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TV's Kuralt Praises Nation's Life PAGE 8 — The Southern Cross, May 24,1990 NEWSMAN HONORED — CBS newsman Charles Kuralt and Sister Rita Jeanne Abicht renew their friendship at Viterbo College in La Crosse, Wis., May 3. Kuralt received the college’s Pope John XXIII award. (CNS photo by Jerry Ruff, Times Review) A Look BY CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE Sunday, May 27, 8-9:30 p.m. EDT (PBS) “National Memorial Day Concert.” Actor E.G. Marshall hosts this tribute to those who gave their lives in defense of the United States, with readings by James Earl Jones and Colleen Dewhurst in a pro gram of patriotic music performed by the National Symphony Orchestra, the U.S. Army Chorus and the Old Guard Fife and Drum Corps. Monday, May 28, 9-10 p.m. EDT (PBS) “Revolutionary.” A new three-part historical series, “Stalin,” begins by ex ploring the formative years of the future Soviet leader and then charts his growing political power in the aftermath of the Rus sian Revolution. Monday, May 28,10-11 p.m. EDT (PBS) “The Global Connection.” The final pro gram in the “Local Heroes, Global Change” series shows that nations no longer function as economically separate entities and that economic policies must be decided as part of a complex world economy. Jim Henson BY SISTER MARY ANN WALSH WASHINGTON (CNS) — Jim Henson, inventor of the Muppets, who entertained America for three decades, was remembered as “humble” and “a very special light” by Catholic leaders who praised his contributions to entertainment. His felt-and-foam puppets, including the pushy Miss Piggy, affable Kermit the Frog and shy Big Bird, had become a U.S. in stitution and were a featured part of “Sesame Street,” the award-winning educational TV program aimed at 1- to 5-year-olds. Many Catholic groups, including Loyola University in Chicago and Unda-USA, bestowed honors on the puppeteer, who died unexpectedly from pneumonia May 16 at 53. Father John Catoir, director of The Christophers, which honored the CBS-TV program “The Muppets — A Celebration BY JERRY RUFF LA CROSSE, Wis. (CNS) - After more than 30 years of reporting on this nation, CBS newsman Charles Kuralt says he’s found “a lot out there on the road to be con fident about.” In La Crosse to accept Viterbo College’s Pope John XXIII Award, Kuralt talked op timistically about the America he’s discovered, particularly in his series “On the Road.” Viterbo is a liberal arts college in La Crosse run by the Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration with an enrollment of about 1,200. The United States is not the “crises- ridden” nation found on the front pages of most newspapers, said Kuralt. “The country is not in flames. Many peo ple are still making friends with their neighbors,” he said. Kuralt was one of five recipients of the award, given annually to individuals who have exemplified the spirit of the late pope in providing outstanding service to the community, humanity and higher educa tion. Kuralt, who was presented with the award May 3, called receiving an award “with a saintly pope on it... kind of a rush for an old sinner.” Tuesday, May 29, 9-10 p.m. EDT (PBS) “The Dallas Drug War.” Rebroadcast of a 1989 “Frontline” documentary investiga tion of the battle waged by one neighborhood in Dallas to combat the drugs and violence that threaten the entire community. Tuesday, May 29,10-11 p.m. EDT (PBS) “The Truth about Lies. ” In a rebroadcast of the final program in the 1989 series, “Moyers: The Public Mind,” journalist Bill Moyers looks at how America’s political culture relies on manipulated im ages to avoid delving into troubling but critically important social problems. Wednesday, May 30, 8-9 p.m. EDT (PBS) “Gregory Peck: His Own Man.” Rebroadcast of a 1989 documentary on Peck’s movie career, featuring the actor talking about his professional background and various film roles, from “Spellbound” and “To Kill a Mockingbird” to “The Omen.” A “Hollywood Legends” pro gram. Thursday, May 31, 10-11 p.m. EDT (PBS) “Black on White.” The fifth of nine of 30 Years” with a 1987 Christopher Award, said in a May 16 telephone inter view that with Henson’s passing “the world loses a very special light.” “We thank God for the gift he brought to us in this good man,” said Father Catoir, who once hosted Henson on his weekly public affairs TV program, “Christopher Closeup.” Jesuit Father Raymond Baumhart, president of Loyola, who presented Henson with the university’s Sword of Loyola in 1982, said May 16 that Henson was “a great man” who was “good, human and humble” despite all his accomplishments. He recalled that when Henson visited Loyola to accept the honor, he stopped at the university’s Foster McGaw Hospital. “He brought Kermit the Frog and went over to our pediatrics ward and entertain ed the children,” Father Baumhart said. That night, in a brief speech, he captivated alumni and university friends attending a “We meet in the name of a great man, John XXIII,” Kuralt told a full house at the Viterbo Fine Arts Center. “The world remembers him so well, loved him, not just for his holiness, but for his humanity. We can’t all hope to have the saintly qualities of that pope. But we can emulate his love of human beings,” he said. Currently anchor of the CBS program “Sunday Morning,” Kuralt is best known for his “On the Road” series, begun 23 years ago as what he called a “three- month project” that no one told him to stop. During that time, he said, “the world has become more neighborly, human and just than it used to be.” Reporting on the lives of the not rich and not famous, Kuralt said the people he’s met “press upon you a cup of coffee, slice of pie, and great gobs of local history.” He thinks journalists should report the bad news as well as the good. “I don’t want to live in places where nothing ever goes wrong in the papers. “But the will for justice, humaneness, dignity — these impulses are stronger than they used to be in our national life,” he said. “We Americans carry with us the naive idea there’s a solution for every problem,’ ’ he said. “When something goes wrong, so episodes in a rebroadcast of the fine 1986 series, “The Story of English,” examines the roots of black English, from the U.S. slave trade to current developments in ur ban slang. Friday, June 1, 9-10:30 p.m. EDT (PBS) “Cinderella.” The Lyon Opera Ballet’s version of the classic fairy tale is peopled by figures both benign and fearsome, bringing to life the playthings of childhood — dolls, candy canes, wooden horses and wind-up toys. TV FILM FARE Sunday, May 27, 8:30-11 p.m. EDT (ABC) — “Diamonds Are Forever” (1971) — This time around James Bond’s adver sary (Charles Gray) is intent on cornering the world diamond market in order to finance still worse villainy. Directed by Guy Hamilton, the British production lacks the wit and wizardry with which the 007 series began and everything about this entry seems tired, including superagent Sean Connery’s performance. Usual styliz ed violence and sexual bypiay. The U.S. Catholic Conference classification of the $400-a-plate fund-raiser for Loyola’s Stritch School of Medicine, the priest said. The educator said he was impressed by Henson and, after meeting him, could see why “his characters were so wholesome.” The award-winning CBS special on 30 years of the Muppets marked “a personal triumph” for Henson, said Henry Herx, director of the U.S. Catholic Conference Office for Film and Broadcasting, in a review of the program. Henson’s program “had been turned down by the networks when he originally offered them ‘The Muppet Show,”’ said Herx, who had interviewed Henson. He noted that the series went on to become “one of the must successful shows in American syndication.” Henson also was honored by Unda-USA, an association of Catholic broadcasters and communicators, which awarded him one of its Gabriel Awards for personal achievement in 1981. meone forms a committee, hires a hall, as if there is a solution.” That attitude is especially strong in the Midwest, he said, where people do ‘ ‘unlike ly things” in the belief that “one man, one woman can make all the difference.” As examples, he cited the semi-serious and the sublime: a 78- year-old man who, thinking there should be “a straight highway from Duluth (Minn.) to Fargo (N.D.),” sets out with a shovel and an “old John Deere tractor” to build one. And then, he said, there are the La Crosse Franciscan Sisters and their perpetual adoration of the Eucharist. Kuralt first came to La Crosse 12 years ago to feature the 100th anniversary of their perpetual adoration. “Praying for 100 years is fairly unlikely if you stop to think of it,” he said. “People have come to see the grace and worth and joy of taking part in themselves, of binding up wounds, solving problems, attaining a level of spirituality,” he said. “So many Americans are concerning themselves, care about their communities and country,” said Kuralt. “I have hope we may be growing. Not just in the local community or in wealth. But in the way the sisters have in mind in that chapel — in wisdom and humanity,” he said. theatrical version was A-III — adults. The Motion Picture Association of America rating was PG — parental guidance sug gested. Monday, May 28, 9-11 p.m. EDT (ABC) — “Heaven Can Wait” (1978) — In a charming remake of the 1941 classic “Here Comes Mr. Jordan,” Warren Beatty plays a quarterback who dies prematurely, then thanks to a bungling angel (James Mason) returns in the body of an eccentric millionaire who has been done in by his wife (Dyan Cannon) and cloddish lover (Charles Grodin). Beatty gets back into shape with the aid of his former coach (Jack Warden) and falls for an Englishwoman (Julie Christie). Directed by Beatty and Buck Henry, the entertain ment succeeds in being very innocent, yet wise and funny. The U.S. Catholic Con ference classification of the theatrical ver sion was A-II — adults and adolescents. The Motion Picture Association of America rating was PG — parental guidance suggested. MUPPET MAGICIAN — Mup pet creator Jim Henson poses with some of his entertaining friends during a wintry outing. Henson, who died unexpectedly of pneumonia May 16, was honored by Catholic groups for his artistic contributions and rememered as “a very special light.” (CNS photo from UPI) Called "A Very Special Light" At Next Week's TV Programming