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.
This article appears in October 25 • 1996 and October 25 • 1996 (Cover).