Clooney gives Maysville a thrill

By Rich Copley
rcopley@herald-leader.com

MAYSVILLE, Ky.  — Like everyone else in Maysville, George Clooney heard about the time his Aunt Rosemary brought her movie, The Stars are Singing, to town for a big premier at the Russell Theatre.

There was a parade down the street, and Rosemary Clooney and best friend Blanche Chambers sat together, watched the movie, and giggled like school girls.

“Those kinds of events are a big part of small town life,” George Clooney said. “They last a long time.” Clooney said this as he was in the process of making another big memory for this town of just under 10,000.

The movie star who has been declared “the sexiest man alive,” by People magazine and is often referred to as Gorgeous George brought a premiere screening of his new movie, Leatherheads, to Maysville Monday night.

And he brought his co-star, Renee Zellweger, along for the party. “He’s been talking about this for a long time,” Zellweger said, while walking the red carpet in front of Maysville’s Washington Opera House. “I wasn’t going to miss it.”

Clooney and Zellweger split time on the red carpet between the press, which included correspondents from national shows such as Extra and magazines such as People, and throngs of adoring fans on West Second Street, in front of the theater. Even after working the line of autograph seekers and turning his attention to the media, Clooney frequently jousted back to the fans with a Sharpie, making some more memories.
He threw his arm around 17-year-old Ariana Bowels of West Union, Ohio, grabbed her digital camera and snapped a photo of them together. He shared a big group hug with classmates from Augusta High School’s class of 1979.

He gave the town a thrill.

And he brought out numerous Bluegrass State luminaries such as former Miss America and Maysville native Heather French Henry and Gov. Steve Beshear.
“Having a premiere like this in Kentucky focuses the film industry and the world on Kentucky,” Beshear said, during his first non-political red carpet stroll. “That’s very important to us.”

Later, in the theater, the governor and his wife, Jane, presented Clooney and Zellweger with julep cups, and Mayor David Cartmell declared Monday Renee Zellweger Day in Maysville and every day George Clooney Day. Clooney said a Maysville premiere was something he had wanted to do for a long time, but he needed the right movie. He joked that a film like Syriana, about oil and global terrorism, wasn’t quite the right film for an event like this.

“This is the type of movie where they’d go on whistle stop tours,” to promote it, Clooney said.

Leatherheads, which opens nationwide April 4, is Clooney’s first behind-the-camera effort since 2005’s Good Night and Good Luck, which earned him an Oscar nomination for best director.

The movie is a romantic comedy set in the infancy of the National Football League. Clooney plays the aging leader of a team in Duluth who tries to bring attention to the fledgling league by persuading the reigning college football star, played by The Office star Josh Krasinski, to come play pro ball. Zellweger plays a Chicago newspaper reporter assigned to build up the World War I hero turned football star and then bring him down by exposing the fact that his acts in the war were not terribly heroic. Clooney said he filled the movie with homages to some of his favorite old films by directors such as Preston Sturges and Howard Hawks.

Maysville residents Ray and Sally Schaefer, who live a few blocks from the Opera House, said that while there is talk of the Clooneys in Maysville all the time, they don’t visit very often. So the chance to see George Clooney in town was a big event.
And it was for the star too. As thrilled as people in the crowd along the barricade were to reach out and touch the star, he had some personal excitement.

“My great grandfather was mayor of Maysville, and my sister played at the opera house in Lil’ Abner, and Rosemary was here,” Clooney said. “We have a lot of history here, and this feels like bringing it full circle.”

Crews prepping feverishly for Clooney premiere

By OWEN McNEILL, Staff Writer

March 22, 2008

MAYSVILLE, Ky. -- Work was progressing at a frenetic pace all day Friday inside and outside the Washington Opera Theatre in downtown Maysville as crews were preparing for the premiere of George Clooney's new movie "Leatherheads."

Inside the theater, crews were busy putting the final touches to woodwork and other minor additions, adding to the already aesthetically pleasing aura of the historic building while a crew contracted with Universal Studios was placing the technical equipment needed to display a professional movie premiere equal to those of any Hollywood venue.

Maysville resident Bo Thompson, technical sound engineer with the Washington Opera Theatre was leading a crew of 12 people hired to aid Universal Studios in setting up the millions of dollars worth of equipment needed to premiere the movie.

"Myself and my crew were retained by a representative contracted with Universal to help install, test and modify technical sound and projection equipment for the premiere. We've been told the process normally takes approximately 12-14 hours to complete and I suspect that estimate is a conservative one. People rarely realize how much effort goes into the technical aspect of any production," Thompson said.

Cole Collings, a member of Thompson's crew, said, "We're really excited just to be asked to help in any small way. This is such a great opportunity for the city of Maysville. We will really be on a national stage Monday night and I personally am really excited. Everyone with this project has been so nice, but it's a serious job that takes a serious amount of work."

"There's just so much equipment it's amazing. I mean literally tons of equipment is being installed transforming this place into a first rate movie premiere venue," Thompson said.

The work being performed inside is indicative of the pace surrounding the building on the outside.

Workers with Universal and Maysville Public Works were busy all day preparing the outside of the building and surrounding streets for the premiere.

Workers could be seen installing flood lights all over the area of Second Street in front of the theater. Also, large commercial generators were being installed to handle the upgrade in power requirements for the production.

Jim Fryman, director of Maysville Public Works is taking the challenge in stride. "Right now and up to Monday, we're just preparing, helping with lighting and anything else we can do. On Monday, I suspect we will be down here all day long not to mention all night tearing everything down. Monday will be a long day," Fryman said.

"We will be busy installing barricades for crowd control and barricades for the red carpet."

Assistant Police Chief Maj. Ron Rice was also on the scene in front of the theater, inspecting and preparing for the event. "I wanted to come down here myself. It's better than pulling an officer off the street. I'm down here in case someone needs a car moved or something of that nature, not to mention the plans are so fluid for this event. They are changing by the minute it seems," Rice said.

"Even with this event going on, downtown businesses are still open trying to perform their day to day activities."

Both Rice and Fryman explained that spectators will be allowed up and down Second Street up to the west side of Graves Alley. The red carpet will run from the corner of the Shugars Supply building up to the entrance of the theater. A white picket fence will separate spectators from the red carpet. Rice asked that all spectators enter from the Sutton Street area and said a tent would be set up in front of the Limestone Building (Carlson Software) to process premiere ticket holders and the media. Rice said the media will then be processed through into the small courtyard while ticket holders will proceed on down to the first door on the left to the theater.

Additionally, Rice said public toilet facilities are located at the corner of Sutton Street and McDonald Parkway and that as of now, no vendors are scheduled to set up shop. "We have quite a few nice restaurants in downtown Maysville and I suspect that will suffice," Rice said.

According to Rice, police will leave at least one lane open on Second Street for as long as possible on Monday but no parking would be allowed later in the day. Rice asked that no spectators block any private drives to either residences or businesses.

Two shuttle buses will run from the area of Limestone Street and Second Street to the event. Parking will not be permitted on Second Street between Sutton and Wall streets from 7 a.m., Monday through 7 a.m., Tuesday.

Cherri Gentry with Maysville/Mason County Tourism was at the site all day Friday preparing for the event. "I've been hanging posters all day getting ready for this premiere. I'm excited for Maysville and I believe it's going to be a blast. Right now our office is going around to all the restaurants in town picking up "to go" menus for any people from out of town including the celebrities. Our office has been working hard on this well before the announcement and I just can't wait for Monday night. It's truly going to put Maysville in a national spotlight," Gentry said.

Maysville business owners looking for economic boost
from Clooney event

By BARBARA GOLDMAN, Staff Writer
The Ledger Independent / Maysville, Kentucky

March 22, 2008

Maysville businesses are preparing for an influx of visitors Monday, thanks to the premiere of George Clooney's latest movie. The premiere may have moved up their spring cleaning schedule, but few are complaining.

"We wouldn't have done this till probably April," said Vickie Brammel, maintenance supervisor at the French Quarter Inn.

Brammel has overseen the quick planting of colorful mums along the hotel's exterior as the premiere day approaches. Fresh mulch was scattered around plants and sidewalls were cleaned in anticipation of the event which has thrown a national spotlight on Maysville.

"A lot of people have been calling and making reservations," said French Quarter desk clerk Gloria Cooper. "We're not that busy this weekend, mainly Monday night."

"We've been talking about it all day," said Lena Dodson, Margie's Southern Cafe server.

Dodson said the cafe is preparing for a large turnout over the next several days.

"If (George Clooney) comes in here, I'll have a heart attack," said Dodson as she discussed the above normal -- perhaps even star-studded -- guest the restaurant may have.

"Anytime you have an event of this size, there's a huge economic impact," said Mike Thomas, executive director of the Washington Opera House. "But it will reach past Maysville because of the national exposure of the event. It is a chain of economic stimulation that will draw attention to Maysville and this area. It will last after the red carpet is rolled up and the dollar signs keep rolling in."

Kayla Commodore, Hampton Inn front desk person, said the hotel had few rooms left for Sunday and was already full for Monday night.

"It'll be a lot of people from out of town," said Erato Kambelos, owner of Delite's Restaurant on Market Street. "People are talking a lot and are excited. Some people say 3,000 people. How that can be, I don't know.

" Caproni's Restaurant assistant manager Katie Kirk said the restaurant has received numerous calls from customers wanting to make reservations for Monday night.

"I think we'll have a lot of walk-ins," said Chandler's Restaurant server Connie Jordan. "It will bring a lot of people downtown."

The city expects many out of town guest, many of whom are driving from several states away as well as those who will be flying into the Ohio River Valley.

"Our city must look brilliant," said Thomas. "We'll be receiving guest from across the nation. We encourage residents and property owners to sweep and clean so it will look good for the cameras and the people walking the streets. Take extra pride so we can look good on camera just like George and Renee."