Ann Richards - Arts and Film

Arts and Film

One of Governor Richards' first legislative requests was to move the Texas Music Office (created in 1990 during the administration of Governor Bill Clements) and the Texas Film Commission (created in 1971 during Governor Preston Smith's term) from the Texas Department of Commerce to the Office of the Governor. Richards' longtime personal interest in Texas film and music greatly raised the public profile of both industries, and bringing these two programs into the Governor's Office institutionalized these industries as key, high profile parts of Texas' future economic growth plans. Other Richards music milestones include publishing the first Texas Music Industry Directory (1991), and her "Welcome to Texas" speech to the opening day registrants of the 1993 South By Southwest Music and Media Conference. She was involved with the Texas Film Hall of Fame from the beginning. At the first ceremony, she inducted Liz Smith. She was emcee every subsequent year but had to cancel at the last minute in 2006 because of her diagnosis with cancer.

Richards said, "I’ve been a friend to Texas film since the number of people who cared about Texas film could have fit in a phone booth." She was an advocate for the Texas film industry, and traveled to Los Angeles to market her state. Gary Bond, director of the Austin Film Commission, noted, "She was far from being the first governor to appoint a film commissioner; I think she was the first that really brought the focus of Hollywood to Texas."

She was also a mentor to other women. She advised Rebecca Campbell, executive director of the Austin Film Society, "Whenever you speak in public you’ve got to tell them what you need from them."

She put the spotlight on film as a genuine industry, brought more focus to Texas, and had a tremendous network of people in the entertainment industry. She brought the Film Commission into the Governor’s office, where it remains today. She gave more focus to film as a business than had been done in the past.

Evan Smith, editor of Texas Monthly Magazine and president of the Austin Film Society board of directors, commented about Ann Richards and the film industry:

• "I came to know Ann first as a moviegoer. I’d walk into various movie theaters and see the white hair up above the stadium seating. That’s how you’d know she was there. People do all kinds of things to get noticed in politics, but Ann wasn’t there for anyone but Ann. She was someone who loved the movies, loved the tactile experience of being in the movie theater, loved talking about movies, loved meeting filmmakers – I think she was more excited to meet filmmakers than foreign dignitaries. At the Texas Film Hall of Fame, she was as much a celebrity at that event as anyone honored. People paid money to see her as much as anyone else there. She would often ride down to Austin on the New York plane with the celebrities being honored. One year it was with Ethan Hawke. All she wanted to talk about, at the pre-party, was that “Ethan Hawke is so cute.” She loved him. This was not something that could be faked. She was starstruck. She loved these guys … (Watching a clip from Terrence Malick’s “Days of Heaven” at a Hall of Fame ceremony), she is mesmerized by this image. I mean, her eyes are glued to that screen. Again this is not something that you can fake. And she looked at me and she said “I love the movies” with this childlike voice, this passion. Standing next to me at that moment was not the former governor, a political swordsman... she was like all the rest of us, just someone who loved the movies. It’s a terrible loss for Texas in so many ways, but for the cultural community to have an advocate in that position, you don’t have that but once a generation, if you’re lucky." – Evan Smith

Ann Richards also lent her trademark voice and command of language to the screen. She narrated the popular and humorous documentary film "Barbecue: A Texas Love Story" for young Austin director Chris Elley, going as far as holding a big BBQ rib in front of her face for publicity photos. During the voice session, she even helped revise the script. In the audio booth, she pointed out a phrase in the original script that was too vague in her opinion by joking "What does that mean?! It doesn't mean anything. It sounds like something George Bush would say." Richards also voiced parts in the Disney film "Home on the Range" and the Fox TV series King of the Hill. Richards also appeared in the 1996 The West (documentary).

It is believed her last appearance in film was in a short public announcement used at the Alamo Drafthouse asking patrons to not be disruptive during the film. The Alamo Drafthouse still uses it today, with an addition at the end in honor of Ann Richards.

Ann Richards was active in the Austin City Limits Festivals, and the South by Southwest (SXSW) Festival: the interactive, music, and film festival, held each year in Austin.