MARIETTA – JULY 13, 2009 – Carreen O’Hara, Bonnie Blue Butler, Beau Wilkes and Maybelle Merriweather will be returning to Scarlett O’Hara country on November 13 and 14, when the Marietta Gone With the Wind Museum-Scarlett on the Square, hosts “70 Years of Gone With the Wind: A Re-Premiere.” This two-day gala will include autograph sessions with the stars, author book signings, a lavish costume ball and a Big Screen showing of the 1939 classic movie, with pre-show activities hosted by Robert Osborne, film historian and host of Turner Classic Movies. Supporting partners include Earl Smith Strand Theatre, Turner Classic Movies and Warner Home Video. Book your Re-Premiere package by calling the museum at 770-794-5145 or emailing csutherland@mariettaga.gov. See what the package includes at www.gwtwmariettaga.com.

Not there in 1939? Then 2009 is your time

The Re-Premiere package has all the glamour, fun and excitement of the original 1939 premiere, including autograph and Q&A sessions with GWTW cast members Ann Rutherford (“Carreen O’Hara”), Mary Anderson (“Maybelle Merriweather”), Mickey Kuhn (“Young Beau Wilkes”), Cammie King (“Bonnie Blue Butler”), Greg Geise (“Bonnie Blue” and “Beau” at infancy) and Patrick Curtis (“Baby Beau”). In fact, Curtis notes that the 2009 event will emphasize interaction between the stars and fans.

“This will be much more hands-on than the 1939 premiere when everyone was kept at a distance,” he says.

Also part of the Re-Premiere package are book signings and Q&A sessions with authors Herb Bridges—preeminent GWTW authority whose books include Gone With the Wind: The Definitive Illustrated History of the Book, the Movie and the Legend; Molly Haskell, Frankly, My Dear: Gone With the Wind Revisited; Sally Tippett Rains, The Making of a Classic: The True Story Behind Margaret Mitchell and Gone With the Wind; and Kathy Witt, who just wrote the historical novel, The Secret of the Belles. Cammie King Conlon will also join the authors, signing her recently released memoir, Bonnie Blue Butler: a Gone With the Wind Memoir, as will Robert Osborne, signing his book, 80 Years of the Oscar.

Rounding out the package are a “Belles and Beaus” costume ball; VIP and cocktail receptions; dinner and dancing; a showing of Gone With the Wind—still one of the most beloved movies of all time; and a Parade of Stars. Chris Sullivan, the owner of the extraordinary collection housed at the Marietta Gone With the Wind Museum-Scarlett on the Square, will provide guided tours.

Established in 2003 in a circa 1875 building that was formerly a cotton warehouse, the collection includes costumes and jewelry, signed first editions and contracts, movie props and scripts, scene drawings, posters, photographs and nearly 100 dolls, among its treasures—a veritable time capsule of the life and times of Margaret Mitchell, her seminal novel and the filming of the movie. Of special note is the famous Bengaline gown worn by Vivien Leigh as Scarlett O’Hara in the movie’s honeymoon scene. On special exhibit, at both the museum and at Marietta’s dk Gallery, will be 70th Anniversary GWTW artwork by famed Disney artist Joseph Yakovetic.

Classic show in classic surroundings

The screening of Gone With the Wind will take place at the recently (and sumptuously) renovated Earl Smith Strand Theatre. Formerly a major motion picture house that originally opened in 1935, this Art Deco masterpiece has been trimmed with classic theatre detailing, from its khaki, black and gold lobby to its burgundy interior with curving balcony to its rooftop terrace from which Kennesaw Mountain, site of a Civil War battle, may be seen.

On Saturday, a 1930s vintage car parade will circle the Marietta Square and deliver the stars and special guests to the front doors of the Earl Smith Strand Theatre. The celebrities will be greeted by white-gloved attendants who will open their doors and escort them to the red carpet.

“We will be embellishing the façade of the Strand the same way the theatre in 1939 was decorated,” notes Connie Sutherland, executive director of the museum. “We’ll have bunting on the windows and a large oval photograph of Rhett and Scarlett dominating the façade.”

Inside, guests will enjoy a VIP reception and have an opportunity to mingle with the cast members and authors. Once guests are seated in the theatre, they will witness the magic of Robert Osborne as he leads a salute to Turner Classic Movies and Warner Bros. for their roles in keeping Gone With the Wind alive for millions of viewers through the years. Special film clips will precede the movie.

Get ‘em before they’re Gone

To purchase your “70 Years of Gone With the Wind: A Re-Premiere” package before they’re all gone with the . . . well, you know what we mean, contact the Marietta Gone With the Wind Museum-Scarlett on the Square at 770-794-5145 or csutherland@mariettaga.gov. Visit the museum online at www.gwtwmariettaga.com, click on “Events,” and see all the glam goodies included in the package. Visit the Marietta Welcome Center and Visitors Bureau at www.mariettasquare.com to learn about hotels offering special rates for this event and to see all the dining and sightseeing options located on the charming town square, just steps from the museum and the theatre, in this gracious Southern town.

Marietta is graced with an historic town square, five National Register Historic Districts, a dramatic mountain backdrop, a beautiful Hilton Atlanta/Marietta Hotel & Conference Center, the charming Stanley House B&B and Whitlock Inn B&B—and just enough mileage between it and Atlanta to give it the élan of a cosseted and well-heeled small town with the vibrancy of an urban environment. A pocket-sized parcel 18 miles northwest of Atlanta, this county seat of Cobb County is rich in arts and culture, Civil War history and heritage. The Marietta Trolley offers one-hour, fully-narrated tours, Thursday-Sunday, from Antebellum Square, past grand Antebellum homes, to the battlefields at Kennesaw Mountain. Purchase a Marietta Heritage Passport for savings on admission to the Marietta Museum of History, The Root House Museum and the Marietta Gone With the Wind Museum-Scarlett on the Square. For information about accommodations, theatre, shopping and dining, contact the Marietta Welcome Center and Visitors Bureau at 1.800.835.0445 or www.mariettasquare.com.