Section B · Page 6 Entertainment Thursday, September 11, 1997 College beckons for Chelsea Clinton Stanford officials assure parents first daughter to be treated equally The Associated Press STANFORD, Calif. — When Chelsea Clinton becomes the First Freshman at Stanford University next week, her proud and wistful parents will be watching. And so will reporters and photographers eager to document the start of her new life 3,000 miles away from home. Chelsea, accompanied by President Clinton and first lady Hillary Rodham Clinton, will begin her Stanford career with five days of orientation starting Sept. 19th. She will move into her dorm, meet her roommate and get to know the sprawling campus 30 miles south of San Francisco before classes start on Sept. 24th. The Clintons plan to let reporters follow them about campus on the first day of orientation with the idea that the press will get enough pictures and fodder for storyt —and then leave Chelsea alone. "That's the hope," said Marsha Berry, Mrs. Clinton's press representative. And once she has settled in, Chelsea will not be hounded by the student newspaper, "The Stanford Daily." Rather, she will be treated as "a student, a regular student," not as a celebrity, said Carolyn Sleeth, the paper's editor. Chelsea, as the only child of the president, was long protected from the glare of the press. She has recently become something of a public figure in her own right with increasing public appearances during the past year. The 17-year-old would-be doctor has received high marks for being intelligent, poised and personable. "I've found inspiration in the effortless grace that a girl half my age has brought to an intimidating challenge," Patti Davis, Ronald Reagan's daughter, wrote in "Harper's Bazaar" about Chelsea "Whatever it is Chelsea does, she's the best person we've ever seen doing it," the Unofficial Chelsea Clinton Fan Club declares on its Web site. Thousands of people were interested enough in Chelsea to give her some tongue-in-cheek advice in a survey the Internet company Excite! recently ran on its Web site. "It's like the whole country gets to go to college with her — they get to live vicariously," said Joe Krauss, one of six Stanford graduates who founded the company. Stanford, determined to guard Chelsea's privacy as it would that of any other student, is not saying much about her life at the university. Chelsea will be just one of its 1,660 entering freshman who ante up nearly $30,000 in tuition, room and board to study at the campus that sits at the foot of rolling, oak-studded hills. But celebrities who have attended other prestigious schools — after an initial flurry of publicity — have been able to enjoy relatively normal lives on campus. Amy Carter, like Chelsea, created a bit of a stir when she visited campuses before choosing Brown University. John F. Kennedy Jr., also attended Brown. Both were treated "just like any other private student," said Tracie Sweeney, university representative. "Of course, it was a help that their fathers were not sitting neat. Clinton: To beginreshman year atstanford. dents when they were in school. That took some of the pressure off," she said. Luci Baines Johnson was the last person to go directly from the White House to college when she decided to attend the University of Texas in 1966. It was her impending wedding, however, that generated more media interest. Brooke Shields' career at Princeton drew some undercover reporters — people with notebooks and cameras. The actress, her family and the university made it clear that while on campus she was no longer a celebrity but a student entitled to privacy. "I understand there were some number of paparazzi in the very early days who would try to stake out spots on campus," said Justin Harmon, Princeton representative. "But once offending photographers were escorted off campus and word got out that we meant to enforce the ground rules ... by large folks were quite cooperative," he said. Chelsea could find the same privacy at Stanford — except for times when Mom or Dad visits, attracting reporters again to campus, say Sweeney and Harmon. But fans of the first daughter have admired her ability to withstand such pressures so far. Art Whore peddles works to earn cash Peter Clipsham, president of the Unofficial Chelsea Clinton Fan Club, said that it must be uncomfortable for her to have grown up in the public eye. "Still, she seemed to dance through it," said the 19-year-old Ottawa, Canada resident. By Rachelle Detweiler rdetweiler@kansan.com Kansan staff writer Just like prostitution, selling art is a competitive business. Art Whore, a local group of artists, acknowledge that individuals lacked the resources to push their own art and that they offered a solution. Members of Art Whore are unashamed to take money for the work they love. One year ago, Tyson Schroeder said he lacked a cohesive group of artists to critique his work. So he pooled artists with similar interests together and began the Art Whee meetings, where members work on art or develop sales strategies. The artists work together promoting each others' work, gaining community recognition and turning their artwork into cash. "Groups help things move faster," Schroeder said. "If I work at promoting myself with others, I'll stand a wider chance of getting people interested in my own artwork." As Art Whore began sharing ideas, each artist's techniques improved and the artists gained more recognition. When Art Whore published D. Richards's book, "The Boy With No Ears," it produced its first significant profit-making venture. The book's sales help fund the group. Besides the publication of their first book, artists can now display their work with a price tag attached. The group uses Tate Owens' studio at 512 E. 9th St. to hold periodic art shows complete with cheese and wine. Even though the first art show last April produced no sales, Owens said he was not disappointed. Showing artwork is a tribute in itself and circulates the artist's name. "It would be awesome if everything in this studio sold, but realistically, only a few things will sell." Owens said. "I won't stop making art because people won't buy it. Any artist would say this if they truly love art." The shows also provide another outlet for potential profits by exposing the community to the younger artists, Schroeder said. Ready to rumble "A lot of people are associated with the older artists in town who are more traditional and acceptable," Schroeder said. "We want to open up a wider range of people." Members of the Delta Gamma sorority practice in front of their house nament. Tournament play begins this weekend. Photo by Lynn Kalei 1015 Emery Road, for their first game in the intermural football tour der/KANSAN Movie, television veteran dies Two-time Oscar nominee Burgess Meredith had roles in 'Rocky,' TV's 'Batman' The Associated Press LOS ANGELES — Burgess Meredith, the versatile, raspy actor whose film roles during 60 years included the fated hero in "Winterset," the tragic caretaker in "Of Mice and Men" and the crusty boxing manager in "Rocky." he died. He was 89. Meredith died Tuesday morning at his home in Malibu, his son, Jonathan, said. He had suffered from melanoma, Alzheimer's disease and other complications of old age, his son said. Meredith's early career was studded with memorable performances: as guardian of the dimwitted giant in "Of Mice and Men," as Ginger Rogers' suitor in "Tom, Dick and Harry," as war correspondent Ernie Pyle in "The Story of G.I. Joe," and as James Madison in "Magnificent Doll." He was nominated for two Oscars. To the television generation, he became known as the quacking Penguin in the 1960's "Batman" TV series. An intellectual with wide-ranging interests, Meredith was an ardent environmentalist and proponent of causes. In 1971, he commented about pollution: "The whole thing is like a terrible Greek tragedy, grinding toward its inevitable tragic end. I haven't seen one hopeful sign vet." He sometimes wrote, directed or produced his films. In later years, he often took roles that seemed beneath his status as one of America's distinguished actors. He explained to an interviewer in 1967: "If I spent all my time in Shakespearean companies and only did art movies like 'Olivier,' my position would be more dignified and more serious. I might even be a better actor. But this is America, and I'm a man moved by the rhythms of his time, so I just take amusement at being a paradox." Born in Cleveland, Ohio, on Nov. 16, 1907 — some references say 1908 or 1909 — Meredith won prizes as a boy soprano. He was educated at Amherst College and began his stage career in 1933 with Eya Le Gallienne's company in New York. A compact person with unruly, sandy hair, Meredith had a quirky, warm voice that often was heard on television commercials for United Air Lines, Skippy peanut butter and other products. His professional debut came with "Alice in Wonderland" — "I played the duck, the doormouse and Tweedledee," he said. That led to a role as a reform-school kid in "Little Old Boy," and his reputation grew with "She Loves Me Not" and "Star Wagon." Maxwell Anderson's blank-verse "Winterset" provided Meredith's star-making role as the tragic hero Mio, a young man who tries to find out who really committed the murder for which his father was wrongly executed. He repeated the role in the 1936 film version and thereafter he divided his time between Broadway and Hollywood. Among his prewar films: "Idiot's Delight", "Second Chorus" (with his third wife, Paulette Goddard), "That Uncertain Feeling" and "Miracles Can happen." His most notable performance came in 1940 with John Steinbeck's "Of Mice and Men." Lewis Milestone directed the drama with Meredith as George and Lon Chaney Jr. as the lumbering Lenny Small. Meredith served in the U.S. Air Force during World War II, emerging as a contain Meredith: former film, TV star died at age 89. Despite his memorable early performances, Meredith was not nominated for Academy Awards until his later years: for supporting actor in "Day of the Locust" in 1975 and "Rocky" in 1976. He did not win. Between theater projects and crusades for causes, Meredith worked as a reliable character actor in such films as "Adive and Consent," "The Cardinal," "In Harm's Way," "Hurry Sundown," "McKenna's Gold" and "Madame X." Often he was cast as a grumpy old codger, even playing Jack Lemmon's father in the 1993 comedy "Grumpy Old Men" and its 1995 sequel, "Grumpler Old Men." After the war, Meredith coproduced a comedy, "On Our Merry Way," with Henry Fonda, James Stewart, Goddard and other stars, and directed the thriller "The Man on the Eiffel Tower," with himself, Charles Laughton and Franchot Tone. “It’s a refreshing change after things like 'One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest' and 'Taxi Driver' — brilliant pictures, perhaps, but not rooting pictures. It's the difference between watching a sunset and a snake.” Many Americans remembered him as Batman's adversary the Penguin. He approached the role with customary preparation: "I waddled like a penguin, which seemed rather obvious to do." The touch I liked was that peculiar penguin-like quack I used in my lines." "Rocky" and its sequels brought new life to Meredith's career — "my first smash hit out of 120 films," he said. He explained the reason for the success of the Sylvester Stallone vehicle: Unlike some screen veterans, Meredith, who called his autobiography "So Far, So Good," felt no nostalgia for Hollywood's golden era. "In the old days, there were five men who ran the whole industry, who could make or break your career," he wrote. "Today it's a sane place, more fun and more private." Meredith was married four times: to Helen Derby, actresses Margaret Perry and Goddard, and dancer Kaja Sunden. His son said that he, Sunden and a daughter, Pala, were with Meredith when he died. Funeral services were pending, his son said. The body was to be cremated. Mother encounters dead son in television movie 'Cloned' Controversial issue draws Elizabeth Perkins as star The Associated Press LOS ANGELES — A young mother walks down a street and sees a boy who looks like her own son, drowned in a boating accident at age 8. A closer glimpse. Gasp. The child is an exact replica of her boy. It is a crucial moment in NBC's television movie "Cloned," starring Elizabeth Perkins as the anguished mother and Alan Rosenberg ("Cybill") as a genetics expert. The drama aids Sunday, Sept. 28. After the death of their son Chris, Skye (Perkins) and her husband (Bradley Whifford) plan to have another child, but she discovers she no longer can conceive. Chris had been an in vitro baby, and her doctor (Rosenberg) says her remaining eggs are not viable. Then she sees the duplicate of her son. She puts a message on the Internet: "Have you seen this child?" She is astonished when seven people respond to her query. Danger arises when she tries to investigate further. "Cloned" (rated TV-PG) takes place early in the next century, but its theme could not be more current. A whirlwind of controversy followed the announcement that the Roslin Institute of Scotland had cloned a sheep named Dolly from a single cell of an adult sheep. Politicians and religionists raised strong protests against any application of the process to humans. Perkins ranks herself among the opponents. "It is almost like something that might have been attempted in Nazi Germany." "Obviously, cloning of human beings will some day be scientifically possible," she comments, "but I am totally against it. Perhaps they can clone bodies, but that doesn't take into account the human soul. That would be unthinkable." Indeed, that was the basis for Ira Levin's novel "The Boys from Brazil." It became a movie, with Gregory Peck in his only villainous role as the infamous Josef Mengele, who was depicted as trying to create a new generation of Adolph Hitlers. Perkins is no stranger to controversial television. She made her TV debut in "For Their Own Good," a true story of a woman who underwent mandatory sterilization in order to work in a chemical plant. In fact, through most of her career she has opted for offbeat vehicles which befit her quirky personality Perkins: Stirring in the NBC television movie "Cloned." She was born 36 years ago in New York and grew up in Vermont with her mother and stepfather, a gentleman farmer. She left the rural life to study at the Goodman School of Drama in Chicago and made her Broadway debut in Neil Simon's "Brighton Beach Memoirs." "About Last Night." marked her movie debut in 1986. Demi Moore was also in the dating movie, but the only name above the title was Rob Lowe's. Then came "Big," with Perkins as Tom Hanks' bewildered girlfriend (he was a 12-year-old granted a wish to be an adult). Her other notable films: "Avalon," "The Doctor" (as a cancer patient opposite William Hurt), "The Flintstones," "Miracle on 34th Street" and "Moonlight and Valentine." Now that Perkins has reached her mid 30s,her attitude toward career matters has changed. "All that seemed so important to me in my 20s just doesn't seem so important anymore," she remarked. "Then it was, 'Actress, actress, actress.' Once you get in your 30s, it's more about who you are as a person. I'm enjoying my life more, and acting has taken a back seat. "I find I bring more to my work when I do work. Hollywood is so insular; more people should get out of it." She does her best, traveling extensively when not working. She maintains a house in Los Angeles, mainly because her 6-year-old Hannah is of school age. The actress is divorced from stage actor/director Terry Kinney. --- 1 1