"Sherman's March," an innovative two-hour feature written and directed by Rick King (creator of the noted documentary "Voices In Wartime") for JWM Productions, premiered on The History Channel on April 22, 2007. "Sherman's March" blends dramatic scenes with historic recreations to powerfully convey the force of the man and the event that helped to end the Civil War. Over 5 million viewers saw the program on it's initial run. Reviews from national publications called it "unusually fine," "powerful" and "first-rate."
Bill portrayed General W.T. Sherman. Auditions were in Washington D.C., so to get the producers' attention, he improvised a costume and filmed a webcam audition (below). It was enough to get him invited to audition for Director Rick King. The actual onscreen Sherman look created by make-up artist Deanna Bell is pictured in the production stills above and below.
In cooperation with The History Channel, Bill now speaks to middle and high schools across the country, showing excerpts of the film to students and using The History Channel's Study Guide (above) to spark discussion of Sherman's still-controversial philosophy of "total war." He also shows students some behind the scenes footage and includes a Q&A period. If your school is interested in scheduling a date, please inquire.
ABOVE: W.T. Sherman (Bill Oberst Jr) and Major Henry Hitchcock (Jared Morrison) watch Atlanta burn. Extracts from Hitchcock's diaries were included in writer/director Rick King's script.
Bill's improvised Sherman make-up for a webcam audition utilized his CHRISTMAS CAROL coat and his JESUS OF NAZARETH beard. The shoulder epaulets are JPEGs from the web taped onto the coat.
