>> THAT IS WHAT I LIKE ABOUT IT.

I LIKE BEING BUSY.

MY NAME IS AND NOT TAVERAS, I AM A REGISTERED NURSE IN THE OPERATING ROOM.

I COMING TO WORK, CHECK THE BOARD TO SEE WHERE I AM HEADED AND THEN I AM OFF.

IT COULD BE VASCULAR, NEUROLOGY, PEDIATRICS.

WHATEVER IT IS, I JUST GO.

I FEEL LIKE THIS IS A GREAT PLACE TO WORK.

IT IS A LEARNNG EXPERIENCE.

YOU ARE ABLE TO GROW HERE.

♪ >> TONIGHT ON RHODE ISLAND PBS WEEKLY.

>> I LIKE TO SAY THAT RHODE ISLAND IS THE SMALLEST STATE WITH THE GREATEST BACKDROP.

YOU COULD BE ONE MOMENT AT THE BEACH, THE NEXT MOMENT AT A BEAUTIFUL CITYSCAPE.

THEN YOU CAN BE AT THE FRONT DOOR OF THE NEWPORT MANSIONS AND TIME IS MONEY WHEN YOU'RE MAKING A MOVE.

>> THE ROUGH CALCULATION IS THAT WE HAVE OVER 3000 HOURS IN RUNNING TIME OF FILM.

THE MAJORITY OF THE FILM THAT WE HAVE HERE, BECAUSE IT IS TELEVISION NEWS FILM, THOSE ARE VERY SHORT STORIES.

THEY ARE ON AVERAGE ABOUT ONE MINUTE LONG.

SO WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT OVER 3000 HOURS, YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT TENS OF THOUSANDS OF INDIVIDUAL NEWS STORIES.

>> IT IS COMMON KNOWLEDGE TO ALL THAT NONWHITES ARE RESTRICTED AS TO AREA.

>> AS TO WHY IT STORYTELLING IS IMPORTANT, THAT IS LIKE ASKING WHY AIR IS IMPORTANT OR WHY BREAD IS IMPORTANT.

IT IS BECAUSE IT IS WHAT WE DO AS HUMANS.

IT IS OUT WE MAKE SENSE OF THINGS AND HOW WE TALK TO OTHER PEOPLE.

PEOPLE REMEMBER A STORY MORE THAN THEY DO NUMBERS OR FACTS OR FIGURES, BECAUSE IT IS THE WAY IT -- IT IS LITERALLY THE WAY OUR BRAINS WORK.

♪ >> GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME TO RHODE ISLAND PBS WEEKLY.

I'M DAVID WRIGHT.

PAMELA: I'M PAMELA WATTS.

IT'S BEAUTY HAS LONG CAPTURED THE EYE OF HOLLYWOOD, MAKING IT AN IDEAL STAGE FOR THE FILM AND TELEVISION INDUSTRY.

IT MIGHT BE HARD TO RECALL ALL OF THE SCENES SHOT ON OUR SHORES.

TONIGHT, WE INVITE YOU TO TAKE A LOOK BACK AT SOME OF THOSE ICONIC FILMS AND A LOOK FORWARD AT REAL RHODE ISLAND.

>> MAY I SEE YOUR INVITATION PLAYS?

>> SURE.

HERE IS MY INVITATION.

PAMELA: FOR YEARS, RHODE ISLAND HAS BEEN CAST AS A STAR AND SOME OF HOLLYWOOD'S MOST ELEVATED MOVIES.

>> ARE YOU LEARNING ANYTHING ABOUT THE IDLE RICH?

PAMELA: AND RECENTLY, DISNEY HAS BROUGHT ITS MAGIC.

>> WE SHALL BE BACK.

PAMELA: HOCUS-POCUS TO WITH SARAH JESSICA PARKER AND BETTE MIDLER IS ONE OF THE LATEST FILMS TO FEATURE THE OCEAN STATE AS ITS MOVIE SET.

SO HOLLYWOOD IS IN LOVE WITH RHODE ISLAND.

>> I LIKE TO SAY THAT RHODE ISLAND IS THE SMALLEST STATE WITH THE GREATEST BACKLOG.

PAMELA: STEVEN FEINBERG, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE RHODE ISLAND FILM AND TV OFFICE SAYS IT IS OUR DIVERSE LOCATIONS IN CLOSE PROXIMITY THAT MAKE RHODE ISLAND A BIG DEAL.

>> YOU COULD BE ONE MOMENT AT THE BEACH, THE NEXT MOMENT A BEAUTIFUL CITYSCAPE.

THEN, YOU CAN BE AT THE FRONT DOOR OF THE NEWPORT MANSIONS.

AND TIME IS MONEY WHEN YOU'RE MAKING A MOVIE.

YOU CAN MAKE A PHONE CALL, WHETHER IT IS SOMEONE IN OUR GOVERNMENT OR A POLICE DEPARTMENT OR FIRE DEPARTMENT, ALL OF THOSE ARE AVAILABLE.

THERE IS NO RED TAPE.

WE ARE UNLIKE ANY OTHER PLACE, I TELL PEOPLE.

WE ARE LIKE AN OLD WESTERN TOWN.

EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY.

PAMELA: FOR FEINBERG, KNOWING EVERYBODY IN SHOW BUSINESS IS THE FIRST ROLE FOR HIM -- THE PERFECT ROLE FOR HIM.

HE GREW UP GOING TO LOCAL MOVIE THEATERS LIKE THE HISTORIC PODIUM IN EAST GREENWICH.

>> I USED TO COME HERE WITH MY DAD AS A KID AND WE WOULD SEE FILMS LIKE THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN GUN.

>> THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN GUN SHOOTS A GOLDEN BULLET.

PAMELA: FEINBERG BECAME A WRITER AND PRODUCER IN A LIE.

WHEN HE RETURNED TO RHODE ISLAND, HE PUSHED FOR THE STATE TO ADOPT A 30% TAX CREDIT ON WHAT PRODUCTION COMPANIES SPEND IN RHODE ISLAND.

TO ATTRACT MORE PROJECTS.

>> A FILM DIRECTED IS SHOOTING IN THE OCEAN STATE.

PAMELA: FEINBERG SAYS WE WERE ONE OF THE FIRST STATES TO OFFER THE TAX INCENTIVES.

>> AS A RESULT, WE BROUGHT TV SERIES HERE.

WE APPROVED WES ANDERSON'S MOONRISE KINGDOM.

IT WENT LIKE WILDFIRE ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

PAMELA: ORIGINALLY, PRODUCTS QUALIFIED FOR THE TAX CREDIT IF THEY SHOT MORE THAN HALF THEIR PRODUCTION IN RHODE ISLAND.

SINCE 20/20, THEY ALSO QUALIFY IF THEY SPEND AT LEAST $10 MILLION ON SITE.

IT IS HOPED THIS NEW OPTION WILL ENCOURAGE BLOCKBUSTER MOVIES LIKE MISSION IMPOSSIBLE OR JAMES BOND TO SHOOT MORE OF THEIR TRAVEL TYPE SCENES IN RHODE ISLAND.

IT ALSO ENABLED FEINBERG TO LAND A SHOW HE HAD BEEN COURTING FOR A DOZEN YEARS.

CURRENT HBO HIT THE GILDED AGE.

>> OF COURSE YOU MUST COME.

I INSIST.

PAMELA: FEINBERG COLLABORATED WITH THE NEWPORT PRESERVATION SOCIETY TO SEAL THE DEAL.

>> I WAS A DOG ON A BONE.

I WANT TO KNOW EVERY HOME, I WANT TO KNOW EVERY ARTEFACT.

I WANT TO KNOW EVERY COSTUME.

I WANT TO KNOW EVERYTHING WE HAVE TO OFFER.

I JUST WANT TO BE AT THE TABLE.

PAMELA: FEINBERG WAS FINALLY ABLE TO BRING EVERYONE TO THE TABLE, LITERALLY.

THE FILM COMMISSION THROUGH AN ELEGANT CANDLELIGHT DINNER PARTY RIGHT HERE IN THE GOLDEN BALLROOM OF THE NEWPORT MANSION KNOWN AS MARBLE HOUSE.

IT WAS A SCENE THAT WOULD RIVAL SOMETHING OUT OF DOWNTON ABBEY.

THE CREATOR OF DOWNTON ABBEY AND THE GILDED AGE, JULIAN FELLOWS, WAS WOWED BY NEW WORK.

>> I ACTUALLY LOVED IT.

I HAD A REALLY, REALLY GOOD TIME.

I LOVED THE COTTAGES.

THE WHOLE FANTASY OF NEWPORT REALLY COMPLETELY SUITED ME.

PAMELA: IT'S NOT JUST OUTSIDERS WHO HAVE FOUND AN ARTISTIC HOME HERE.

PRODUCTIONS OF EAST GREENWICH BROUGHT THE STORY OF RHODE ISLAND BOXER VINNY TO LIFE IN THE EPIC BLEED FOR THIS.

AND A MOVIE ABOUT RHODE ISLAND'S BONDED VAULT HEIST IS ALSO THE WORK OF THESE PRODUCTIONS AND TOM, WRITER, DIRECTOR, AND ACTOR.

TOM BASED VAULT ON A TRUE STORY ABOUT THE NEW ENGLAND MOB.

>> GROWING UP ITALIAN-AMERICAN IN A PLACE LIKE CRANSTON, WE DO NOT HAVE PROFESSIONAL SPORTS TEAMS IN RHODE ISLAND.

SO WE FOLLOW PROFESSIONAL GANGSTERS.

I ALWAYS PAID ATTENTION TO ORGANIZED CRIME AND I WAS KIND OF FASCINATED BY IT AND LOVED MOVIES LIKE GOOD AND CASINO AND THE GODFATHER.

THOSE MOVIES WERE IN MY DNA AND I ALWAYS WANTED TO MAKE MY VERSION OF AN ORGANIZED CRIME FILM.

PAMELA: RECENTLY, HE FOUND A DARK COMEDY THRILLER IN RHODE ISLAND.

JOHNNY AND CLYDE STARRING MEGAN FOX.

HE TOOK US BEHIND THE SCENES IN HIS CRANSTON HOME TO SEE HIS CREATIVE PROCESS IN ACTION.

>> I STORYBOARD WITH ACTION FIGURES.

I AM A BIG COLLECTOR OF ACTION FIGURES, SO HAVING THESE TOYS AROUND THAT HAVE ALWAYS BEEN A PART OF MY LIFE.

I STARTED BUILDING LITTLE MOCKUPS OF, WELL, I THINK THERE COULD BE A DOOR RIGHT HERE.

I THINK WE WILL PUT THE DESK RIGHT HERE.

PAMELA: HE THEN PHOTOGRAPHS OF EACH SCENE TO CREATE HIS STORYBOARD.

>> I TOOK THIS BOOK ON SAID AND I WOULD MAKE MY NOTES.

SO I COULD KIND OF TAKE THIS PHOTO AND FIGURE OUT THIS IS WHAT IT SHOULD LOOK LIKE.

THESE ARE THE SHOTS THAT WE NEED TO GET TO MAKE IT WORK.

PAMELA: A LOT OF PEOPLE MAY WONDER, CAN YOU MAKE A JOB OUT OF THIS?

>> IT WAS NOT ALWAYS EASY.

THE FIRST COUPLE YEARS I MADE MOVIES, I PROBABLY MADE $2000 IN MY FIRST TWO YEARS.

PAMELA: A STARVING ARTIST.

>> I MAKE ABOUT A GRAND A YEAR, SO IT WAS A DARK TIME AND I HAD TO DO A LOT OF CRAZY THINGS TO MAKE HONEY, LIKE PLAY POKER -- TO MAKE MONEY.

AND SELL BASEBALL CARDS.

AND DO WHATEVER I COULD TO MAKE ENDS MEET WHILE TRYING TO STAY IN THE BUSINESS.

BUT I ALWAYS TOLD MYSELF THIS IS GOING TO BE IT.

IT IS THIS OR NOTHING.

>> THE NEXT THING I WANT TO DO IS PUT THE CAMERA IN THE VAN MAYBE.

PAMELA: HE SAYS IN THE PAST DECADE, HE HAS MADE A GOOD LIVING AT HIS PROFESSION AND HE SAYS HIS CAREER ALSO BENEFITS FROM WHAT HE CALLS THE HOME-FIELD ADVANTAGE.

>> I HAVE MADE MOVIES ALL OVER THE COUNTRY FOR THE MOST PART AND THE BIGGER THE MARKET, THE LESS EXCITED PEOPLE ARE ABOUT WHAT YOU ARE DOING.

FOR EXAMPLE, IF YOU WERE TO SHOOT A SCENE IN A BAKERY IN LOS ANGELES, AND YOU SAY HEY, WE WOULD LIKE TO SHOOT A MOVIE.

THEY WOULD SAY GREAT, IT IS GOING TO BE FIVE GRAND FOR THE DAY AND THEY ARE GOING TO CHARGE YOU A LOT OF MONEY TO RENT IT OUT.

IF YOU'RE TRYING TO SHOOT A SCENE AT A BAKERY IN RHODE ISLAND, YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO CALL YOUR UNCLE FRANK AND HE MIGHT SAY YEAH, I GOT A BANK READ -- A BAKERY READ HERE.

YOU CAN SHOOT ON SATURDAY COULD BE CLOSE AT 1:00, YOU CAN SHOOT ALL NIGHT LONG.

PAMELA: JUST OVER ALL, HOW DO YOU THINK THE FUTURE OF FILMMAKING IN RHODE ISLAND LOOKS RIGHT NOW?

>> I THINK THE FUTURE IS BRIGHT.

IT IS REALLY COOL TO SEE HOME GROWN TALENTS AND DISNEY COMING TO TOWN.

YOU KNOW, IT IS REALLY GREAT TO GET THAT MIX AND I DO NOT THINK THAT IS GOING ANYWHERE FOR A WHILE.

PAMELA: AND STEPHEN FEINBERG AGREES.

>> THE GOAL IS IF YOU HAVE A DREAM, IF YOU WANT TO WORK HARD, IF YOU HAVE A VISION, THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU TO SHINE.

AND TO LIVE AND WORK IN A PLACE YOU LOVE, THAT PLACE IS RHODE ISLAND.

DAVID: THE FILMING OF THE SECOND SEASON OF THE GILDED AGE GETS UNDERWAY IN NEWPORT.

HOCUS-POCUS 2 WILL BE RELEASED ON HALLOWEEN.

AND A MOVIE STARRING KEVIN BACON AND WHITFORD IS INSPECTED TO BE OUT LATER THIS YEAR.

UP NEXT, THE RICH HISTORY OF FILMS IN RHODE ISLAND THAT DATES ALL THE BACK TO THE EARLY 1900S.

TONIGHT BECCA, CURATOR OF THE MOVIE IMAGE AND AUDIO COLLECTIONS AT THE RHODE ISLAND HISTORICAL SOCIETY HELPS US DIG THROUGH THE STACKS OF CELLULOID TREASURES AND BRING TO LIFE OUR STATES STORY PAST.

>> ANY DAY REALLY CAN BRING A NEW TREASURE.

I'M SORT OF ALWAYS DISCOVERING GEMS IN HERE.

>> I HAVE BEEN VERY FORTUNATE ON MY OWN INITIATIVE.

>> THE FILM WORK OF THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY STARTED IN 1969.

THE PUBLIC AFFAIRS DIRECTOR AT ONE OF THE LOCAL TELEVISION STATIONS, W PRI, HE APPROACHED THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY, RECOGNIZING THAT THE FILM A HAD OUT THE STATION HAD SIGNIFICANT HISTORICAL VALUE.

AND THAT THE STATION ITSELF WAS NOT NECESSARILY THE RIGHT PLACE TO HOUSE IT AND PROVIDE ACCESS TO THE PEOPLE OF RHODE ISLAND.

THAT STARTED THE FILM ARCHIVE HERE TO BEGIN WITH.

ONCE THEY SAW THE VALUE OF THAT AND SAW THAT THE TELEVISION STATIONS WERE WILLING TO WORK WITH THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY, THEY WENT TO THE OTHER LOCAL STATIONS AND GOT FOOTAGE FROM THEM AS WELL.

SO THAT WAS REALLY HOW THE COLLECTION STARTED, WAS WITH NEWS FILM ACCRUED >> MEREDITH VIEIRA, NEWS WATCH 10, FALL RIVER.

>> THEN THEY REALIZE THAT THERE WAS OTHER KINDS OF FILM THEY WANTED TO COLLECT.

GOING TO SOURCES LIKE THE NATIONAL NEWS REELS, PLACES LIKE FOX MOVIE CHANNEL AND THE PARAMOUNT NEWSREEL, THEY ALSO QUITE TRUTHFULLY PUT OUT THE WORD TO RHODE ISLANDERS, SO THEY HAD ARTICLES IN THE PROVIDENCE JOURNAL, SAYING WE HAVE STARTED A FILM ARCHIVE AND WE ARE LOOKING FOR THE BEGINNING OF THE 20TH CENTURY ON FILM IN RHODE ISLAND.

AND THEY ASKED PEOPLE TO DONATE MATERIALS THAT THEY HAD.

THE OVERWHELMING MAJORITY OF THE FILM HERE, PARTICULARLY NEWS FROM, HAS NOT BEEN VIEWED.

THE ROUGH CALCULATION IS THAT WE HAVE OVER THREE THOUSAND HOURS IN RUNNING TIME OF FILM.

IT THE MAJORITY OF THE FILM THAT WE HAVE HERE, BECAUSE IT IS TELEVISION NEWS FILM, THOSE ARE VERY SHORT STORIES.

THEY ARE ON AVERAGE ABOUT ONE MINUTE LONG.

SO WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT OVER 3000 HOURS, YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT TENS OF THOUSANDS OF INDIVIDUAL NEWS STORIES.

>> IT IS COMMON KNOWLEDGE TO ALL THAT NONWHITES ARE STILL MARGINALLY RESPECTED.

>> I AM CONSTANTLY DISCOVERING NEW FILM IN THIS COLLECTION.

I HAVE VIEWED LESS THAN 1%.

THERE ARE A LOT OF WONDERFUL FILMS THAT FEATURE CELEBRITIES.

WE HAVE HARRY BELAFONTE.

WE HAVE JOHN BYERS WHEN SHE WAS IN TOWN FOR THE NEWPORT OAK FESTIVAL.

PETE SEEGER PLAYING HIS BANJO AT THE NEWPORT FOLK FESTIVAL.

AND THEN WE HAVE MUCH MORE KIND OF LOCAL STORIES, THINGS RELATED TO SCHOOL WALKOUTS AND LOCAL CAMPAIGN COMMERCIALS.

QUITE TRUTHFULLY, EVERYBODY IN RHODE ISLAND KNOWS FRANK CAPRIO.

WE HAVE A FRANK CAPRIO RUNNING FOR MAYOR.

WHAT IS NICE IS THERE'S AN INTERESTING MIX OF THE VERY LOCAL AND THEN THINGS THAT KIND OF TOUCH ON A LARGER NATIONAL STORY.

WE HAVE FOOTAGE HERE OF A DEMONSTRATION AND KENNEDY PLAZA ON MARCH 20 FIRST, 1960 FIVE, WHICH IS WHEN THE FINAL SUM UP MARCH SET OFF AND IT IS RHODE ISLANDERS SHOWING THEIR SUPPORT FOR WHAT WAS GOING ON NATIONALLY FOR THIS LARGER CIVIL RIGHTS STORY THAT WAS HAPPENING IN THE COUNTRY.

THEY ARE DOING IT HERE IN PROVIDENCE.

ONE OF THE PEOPLE WHO SPOKE AT THAT DEMONSTRATION WAS A LOCAL CIVIL-RIGHTS LEADER BY THE NAME OF ARTHUR.

AND HE HAD ACTUALLY BEEN DOWN IN SELMA FOR THE EARLIER MARCHES.

SO WE HAVE AN INTERVIEW WITH HIM WHERE HE IS TALKING ABOUT HIS EXPERIENCE IN SELMA WITH DR. KING AND THEN COMING BACK TO RHODE ISLAND TO BRING THAT ENERGY AND THAT STORY BACK HERE.

>> THEY FOUND THEIR FREEDOM THROUGH SELF-EXPRESSION AND THROUGH DEALING WITH THIS MATTER.

>> TO ME, SOME OF THE MOST FASCINATING STUFF IS HOW WHAT WAS GOING ON IN RHODE ISLAND SPEAKS TO THESE LARGER STORIES.

HOME MOVIES ARE ONE OF THE BEST WAYS THAT WE HAVE TWO GET A SENSE OF WHAT A DAILY LIFE LOOKED LIKE AT ANY GIVEN TIME, BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, WHAT DID IT LOOK LIKE FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF THEPEOPLE WHO WERE LIVING IT.

SO I AM WORKING ACTIVELY TO CULTIVATE RELATIONSHIPS WITH COMMUNITIES WHO DID NOT PREVIOUSLY THINK THAT THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY WAS A PLACE FOR THEIR MATERIALS.

THAT ON THE CURE RATION FRONT IS A REALLY BIG PART OF MY JOB, IS BRINGING IN NEW MATERIALS AND MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE TELLING THE STORY OF HIS MANY RHODE ISLANDERS AS POSSIBLE.

MOST OF THE COLLECTIONS THAT ARE HERE ARE FROM THE MID-20TH CENTURY.

HOWEVER, WHAT MOST PEOPLE DO NOT KNOW IS THAT ACTUALLY, THERE WAS A FILM INDUSTRY IN PROVIDENCE GOING BACK TO REALLY THE EARLY TIME OF CINEMA.

BEFORE ALL PRODUCTION MOVED OUT TO HOLLYWOOD, CINEMA STARTED ON THE EAST COAST, PRIMARILY BASED IN NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY.

THERE WERE ALSO STUDIOS RIGHT HERE IN PROVIDENCE.

IN PARTICULAR, THERE WAS A STUDIO KNOWN AS THE EASTERN FILM COMPANY.

THEY HAD ACTORS WHO WERE ON CONTRACT.

THEY WERE TURNING OUT ONE AND TWO REAL COMEDIES EVERY FEW DAYS, FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, THEY WERE ALSO MAKING LONGER FEATURE FILMS.

THEY WERE A PART OF THE EARLY CINEMA MACHINE BEFORE IT ALL WENT OUT TO HOLLYWOOD.

ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT PARTS OF MY JOB IS NOT JUST TO PRESERVE THIS MATERIAL AND MAKE SURE THAT IT IS IN OK PHYSICAL CONDITION, BUT REALLY, I SEE MY JOB AS BEING ABOUT PROVIDING AS MUCH ACCESS AS I POSSIBLY CAN TO THIS COLLECTION AND THAT MEANS LETTING PEOPLE KNOW IT IS HERE AND LETTING THEM KNOW HOW THEY CAN USE IT AND THAT WE WANT THEM TO USE IT, TO TELL THEIR OWN HISTORIES.

AND TELL THE WIDER HISTORY OF RHODE ISLAND FOR ALL OF US.

DAVID: OUR THANKS TO BECCA BENDER AND THE RHODE ISLAND HISTORICAL SOCIETY.

WHILE HOLLYWOOD MAY BE KNOWN FOR ITS MASTERFUL STORYTELLING, THERE ARE MANY GOOD WAYS TO TELL A STORY.

TONIGHT WE BEGIN A NEW CONTINUING SERIES CALLED MY TAKE.

FOR EACH SEGMENT WE WILL SIT DOWN WITH AN INDIVIDUAL TO HEAR THEIR COLORFUL TALES AND SPECIAL INSIGHTS ON A TOPIC.

FIRST UP, WE MEET SOMEONE WHO KNOWS A THING OR TWO ABOUT SPINNING A YARN.

BILL HARLEY HAS BUILT A CAREER TELLING STORIES, WRITING, AND SINGING HIS SONGS.

NOT ONLY IS HE A FREQUENT PERFORMER AT SCHOOLS ACROSS THE OCEAN STATE, HE IS A TWO-TIME GRAMMY WINNER FOR HIS IMAGINATIVE CHILDREN'S ALBUMS.

HERE IS BILL HARLEY'S TAKE ON THE MANY ARTFUL WAYS TO TELL A STORY.

BILL: OUT UPON IT THE BRINY DEEP WHERE THE WET AND WILD WINDS BLOW, THERE LIVED A CRUEL AND EVIL MAN, THE PIRATE DIRTY JOKE.

HE SAILED UPON THE SCUM HE ASKED KRAFT THAT EVER LEFT THE DOCKS, HE ROAMS THE WORLD AND SEVEN SEAS IN SEARCH OF DIRTY SOCKS.

MY NAME IS BILL HARLEY AND THIS IS MY TAKE ON THE ART OF STORYTELLING.

ASKING WHY STORYTELLING IS IMPORTANT IS LIKE ASKING WHY AIR IS IMPORTANT TO ME OR WHITE BREAD IS IMPORTANT.

IT IS BECAUSE IT IS WHAT WE DO AS HUMANS, IT IS HOW WE MAKE SENSE OF THINGS.

AND HOW WE TALK TO OTHER PEOPLE.

PEOPLE REMEMBER A STORY MORE THAN THEY DO NUMBERS OR FACTS OR FIGURES, BECAUSE IT IS THE WAY -- IT IS LITERALLY THE WAY OUR BRAINS WORK.

>> HE FOUND HIMSELF ONE NIGHT NOT FINDING A PLACE AND THE WEATHER TURNED AND THE SNOW BEGAN TO FALL AND HE WAS ALONE ON THE ROAD.

AND THE SNOW WAS PILING UP AND HE THOUGHT WILLIE, WHAT IS GOING TO BECOME OF YOU?

BEING A STORYTELLER IS A BIG SKILL SET.

THE PEOPLE WHO ARE REALLY GOOD, THE ONES THAT I KNOW ARE REALLY GOOD, THEY ARE REALLY SMART.

AND THEY HAVE A FACILITY AND LOVE OF LANGUAGE AND I THINK THERE IS ALSO AN EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE THAT THEY HAVE ABOUT WHAT THE STORY IS ABOUT AND WHO THEIR AUDIENCE IS.

>> HE SAID YOU DON'T WANT TO EAT THIS?

AND I SAID WELL, NOT REALLY.

AND HE SAID THAT'S OK.

I SAID YEAH?

HE SAID SURE, IT IS REALLY OK, NO WHY?

IT'S FOR MY DOG.

>> EVERYONE'S A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT.

EVERYBODY THAT I SEE.

EVERYONE IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT AND THAT'S OK WITH ME.

YOU HAVE TO BE NOT AFRAID TO BE THE FOOL.

BECAUSE IF YOU ARE GIVING YOURSELF TO THE STORY, YOU ARE NOT REALLY WATCHING WHETHER YOU ARE COMING OFF ALL RIGHT.

AND I THINK THE OTHER ONE IS THAT YOU HAVE TO BE VULNERABLE ENOUGH TO LET THE AUDIENCE IN.

LIKE THIS RIGHT HERE, I'M NOT AFRAID OF THAT.

WHATEVER HAS HAPPENED IN THE PAST 50 YEARS DIGITALLY, IT IS NOTHING COMPARED TO WHO WE ARE AS HUMAN BEINGS.

I SEE THIS IN KIDS ALL THE TIME.

THEY SAY THEY'LL NEVER LISTEN.

I CAN GET A SEVEN YEAR OLD TO LISTEN TO A 35 MINUTES OR IF THE STORYIS WELL TOLD AND HAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH THEM.

IF THEY CAN RELATE TO IT.

>> I SAID WE ARE WATCHING THE OLYMPICS, WE ARE WATCHING THE HUNDRED METER RACE.

AND THEY FINISHED AND BROKE THE WORLD RECORD.

NOAH TURNS TO ME AND SAYS WHY DON'T YOU RU THAT RACE?

WERE FAST THERE'D I SAID WELL, I THOUGHT I'D JUST LET SOME ALLELES HAVE THAT.

-- LET SOMEBODY ELSE HAVE THAT.

WHEN THEY TURN 13, THEY JUST LOOKED AT ME, JUST LOOKS.

I SAY WHAT?

HE SAID WHAT HAPPENED TO YOUR HAIR?

AND THEN HE SAID AM I GOING TO LOOK LIKE YOU?

BILL: THE MOST IMPORTANT STORIES TO TELL ARE ACTUALLY STORIES OF YOU AND YOUR FAMILY.

THAT PEOPLE WHO TELL KIDS THE STORIES OF THEIR NAMES OR HOW THEY GOT THEIR NAMES OR WHO CAME BEFORE THEM, THERE IS A GROUNDING THAT GOES ON THERE.

THAT YOU CANNOT GET FROM THE MEDIA.

THESE STORIES TOLD BY PEOPLE WHO KNOW YOU ABOUT THE WORLD AROUND YOU ARE THE STORIES THAT ARE REALLY MOST IMPORTANT IN THE FORMATION OF PEOPLE.

SO YOU DON'T NEED TO TELL THE STORY AS WELL AS DISNEY OR AMAZON, BUT WHAT YOU DO NEED TO DO IS TELL THE STORY.

MY NAME IS BILL HARLEY, I AM A STORYTELLER AND THIS HAS BEEN MY TAKE ON THE ART OF STORYTELLING.

>> HE WORE A SCRATCHY SCRAGGLY BEARD AND HAT WITH ONE GOOD EYE AND WITH A TATTERED PIECE OF SALE IS OILY HAIR HE TIED.

A HOOK FOR A HAND, HE HAD THAT TOO.

HE FOUND IT VERY HANDY FOR PICKING IN BETWEEN HIS TEETH.

TO GET OUT STICKY CANDY.

PAMELA: FINALLY TONIGHT, A SNEAK PEEK AT WHAT IS COMING UP NEXT WEEK.

IN THE LATE 18TH CENTURY, A SMALL TOWN IN MASSACHUSETTS DECIDED TO CHANGE ITS ORIGINAL INTENDED NAME OF EXETER TO FRANKLIN.

AFTER STATESMAN BENJAMIN FRANKLIN.

IN TURN, FRANKLIN GAVE THEM A SPECIAL GIFT.

BUT IT WAS NOT THE ONE LOCAL TOWNSPEOPLE WERE HOPING FOR.

THERE ARE 31 TOWNS IN THE UNITED STATES TODAY NAMED AFTER BENJAMIN FRANKLIN.

BUT FRANKLIN, MASSACHUSETTS WAS THE FIRST.

>> THIS HAPPENED IN 1778 WHEN THE TOWN WAS FOUNDED.

A DOCUMENT WAS PRESENTED TO THE STATE LEGISLATURE FOR NAMING THE TOWN.

SOMEBODY ALONG THE WAY HAD CROSSED OUT THE ORIGINAL INTENDED NAME, WHICH WAS EXETER AND WROTE IN FRANKLIN.

PAMELA: THERE WAS LIKELY AN ALL TERRIER MOTIVE FOR THAT NAME CHANGE.

ACCORDING TO LONG TIME HISTORIAN JAMES JOHNSTON.

JAMES: WELL, LET ME TELL YOU ABOUT THAT THE LOCAL PREACHER OF THE CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH DECIDED THAT IF THEY GAVE THE HONOR TO DR. FRANKLIN, THAT HE WOULD GIVE THEM A BELL FOR THEIR NEW MEETING HOUSE.

MAYBE ONE OF PAUL REVERE'S SPECIALS.

THAT WOULD BE NICE.

PAMELA: THE BELL REQUEST FOR THE CHURCH PEOPLE WAS ENGINEERED BY POWERFUL MINISTER, THE REVEREND NATHANIEL.

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN REPLIED BY SENDING THE NOW HISTORIC COLLECTION OF BOOKS INSTEAD.

THEY WERE LOANED OUT FROM THE CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH AT VARIOUS OTHER BUILDINGS AROUND TOWN UNTIL THE FRANKLIN LIBRARY WAS BUILT IN 1904.

WHY DID HE SENT BENSON'S -- SEND BOOKS INSTEAD OF A BELL QUESTION MARK THE EVER CLEVER FRANKLIN EXPLAINS.

SINCE BEING PREFERABLE TO SOUND.

>> WITH A RATHER KNOW SOMETHING OF VALUE OR DO THEY JUST WANT TO LISTEN TO THE DINGDONG IN THE STEEPLE?

I GUESS THAT IS WHAT HE HAD IN MIND.

HE WAS RICH, HE WAS THE RICH GUY.

AND HE IS A GUY WHO COULD AFFORD TO BUY A BELL WITH READY CASH.

BUYING A BELL WAS A VERY BIG, BIG PROJECT.

I MEAN, THEY WERE EXPENSIVE.

YOU KNOW, YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT IN TODAY'S MONEY SPENDING UPWARDS OF $200,000.

PAMELA: IN THE BOOKS WOULD COST IN TODAY'S MONEY?

>> 10 TO 12,000.

PAMELA: OF THE ORIGINAL 100 16 BOOKS BENJAMIN FRANKLIN GAVE TO START THE LIBRARY, 93 REMAIN.

DAVID: THAT IS OUR BROADCAST THIS EVENING.

I'M DAVID WRIGHT.

PAMELA: I'M HIMMLER WATTS.

WE WILL BE BACK NEXT WEEK WITH ANOTHER ADDITION OF RHODE ISLAND.

AS WEEKLY.

-- I'M PAMELA WATTS.

UNTIL THEN YOU CAN GO ONLINE TO SEE OUR STORIES AND PAST EPISODES AT RIPBS.ORG/WEEKLY OR LISTEN TO OUR PODCAST AVAILABLE AT ALL OF YOUR FAVORITE AUDIO STREAMING PLATFORMS.

THEY GIVE FOR JOINING US AND GOOD NIGHT.

-- THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

AND GOOD NIGHT.

♪