The Atlanta Constitution from Atlanta, Georgia • 51

to Record on Film the Sheer Beautv By PAUL JONES Of the West' -John Wayne John Ford, the motion picture director who became a legend of his great Western films such as "Stagecoach" and "Cimarron" will be honored in an hour-long feature entitled "The American West of John Ford" at 9:30 p.m. unoay on utsa-x ana uianr nel5. John Wayne, James Stewart, Henry Fonda and other stars and personalities who worked with Ford in has 50 or mrwv nntntaTuliinfJ nvuHnn ni. tures, will take part in the tribute to the director who several years ago retired from the Hollywood scene. FILM CLIPS The documentary special will present film clips from a number of Ford epics, beginning with the 1924 silent picture, "The Iron Horse," interspersed with narration and reminiscences by Wayne, Stewart and Fonda, each of whom is seen chatting with his former mentor.

During his half-century of film making Ford earned his greatest recognition for the outdoor epics, the cowboys Indians pictures. Yet none of his six Academy Awards was for a Western. In fact, Ford had his greatest difficulty in convincing the heads of various studios in Hollywood that "Stagecoach," which he acquired for a paltry $2,500 would make a good film. It went on to become one of the most memorable films of all time and projected a young actor who had changed his name from Michael Morrison to John Wayne into the really big time. Portions of "The American West of John Ford" were filmed on location in Monument Valley, Utah, where Ford, in 1938, shot the legendary "Stagecoach" and later returned to make several more features.

The location in Monument Valley has been used hundreds of times by other motion picture and TV producers. INTIMATE FRIENDS Ford has a way of endearing himself to the people who worked for him. Many stars became intimate friends. Henry Fonda, who starred in his "Grapes of Wrath" said Ford treated him more like a friend than as an actor. John Wayne remembers Ford as one of the great directors of all time.

"No one before or since has been able to record on film the vitality and the sheer beauty of the West." Wayne, who has been one of Hollywood's top stars for years, claims has career actually began with Ford's classic "Stagecoach," although he had previously made a number of "quickie" Westerns. WANTED COOPER It seems that Ford wanted Gary Cooper for the male lead and Marlene Deitrich for the love interest. Ford was told that Cooper would not play in a Western and Miss Deitrich, then at her prime, would not appear in an oats opera either. "Have you anybody else in mind," Walter Wanger, who finally agreed to produce "Stagecoach" asked Ford. "Well, there's a boy I know who used to be assistant prop man and a bit player for me," Ford replied.

"His name was Michael Morrison, but he's making five-day Westerns and i I- Movie Scenes Mrtfinn nlftnros rsnro. si sented by scenes on the front cover include: (top I row, from left "Sgt. Rut- I ledge," starring Jeffrey Hunter (left) and Woody Strode, "Wagonmaster," pi with Ben Johnson (left) I stance, Ward Bond was in 22 Ford films and Victor Mc-Laglen was in 11, including the Oscar-winning "The Informer." Among Wayne's motion pictures for Ford is another Oscar-winner, "The Quiet Man." Others who appeared in many of the famed director's films include Harry Carey Ben Johnson and Jane Dar-well. As Fonda puts it, "It was like being part of a large and loyal repertory company." after five years under contract to 20th Century-Fox and "what a pleasure it was. For some reason Ford was interested in me as an actress.

I couldn't understand why. During the filming, Ford got the most out of all of us. He could have said to me 'Claire, I want you to walk over there and jump off and I would have done it." And when Ford and his performers really hit it off, their faces would become quite familiar to moviegoers. For in he calls himself John Wayne now." "Do you think he is any good?" Wanger asked. "Yes, I think so," said Ford.

"And we can get him for peanuts." "What about the actress?" Wanger asked. "Well, I think Claire Trevor is a helluva actress," he said, and she was hired. Miss Trevor, who also appears on the special in a film clip from "Stagecoach," notes that it was her first movie and Ward Bond, and "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance," starring John Wayne and James Stewart; (center right) John Ford, director; and (bottom row, from left) "Fort Apache," starring Henry Fonda and Wayne, and "Stagecoach," starring Wayne. 1 What Is Happening to Bail Ground? cure loans for water and sew Tha cameras accomnained community affairs for Channel 11. Young, producer of several award-winning documentaries, including "Echoes From the Hills," and Norris Smith, of the WQXI-TV news department, filmed the show.

The decline of a small town and the effect of mass migrations on metropolitan areas will be examined in a locally-produced documentary, "A Main Street Profile," to be presented at 7 p.m. Saturday on Channel 11. The show, written and produced by Luke Greene and Jim Young, of the Channel 11 staff, focuses on the town of Ball Ground, located some 50 miles northwest of Atlanta. Ball Ground is the home town of Greene, who is director of 7 i age systems and generally provide the ingredients that would lure new industry to towns such as Ball Ground. Talmadge also suggests that small towns organize active chambers of commerce to seek job opportunities in the area.

Residents of Ball Ground participating in the program are Miss Cora Hubbard, of Hubbard's Dry Goods store; Homer Cockran, a railroad agent for 30 years; Hubert Watkins, author of "Yesterday In the B. R. Jones, of the Ball Ground Bank; Lowell Vancil, of the Diversified Manufacturing Company; Pepper Roberts, now a federal probation ofifcer in Atlanta; Ball Ground Mayor Roy O'Shlelds and Mayor Pro Tern Luke Allison. The production includes several old black and white still photographs which were borrowed from private scrap-books ot Ball Ground resi- Greene in his return to Ball Ground as he talks to the people who still live there and who have witnessed the slow deterioration of the town. The citizens of Ball Ground reminisce about the town's former bustling days and explore what can be done to revitalize the community.

At one time Ball Ground was a major outlet for transportation and manufacturing. Now only one train comes through daily. The new highway has bypassed the business district, and there is a major problem of an obsolete sewage system. In one segment of the program, Sen. Herman Tal-madge, chairman of the U.S.

Senate Agriculture Committee, talks about the national significance of the problem in Ball Ground. He discusses his legislation to create a "rural development bank," patterned after the farm credit system. The banks, under the plan, allow 'srjlall towns to se- A -I "1 SEN. HERMAN TALMADGE, LUKE GRREENE TALK ABOUT SMALL TOWNS Lucille Po oHey in Ihe-Bll Ground Variety Store1 1 J-.