Greg Wood, a one time Charleston Daily Mail film reviewer and webmaster, wrote me that he was born in the same hospital as Breece Pancake and just a few days away. He sent me this link for a short film based on a short story by Pancake called “The Haymaker.” Wood sent this info in response to my e-mail telling people that for the first time in prime time, WVPBS was broadcasting Russ Barbour’s excellent documentary on a great WV author. Catherine Pancake, a distant relative, is thinking about making a film about the author. Pancake is best known for directing “Black Diamonds” about MTR mining.
Here is the posted description of Barbour’s film -
On April 8, 1979, Breece D’J Pancake committed suicide by shooting himself under a fruit tree in his back yard. After his death his collection of 12 short stories, The Stories of Breece D’J Pancake, was reprinted with a preface and afterward written by two of the professors who knew him at the University of Virginia. This Best of Outlook is drawn from the Bard of Milton, Russ Barbour’s film portrait made a decade after Pancake’s death.
Be sure to read Prof. Thomas Douglass’ excellent book on Pancake, “A Room Forever.”
More YouTube videos by Russ Barbour.
YouTube description of video called “The Haymaker”-
When an old friend returns from the Big City to settle a score, Wilson must use his wiles to get himself out of an impossibly sticky situation. Inspired by southern lore and the fiction of Breece D’J Pancake.
Very nice article about Pancake in Atlantic magazine.
Info from Kate Long’s radio series on WV authors, “In Their Own Country,” on Breece Pancake.
Subscribe to WV Film