Film producer shoots Woodrow Wilson documentary on campus

The steps of Nassau Hall or the shore of Lake Carnegie may be the scene of thousands of untold stories. But film producer Richard Kassebaum is looking only for the ones involving Woodrow Wilson 1879.

Kassebaum, along with his cast and crew, has been on campus filming scenes as part of a documentary series that will air on PBS sometime next year.

Most of the on-campus shooting that Kassebaum has been doing is "gathering what we call 'time and place,' " he explained. He and his crew are filming a series of different campus locations, conducting interviews with scholars and doing re-enactments of key moments in Wilson's life.

"We were trying to shoot as many of our exterior scenes on this trip as we could," Kassebaum said of his trip to the University last month, noting that production was moved up to capture the fall foliage.

On a second trip from California, Kassebaum started filming at Palmer House on Monday and at Prospect House yesterday.

"We're spending a considerable amount of time . . . filming in Princeton," he said.

His crew will be filming scenes of Wilson's life as a student, professor and president of the University from 1902 until his election to governor of New Jersey in 1910.

Scenery is not the only resource the University will be providing for Kassebaum. About 25 students will be appearing in the documentary as extras.

In addition, Christine Mugnolo '01 played the role of a young Ellen Wilson — Woodrow's first wife. For the documentary, Mugnolo was shot painting by Lake Carnegie.

"She was great, and the painting she did for us was wonderful," Kassebaum said.

Mugnolo got the job after responding to a flier seeking painters for the documentary. But then Kassebaum offered her the acting role as well.

"It was kind of exciting," Mugnolo said. "One thing that was nice is I hardly ever get to paint Lake Carnegie or go out there."

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She added, "Before I did the painting I definitely studied Mrs. Wilson's paintings," which she said were American Impressionistic.

Other significant re-enactments that Kassebaum will be doing for the documentary are Wilson's election to state governor and his election to the national presidency in 1912.

In addition to filming on Lake Carnegie, Kassebaum will be shooting scenes of Wilson studying in a Holder dorm room, preparing for lecture in McCosh 50, riding his bike along the towpath, golfing at Springdale Golf Course and working in the governor's mansion, Drumthwacket.

The documentary is still in the early stages. "This was the very beginning of production," Kassebaum said.

Kassebaum will be going to Washington, D.C., for footage of Wilson's presidency and Georgia for material on Wilson's early childhood years. The crew will then get archive footage and do several months of editing on what will be a three-hour program. The documentary will be part of PBS' American Experience Series. It is being produced by WGBH in Boston. Kassebaum is co-producing it along with senior producers Carl Byker and David Mrazek.