White Star
a screenplay
by Pete Chaney
Chattanooga 1989
Based
on the life
of Gen. John White Geary
Copyright
by
Pete Chaney
and International Press Service
LOCATIONS:
PANAMA jungle, river, hotel, police station.
SAN FRANCISCO bay, streets, store-post office, ball room
PENNSYLVANIA graveside, farm, home
WASHINGTON President Pierce’s office
KANSAS countryside, towns, governor’s office
GETTYSBURG battlefield
CHATTANOOGA AREA campsites, battlefields, Lookout Mountain
NW GEORGIA farms, mansions burning
SAVANNAH streets, City Hall office, homes
PENNSYLVANIA governor’s office, legislative dais, mine, bar, capitol rotunda
CAST:
JOHN WHITE GEARY, soldier, civil servant, governor................................Age 29 to 53
MARGARET, John’s first wife...............................................................Age mid-twenties
EDDIE, John’s eldest son, by Margaret............................................................Age 6 to 20
EIGHT TOUGHS, Panama thieves...................................................................Ages varied
POLICE SERGEANT, at Panama police station..................................................Age 40
TWO DRUNKS, at San Francisco dock...............................................................Ages thirties
CAPT. LOWEN, steamship captain.........................................................................Age 45
MONK DEVLIN, clerk, John’s aide...............................................................Age 30 to 54
THREE MEN, waiting at new Post Office.........................................................Ages varied
WILLIAMSON, bidding for mail..............................................................................Age 40
MILLER, bidding for mail.........................................................................................Age 30
WILLIAM (CUMP) SHERMAN, business man, Union general...................Age 30 to 52
WILLIE G., John’s second son, by Margaret..............................................Age baby to 22
PRESIDENT PIERCE, U.S.President......................................................................Age 52
DINAH, black former slave, servant, friend of Gearys....................................Age 28 to 52
SERGEANT, army non-com with Geary at Lecompton, Kansas.........................Age 35
THREE MEN, frightened on Lawrence, Kansas, street.....................................Middle ages
PARDUE, Kansas slaver, vigilante, Rebel soldier..........................................Age 28 to 36
RIDER, aide to Pardue.........................................................................................Age 30
JOSH, black beau to Dinah, worker with Hank..............................................Age 31 to 55
HANK MEBANE, John’s friend, Georgia planter, Rebel soldier...................Age 28 to 52
JOHNSON, Confederate general going to Gettysburg........................................Middle aged
RHOADS, Confederate general going to Gettysburg...........................................Middle aged
FIRST SOLDIER, surrounded at Chattanooga...............................................Early twenties
SECOND SOLDIER, surrounded at Chattanooga..........................................Mid twenties
GEN. U.S. GRANT, head of Union Civil War forces..............................................Age 41
HOOKER, Union general at Chattanooga...............................................................Mature
FIRST REBEL, at Wauhatchie.....................................................................Early twenties
SECOND REBEL, at Wauhatchie.................................................................Early twenties
CAPTAIN, Union officer at Wauhatchie.........................................................Late twenties
MULETEER, handles mules at Wauhatchie.....................................................Late thirties
CONFEDERATE CAPTAIN, at Wauhatchie....................................................Mid thirties
CONFEDERATE BUGLAR, at Wauhatchie.........................................................Teenager
UNION LIEUTENANT, at Wauhatchie........................................................Early twenties
SURGEON, Union battlefield doctor.......................................................................Age 45
UNION CAPTAIN, brings in Spinder at Wauhatchie.......................................Late thirties
LT. SPINDER, snobbish young Union officer.........................................................Age 26
THIRD SOLDIER, Union soldier in Chattanooga..........................................Mid twenties
THREE UNION SOLDIERS, climbing Lookout Mountain..........................Mid twenties
UNION CAPTAIN, climbing Lookout Mountain............................................Mid thirties
UNION SERGEANT, atop Lookout Mountain.................................................Mid forties
UNION CORPORAL, atop Lookout Maintain..............................................Mid twenties
CONFEDERATE WOMAN, scorched earth victim................................................Age 51
TWO UNION PRIVATES, burning Georgia crops.......................................Early twenties
MAYOR, head of Savannah, a conquered city...............................................Age 45 to 53
UNION LIEUTENANT, in John’s Savannah office......................................Early twenties
KATHY McLAURIN, Savannah beauty, John’s mistress..............................Age 28 to 49
SAVANNAH WOMAN, aided by John and Kathy..............................................Late fifties
THREE HECKLERS, at Pennsylvania political rally........................................Mid thirties
TWO SUPPORTERS, at Pennsylvania political rally.......................................Mid forties
DAKATO SUTTON, supports John at another rally.......................................Late twenties
FARMER, supports John at rally.......................................................................Early fifties
ELDERLY WOMAN, supports John at rally................................................Late seventies
GRIZZLED SERGEANT, supports John at rally................................................Late fifties
YOUNG CORPORAL, supports John at rally...............................................Late twenties
OLD MAN, supports John at rally..............................................................Early seventies
GALVAN, corrupt railroad tycoon...........................................................................Age 51
HARTSWELL, Galvan’s partner..............................................................................Age 55
GUENTHER, Galvan’s partner................................................................................Age 37
MINE OWNER, chastized by John..................................................................Late forties
WILLIE H., John’s son by Mary.................................................................Age baby to 16
MARY, John’s daughter by Mary...............................................................Age.baby to 10
MAN, pays off Devlin...................................................................................Age unknown
NARRATOR’S VOICE OVER, describes John’s career........................................Mature
Others: Crowds, civilians, vigilantes, riders, Union and Rebel soldiers, politicians.
Time: 1849 to 1873
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