Wittliffs at Work

What do the Wittliffs do in their spare time, when they're not busy overseeing the collection of books, manuscripts, and photography they've donated to Southwest Texas State University? Sally will graduate this spring from the UT Law School after years as a distinguished community volunteer and activist. Bill writes screenplays. His produced projects include Thaddeus Rose and Eddie, Barbarosa, The Black Stallion, Raggedy Man, Honeysuckle Rose, Red-Headed Stranger, Country, The Cowboy Way, Legends of the Fall, and, for TV, Ned Blessing and the hit miniseries, Lonesome Dove.

Wittliff is currently re-writing the script for Steven Spielberg's movie project Arkansas, about sharecroppers in the 1870s, and has negotiated a deal with ABC to write a six-hour miniseries titled Undaunted Courage, based on Stephen Ambrose's book about the Lewis & Clark expedition. National Geographic has become involved in producing the ABC project and will co-produce, along with Wittliff, a screenplay by John Graves based on Graves' novella The Last Running.

Meanwhile, proceeds from the ongoing sale of Wittliff's photographs taken during the filming of Lonesome Dove continue to be funneled into the purchase of new photographs for the Wittliff Gallery. Two marvelous Cartier-Bressons have just joined the collection. Sales must be good. -- R.S.C.