1954

The big news of the month is another '54 has joined the executive family in Hanover. John L. Gillespie has been appointed executive director of the Parents Alumni Fund. This is a new position that has been established to provide a more formal structure to the organization of the Parents Committee. In a recent conversation I told John there couldn't be a more ideal choice of a person to represent Dartmouth to the parents of current students. After all, who else has a green Dartmouth belt, suspenders, frisbee, and probably even green underwear. I swear that if John cuts his finger he probably,bleeds Dartmouth green blood. What a wonderful opportunity for John to combine his avocation, his love of Dartmouth, with his vocation. Sandy and John have bought a new house in Vermont and will shortly move from Scarsdale to God's country: In the meantime John is residing in Steven Mullin's house in Norwich, and if he doesn't get out before October he may be baking the muffins at Mullins. John continues in his position as chairman of the board of overseers at the Hanover Inn and has also recently been asked to join the Parents' Steering committee at Colgate University, where his son Lodge is currently enrolled. John and Sandy have come home to Hanover, and I know we are all happy for them.

Although over the years we have followed Paul Wilson's progress at Arthur Anderson & Company, from his start in the Boston office to his movement to Philadelphia and subsequently Chicago, where he was managing partner for the Midwest region, we missed the fact that Paul had also been elected chairman of the board of partners of the Arthur Anderson Company. Paul's term has just come to an end, and he has resumed his position as managing partner in the Chicago office of Arthur Anderson. Congratulations, Paul, on the recognition that your partners bestowed upon you by electing you as their leader. I am sure after your period of responsibility worrying about the whole firm, it was probably a relief to return to your position as managing partner in Chicago.

It is very difficult these days to pick up an entertainment magazine or an art section, or movie section of a newspaper without seeing reference to Bob Rafelson. Bob's first film in seven years, Black Widow, has opened to popular acclaim around the country. The spring issue of Amersand's Entertainment Guide, which is distributed to colleges all over the country, includes a feature article entitled "Mystery Man, The Uneasy Pieces of Bob Rafelson." The article follows Bob's career as well as discusses the making of Black Widow, starring Debra Winger and Theresa Russell. The article speaks of Bob's attention to detail not only in the direction, but also his skill in editing. "We edited for six months," says Bob, "every scene over and over until you hate the sight of your own movie, but then with the sound it can come back to you the pleasure, the excitement. It's a new movie again." BlackWidow is Bob's sixth picture as a director, the other films including Five Easy Pieces and The Postman Always Rings Twice. In addition to his activity as a director, Bob was a key element in the 1968 founding of BBS (for Bert Schneider, Bob Rafelson, and Steve Blauner), set up to produce a new kind of American feature film on low budgets, on the road or in unusual locales, with tough, 'real' material, new actors and unproven directors. In less than three years BBS brought forth Easy Rider, Peter Bogdanovich's The Last Picture Show, Bob's Five EasyPieces, and Henry Jaglom's A Safe Place. In addition to his film credits, in the sixties Bob created The Monkees which has proven to be probably his most profitable venture in show business. In reruns now, those programs have given Bob the liberty and financial freedom to do what he wants.

If you haven't seen Black Widow, don't wait any longer and remember that the inventive mind of the director came forth from Hanover.

Have a great summer, and let me hear from more of you.

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