ROBBY HENSON: It's, it's Henson. It's not Benson.

KRIS KRISTOFFERSON: Henson.

(Laughter)

ROBBY HENSON: Robby Benson is an actor that did a lot of stuff in the '70s.

KRIS KRISTOFFERSON: I had a hard ride over here today.

(Laughter)

ROBBY HENSON: But we did this, this Civil War drama about a very private "civil war" during the American Civil War. And Kris, here, played sort of an Old Testament warrior/preacher.

KRIS KRISTOFFERSON: Yeah, I think it,I think it helped me get, get a role in "Lone Star" with John Sayles. It's the first time that I'd played that kind of a role. But the film, "Pharaoh's Army," was a, a wonderful script and became, was filmed very closely to the script. So-

ROBBY HENSON: And it, it seemed to come about, we got some, some public funding, you know, from NEA and ITVS and CPB. And, I don't know, what do you think about this public funding for the arts stuff?

KRIS KRISTOFFERSON: Well

(Laughter)

KRIS KRISTOFFERSON: I, I'm, I'm, the only concerns I have about the funding for the arts today is that there's so much threat to the continuation of funding the arts. I think that a society lives or dies according to its respect for, for its art.

ROBBY HENSON: I think so, too. I think it's important. And I'm actually, you know, sort of pleased that they, they saw "Pharaoh's Army" as being worthy and they, they put some-

KRIS KRISTOFFERSON: Well, I'm-

ROBBY HENSON: -funding

KRIS KRISTOFFERSON: -tickled to see it's getting some exposure, because, because it's one of the best scripts that I've come across.

ROBBY HENSON: Well, that's really sweet. Well, the actors were so good you know, besides Kris, we have Chris Cooper, who's also with Kris and-

KRIS KRISTOFFERSON: Yeah.

ROBBY HENSON: -was starred. And Richard Tyson, who's standing over there somewhere. And-

KRIS KRISTOFFERSON: Yeah.

ROBBY HENSON: Robert Joy. And, you know, these actors really came together to this mud hole, in the middle of Kentucky.

KRIS KRISTOFFERSON: The perfect mud hole.

ROBBY HENSON: (Laughter) And it rained and it rained. And the water, and the river rose up and washed the bridge out. But, did you complain too much? No, you didn't complain at all.

KRIS KRISTOFFERSON: I wasn't there long enough-

ROBBY HENSON: (Laughter)

KRIS KRISTOFFERSON: -to complain.

ROBBY HENSON: I remember one time you were sitting on a horse in a creek, and you were freezing to death. And-

KRIS KRISTOFFERSON: That was, that was-

ROBBY HENSON: Yeah.

KRIS KRISTOFFERSON: -that was, it was, it was just like the, the script, which was just like the country and the people, very severe.

ROBBY HENSON: Yeah

KRIS KRISTOFFERSON: Just like-

ROBBY HENSON: -severe.

KRIS KRISTOFFERSON: -the religious there, very, very severe religion.

ROBBY HENSON: Yeah.

KRIS KRISTOFFERSON: They had, they didn't have any decorations on their house. They didn't have any musical instruments in their church. It was very severe.

ROBBY HENSON: Yeah. And we shot in the spring, when the, the leaves in the trees weren't quite budding out, so it was very-

KRIS KRISTOFFERSON: Yeah.

ROBBY HENSON: The trees were austere and bare, and-

KRIS KRISTOFFERSON: Yeah, it had a real black and white feel-

ROBBY HENSON: (Laughter)

KRIS KRISTOFFERSON: -feel to it.

ROBBY HENSON: Yeah. But I, I hope people will turn out to see it, because we tried to do a very rooted, authentic, American drama. That's what we tried to do.

Well, "Pharaoh's Army" does have a web site. I think it's going to be on the "PBS ONLINE," whatever. But, yeah, visit the "Pharaoh's Army" web site. And I hope you guys will turn it on and watch this American drama.