August, 2010

Hi Friends,

I’ve got to tell you what’s going on. Some of you may remember that back in 1965, I was in a film called “This Property is Condemned”, based on a Tennessee Williams play. It starred Natalie Wood, Robert Redford, Charles Bronson, Robert Blake, Mary Badham and more. I know you remember Mary in her most celebrated role as Scout in “To Kill a Mockingbird”. We shot the film in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi on the Gulf Coast. The town was all but wiped off the map by Katrina. The main building in the film was set to be demolished, but 2 days before, the Bay St. Louis Little Theater Group swooped in and rescued it. They are lovingly restoring it as their new home with the gala grand opening weekend on October 1-2, 2010.
I’m excited to say Mary Badham and I are coming back for it -- and my wife, Laurie, too. She’s more excited than I am to see this all come full circle. I’m told everyone in town has a story from back in the day and the town is buzzing. Two friends from the shoot are coming back for this once-in-a-lifetime reunion. We haven’t seen each other since, so it will be a really special coming together. They are building a museum into the theater and I will be donating all my memorabilia from the experience, including my original script. (Thanks, Mom! She saved almost everything.) Anyway, there’s much to take part in: TV in Biloxi on Thursday and a ribbon-cutting in Bay St. Louis that afternoon, the gala Friday evening where Mary and I will talk and sign photos. I’ll also have my book with me. TIMMY’S IN THE WELL is coming out in paperback with an update! More on that in a minute. Saturday, I’ll be signing books and photos all day in the theatre along with Mary. We’ll talk again and then wrap up with an outdoor screening of the film on the side of the building – right where we shot it exactly 45 years ago with the late, great Sydney Pollack at the helm. For more details, call 228 864-2882 or www.bsllt.org On Sunday, Laurie and I will talk and sign books in the Metarie Barnes& Noble. We are thrilled to return to New Orleans and the Gulf Coast area after all they’ve been through. We love it there and the area has been so good to me.
I mentioned, in October, TIMMY’S IN THE WELL will be out in paperback with a new chapter and additional photos. Over 300 pages with more than 300 photos, it runs $17.95. Click HERE for an order form for a personally autographed copy. Makes a great gift with the holidays around the corner! There are still a few hardback copies available for $26.95. When those are gone, there are no more.
Laurie and I will also be at an autograph show with some other great kid stars in New York City October 16 and 17th – another of our favorite places. All the info is on my APPEARANCES page.

And, (drum roll), I’d like to announce The Vintage Dog, a new line of dog products on which you will find my name and face. They are all organic, made in the USA with bio-degradable packaging – just what Timmy would want. The picture at the top of this page is the one you’ll find on the products. Check it out at www.thevintagedog.com. My business partner, Karen and I will be attending dog shows across the country next year to introduce the products to the public. I hope to see a lot of old friends and make some new ones. 2011 is looking good from here.

My best
- Jon