November, 2008
The Agency, Washington, D.C.
Shasta Lopez double checked the address and approached the modest brick building with a tiny zing of pleasure. She had heard stories of this place and was eager to finally contribute her own observations to the legends. As an historian, she valued accuracy and verifiable facts. As a member of a story telling family, she valued the details that put flesh on the facts, the observations that added nuances of meaning to dry reports. Her visit today would be recorded and filed, but it would also become a story which contained more color than the official report would allow.
Shasta favored lively colors in stories and in dress. Today, she wore a dark red suit with a vivid turquoise blouse which had random streaks of red decorating the silky fabric. She accented the suit with silver and turquoise jewelry – a wide band around her wrist, a tasteful twist of metal and stones at the base of her neck and dangling bits of metal and stones from her ears. Her hair was short and spiky, and her make-up was bold, but not garish. She might not be considered beautiful, but she certainly made heads turn in appreciation. She caught a glimpse of herself in a window beside the door and was pleased by what she saw.
She opened the door and stepped into an unassuming professional office. The reception area would have been suitable for an insurance office or stock broker's. It was small but tastefully decorated and there were comfortable chairs available for those who must be kept waiting. She signed in as required, presented her identification, and accepted a visitor's badge. The receptionist made pleasant small talk while pressing a discreet button notifying some hidden office that an expected visitor had arrived. She gestured Shasta toward a door to her left which opened as the receptionist pressed another button.
Passing through this door, Shasta encountered the typical security devices which were standard in every government building. She presented her laptop computer and briefcase to a marine for inspection, placed her purse on the conveyor belt and put her keys in the bowl provided. She passed through the security portal and was retrieving her possessions just as an elegant blond woman exited an elevator and approached with a smile and an outstretched hand, "I'm Francine Desmond." Her bright purple dress was muted somewhat by her flowing black jacket. Her hair was arranged in a french twist and held in place by a feather and ebony clip. Her vivid blue eyes smiled warmly.
Returning the firm grip with one of her own, she replied, "Shasta Lopez, Information Security Office, National Archives."
"Pleased to meet you. I'll take you up to the conference room. Did you have any trouble finding our office?" The elevator was oddly designed with a wooden door that swung open rather than the standard metal doors that parted in the center. She knew this had been the quirky elevator that had been disguised as a coat closet. Stories at the Archives from the old days included an episode in which one woman's elaborate hairdo and jewelry got tangled in the coats, and Milton told an absurd tale of moving files in such a manner that made the overhead shelf collapse. Lamentably, the renovations to install extra security features, improve accessibility due to A.D.A. requirements, and add necessary office space had altered that notable feature of the Agency's original design. Only the wooden door remained for a touch of nostalgia.
The reconstruction had increased security on the top floor and that area was now used as conference rooms for semi-public access. Adding conference rooms upstairs minimized the intrusion of visitors into the bustling work space below ground, and shielded the technology and operations from casual observers. Shasta had only a moment to regret that she had never seen the closet/elevator in its original state before arriving at the top floor and walking with her guide to the designated conference room.
"Let me introduce you. This is Amanda Stetson and her husband Lee, and Billy Melrose." Francine gestured helpfully as she said each name, and each one cordially shook her hand. Shasta was briefly amused by the thought that perhaps Amanda and Lee had coordinated their clothing for the day. Both agents wore autumnal colors of dark green and brown. Amanda's green sweater included accents of scarlet and yellow, while Lee's green jacket was complemented by a tie featuring green, yellow and burgundy medallions. Mr. Melrose was dressed more conservatively in a charcoal suit, white shirt and black and gray tie. "This is Shasta Lopez with the Information Security Office."
"Pleased to meet you and welcome to the Agency. Let's get started." Billy's low voice broke through the murmurred greetings. There was a shuffle of chairs, computers and note pads as the five of them settled around the table. The table could have accommodated eight people, ten if they got really cozy, and was surrounded by executive office chairs in black leather. Hi-tech gear was visible around the room, available as needed, but discreetly tucked away.
"Before we get started, does anyone object to my recording the entire session?" Shasta voiced the question as part of Archives' standard protocol. She received consent by various nods, smiles and comments, but the agents already knew that standard Agency procedure was to record all meetings in each conference room. They would have their own recording of this session. She adjusted her laptop to begin an audio recording.
"Ms. Lopez, we'll let you begin."
"Thank you, Mr. Melrose. As you know, classified projects are automatically declassified in 25 years unless there is specific cause to maintain a classified status. You recently submitted documentation requesting an exemption on Project Scarecrow - activation date October, 1983, which has prompted today's meeting. This is simply a meeting to review the nature of the classified information and the type of exemption requested. The information discussed today will be provided to a Review Committee which will actually make the decision to proceed with declassification or not." Shasta settled into the routine as she recited the familiar words. She had conducted this sort of review a few times, but as the newest employee in the department, she would not ordinarily handle an assignment of this magnitude. She licked her lips and took a sip of water as she paused for breath.
"As always, there have been personnel changes and public policy changes during the intervening 25 years, so we always like to hear the rationale of the original classification to provide a context for any application for exemption." This was her favorite part of the job. The files were often stuffed with facts and dusty statistics, but she loved getting the personal stories that made history come alive. Her dark eyes shone with pleasure and her high cheekbones were emphasized by her wide smile. "Time to dig deep in your memories and describe the context of Project Scarecrow."
Billy and Lee exchanged a look and the older man nodded to the younger one. The handsome agent pushed back from the table and stood. "Pardon me, but I think better on my feet. Since you work for the Archives, I assume you have a background in history, yes?"
"Correct, double major in history and political science, 3 years employment with the Archives. Your explanation will be reviewed by others with even better credentials. However, you do want to be thorough with any pertinent information."
"Fine." He adjusted his tie and brushed one hand through his silver-blond hair. "It actually started right after World War II when the House Un-American Activities Committee started a campaign to 'clean up' Hollywood. It's true that the entertainment industry has tremendous power to influence the public, but HUAC ran rough-shod over justice, careers, and reputations. The goal of protecting the public was good, but the method was heavy-handed and unjust. That purge finally ended but the lingering after-taste left a lot of bitterness behind."
He rocked onto the balls of his feet as he got more engaged with the topic. He paced and gestured. It was easy for Shasta to imagine him as a popular university professor. "During the 1960s, the intelligence community considered and discarded various schemes to monitor the film industry. In the 1970s, someone got the notion to send agents undercover into Hollywood to keep an eye on things. For instance, I developed a bio and backstory as Bruce Boxleitner and got a small part on the Mary Tyler Moore Show. Ed Asner was causing concern in D.C. and we needed some eyes and ears to judge whether he should be monitored. Based on my report, another agent was assigned as a recurring character on the show. Norman Lear was another person of concern. He was still small potatoes when an agent went undercover as Jean Stapleton and was cast in the role of Edith Bunker."
"Wait a minute. Please pardon my interruption, but let me get this straight. Jean Stapleton was a spy keeping tabs on Norman Lear?" Shasta had grown up watching reruns of "All in the Family" and this information demanded a significant paradigm shift.
"Well, almost. Emily was a spy who developed the persona of Jean Stapleton. Jean Stapleton didn't actually exist." Lee explained carefully. "Emily kept tabs on Norman Lear, Carroll O'Connor and various associates. She did a great job. When All in the Family finally ended, the cover story of Jean Stapleton was filed away. Some years later, Emily married into British nobility and continued her intelligence career with MI-6."
There was a short silence as Shasta absorbed this information. Ed Asner was openly critical of U.S. foreign policy. Norman Lear was the founder of "People for the American Way" which staunchly interpreted "freedom of religion" to mean "freedom from religion." And it was an insider's joke in Hollywood that Carroll O'Connor, who had played the ultra-conservative and bigoted Archie Bunker, held quite liberal views. These were influential men indeed; it was hardly surprising that the government felt it necessary to monitor their actions and associates. Free speech is a foundational value in this country, but deeds sometimes lead to action, and actions sometimes become treason. The agents exchanged looks among themselves knowing that there was a bigger surprise to come.
Billy cleared his throat, "Based on Emily's information, I was assigned to assist her and played a small role on All in the Family. I was undercover as an actor named Mel Stewart for the part of Henry Jefferson, a brother of the Bunker's next door neighbor."
Amanda swiveled her chair to face Shasta. "And I was handed the bio and backstory of Kate Jackson. I had major roles in two Aaron Spelling productions and compiled dossiers on various people in the industry. Spelling wasn't as out-spoken as Asner and Lear, but he pushed societal boundaries in his productions just as much as they did. The three of these television creators and producers had a profound influence on American culture."
"As Bruce Boxleitner, I had various roles such as Luke Macahan on How the West was Won and had small parts on other productions. Francine, too, went undercover as an actress. The thing is – we were successful in gathering information, but it was apparent that keeping tabs on Hollywood was not the best use of trained intelligence agents for national security." The room fell silent again as everyone waited for Lee to make the next point.
He heaved a big sigh and rubbed the back of his neck. "Then in 1980, Ronald Reagan was elected President of the United States. Let's go back to my first point about the House Un-American Activities Committee. While they were wreaking havoc on Hollywood, Ronald Reagan served as president of the Screen Actors Guild from 1947-1952 and again from 1959-1960. Some of his best political maneuvering was during those years as he navigated the storms caused by HUAC. He had very personal experience with the film industry – both good and bad. As President of the United States, he's the one who initially conceived the idea of Project Scarecrow." Lee glanced at his fellow agents for support before tackling this final point. "Ms. Lopez, what is the purpose of a scarecrow?"
"To scare away birds, I suppose, to keep them from eating the seeds in the fields, or to to keep them from uprooting plants while digging for bugs or worms." She didn't have a farming background but the answer seemed obvious to her.
"That's a good answer, but it's wrong. Birds learn very quickly that a straw figure is powerless and they are not driven away for very long. Even figures with shiny bits of metal that reflect the light, or streamers that wave in the breeze, are not very effective in scaring away birds. The actual purpose of a scarecrow is to make the farmer or his family feel good. People like making scarecrows and using them to decorate their fields. Their only purpose is to provide pleasure."
"President Reagan decided that the U.S. Government should use Hollywood for its own purposes. He wanted to boost civic pride and make Americans feel good about their government. This is the basis of Project Scarecrow and the genesis of the television series Scarecrow & Mrs. King. The show didn't actually combat predators any more than a scarecrow combats birds. However, it regularly presented clear good-guy versus bad-guy scenarios and the United States' good-guys always won. In the midst of humor and romance, Americans were encouraged to believe in their own government again. It's as simple as that. The classified information of Project Scarecrow is that an 80s television series was funded by the U.S. Government for propaganda purposes."
Lee's final point surprised Shasta so much that she burst into laughter and was joined by the agents. The shared hilarity broke through the stiff formality and everyone noticeably relaxed. It sounded like pure fantasy. Of course she knew from her college studies that Reagan's 1980 campaign pledge was to "restore the great, confident roar of American progress and growth and optimism." She shouldn't be surprised that he used stories and pretense as tools in that great quest. She wondered how much the "feel good" quality of this show contributed to his re-election in 1984
As her laughter subsided, she asked, "So the spy show used real spies to make Americans feel good about the U.S. intelligence efforts. Was this the first reality television show?"
"I think that honor belongs to Candid Camera, but, yes, Scarecrow & Mrs. King would fit in that category." Billy was relieved by Shasta's response and could only hope that the Review Committee would respond likewise. He anticipated retirement next year and hoped to get this classification issue settled prior to leaving the Agency.
"I believe that is the funniest thing I've heard in this job. I watched reruns of the show when it was on PAX. My mom was a big fan. Do you have time to tell me how it all worked? This is just amazing." She blushed to realize that, yes, the people in this room are the actors from the show and she hadn't recognized them. She inwardly awarded herself an "F" for observation skills.
"We used a mix of actors and Agency personnel." Amanda eagerly picked up the story as Lee settled in his chair. "Beverly and the boys were actors and the various victims and bad guys were all actors as well. We used a few Agency employees on the show, like Emily Farnsworth. Most of the directors and producers didn't know the true nature of our jobs. Steve Ross, CEO of Warner Communications at the time, knew who we were and the objectives for the show. It was a closely guarded secret at the highest levels of Warner Communications." Her eyes twinkled with fond memories as she recalled those days. While ordinary actors could have been cast in the lead roles, using agents served a dual purpose of inserting Agents into Hollywood while also coordinating the show's story lines with the federal government mandates.
"Shoot the Moon Enterprises was developed as a cover organization for the government. Since the U.S. government owned 51% of the show, Reagan was able to exert considerable influence. I was the titular head of that company, and took a lot of heat for decisions that other people higher in government made. Government financing and production decisions were 'laundered' through Shoot the Moon."
"Was it difficult to wrap your mind around the concept that Amanda Stetson was pretending to be Kate Jackson who was acting as Amanda Stetson?" Shasta could hardly believe the premise. She couldn't imagine how difficult it might be to live it for four years.
"You have no idea how wacky that was. Sometimes I met myself coming and going. Since we used our real names for the character names, it was easy to overlook the many times that we used the wrong name out of context. The weirdest part was that Amanda King was actually falling in love with Lee Stetson, and I had to convince Reagan's staff to allow the story line to follow the development of our off-screen relationship. I couldn't juggle more personalities and I really needed agreement between the off-screen romance and the on-screen relationship. To complicate it further, I wasn't sure about Lee's interest in me. He hadn't dated as widely as his on-screen character had, but I had to be careful to let the story arc follow actual relationship developments, rather than getting ahead of it. I was always afraid of assuming too much on Lee's part."
"You never told me that." Lee's amusement was evident by the brief appearance of dimples.
"Lee, how could I possibly be sure that you were falling for me when I was falling for you? The stars in my eyes might have cast stars in your eyes that weren't real, merely reflections of my own. If I had trouble juggling the Amanda/Kate/Amanda persona, it was multiplied exponentially by the Lee/Bruce/Lee persona coupled with our romance. It's a wonder we didn't flub our marriage vows in the middle of all that."
"The rest of us had it easy compared to you two." The blond reflected judiciously. "As Francine, undercover as Martha, who was acting in the role of Francine, I could go home at night and be myself. Lee and Amanda saw each other all day on set and then after hours off set. When we would have cast parties, or even production sessions at the Agency, I could see that they sometimes had problems stepping out of their acting shoes to be themselves."
"My cover as Mel Stewart playing Billy Melrose was complex, too. Besides being engaged in filming the show, I coordinated Agency efforts with Reagan's people and Warner Communications. Appearing on the show was much easier than juggling all of the hidden details for Operation Scarecrow. Of course, being on set 14 to 16 hours every day made it easy for us to access all areas of Warner's properties after hours as well. Some of those days were awfully long when we had to include surveillance or other intelligence business. I had to juggle the work as a manager, an actor, and an intelligence operative for four years. It's a wonder my wife didn't leave me." He ended with a hearty laugh, but he wasn't exaggerating the strain on the marriage. Retirement would be his opportunity to be fully devoted to his long-suffering wife.
Amanda resumed the story of their romance. "The show was absolutely consuming during the months of production. During the summer hiatuses, our private relationship could develop in a more normal environment, so the new season always reflected giant steps in our relationship. We became engaged during the summer of 1986, so Shoot the Moon forced the pace of our on-screen relationship in Season 4 to accommodate that. It was Steve Ross' idea to put the wedding in February for Sweeps Week, and that was agreeable both professionally and personally. Another closely guarded secret is that Lee and I were actually married during that episode. The taped version was reality television at its finest. There was a cake for cast and crew, and our families were on the set to witness our vows. To this day, I don't think any of the cast or crew have spilled the beans about our wedding to the public. I had cultivated a notorious preference for privacy that kept people from asking me too many questions and they have honored our request to keep quiet about mine and Lee's real relationship."
"Ab-so-lute-ly in-cred-ible." Shasta shook her head in awe. This was a lot to absorb at once. The agents waited quietly as she grappled with the shift in perspective. She could hardly decide which question to ask first. "The cancer – was that real or part of the scheme?"
"Unfortunately, that was real. There were endless discussions about whether to let my character die and continue with Project Scarecrow in some other way, or to maintain the storyline and work around the illness and treatments. Since the show's primary objective was to increase a sense of hope, letting a leading character die wasn't permissable. It's evident during the last episodes of Season 4 that we were unsure about the direction of the story arc. We had expected to use the summer hiatus to hammer out the details."
Lee took up the story again. "The real reason the show ended in 1987 was that President Reagan would not be running for re-election in 1988 due to term limits, and he did not need the continuing morale boost for the American public. Vice President George Bush was his expected successor and had no desire to inherit Project Scarecrow. Despite the real-life burdens of Amanda's cancer treatments, she was willing to continue with the show. However, it was Reagan's decision to end the project. He discontinued funding of the project in the 1988 Congressional Budget, and we all returned to the real work of fighting the bad guys instead of pretending to fight the bad guys."
"Wow, my biggest regret at the moment is that I can't tell my parents about this. My dad would love knowing that Reagan was the actual creator of the show. This is unbelievable." She shook her head in wonder. Shasta had heard some wild stories in the National Archives and had a strong sense of integrity about what must remain confidential and what could be shared. As long as this project was classified, she wouldn't breathe a word about it to anyone.
"Now that the backstory is on the table, we have a couple of issues to discuss." With a light hand on the reins, Billy turned the discussion back to its purpose. "We have a problem with Warner Brothers and their interest in releasing the show on DVDs. Francine and Lee assumed their undercover roles in 2003 to attend the 20th Anniversary Celebration of the first episode of Scarecrow and Mrs. King and again last month to attend the 25th Anniversary Celebration. At both events, they were asked about the DVD release. As actors, they know nothing about why the studio has not released the DVDs. As agents, they know that the release is not possible until the project has been declassified."
"There are fans sponsoring Anniversary Celebrations of the show?" The meeting was getting more amazing by the minute.
"Oh, yeah. Dozens attended the events and there are hundreds all around the world in on-line communities. I was surprised by their attachment to the characters. I had no idea that the show would have long-term impact. There were international fans who shelled out big bucks to travel to the celebration and folks came from all over the U.S. and Canada to be there," Lee reported.
"As Reagan conceived the show, it was only a bit of fluffy entertainment stirring up patriotism and hope. Twenty years later, we started getting calls from an Anniversary Committee inviting actors and production staff to attend a party. I couldn't believe it. There are internet fan sites, music videos, and fan fiction too." Francine had researched the fan base thoroughly and it was her recommendation that prompted the Agency to re-assign them to their undercover roles on a limited basis. "It was stunning to attend that event. I never would have suspected that this show would get that much attention. I think President Reagan would have been pleased as punch to discover that his morale booster had such a sustained ripple effect." Francine smiled broadly, celebrating their shared success.
"Oh, I think he of all people knew the lasting impact of good entertainment." Lee had admired Reagan's audacious plan from the beginning. "Amanda, I've forgotten. Why didn't you attend the 20th?"
"I was undercover in Barbados shutting down the Richardson scheme." She answered her husband and then turned to Shasta to add, "and for the 25th Anniversary last month, I was providing security on the presidential campaign trail. October of an election year is not an easy time for national security. The Secret Service needed extra female agents this year to provide protection for all of the wives and female candidates involved."
"The fans were all asking about getting the show released on DVD and as Bruce Boxleitner, I kept answering that I didn't know why it hadn't been released yet. I know the producers who attended the event plan to ask Warners about the DVDs and try to get things moving. Their questions will keep getting stonewalled until we can declassify the project."
Again, Billy spoke to get the meeting back on track. "The automatic review can declassify portions of the project, or all of the project. We propose that there be no restrictions on the show itself, only on the creative origins and purposes of the show. That would allow Warner Brothers to release the DVDs, without undermining Project Scarecrow."
Shasta shook her head once to snap out of story-telling mode and attend to the job at hand. She nodded in agreement, "That is certainly possible. I can see that revealing the origins of the show would not benefit the public good, and might instead cause a decrease in confidence in our government. In this case, we could consider it 'protecting the source,' which is an allowable exemption."
"Uh, Billy, there is another worrisome... detail, that I really hate to mention, but it's, uh, it's really important." Chairs swiveled as everyone turned again to Lee. "The Agency personnel that appeared on camera all had to sign Statements of Non-Disclosure. One of the girls from steno who made two brief appearances in one episode signed the form. I know she did. Both Francine and I can remember it clearly. But she managed to destroy all copies of her signed forms. Until we get her assurance of non-disclosure, we face considerable risk by releasing the DVDs." Lee and Francine exchanged knowing looks and she covered a betraying smirk with her hand as she turned away to stifle her laughter. She had forgotten this loose thread that could cause their project to unravel.
"Why would that be a problem now? She hasn't made her knowledge public yet. Why would releasing the DVDs trigger her to tell what she knows?" Shasta needed all of the details to be stated clearly for the recording.
"That, um... that gets tricky." Lee glanced apprehensively at Amanda. Sometimes the details about other relationships could be uncomfortable. "She appeared on the show as my girlfriend and had the expectation that her role would be greater – both on the show and in my life. She feels my relationship with Amanda was a personal affront to her and believes that she has been humiliated. She keeps claiming "breach of contract" issues saying that I had promised to marry her but that I reneged under orders by President Reagan. She has threatened to go public with all that she knows – or rather, what she thinks she knows - about the show if we allow the DVDs to be released. In her opinion, releasing the DVDs would cause her endless public humiliation. The tabloids would inflate her claims into a sensational scandal."
"Lee, that's ridiculous. It was a TV show." Billy laughed. "Even if we declassify Project Scarecrow, the fans would still be stonewalled because of a jilted girlfriend?"
"Yes, she's confusing the reality with the pretense and has expressed her anger several times to me quite clearly. The biggest problem is that I don't know where she is. It's never been a high priority to find her, but we'll need to obtain a new signed Statement from her before we can give Warner the go ahead."
Francine got her amusement under control and added, "She's gotten married and divorced twice – changing her name and even using multiple names at the same time. She's lived with relatives and friends, keeping a low profile for months at a time. I've never tried very hard to find her, but the quick searches usually come back with nothing. Now that the declassification review is forcing the issue, I'll be able to justify the manpower to track her down."
"Well, who is this woman? When Francine finds her, I'll just have a nice little talk with her and get her to sign the Non-Disclosure again." Billy rolled his eyes at this complication.
"Her name when she worked here was Miranda Beebe." Lee shoved both hands in his pockets and looked at the ceiling, counting the seconds to see how quickly his wife would figure it out. He was in the middle of "2 Mississippi" when Amanda's head turned sharply and her eyes narrowed ominously.
"Beebe? As in, Baby? Is this Randi Baby?" Amanda's voice rose in volume and pitch in unbelief. "Are you telling me that Randi Baby is the final obstacle to getting this show released on DVD?"
"Yeah." Lee winced as he saw the look on Amanda's face. "Randi Beebe is the only hold-up."
XOXOXOXOX