Show - -- : - - - - - - - if I I " Z(1") at 5alit sake Zilhune 1-- Nov ' - 5-1- 1 1989 1 t rt '4" f f I rt 114 - 0 rle et 11111N1 Tribune Television Editor The generation of Americans who know little or nothing of the Ku Klux Klan will have to look farther four-hou- r miniseries "Cross of than NBC's two-paFire" to be enlightened but it will go far in explaining the circumstances behind the Klan's virtual demise in the the 1920s after having been a national g members power with some six million John Heard has a leading role in this story of KKK Grand Dragon D C Stephenson whose charisma was almost hypnotic yet whose excesses brought about his personal ruin It was Stephenson's monstrous attack on an innocent young woman in Indiana that resulted in a court trial which shocked America and (fortunately) dealt a body blow to the Klan nation-wid- e Mel Harris portrays the young woman Madge Oberholtzer who falls victim to the depravities of Stephenson whose arrogance is boundless and his cruelty roughly equal to that of a hyena (apologies to the hyena) "Cross of Fire" is strong stuff Others in the cast include Lloyd Bridges David Kim Hunter Caroline William Schallert NBC describes "Cross of Fire" as an "explosive and revenge set in the immediately after World War I when the country is in confusion and disillusionment as Americans return from war to restore their political social and economic equilibrium It was a time when the KKK began organizing a large base of followers who believe the country should rid itself of "undesirables" David Curtis Stephenson plays on that confusion and concern to enlarge the Klan's presence in Indiana So clever and convincing is Stephenson ("Just call me Steve") that in just a few short years he became an influence in national politics and openly boasted that he would be President of the United States in 1928 In the meantime membership in the Klan boomed Bigotry was all the rage and klansmen were bringing their children dressed in white robes and hoods to meetings The NBC drama exposes an incident in US history one which earned a newspaper editor a Pulitzer Prize for investigative reporting and one which will make an impact on audiences It airs Sunday and Monday on KUTV at 8 - ilk- r by Harold Schindler - 1110 lip I 41111141111 1 dues-payin- 0 ‘ ' fro it ' ' 11 I I 4 It 4 ' II iit '' Ir' Dzundza la 114-- it A ' '4 1 11 4 a 1 - ''1' t' l' ' ' b ' - 0 Ail— '4 s 4 Or - - i' 't 1111111t 1 ''' Ilii k LS k1 5 ) ' almost-forgotte- 4F' 11f — - 1 T 00011000000011‘ "It47 1 n pm Alb"-r- m ' 4 04 i 0 2': vi: I p 1' i44- - etki Iv - ' 1:1 I N ' tO : ' 1 44 ' or s 4 - r r ifI 1 4' iiiii p 'i -- e - ( Ao 4- - period i '''1 - r''' A 1 1 0” ' ' g - f-- - 0 t3 ill ) :) ef- 0 0 0 cd (1k 0 if Complete daily TV listings - fif Schedule of this week's sporting events 0 C) 0 ''l 1L-i -- I - ''' 4" Rmaninimumr V ' ' ' 24-ho- ur Television Crossword page 2 Highlights of this week's programs Page John Heard as Ku Klux Klan Grand Dragon DC Stephenson in 'Cross of Fire' r |