Biographies: Bob Gates, 1976, Winn Parish, LA.
Submitted by Greggory E. Davies, 120 Ted Price Lane, Winnfield, LA 71483
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From: November 3, 1976 Winn Parish Enterprise News-American


Former Winn Resident Works On Feature Film

(Reprinted from the Lafayette Daily Advertiser)

When the credits for "The Town That Dreaded Sundown" flash across the screen,
one local man will be carefully studying audience reaction.

Bob Gates of Lafayette spent three months in Texarkana, Texas as production
manager for the film that tells the tale of how the small Southern city
was terrorized by a phantom killer for four months in 1946.

Gates, formerly of Winn Parish, is the son of Mrs. Clyde Richards of
Winnfield.

It's a Charles B. Pierce Production.  He's the fellow that made $ 22 million
with "The Legend of Boggy Creek" after spending only about $ 165,000 to
capture the creature on film.

Other Pierce films include "The Winds of Autumn," "Winterhawk," and
"Bootlegger."

Gates first met Pierce when they worked together in television 15 years ago in
El Dorado, Ark.  Recently Pierce invited Gates and another old TV friend
from El Dorado, Tom Moore, to come into the movie making business with him.

"The stars of the film are Ben Johnson, an Academy Award winner for "The
Last Picture Show" and Andrew Prine.  Dawn Welles, formerly of "Gilligan's
Island," plays a key role.  

Some 120,000 feet of film was shot.  When the film is completed it will
be edited down to about 9,000 feet, and it will have cost around 
$ 400,000 to make it.  

Making a film boils down to four things, any one of which can kill a
potentially good project, Gates says.  "That's the script, the photography,
the editing, and the musical direction," he said.

Pierce told his co-producers Gates and Moore that he only wanted to be
concerned with directing and left the rest of the film to them.  "Shooting the
film was like putting together a giant crossword puzzle.  It'll be a clear
picture once all the pieces are put together."

One problem he recalls, was keeping the 16 antique (1946 and older) cars in
good enough running condition to participate in a chase scene in the film.  A
full-time mechanic was employed for that, he said.

Pierce is in the process of building a sound stage and back lot in Shreveport
so that only the final work will be done in Hollywood.  Gates thinks this will
mean more Southern locales will be used as locations for Pierce pictures.

American International has signed a contract with Pierce for six pictures in
the next four years so it looks like Gates will be busy for some time.  The
next film on the drawing board, he says is a western with a working title of
"Sacred Ground."  John Wayne is considering playing the lead, Gates said.

"The Town That Dreaded Sundown" it to be rated PG and will premiere in
Texarkana at Christmas and will be in this area shortly thereafter.