Jun 19, 2023

Hays celebrates 50th anniversary of 'Paper Moon'

Posted Jun 19, 2023 11:01 AM
Visitors talk about memorabilia from the movie "Paper Moon" during the 50th-anniversary celebration of the movie's release at the Hays Arts Center annex on Friday. Most of the movie was filmed within a 50-mile radius of Hays. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post
Visitors talk about memorabilia from the movie "Paper Moon" during the 50th-anniversary celebration of the movie's release at the Hays Arts Center annex on Friday. Most of the movie was filmed within a 50-mile radius of Hays. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post

By CRISTINA JANNEY
Hays Post

People crowded into the Hays Arts Center Annex on Friday to see a display honoring the 50th anniversary of the filming of "Paper Moon."

Most of the movie, starring Ryan and Tatum O'Neal was filmed within a 50-mile radius of Hays with Hays being the film crew's base of operations.

"Paper Moon" depicts the Depression era in Kansas and Missouri. It was shot in black and white by director Peter Bogdanovich and tells the story of drifter, Moze, and a little girl, Addie, as Moze takes Addie from rural Kansas to St. Joseph, Mo., to live with her aunt.

Tatum O'Neal won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in the film, becoming the youngest actress to do so.

"Paper Moon"  filming on 10th Street in Hays in 1972. Photo courtesy of Pete Felten
"Paper Moon"  filming on 10th Street in Hays in 1972. Photo courtesy of Pete Felten

Local residents mingled around numerous newspaper clippings from the time pointing to photos of people they knew or landmarks they remembered.

Many of the people the Hays Post spoke with were teenagers or young adults when the film was made and have vague memories of joining crowds of other locals to watch the rare spectacle in western Kansas.

Rhonda McCann, who was a teenager when the movie was filmed, said she remembered the crew filming in the 100 block of West 10th in Hays. One of the buildings, which is no longer standing, doubled as a dress shop in the movie. 

Ryan O'Neal and Madelene Kahn were filmed coming out of the building. She also remembered driving to LaCrosse to watch the filming of the carnival scenes, but said she couldn't see much because it was dark. She said remembered being bored.

Randy Pfeifer was in high school when the filming came to Hays. He lived on a farm and couldn't make it into town to watch the filming.

However, he said. "It was a big thing when it hit Hays."

Tatum O'Neal, star of "Paper Moon" and her stand-in Sue Schmidt of Hays. Clippings courtesy of Hays Arts Council
Tatum O'Neal, star of "Paper Moon" and her stand-in Sue Schmidt of Hays. Clippings courtesy of Hays Arts Council

Leon Staab, who was in his 20s when the movie was filmed, also said he remembered the filming in Hays. He said there was much excitement around the filming, but many of the specific memories have faded over 50 years.

Many local residents were extras in the movie. Sue Schmidt, the daughter of Eagle Radio founder Bob Schmidt, was a stand-in for Tatum O'Neal during filming. She would take Tatum's place when the camera crews were setting up sound and lighting for shots. 

In a newspaper story from the time, Sue talked about the long, boring hours of shooting and missing her friends from school. The movie was filmed in September and October of 1972, and Schmidt had a tutor because she had to miss school during the shooting.

Eight children from the Budke family of Hays were extras in the film. 

The Budke family was in a scene during which Moze, played by Ryan O'Neal, and Addie, played by his daughter Tatum O'Neal, try to sell a Bible to a poor family.

Eight children in the Budke family in Hays were extras in "Paper Moon." Clipping courtesy of Hays Arts Council
Eight children in the Budke family in Hays were extras in "Paper Moon." Clipping courtesy of Hays Arts Council

The widow comes to the door and her many children, the Budke siblings, file in behind her. Addie turns to Moze and tells him the Bible is paid for.

Dennis, who still lives in Hays, and his brother, Chuck, now of Salina, swapped memories a few weeks ago in Wilson during that community's "Paper Moon" Festival. Dennis also made an appearance Friday night at the art center annex.

The Midwest movie premier of "Paper Moon" was at the Fox Theatre in Hays. The event included a VIP champagne reception.

A newspaper clipping from the time said, "Inside the theatre lobby champagne corks ricocheted off the walls in resounding pops as the Hays Arts Council members served the wine and hors d'ouerves to ticketholders."

The carnival scene from "Paper Moon" was shot in LaCrosse. Clipping courtesy of the Hays Arts Council.
The carnival scene from "Paper Moon" was shot in LaCrosse. Clipping courtesy of the Hays Arts Council.

KAYS radio, which is owned by the parent company of the Hays Post, was also on hand to do live interviews of the local actors who appeared in the movie.

Tickets for the special showing were $3 for the actors and $4 for the general public.

The film's budget then was a whopping $2.6 million, which local officials touted at the time as having a significant impact on the local economy.

Although Hays seemed to love having the film crew in town, the director Peter Bogdanovich didn't have the same love for Hays.

In an interview, he would later call Hays "dreary and tacky."

Jodi Foster, center, starred in the "Paper Moon" TV series that was shot in Elis County. Photo courtesy of Hays Arts Council
Jodi Foster, center, starred in the "Paper Moon" TV series that was shot in Elis County. Photo courtesy of Hays Arts Council

A couple of years after the movie premiered, ABC began filming a series by the same name, which started Jody Foster and Chris Connelly,  also in Hays and Ellis County.

During the filming of "Paper Moon" the TV series Charlene Hamel of Hays was the stand-in for Jodi Foster.

Scenes from the TV series were filmed in the Alpha Gamma Delta Sorority house. 

During the 50th anniversary weekend, two free showings of "Paper Moon." the movie were offered at Beach Schmidt Performing Arts Center. McCracken also opened its museum to visitors to view memorabilia from the movie and hosted a night of big band music.