CONTEMPORARY DRAMAS

(1) THE OTHER SIDE OF THE ALAMO - by Harry Preston
(Based on Max Morales' novel)

Carlos, a twelve-year-old Hispanic boy in San Antonio, becomes disturbed after his history teacher relates a one-sided account of the Battle of the Alamo in which all the heroes are Anglo, all the bad guys are Mexican. Carlos shares his feelings with his street gang. El Orejon, a teenage delinquent, becomes incensed and suggests they blow up the Alamo as a gesture of defiance. They steal some dynamite, plant a bomb and plan to return later to light the fuse. Meanwhile Carlos goes to the Community Center where his counselor, Sam Garza, tells him the true story - that there were Mexican heroes as well as men like Jim Bowie and Sam Houston. Carlos realizes that the Alamo is a shrine to the courage of all men, both Hispanic and Anglo. They cannot blow up such a meaningful symbol of freedom. He rushes back to remove the bomb, only to be confronted by El Orejon, who has already lit the fuse, and threatens to kill Carlos if he interferes. How Carlos saves the Alamo provides a thrilling and suspenseful climax to a meaningful story of racial understanding in Texas.

(2) GAMES PEOPLE PLAY - by Harry Preston

A biting, bitchy Hollywood story of a young ambitious and unscrupulous screenwriter who attempts to further his career by playing games with a gay middle-aged director who has become infatuated with him. Sadly the young man discovers that the director has been playing games a lot longer than he has, leading to a totally unexpected and bittersweet twist ending. Sparkling dialogue reflects the writer's many years in the script department at MGM.

(3) THE TEXAS PHANTOM - Original Screenplay, Music and Lyrics by Harry
Preston. Adapted from an original concept by
Cheryl Black, Bob Wagner and Harry Preston.

Amanda Williams, owner of the Lone Star Opera House in a small town in Texas, is planning a show commemorating the 100th anniversary of the opening of the theater by her great-grandfather, on which occasion Amanda's great-grandmother leapt to her death from the balcony after catching her husband in the arms of another woman. Local gossip claims that her ghost has haunted the theater ever since. As rehearsals for the anniversary show get under way, several murders occur, and Amanda becomes the prime suspect due to her ongoing conflict with her Board of Directors; but local townspeople blame the resident ghost. Thanks to Amanda's lover, Bart, the murderer is eventually unmasked on the opening night of the show, and to avoid arrest, leaps from the same balcony where Amanda's great-grandmother met her death. (Written to be filmed in Granbury, a small town thirty miles west of Fort Worth where the Granbury Opera House presents year-round Broadway-type
musicals)

(4) THE MOVIE MAN - by Kevin Franklin Gieb

A touching tale of a lonely young man whose entire life revolves around the movies. Through the love of a young woman, he regains his perspective on life and in the process, finds his father whom he has not seen since childhood. This heart-warming "little" film could be done very low-budget, and is perfect material for film festivals.

(5) MR. PRESIDENT, JR. - by Larry Stouffer

When an unscrupulous manufacturer announces the potentially dangerous disposal of radioactive waste through his plant in New Mexico, the President-elect's son organizes a national movement to close down the plant. The company head has the President-elect killed, but his son continues the battle, culminating with the bombing of the plant, the arrest of the manufacturer and the dead president-elect's son moving on to make his bid for the White House. A fast-paced political drama with strong environmental relevance.

(6) SEASON OF DESIRE - by Harry Preston

Following a traumatic divorce, middle-aged Dallas socialite Penelope Cartwright spends a summer vacation on Padre Island in Texas where she meets Chip, a handsome teenage student. They have a passionate affair, which ends when Chip goes back to school in the East, and Penelope returns to Dallas, still infatuated with Chip despite her reluctant awareness of the difference in their ages. She begins dating Clint McFadden, a wealthy sixty-year old rancher, who asks Penelope to marry him. On the morning of their wedding, an unexpected twist brings the story to a provocative conclusion.

(7) EARTH CAPSULE ­ by John Hall

Paranormal psychologist Dr. Robert Keller is part of a top secret U.S. Army expedition that uncovers a most unusual Mayan ruin buried in the jungles of Guatemala. Ensuing investigations disclose that the ruin in actually a capsule built by highly advanced alien technology. Left behind are scientific documents revealing that humans did not evolve on earth, but were brought here by aliens from outer space. Among the documents is a message "We are coming back."

(8) GALLEON - by John Hall

Mark Shackleford, a young student, learns the location of a sunken Spanish galleon that set out for the new world in 1546 with some valuable cargo. Together with his mentor, Charles Moore, and his fiancé, Susan, Mark charters a boat to search for the galleon. But when Richard Ledbetter, an unethical corporate mogul, reaches the West Indies first, Mark discovers that his rival is not seeking the sunken treasure, but is trying to locate a secret submerged Cuban missile base containing components to build nuclear weapons. A fast-paced action/adventure tale with contemporary relevance.

(9) CARLOS & CO - by Larry Stouffer

Following the death of his parents at the hands of ruthless Federales, Carlos vows revenge and becomes the leader of a group of Hispanic teenage freedom fighters in a Central American country. Carlos and his friends help restore peace and establish democracy in their country. An action-packed adventure tale of courage that reflects the current political conditions in South America. In Hollywood parlance, this could be termed a Latino version of "Red Dawn."

(10) UNNATURAL CAUSES - by Ed Blinn and Tim Jackson

Two U.S. government agents team up to save the President being assassinated by the lone survivor of the secret Philadelphia Experiment in 1943 who is able to control his own molecules, de-materialize at will then re-appear and commit murders that are erroneously diagnosed to be death from natural causes. This highly imaginative sci-fi drama stems from the true-life Philadelphia experiment in which dozens of men died. This script could be termed TERMINATOR TWO meets IN THE LINE OF FIRE.

(11) A TICKET TO SUNRISE - by Gladys Bernard

Homes in an old neighborhood in Galveston, Texas, are being bought up by land developers. Seventy-year-old Angela Derek refuses to sell, and becomes the focus of a scheme by unscrupulous neighbors to have her committed to a mental home so they can get their hands on her property. With the help of an old admirer, Bernie Gilman, Angela is able to foil the developer's plans and they retire together to Bernie's ranch in Colorado. A tender, touching tale of love between two senior citizens.

(12) THE LAST MAN ­ by Rusty Harding

Alexandra Malone is an American TV reporter is sent to Russia to cover elections and accidentally finds the sole American survivor of Vietnam prisoners taken years ago to Russia to be interrogated and shot. As she pursues the story, she falls in love with David Kellogg, a TV cameraman, and together they save the remaining Vietnam vet from being killed by the KGB. An action-packed suspenseful contemporary drama set in Russia.

(13) THE SAAVADRA PARCHMENT ­ by Ellis Bert

In 1526 in a monastery in Spain, a demonic parchment holds the key to the overthrow of civilization. Lost five hundred years ago, it surfaces in present-day New York where it becomes the focus of a Satanic cult eager to obtain the parchment to further their evil ambitions. Attorney Channing Turner becomes involved in the search for the parchment that leads through a frightening series of events that include murder and kidnapping and in the process, he falls in love with Althea, unaware that she is a member of the cult.

(14) THE SYSTEM ­ by Ellis Bert

Probation Officer Edward Berkman discovers that an innocent teenager has been convicted and sent to jail. Fighting corruption in the system all the way to the Supreme Court, Berkman manages to get the innocent boy released and the guilty offender is apprehended. This tense drama has evolved from the writer's many years as a New York Attorney working with juvenile offenders

(15) MAKE BELIEVE ­ by Rusty Harding

A contemporary thriller set in the Southern U.S. JoBeth Andrews, a divorced young mother with two small children, is faced with overwhelming debts, a deadbeat ex-husband, and little prospect for the future. Her life takes a sudden and unexpected turn when the bank where she works as a teller is held up, and the robber inadvertently leaves behind six thousand dollars in cash. JoBeth takes the money, in a desperate attempt to help her kids. Everything seems fine, until the robber -- a sadistic psychopath with a penchant for murder -- decides to return for his loot... An outstanding suspense drama by an award-winning screenwriter. Highly recommended.

(16) CHIMPANZEE ­ by Harry Preston, adapted from a story by Mark Lehman

Dr. Richard Abernathy believes he has found a vaccine to cure AIDS. After preliminary tests on chimpanzees, he goes to Brazzaville in the Congo to test the vaccine on terminal AIDS cases among the Africans. His wife and two children accompany him, and while Richard is working with the AIDS patients, they help at the Aspinal Animal Orphanage which takes care of orphaned chimps whose parents have been killed by poachers who sell chimps and gorillas for meat, a common practice in Africa. The children overhear one of the African helpers plotting to steal some of the chimps and sell them for meat, and they inform the head of the orphanage who fires the man, in reality a terrorist from Angola. The man kidnaps the children and their mother and holds them as hostages for the return of some terrorists that are being held in prison. The authorities track them down in the jungle, and just as the terrorists are about to kill the hostages, a troop of gorillas attack the terrorists enabling the police to move in and rescue the children. The Africans are arrested and the Abernathy family is reunited. This is a touching, suspense-filled story with strong overtones of the need for greater worldwide action to preserve the environment for animals, especially chimpanzees and gorillas. In Hollywood parlance, this could be called "Free Willy" meets "Out of Africa."

(17) VITAL LINK - by Terry La Barba. (Based on her novel)

Malone Jeffries is a streetwise loner who was raised by nuns in an orphanage and becomes a scholar thanks to the help of his mentor, Dr. Andrew Selensky. Malone becomes part of a parapsychology study conducted by Selensky, and falls in love with his beautiful test partner, Jill Coleman, who has the same birth time as Malone. Their close telepathic bond and their curiosity over their respective backgrounds leads to a shocking secret that triggers a series of murders surrounding them and Selensky. Together they start investigating and unearth the "vital link" in their lives. An unusual suspense-filled romantic drama. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

(18) MAKE BELIEVE - by Rusty Harding

A contemporary thriller set in the Southern U.S. JoBeth Andrews, a divorced young mother with two small children, is faced with overwhelming debts, a deadbeat ex-husband, and little prospect for the future. Her life takes a sudden and unexpected turn when the bank where she works as a teller is held up, and the robber inadvertently leaves behind six thousand dollars in cash on the counter. JoBeth takes the money in a desperate attempt to help her kids. Everything seems fine, until the robber
-- a sadistic psychopath with a penchant for murder -- decides to return for his money.

(19) THE LAUNDRY MAN ­ by Rusty Harding

Contemporary comedy/thriller. Mike Porter is a successful insurance salesman, a devoted husband, a loving father, and a mob hit man who can't kill anyone. Mike's manages to satisfy his mobster bosses by scaring his targets out of their wits, and out of the country. But now 'dead' targets are showing up alive, Mike's wife is getting suspicious, and, just to make things really interesting, the hapless hit man has been assigned to kill a cantankerous mob squealer who isn't afraid to die. What else could possibly go wrong..?

(20) OPERATION TRI-FORCE - by Bob Gaffney and Harry Preston.

Varoq is a Middle Eastern country whose power-mad president, Ahmed Rajin, bombs the U.S. Embassy and threatens to contaminate the water supplies of ten major cities with the ebola virus unless the U.S. backs off from a planned weapons sale to Tel Aviv and stays out of the Arab-Israeli conflict. Three experienced Green Berets, all combat veterans from the Gulf War, are chosen to assassinate Rajin and are flown to the Middle East. After a series of hazardous confrontations, they track down President Rajin and
complete their mission successfully. A very relevant contemporary story
with plenty of action accenting martial arts confrontations by the three heroes. Could be called "Bruce Lee meets Saddam Hussein."

(21) REPEATING THE PAIN – by Alex Ramirez

Just before she graduates from high school, Amanda Duran finally realizes that she is in love with Veronica, but her overly religious father Albert refuses to accept the fact that his daughter is a lesbian and threatens to throw her out of their home. Albert’s dogmatic religiosity causes Amanda’s mother, Carmen, to divorce him and move in with Angela, her own longtime lesbian lover. Both mother and daughter finally find happiness with their gay lovers, but not before they have endured endless domestic conflict caused by Albert’s intolerance and bigotry.

(22) SOMEWHERE IN THE MIDDLE by Martin Catt

Maria Escalona is the privileged daughter of one of the wealthiest families in the Republic of San Marcos who unwittingly provides information that enables a group of rebels to assassinate a high government official. When Captain Carlos Valenzuella, a friend of Maria’s family, investigates the assassination, he begins to suspect that Maria might somehow be involved.

Maria's steady social companion is David Wilson, an American expatriate in San Marcos, who lives off the generosity of rich society women. When a ruthless American corporation seeking to move to San Marcos offers David $50,000 to become their local contact, he takes the job despite the conflict between himself and some of the wealthier San Marcos families who disapprove of his playing gigolo with the local socialites.

Blackmailed by the rebels, Maria seeks out David to provide information about the American corporation’s plans. As Carlos’ investigation continues, David and Maria find themselves trapped in a life-threatening struggle between the corporation, the government of San Marcos, and the rebels.

(23) PERCEPTIONS by Marrissa Dean

Charlie Thomas is a young white man in Tucson with a definite chip on his shoulder against black people, an attitude he shares with his father, who has raised him since his mother disappeared when Charlie was a child. When his mother dies unexpectedly and leaves him a sizable inheritance, Charlie finds he will only get the money if he visits Dallas and meets his mother’s family there. Only then does Charlie discover that his mother was black, and the wonderful family that he meets are all black. Charlie’s visit results in him changing his prejudiced attitude and enabling him to move forward in life with a better attitude towards black people including his new-found family.

(24) FORCE OF THOUGHT by Martin Catt

In this sci-fi-fantasy, the small town of Greenback and the surrounding countryside are trapped inside a separate plane of existence, pulled there eight years earlier by Alexander Jennings, a frightened four-year-old child with psychic abilities. Unable to return to the normal world, the trapped people in Greenback have learned to deal with the dwindling resources and the emotional tantrums of the now twelve-year-old Alexander, who has become increasingly unstable and dangerous.

Into this world drops Matthew Connelly, sent by an outside group of psychics to investigate the situation. Left to his own resources, Matthew must gain the trust of the skeptical townspeople and somehow overcome Alexander’s much stronger psychic abilities within thirty-six hours of his arrival, or remain sealed in forever.

(25) BED AND BREAKFAST by Martin Catt

Lauren Grassi, a 40-ish executive for a nationwide chain of hotels comes to Paris, a small Texas town to check out an old hotel for possible purchase and renovation. She stays at a local bed-and-breakfast run by Bill MacConnel,late 40's, and a quiet romance develops, culminating when Lauren decides to take over the old hotel, refurbish and manage it while settling into new life in the small town with Bill.

(26) SLEEPER CELL by Greg Smith

On a ranch a few miles north of Dallas, a group of Middle-Eastern terrorists are preparing tractor trailer rigs to deliver extremely large and powerful radioactive bombs to blow up several major U.S. cities. Detective George Kent and FBI agent Susan Davis begin investigating and together with the authorities, eventually stop the terrorists from carrying out their plan and in the process, a relationship develops between them.

(27) FERTILE PASTURES by Warrick Crawford

An insane obstetrician escapes from a Dallas asylum and hides out in his underground laboratory with his three cloned creatures that are the result of his genetic experiments that have human embryos implanted inside a bovine host, the forerunner of his ultimate goal of producing a new race of beings through embryonic cloning. His activities result in him murdering several pregnant females to obtain their embryos for his experiments. The local police become involved, eventually destroy his underground laboratory and put an end to the doctor’s insane cloning experiments.

PERIOD SCRIPTS

(1) THE AX - by Harry Preston

The dramatized story of Lizzie Borden, who was tried and acquitted of the murders of her parents in Fall River, Massachusetts in 1892. Unlike the highly fictionalized TV production in the 1960's, this script is taken from actual court records and provides a fascinating and suspenseful look at one of the greatest unsolved mysteries of all time, plus providing an extremely strong female lead role.

(2) CONFLICT OF INTEREST - by Harry Preston
(Adapted from the book by Gene Wirges)

The true-life story of a newspaper editor's clash with the corrupt Democratic party in Arkansas in the 1960's. This courageous man almost had his home bombed, his family's lives were threatened and he himself was shot at three times, all because he printed the truth in his newspaper about the corrupt Democratic politicians. In the end he wins a stunning victory. This inspiring story has great contemporary relevance in view of the many disclosures about President Clinton.

(3) THE BLOOD BRIGADE - by Adam J. Starr

After deserting the U.S. Army in 1848 because of being unjustly disciplined, eighteen-year-old Sam Chamberlain joins up with John Glanton and his gang of scalp hunters, a ruthless band of former Texas Rangers who prowl the Southwest, killing Indians and trading their scalps for money from the Mexican government. Ultimately sickened by the ruthless slaughter, Sam manages to escape and returns to Boston in 1850 to raise a family and wind up a General in the Civil war. This extremely violent, action-packed Western is based on Chamberlain's biography.

(4) HAPPY TRAILS - by Tom Howell

The true-life story of Western swing star Spade Cooley, creator of "Western swing" in the 50's, and a big recording and television star. Plagued with an alcohol problem, he killed his wife after discovering she was having an affair with Roy Rogers. After serving his prison sentence, Spade appeared at a return engagement in San Francisco, and after the curtain fell, he dropped dead on stage from a heart attack. This film would have ancillary commercial potential from a soundtrack album to capitalize on the recent resurgence of popularity of Western swing in California. This script won the Silver Award at the Charleston Film Festival and the Gold Award at the Houston Film Festival.

(5) THE FAMOUS FIRST - by Chuck Lightfoot

A dramatized tribute to the more than one thousand WASPS - women who completed the U.S. Air Force Training Program in 1942 to become a valuable adjunct to the U.S.Air Force. Bobby Dee Sanders heads up a youthful group of fliers who endure initial contempt from other male airmen, various problems because of their sex, romantic traumas and ultimately prove themselves as Air Force Pilots. This is a humorous, suspenseful and ultimately triumphant story of the first women pilots who proved they could do as well as men in the cockpit of an aircraft. Several very strong women's roles. Highly recommended.

(6) CAPROCK - by Robert Hinkle

A family of former black slaves head west in a wagon to secure free land in Texas and start a new life. They are attacked by two outlaws who kill the men and attempt to rape the women. The surviving mother, daughter and young son are saved by Lobo, a rough middle-aged cowpoke. When Lobo is injured, the blacks take care of him and as they head west together, Lobo's initial prejudiced attitude changes and they bond together as they learn to respect and care for each other. A poignant and very meaningful story of racial tolerance and understanding. Has Stu Whitman attached, with Robert Hinkle (former producer at Paramount and Universal, now living in Dallas) available to produce and/or direct.

(7) CHIPITA ­ by Rusty Harding (Award-winning screenplay)

Chipita was the only woman ever executed in Texas until recently. She was a Mexican prostitute living in San Patricio County in 1863, and owned a large tract of land that the land barons were after. They framed her for a murder she did not commit, and she was executed. But the unscrupulous property owners did not achieve their goal. Chipita left her land to the young Irish attorney who defended her in court. Her ghost is said to wander the banks of the river to his day, a touching climax to a poignant and historically accurate script that won first prize award in Ancestral Films' "Set in Texas" script contest this year.

(8) BLOOD HARVEST ­ by Rusty Harding

An adaption of the infamous Dakota Souix uprising of 1862 Minnesota. The screenplay traces the uprising, the bloodiest in American history, through three central characters: Lt. Thomas Gere, a young army officer who discovers a larcenous plot to starve the Indians; Abigail Sommers, a Philadelphia missionary teacher whose naive fascination with the Dakotas leads to tragic results; and Adam Walks Far, a young Dakota man who wants desperately to see his people rise above their primitive squalor and embrace the world of the white man -- a world that wants no part of them.

(9) NORTH STAR - by Rusty Harding

A Civil War story based on a little-known premise that actually occurred in Pennsylvania. Charles Morgan is a freeborn black man who makes a prosperous living as a merchant in a Quaker community near Gettysburg. Accepted as equals among the pacifist Quakers, Charles, his wife Abbie, and their small daughter are worlds away from the violence and racism of the war. But Charles' life is forever altered when he is suddenly taken prisoner by the invading Confederate army, then sent south in chains as a slave. Purchased by a notorious Confederate privateer, Charles soon finds himself aboard a blockade runner called the North Star, where his only chance for survival are his intelligence, his courage, and his faith.

(10) RACE THE WIND - by Rusty Harding

The story of Blanche Stuart Scott, the first American woman ever to fly an airplane. The screenplay follows her life from childhood, as the petite but feisty New York tomboy refuses to let male convention prevent her from achieving her dreams; first as a Pan-American road racer, then as a stunt pilot in Glenn Curtiss' pioneering air shows in 1910, to ultimately becoming the first woman ever to sit at the controls of a jet fighter. Along the way she encounters, love, tragedy, and a few of America's aeronautic giants, including the Wright brothers and Amelia Earhart.

(11)THE INSTRUMENT OF DARKNESS - by Rusty Harding (based on his book)

The true-life story of a Texas bartender named John St. Helen, who, believing himself to be dying in 1876, confided to a close friend that he was actually John Wilkes Booth. The screenplay traces the Lincoln assassination as told by St. Helen, and how the president's death was the result of a conspiracy within Lincoln's own cabinet. Booth, according to St. Helen, was allowed to get away with more than half a million dollars in payoff money.

(12) NEVERMORE ­ by Rusty Harding

The true-life story of American writer Edgar Allan Poe, from his bleak childhood to his lonely death in the gutters of Baltimore. The screenplay covers Poe's struggle for identity, his controversial and ultimately tragic marriage to his thirteen year-old cousin, and his addiction to alcohol and opium; all of which is set against his meteoric rise to literary immortality.

CONTEMPORARY COMEDIES

(1) MEN IN DRAGNET - by Jason Kabolati and Harry Preston

Drag queens at gay bars in Dallas are winding up dead. Two straight detectives (one white, one African-American) are assigned to go undercover to catch the serial killer. A suspenseful and hysterically funny murder mystery with music. Could be shot low-budget in Dallas. Could be termed THE BIRDCAGE meets LETHAL WEAPON.

(2) THE TOKEN GROOMSMAN - by John Hall

A young man is asked to be a groomsman at his college roommate's wedding, but at the last minute plans are changed, and unending complications ensue, leading to hours of frustration and very amusing situations. This fast-paced comedy, aimed at the Gen-X crowd of overgrown teenagers but would still have great appeal for older audiences.

(3) MOSKITO & Co - by Alfred Federsel

Three inept cops - one white from San Diego, one black from New Orleans, one American Indian from Miami - are transferred to New York City where they meet and join forces and screw up just about every assignment they get. Eventually all's well that ends well, but not before they give their Police Chief many frustrating moments. Could be called "The Three Stooges Meet NYPD Blue." Very, very funny.

(4) MY FAVORITE SENIOR YEAR - by Rhys Southan

A high school senior stays on at school in order to relay information to the media about corruption in the school system. This highly satirical and hysterically funny look at teenagers and their attitudes toward school, society and sex is written by an award-winning teenage screenwriter.

(5) SAINT AGONY ­ by Ellis Bert

Father Tim Baxter, a young Catholic minister and Brenda Corrigan, a young attractive nun working for a home for unwed mothers , fall in love, forsake
their religious vows and move on with their lives. Tim goes to work for an
old friend who is marketing a revolutionary new type of commode that is still plagued with problems that result in some customers suffering some unfortunate and hilarious consequences. Meanwhile at Tim's old church, the Bishop is eager to increase the number of parishioners and begins conducting sex-same marriages. Before Tim and Brenda are married, they find themselves embroiled in an unending mass of circumstances. This highly outrageous and screamingly funny comedy is highly recommended and would be ideal for current comedy performers like Martin Short and Rosie O'Donnell.

CONTEMPORARY THRILLERS

(1) PANDORA'S BOX ­ by Mark Allen

Some scripts are so well plotted that a logline seldom does justice to the story, as with this superbly written murder mystery revolving around Scott and Janet, two FBI agents, who investigate a series of mutilation murders among prominent members of society in Washington D.C. As the case moves forward, suspicion falls on a Southern family whose sole surviving member, Billy, has disappeared. When he was eleven, he witnessed the killing of his sister by one of the chief suspects. And now, twenty years later, Billy has disappeared, and a glamorous film star joins the list of suspects. Who is she? And why is she connected with all the murders? A superbly unpredictable twist brings this exceptional script to a totally unexpected ending. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

(2) FIRST NIGHT OUT - by Shell Dannelley

Vanessa murders Jasmine out of jealousy and buries her body, unaware that Matthew has witnessed the crime. When the police enter the scene, Matthew becomes a prime suspect until Vanessa goes on a killing spree and makes one fatal mistake. This incredibly convoluted murder mystery is one of the most imaginative scripts in our files with a very strong woman's lead role. Very highly recommended.

(3) ONE WHOLE YEAR - by Shell Dannelley

When her sister is accidentally murdered by mobster Giesel, and there is insufficient proof to convict him, Mallory and her brother plan to avenge their sister's death by killing Giesel a year later. But their plans run into major problems and the ironic ending is as unexpected as it is unpredictable. Tense, taut, superbly plotted murder mystery.

TRUE-LIFE MOVIES OF THE WEEK

(1) THE JOE WALDHOLTZ STORY - by Sarah Wells

The true-life account of Sarah Wells' friendship with Joe Waldholtz, starting thirty years ago in school at which time Sarah has no inkling of Joe's ultimate destiny as an unscrupulous con-man who marries Enid Greene, Republican senator from Utah, and then proceeds to defraud her out of six million dollars and wind up in prison. Miss Wells' experiences with this man provide a fascinating look into the gullibility of people, herself included.

(2) A CHRISTMAS JEWEL - by Harry Preston
(An ideal Christmas Movie-of-the-Week)

The true life story of Jewel Restaneo, a five year old entertainer from Houston, Pennsylvania, who has several CD's on the market (one a big hit in Germany in 1996) who has appeared in many shows with name performers. When she begins singing "Santa Got Stuck in the Chimney" a woman (Kathy Mollica) comes forward, claiming she wrote the song, which was being used without permission. Ms. Mollica files a lawsuit for copyright infringement. When the case winds up in court, Milene Music of Nashville comes forward to prove that the song was copyrighted in 1954 and recorded by Jimmy Boyd. Winning the court case provides the climax to a tender and touching tale of a young singer/dancer on her way to the top, a pint-sized Shirley Temple of the Nineties. The script includes cameo appearances by Little Richard, Ben Vereen, Sandy Duncan and Jimmy Boyd. 2003 UPDATE: Jewel Restaneo recently starred on Broadway in "Annie Get Your Gun."

(3) HAPPY TRAILS - by Tom Howell

The true-life story of Western swing star Spade Cooley who was a big recording and television star in the 1950's. Plagued with an alcohol problem, he killed his wife after discovering she was having an affair with Roy Rogers. After serving his prison sentence, Spade appeared at a return engagement in San Francisco, and after the curtain fell, he dropped dead on stage from a heart attack.

(4) TRANSATLANTIC - by Sean Grover

When Sean Grover's father announces to his family that he plans to take his oldest son and sail across the Atlantic Ocean from Long Island to Portugal in a 26 foot boat, they consider him crazy. But when he successfully completes the voyage, he becomes a hero, getting letters from President Reagan and his name in the Guinness Book of Records and a great deal of media attention. But Sean considers his father's more important achievement is the old man's bonding with his family and re-establishing a close loving relationship between them all, which is the main theme of this suspenseful true-life tale of courage and achievement.

(5) FRIGHTENED FOR LIFE - by Susan Knighton (TRUE LIFE STORY)

Susan Knighton's husband Bill was delivering a pizza when he was attacked by three young Mexicans in Dallas and was shot and robbed. After recovering, he and Susan go through months of ongoing fear as the Mexican kids' family begins threatening them because the boys who who shot Bill are now in prison. Bill and Susan are forced to move three times before finally settling down to a normal life once again. A suspenseful true-life story illustrative of the escalating dangers in many major cities due to the increase in the criminal population.

Screenplays for the above properties available upon request from:

Stanton & Associates Literary Agency
4413 Clemson Drive
Garland, Texas 75042
Email: preston8@ earthlink.net

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