A talk on novelist Erskine Caldwell and a showing of the movie “God’s Little Acre,” based on one of his books, is set for Thursday, Aug. 20, at Newnan-Coweta Historical Society’s McRitchie-Hollis Museum.
To celebrate this rich history of Hollywood coming to Newnan, the historical society has created a series of programs called “The Reel Past” – made possible with a grant from the Georgia Humanities Council. This series accompanies the newest exhibition at McRitchie-Hollis Museum, “The Golden Era of Hollywood,” featuring original movie billboards from Hollywood’s classic era of the 1920s, ’30s and ’40s. The posters were created by in-house artists at the Atlanta Loew’s Grand theater.
In the upcoming “Reel 2” of the series, the Southern stereotype will be explored through the works of Moreland-born writer Erskine Caldwell in “Southern Images and Erskine Caldwell.” Several of Caldwell’s works have been adapted to the big screen such as “Tobacco Road” and “God’s Little Acre.”
Dr. Randy Hendricks of the University of West Georgia in his 7:30 talk Aug. 20 at McRitchie-Hollis Museum will walk visitors through Caldwell’s depiction of the South. His talk will be preceded by a 5 p.m. showing of the movie adaptation, “God’s Little Acre” starring Robert Ryan, Aldo Ray and Tina Louise.
The talk and movie showing are in cooperation with the Erskine Caldwell Birthplace in Moreland and Moreland Cultural Arts Alliance. Winston Skinner of the Caldwell Birthplace and MCAA and news editor of The Newnan Times-Herald will be on hand to introduce Dr. Hendricks.
Hendricks is dean of UWG’s College of Arts and Humanities. He attended the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, before taking a position at the University of West Georgia, where he has taught English since 1987. Specializing in the literature of the American South, he has taught about a variety of Southern authors, including Erskine Caldwell. Hendricks has co-edited books on Tennessee authors Robert Drake and David Madden as well as the six-volume “Selected Letters of Robert Penn Warren.” He is also the author of a collection of short stories, “The Twelfth Year, and Other Times.”
“The Reel Past” series kicked off in July at the Historic Train Depot with a preview of the upcoming musical “Flies at the Well,” debuting Spring 2016 and based on the infamous John Wallace murder trial that inspired the best-selling book and TV movie “Murder in Coweta County.” That was followed by a program at McRitchie-Hollis Museum about the famous “Oracle of the Ages,” Mayhayley Lancaster, who testified at the Newnan trial. A special talk was given by University of West Georgia professor, local poet and writer Melissa Dickson Jackson – and guests could have their palm read by local psychic Chrystal Lynn.
Coweta County for more than a century has been a contributor to the film industry. Holt and Cates Company Drug Store in 1909 played Newnan’s first “moving picture shows.” By 1916, Newnan had caught the attention of Wayne Sewell and his wife, Hetty Jane Dunaway, who together established Dunaway Gardens and the Wayne P. Sewell Production Company. The gardens and production company were the incubator for Sarah Ophelia Colley’s “Minnie Pearl” character of Grand Ole Opry fame.
The last thirty years have seen the greatest growth in development of Coweta County’s film industry with the construction of Raleigh Studios in Senoia and the filming of such movies as “Fried Green Tomatoes.” “Zombieland,” and most recently “The Founder” starring Michael Keaton that filmed for several weeks this summer in downtown Newnan. Various Newnan and Coweta locations have served as the backdrop for several television series and miniseries such as “Andersonville,” “The Walking Dead” and “Drop Dead Diva.”
“The Reel Past” series continues Saturday, Sept. 12, with “Gardens and Patchwork: Rediscovering Dunaway Gardens,” which will take a look at the history of the founder, Hetty Jane Dunaway, and her association with a young talent coach who would later become famous portraying her stage character Minnie Pearl. The event will feature select performances of scenes from several of Dunaway’s plays which were once developed at the Gardens near Roscoe and presented throughout the Southeast by the Sewell Production Company.
The series will conclude Oct. 15 with a program on the significance and impact of the TV and film industry on community growth and identity and the affect of Raleigh Studios on the economic growth of downtown Senoia.
All programs and events associated with the “Reel Past” are free and open to the public.
McRitchie-Hollis Museum is at 74 Jackson St., at the corner of Clark Street. It is just north of downtown Newnan and next door to the new UWG Newnan campus. For more information call 770-251-0207.
