(07-03-2018 07:24 AM)Jim Garrett Wrote:  To go off on a small tangent....I watched "Mysteries at the Museum" the other evening. They had an episode on a diary kept by a POW at the Cabanantuan camp in the Phillipines. The raid by the 6th Rangers to rescue the inmates is considered the greatest POW raid in history and my father was the executive officer of the 6th Rangers at the time of the raid and when the leader, Col. Hank Mucci was promoted, my father took over the 6th.

This diary is at the Museum of the Pacific War in Fredericksburg Texas. They had an author talking about the raid. I wanted to email this author (very young looking) and when I googled him, to my surprise, he is actually an actor and comedien. I then googled other talking heads from other segments that were listed as "historian" and such, and guess what? All of them were listed in google searches as actors.

So much for any reality in reality TV.

(07-03-2018 01:15 PM)Gene C Wrote:  I wonder if the SAG-AFTRA union (Screen Actors Guild and the American Federation of Television and Radios Artist) had anything to do with this?
Why use real professional historians, when an actor can play the part?

(07-03-2018 01:47 PM)L Verge Wrote:  

(07-03-2018 01:15 PM)Gene C Wrote:  I wonder if the SAG-AFTRA union (Screen Actors Guild and the American Federation of Television and Radios Artist) had anything to do with this?
Why use real professional historians, when an actor can play the part?

Of course, I agree that professional historians should always have a role in good history films; but budgets (especially with small companies) is a big issue. In their defense, I will say that I have met about a half-dozen actors who have really boned up on their subject matter ahead of time and did better than the directors and producers at giving accurate portrayals.

I cannot remember the name of the company or the project, but about 5-6 years ago, I was absolutely amazed to find out how knowledgeable the whole cast was on the conspirators that they were portraying. The crew spent two days at Surratt House, and during a lunch break, the actors all sat on the chairs and floor in my office and discussed history, asked my feelings on how certain personalities should be portrayed, etc.

Again, my memory fails me, but there is/was a company based in Gettysburg that did great history videos about thirty years ago. Their director, a young female about 30, blew me away with how much she knew about the Lincoln assassination. I asked how long she had studied it. She replied, "About six weeks, ever since I was given this assignment." The final result was one of the best tellings of the history that I have ever seen. As soon as I remember the name of the company or the video, I'll let you know -- even if it's 2 am.

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Just remembered the company - Greystone Productions.

(07-06-2018 12:34 PM)L Verge Wrote:  

(07-03-2018 01:47 PM)L Verge Wrote:  

(07-03-2018 01:15 PM)Gene C Wrote:  I wonder if the SAG-AFTRA union (Screen Actors Guild and the American Federation of Television and Radios Artist) had anything to do with this?
Why use real professional historians, when an actor can play the part?

Of course, I agree that professional historians should always have a role in good history films; but budgets (especially with small companies) is a big issue. In their defense, I will say that I have met about a half-dozen actors who have really boned up on their subject matter ahead of time and did better than the directors and producers at giving accurate portrayals.

I cannot remember the name of the company or the project, but about 5-6 years ago, I was absolutely amazed to find out how knowledgeable the whole cast was on the conspirators that they were portraying. The crew spent two days at Surratt House, and during a lunch break, the actors all sat on the chairs and floor in my office and discussed history, asked my feelings on how certain personalities should be portrayed, etc.

Again, my memory fails me, but there is/was a company based in Gettysburg that did great history videos about thirty years ago. Their director, a young female about 30, blew me away with how much she knew about the Lincoln assassination. I asked how long she had studied it. She replied, "About six weeks, ever since I was given this assignment." The final result was one of the best tellings of the history that I have ever seen. As soon as I remember the name of the company or the video, I'll let you know -- even if it's 2 am.

---

Just remembered the company - Greystone Productions.

God bless Richard Sloan who still has a good memory! He emailed me the information on the Greystone project that I was referring to:

The documentary you said was the best ws "The Lincoln Assassination,"
seen c. 1990 or '95 on the History Channel. I think in collab. w/Amer.
History Mag and A&E. I think the director's name was Laura Verklan. It's been avail. on ebay for years fr. diff't sellers. It's a 2-VHS set. I am trying to find out if it was ever released on DVD. I have the VHS set. You're right; it was the best!