Ross appearance generates buzz for film festival

0 Comments | Gazette, The (Colorado Springs), Aug 27, 2000 | by Diane Wengler

Academy Award-nominated actress Katharine Ross was in town Aug. 17 and 18 to promote the Second Annual Cripple Creek Film Festival the weekend of Sept. 29, 30 and Oct. 1.

Ross is the celebrity partner for the festival, which will spotlight classic and contemporary western movies as well as independent films. At last year's inaugural film festival, she was given the Women in the West Award.

Guests gathered in the Theatre Lounge on Aug. 17 for the "Evening with Katharine Ross" cocktail reception at the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center.

The event was a benefit for the Fine Arts Center and the Cripple Creek Film Festival Intern Program.

After mingling with Ross, guests assembled in the theater for a screening of her first movie, "Shenandoah," the 1965 western starring Jimmy Stewart.

Then Ross (who also starred in "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid," "The Graduate" and "Conagher") answered questions from the audience.

She said the western genre is very dear to her because of its "pioneer spirit and the adventure and element of nature."

No stranger to Colorado, Ross and her husband, Sam Elliott, filmed "Conagher" in Walsenburg and on the big Roberts Cordova Ranch. And the train robbery scenes from "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid" were filmed on the narrow-gauge railroad between Silverton and Durango.

After being a full-time mother to their daughter, Cleo, 15, Ross is renewing her career this summer with the movie "Vegas, Texas," in which she portrays the mother of two brothers who aspire to be rockabilly stars.

Among those chatting with Katharine Ross were film festival executive producer Michael Herst and his wife, Diane; co-producer Wendy Wilkinson and her husband, Dennis Caffery; Debi Goldstein; Debbie and Mike O'Loughlin; Ron Apgar; Edwina Foreman; Margaret Radford; Sue and Bob Hinnon (whose fall Springs Style magazine cover story features Ross); Alan Chamberlain; Jane Turnis and Gazette television and film critic Warren Epstein; Martha Viland and Bob Taylor; Eric O'Keefe; Kimball Eckerson; Michael Allen; Elli Colette; Donna Ray Anderson and Butch Hillen; Darryl Cleland and Michael Makinney.

GALA IN THE GARDEN: The 1860s Galloway Homestead, built for the sister-in-law of Colorado Springs founder Gen. William Jackson Palmer, was toured by guests during the Trails and Open Space Coalition's sixth annual Gala in the Garden on Aug. 15 at Rock Ledge Ranch.

The Mountain Road Ceili Band played as guests dined on vegetarian and beef lasagna from The Blue Star restaurant and perused silent auction items (which raised about $10,000 to preserve open space and create a trails network).

In attendance were trails executive director Dan Cleveland and his wife Patricia, Bonnie and Steve Mackin, councilman Richard Skorman and Patricia Seator, Dave and Kathy Zelenok, Dick Bratton, Ted Eastburn, Liz and Tuck Aiken, Richard and Christy Stettler, Bonny and Newman McAllister, Blake and Kathy Wilson, Richard Marold, Jim Bensberg, Judi Tobias, Andy McElhany, Rocky Scott, Rep. Marcy Morrison, Glenn Pressman and Laura Feldman.

LAWN PARTY: An old-fashioned lawn party at a private Broadmoor home will follow The Pikes Peak Community Tennis Association's third annual Wood Racquet Classic on Sept. 16 at The Broadmoor hotel.

The event is a fund-raiser for the association and the Colorado Springs Parks & Recreation Department's youth tennis program.

As a tribute to tennis legend Jack Kramer, whose career epitomized the wood-racket era, all participants must use wooden rackets and wear traditional tennis "whites." Three round-robin flights will be offered in men's doubles, women's doubles and mixed doubles competition.

At the lawn party, there will be a tennis-themed silent auction, a wooden racket exhibition by local pros, an art exhibit by Classic Sports, live entertainment and hors d'oeuvres. Party guests are encouraged to wear traditional tennis whites from the 1920s to the 1950s.

Fee for the tournament and lawn party is $75 per person, $30 for tournament only and $55 for party only. Wooden rackets will be available to rent if players do not own one.

Reservations are due by Sept. 11 by calling Debbie Fettig at 444- 0331.

SHORT TAKES

The Arthritis Foundation of Southern Colorado will sponsor its Eighth Annual "Best of Europe" Wine Tasting from 7 to 9 p.m. Oct. 13 at The Briarhurst Manor Inn.

This year's event will include a silent and live auction of wine- related items. Tickets are $40 ($45 at the door) and may be purchased by calling 520-5711.

Sports luminaries will be inducted into the Colorado Springs Hall of Fame at a banquet Nov. 9 at the Colorado Springs World Arena. Inductees include Peggy Fleming, Rick "Goose" Gossage, Cullen Bryant, Gib Funk, William Hybl, Ben Martin, William Thayer Tutt, Bobby Unser and the 1950 Colorado College hockey team. For information, call the Colorado Springs Sports Corp. at 634-7333.

The Carnegie Restoration Fund-raising Gala will be Oct. 28 at the Carnegie Library Building. For information, call 531-6333, Ext. 2009.