Film lovers are in for a treat, as the South Arkansas Community College Library is currently hosting an exhibit highlighting Arkansas' role in movie-making from the birth of film through the modern day.
"Lights! Camera! Arkansas!" is on loan to the SouthArk Library from the Old State House Museum, along with pieces from the Michael G. Fitzgerald Collection curated by the South Arkansas Historical Preservation Society.
"Upon learning that this traveling exhibit was available, we reached out to the Old State House Museum to schedule a period of time to display it here in the SouthArk Library, "said Phillip Shackelford, library director. "The most impactful elements of the exhibit are the many close connections between Arkansas and Hollywood."
One close connection featured prominently in the SouthArk Library exhibit is work by El Dorado's Fitzgerald, an accountant-turned-Hollywood historian who was fascinated by the actors and actresses that appeared on the Silver Screen.
Several of Fitzgerald's books are on display in the atrium of the library, including "Western's Women," "Ladies of the Western" and "Universal Pictures: A Panoramic History in Words, Pictures, and Filmographies." The books appear alongside movie memorabilia, autographed photos of celebrities and other artefacts of Hollywood's Golden Age that Fitzgerald collected through the years.
"This is perhaps the most exciting piece of the entire exhibit," Shackelford said. "These are fascinating, one-of-a-kind-items that again, illustrate the close connection between Arkansas and the film industry."
Inside the library, a large display outlines the history of Arkansas's connection to the film industry, starting at the birth of movie-making in 1903 and continuing through to the modern day.
Some of the history highlighted in the exhibit includes the first film that was shot, for the most part, in Arkansas, the 1929 musical "Hallelujah" starring Louis Jordan; Andy Griffith's film debut in 1957's "A Face in the Crowd," which was shot in Piggott, Arkansas; Little Rock actress Julie Adams' breakout role in "Creature from the Black Lagoon;" Little Rock actor Jay Flippen's roles in "Bonanza" and "The Wild One;" the shooting of 1968's "White Lightening," starring Burt Reynolds, in Benton, Arkansas; the 1969 film and 2010 remake of film adaptations of El Dorado author Charles Portis' "True Grit;" and other Arkansas actors and filmmakers like Ray McKinnon ("Justified," "Sons of Anarchy"), Joey Lauren Adams ("Dazed and Confused," "Big Daddy"), Wes Bentley ("American Beauty," "The Hunger Games") and Mary Steenburgen ("Melvin and Howard," "The Help").
"The exhibit highlights a number of native Arkansans who have become notable actors over the years, played key roles in the film industry, or - like El Dorado's own Charles Portis - written novels that were later adapted for the big screen," Shackelford said.
The Library also has highlighted books related to filmmaking, specific movies, film analysis and the history of Hollywood that are available there around the exhibit.
The exhibit is open to the public and free to view. The SouthArk Library is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and from 8 a.m. to noon on Fridays.
"Lights! Camera! Arkansas!" will be on display through Oct. 14.
"We are thrilled to be able to offer this exhibit to our students and the El Dorado community! Please come visit us and check it out," Shackelford said.