Northeast Texas Honors will present the Premiere of their original film
Modern Icarus,
The Story of Morris Sheppard
Mount Pleasant Library ? February 1 ? Noon
It was one of the most ambitious and unprecedented moral reforms in history - to outlaw the sale and manufacture of alcohol in a major Western nation. The point man for that effort? Senator Morris Sheppard from Texarkana, the author of the 18th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. This film shows how Sheppard, who was born in Naples, Texas, became the most influential - and now most forgotten - son of Northeast Texas.
Morris was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from 1903 to 1913, and a U.S. Senator from 1913 to 1941. †Three great nieces of Morris Sheppard will be in attendance at the premiere.
Members of the Northeast Texas Community College Webb Society, the student chapter of the Texas State Historical Association, and NTCC Honors researched, wrote, directed, and produced the film.† This Premiere marks the 100th†anniversary of Sheppard?s push in the Senate to obtain a constitutional amendment to prohibit alcohol in the United States.
The movie was mostly filmed in Jefferson, Texas.†The character list and actors of the film are as follows:
Morris Sheppard: Johnathan Chambers
Narrator: Ashley Perzel
Richard, early antogonist: Dr. Andrew Yox, Honors Director
Hannah: Alisha Richardson, Presidential Scholar
Wyoma, Symbol of the Woman?s Christian Temperance Union: Emily Peacock,
Luella: Elizabeth Griffin
Warren: Stephen Milburn, Presidential Scholar
Thomas: Philip Yox
John Sheppard (Father): Andrew Yox
Alice Sheppard (Mother): Bonnie Spencer
Olga Sheppard (Sister): Elizabeth Griffin
John Bankhead (Political handler of John Levi Sheppard): Philip Yox
Amaziah Smith (Advisor of Morris Sheppard): Noah Griffin, Presidential Scholar
Clifton Sheppard (Brother) Jacob Richardson
John Fairfax: Noah Griffin
Joe Cannon (Speaker of the House): Jacob Richardson
Theodore Roosevelt (President): Andrew Yox
Anna Gordon (WCTU President): Bonnie Spencer
Lucile Sanderson (Wife): Alisha Richardson
Wayne Wheeler (President of Anti-Saloon League): Noah Griffin
Andrew Volstead (Sponsor of the Prohibition Law): Andrew Austin, Honors Scholar
Billy Sunday (Leading Protestant Evangelist): Andrew Yox
Rev. Frank Norris (Pastor of Fort Worth Church) Noah Griffin
William Upshaw (Prohibitionist Congressman from Georgia): Philip Yox
Newspaper Boy: Jacob Richardson
Theodore Kirchhoff: Andrew Austin
Sol Bloom (Anti-Prohibitionist New York Congressman): Andrew Yox
Tom Connally (Texas Senator) Stephen Milburn
Janet Sheppard (daughter): Elizabeth Griffin
Daisy: Emily Peacock
Dancers:† Elizabeth Griffin, Philip Yox, Emily Peacock, Stephen Milburn, and Alisha Richardson
Singers in Northeast Texas Sound-Track Chorus: Hannah and Emily Peacock, Cristina Strudthoff, Andrew, Joshua, Paul, Philip, and Rebecca Yox, Bethany Zittel (Andrew Austin, Technical Director)
Researchers who traveled to the Dolph Briscoe Center of the University of Texas at Austin:† Andrew Austin, Julia McCurry, Aaron Screws, Bonnie Spencer, Andrew Yox
Costume Director: Alisha Richardson
Makeup Director: Elizabeth Griffin
Director of Student Research: Bonnie Spencer
Technical Director: Andrew Austin
Editorial and Script Committee:† Andrew Austin, Johnathan Chambers, Noah Griffin, Bonnie Spencer, Andrew Yox.
We give special thanks to:
The Friends of NTCC Honors, without whose support, the film would have been impossible.
Producer Andrew Austin, Honors Scholar at NTCC, who researched the narrative, recorded the film choir, filmed the acting, and edited the film.
Professor Chuck Hamilton of NTCC for his work filming, and for donating time with his professional filming rig.
The Chamber of Commerce of Jefferson, Texas: Juanita W. Chitwood, and Ron Hollomon
Consultant:† Dr. Karl Hagstrom Miller, History Professor, University of Texas at Austin
NTCC Vice President Ron Clinton for his support.
NTCC Librarian Donna Griffin for technical assistance
NTCC Secretary Debra Anthony for financial work
James, Rebecca, and William Di?Angelo for filming on their Titus County land.
Bill McCay, Sheriff of Marion County, Texas for the use of the Marion County Courthouse.
Donna Lang and the Benefield House of Jefferson, Texas
Timm and Karen Jackson of the Hale House of Jefferson
Dave and Tammy Doriot of the White Oak Manor of Jefferson
The Bakery Restaurant of Jefferson
The City of Jefferson
