Meet the Past
With Crosby Kemper III
 Kansas City history has been recorded in many different ways. Books, journals, newspapers, clips on radio and TV... these tell us a lot about the who's, what's and when's of our heritage, but sometimes they can seem awfully dry.
In Meet the Past, Crosby Kemper III, chief executive of the Kansas City Public Library, brings us a fresh twist on the whole notion of local history. He does it by interviewing famous figures in the grand hall of the Central Library.
Okay, the famous folks themselves aren't really available-since they've often been deceased for decades! But knowledgeable people portraying them are. And in the library's elegant setting the banter between host and faux guest gives a fascinating glimpse into days gone by.
For the pilot episode of Meet the Past, airing on Thursday, March 27th, Kemper's subject is Tom Pendergast (portrayed by UMKC Professor William Worley.) "Boss Tom" was the dominant force in Kansas City politics during the early 20th Century. His ability to influence elections was legendary ("vote early and often"). But don't call it a "machine" he chides Kemper, adding "you've been talking to the boys down at the Kansas City Star, haven't you?"
Pendergast, Harry Truman, Walt Disney, Langston Hughes, Charlie Parker and Annie Chambers... the list of possible guests for future installments of Meet the Past is lengthy and intriguing. Kemper and the library staff seem ready for the challenge. If the pilot program attracts sufficient production funding, a series of 12 more shows is slated to begin taping soon. |
