President Clinton and Disney CEO Michael Eisner have taped a joint introduction to ABC’s “The Wonderful World of Disney” civil rights movie “Ruby Bridges,” which will air at 7 p.m. Sunday. Telefilm is based on the true story of 6-year-old Ruby Nelle Bridges, one of the first African-American students to integrate the New Orleans public schools in the 1960s. The story of Ruby being escorted to school by federal marshals inspired the Norman Rockwell painting “The Problem We All Live With.”
“Ruby Bridges” stars Lela Rochon, Penelope Ann Miller, Michael Beach, Kevin Pollak and newcomer Chaz Monet. It’s produced by Marian Rees Associates in association with Walt Disney TV. Marian Rees is executive producer, and Anne Hopkins is producer. Euzhan Palcy is co-producer and director, and Toni Ann Johnson wrote the teleplay.
Clinton and Eisner taped the intro to the film in the Cabinet Room at the White House, and during the intro, Clinton talks about his own experiences with segregation growing up in Little Rock, Ark.
— Jenny Hontz
