired items at good prices. Of course, you could also purchase non-collectibles such as Fuzzy's Bunkhouse Brew Coffee, which was being sold by Bob (Fuzzy) Brooks. Heck, Fuzzy has a Facebook page (Westerns Trails Stars of the Silver Screen) with almost 6,000 "likes." He has been a staple at the Western Film Fair for the last four years. Decked out in full Western gear, he certainly attracts attention. In fact, he recounted an amusing story about going to an Atlanta restaurant in his fuzzy outfit and being mistaken for Stinky Pete from Toy Story.

A WFF attendee.

I missed the awards banquet, the convention's culminating event, on Saturday evening. I'm sure it was a delightful affair--combining live music, the presentation of the Ernest Tubbs Award, and attendance by many of the stars. Yet, for all the celebrities and the movies, Hildreth made an insightful observation when asked about the enduring appeal of the Western Film Fair: "I think a lot of people would come even without the guest stars. They look forward to getting together year after year with their friends and talking about the Westerns they love."