Community Corner

'Gone With the Wind' Museum to Celebrate 10th Anniversary

The Marietta Gone With the Wind Museum's Scarlett on the Square will feature a Hollywood dinner, receptions and special guests including: actress Anne Jeffreys, author Anne Edwards, cast members Patrick Curtis, Greg Giese and Mickey Kuhn, and m

Plans are in the works for another annual event at the Marietta Gone With the Wind Museum, Scarlett on the Square.

The weekend is April 19-21, 2013 and special guests who have confirmed their attendance are actress Anne Jeffreys, author Anne Edwards, cast members Patrick Curtis, Greg Giese and Mickey Kuhn, artist Joseph Yakovetic, and grandson of the technical advisor on the set of Gone With the Wind Wilbur Kurtz III.

The festivities will include interviews, Q&A’s, and autograph signings with the celebrities along with a Hollywood dinner and two receptions.

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This year’s event will be the anniversary of Dr. Chris Sullivan’s collection making its home in Marietta. Ten years ago in April 2003, Sullivan struck a deal with the City of Marietta to have his collection on display in the old Thomas Warehouse building (c.1875).

In its ten years in Marietta the museum has seen visitors from more than 75 countries and all 50 states. In 2009 during the 70th anniversary celebration, actress Ann Rutherford who played “Carreen O’Hara” in the famous film, accepted the key to the city declaring Marietta the new official home of Gone With the Wind.

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She visited the museum each year during its annual events until her death on June 11, 2012. Actress Anne Jeffreys will join the festivities for the first time in April on behalf of her longtime friend Ann Rutherford where she will discuss her career and their long, devoted friendship.   

Jeffreys began her career as an opera singer but ended up in Hollywood for her first film with idols Nelson Eddy and Jeanette MacDonald. But, it was her role in Kiss Me Kate on Broadway that led to her meeting the love of her life, actor Robert Sterling. They were married for 55 years until Sterling’s death in 2006. Fans remember them best as on- screen husband and wife George and Marion Kerby in the delightful television series Topper. They portrayed fun-loving ghosts in the show appearing only to Leo G. Carroll’s title character “Cosmo Topper.”

Author Anne Edwards also joins the lineup to discuss her latest release Leaving Home and the re-release of the 1977 biography of actress Vivien Leigh. Edwards also penned The Road to Tara and biographies on celebrities such as Judy Garland, Katharine Hepburn, Princess Diana and the Reagans. Edwards was commissioned to write a sequel to Gone With the Wind but the book was never allowed to be released. This story is told in a small book published by the Marietta Gone With the Wind Museum in 2011 entitled Scarlett and Me.

Owner of the museum collection, Chris Sullivan, will conduct an interview with Edwards about the famous celebrities she has known and will talk with her about her two most recent releases.

Next on the guest list are the three “Beaus” from Gone With the Wind, Patrick Curtis, Greg Giese and Mickey Kuhn. Each played the role of Ashley and Melanie’s son Beau Wilkes at different ages.

Giese played the infant Beau, but also Bonnie Blue Butler as an infant. Curtis was Baby Beau who was held in the arms of on-screen mom “Melanie” played by Olivia de Havilland, and Mickey Kuhn (a noted child actor in Hollywood at the time) received screen credit for his portrayal of 7-year old Beau.

Kuhn holds the honor of being the only male actor to star in the two Oscar-winning films for actress Vivien Leigh (Gone With the Wind and A Streetcar Named Desire). He was the young sailor who helped Leigh’s character “Blanche Dubois” board the famous streetcar.

Also joining the lineup for the first time in Marietta is Wilbur (Bill) Kurtz, III. Bill is the grandson of Wilbur G. Kurtz, Sr. who was artist and technical advisor on the set of Gone With the Wind in 1939. A friend of Gone With the Wind author Margaret Mitchell, the senior Kurtz was recommended to David O. Selznick for the job and his grandson will share stories of his grandfather’s time on the set and his connection with the film. He will also have some of his grandfather’s artifacts with him to discuss during his lecture.

Lastly, artist Joseph Yakovetic (painter of shadows) will return to Marietta to help the museum celebrate its 10th anniversary. Yakovetic will paint a likeness of actress Ann Rutherford from her role as “Carreen O’Hara” sister to Scarlett in the film. The painting will be auctioned on Sunday, April 21 at the museum prior to the autograph signing. Those interested will be able to watch the progress of the painting as Joe works on it live throughout the weekend.

Tickets are on sale now. Call 770-794-5145 or visit gwtwmarietta.com for pricing and information on the museum and the event.


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