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Premiere of O’Neill Documentary Becomes A Night to Remember for Foundation, Guests

Ric Burns listens as Kiera Chaplin responds to question from the audience.

After 10 years in the making, a two-hour-long documentary film on Eugene O’Neill was previewed by the Eugene O’Neill Foundation in partnership with the National Park Service on March 3.

The event was attended by Ric Burns, who produced the film and wrote it with authors Arthur and Barbara Gelb. Also on hand was Kiera Chaplin, O’Neill’s great-granddaughter who is also the granddaughter of Charlie Chaplin.

They were joined by an audience of more than 200 people who watched the film—“Eugene O’Neill: A Documentary Film”—in the auditorium of AT&T’s Bishop Ranch complex in San Ramon.

Dan Cawthon, artistic director of the Eugene O’Neill Foundation and Claudia Nemir, president, welcomed Kiera Chaplin to the preview.

During a discussion with the authors and Miss Chaplin, Burns said the documentary was “the most meaningful film I have ever made.”

“I tried,” he said, “to turn the life of O’Neill into a story.”

Arthur Gelb noted that history shows that after successful people reach a peak in their careers, they tend to stop in their life’s work. O’Neill, however, was different, Gelb said. After O’Neill received the Nobel Prize in Literature, the only American playwright to receive the high honor, his career continued to “soar” in the ensuing years.

Although the O’Neill foundation called it a preview, Burns said the March 3 event was really the world premiere “and I can’t think of a better place to hold the premiere.” The film will be aired on PBS on March 27 as part of the American Experience series.

Burns acknowledged the “invaluable” assistance of the foundation and member Diane Schinnerer in particular, who provided photographs, footage and research materials from the foundation’s library at Tao House. Schinnerer oversees the library, where Burns spent a week doing research.

Miss Chaplin thanked the authors for producing the film and “doing such a great job.”

“I did not know much about him (O’Neill), “ she said. “He and my grandmother (Oona O’Neill) were never very close, but Oona adored her father.”

Read more about Keira Chaplin's visit to Tao House...

Prior to the preview, authors Barbara and Arthur Gelb authographed copies of their latest book on the playwright.	Martha Lee, National Park Service superintendent, joined Kiera Chaplin at the preview of the O’Neill documentary.

Photos by Tom Donahoe