Coffeeshop brings back pleasant memories

Step through the door of Wild Bill's Coffeeshop and you're surrounded by
memories of the spirit of Bill Sackter. As you come in, look up and to the right at the big black and white picture. There's Bill in the middle with the cowboy hat. To his left is Mickey Rooney, who played Bill in the two movies, "Bill" and "Bill On His Own." This photo was taken during the filming of "Bill On His Own." At the bottom right in the photo is Barry Morrow, Bill's friend and the screenwriter. On the far left is a young Helen Hunt, who plays a social work student in the movie. One recent visitor was delighted to discover Rooney played Bill. He was a great fan of the actor, but did not know of this film role.

High on the wall in a back corner is a framed poster which reads "God Bless You, Bill." It is covered with signatures -- social work students and staff and other friends of Bill. The poster was created shortly after Bill's death in 1983. The signatures are fading, but on one recent day two visitors were still able to find their names.

On an interior door is a poster reading "War is not healthy for children and other living things." That was the slogan created by Another Mother for Peace, a group founded in 1967 to oppose US military involvement in Vietnam. There were 15 founders, including Iowa native Donna Reed, best-known for the TV show of her name, and Barbara Hammer Avedon, creator of the Cagney and Lacey TV show. One recent visitor warmly recalled receiving a medallion with the "War is not healthy..." slogan from her college boyfriend in the late '60s.

As you leave the coffeeshop, glance at the "Rainman" poster on the left inthe doorway. Barry Morrow also wrote the screenplay for this movie. His
inspiration for the autistic savant in the movie was a young man he met at a conference a number of years ago. Barry had been invited to the conference to talk about Bill. Barry says this chance encounter with the young man is another example of why "I owe all my success to Bill."

Bill's story guides California theater

Editor's note: Mary Galde contacted Bill's Coffeeshop for help finding copies of "Bill" and "Bill On His Own." She wanted to show the films to actors preparing for a production of "The Boys Next Door," a play about four men who live in a group home. The story has many similarities to the story of the group home where Bill Sackter lived in Iowa City.

Galde was director of this show, which was presented at Broadway West Theatre in Fremont, Calif. (For more information, visit this website: www.broadway-west.com). She describes the link between Bill's Coffeeshop and this production of "The Boys Next Door" in the "Director's Notes" she wrote for the program. Here is an excerpt.

By MARY GALDE

Theatre is at its best when it entertains and also educates. "The Boys Next Door," a wonderful play by Tom Griffin, does just that. It's compelling entertaining, uplifting and potentially life altering. Griffin worked closely with the mentally handicapped for years and obviously understands that they share the same diversity of experience as anyone: love, joy, laughter, humor, sorrow, pain and difficulty. The difference is that the life journey of the mentally handicapped is more difficult because of society's tendency to discount them, to throw them away without looking to see what's inside

My journey through the weeks of helping the actors has awakened in me an awareness and compassion that wasn't fully there before. My hope is that you will enjoy tonight's performance, but moreso that you will find yourself more accepting, more aware.

Preparing for the roles of the characters in the play requires a good deal of research. Helping with this research were two movies, "Bill" and "Bill On His Own," starring Mickey Rooney. They are true stories about the life of Bill Sackter -- his struggles, friendships, and eventual position at Wild Bill's Coffeeshop, a project of the School of Social Work at the University of Iowa. Although 30 years have passed, the coffeeshop is still a part of campus life in Iowa City.

Tom Gilsenan, former editor of the Milpitas Post, forwarded copies of both movies for us to use.

An invitation to 'Dinner with Bill'

Bill Sackter's life and legacy have been celebrated in two movies, a book and
dozens of articles in magazines and newspapers. His spirit is also celebrated
in the many Bill Sackter awards given each year by ARC chapters around the US.

But there are a host of other ways in which Bill is remembered and his spirit extended. We recently heard about a very creative celebration of Bill which takes place annually in Jacksonville, Florida. In that city, members of the
community are invited each year to a "Dinner with Bill."

That's the name the ARC chapter in Jacksnoville has given to its annual event honoring employers for their support of individuals with disabilities. Two small companies and two large ones are honored each year at this dinner. The dinner is also a major fundraiser for the Jacksonville ARC.

CHECK OUT THESE RESOURCES TO LEARN MORE ABOUT BILL

Like to learn more about Bill Sackter? Like to have recommendations to give to friends and family on where to learn about his life and legacy? Here are several suggestions:

Uptown Bill's Small Mall. www.uptownbills.org. Crosstown cousin to the original Wild Bill's Coffeeshop. Located at the corner of Gilbert and Court on the south edge of downtown Iowa City. Includes not only a coffeeshop, but also a bookstore and other businesses.

Bill Sackter: A Special Spirit. www.xapinteractive.org. A new film about the life and legacy of Bill Sackter. Iowa City filmmaker Lane Wyrick is nearly finished with the film which includes interviews with Tom Walz and Barry Morrow. You can see a five minute preview of the film at this website.

ARC of the United States. www.thearc.org. A leading voice in the field of abilities awareness. National umbrella organization for state ARC groups. Presents an award each year in memory of Bill Sackter.

Archive of Famous Iowans. www.desmoinesregister.com/extras. The Des Moines Register has created an electronic archive of famous Iowans which includes Bill Sackter. You can find Bill be using the alphabetical index or by searching the "Activist" category.

Wild Bill's Coffeeshop. www.uiowa.edu/~socialwk/bills. This is the actual place where Bill Sackter worked until his death in 1983. The website includes pictures of the coffeeshop, a menu and an archive of the Bill's Coffeeshop Newsletter.