OLIVE BRANCH NATIVE BIT BY MOVIE `BUG'

OLIVE BRANCH, Ill. - Residents of Olive Branch may be watching the upcoming NBC movie "A Mighty Fortress" with particular interest. That's because Olive Branch native Herschel Coleson played an extra in 16 different settings in the film.

His parts range from a church-goer to a respectable member of the community to a torch burner yelling "Let's burn the witch."

"A Mighty Fortress" is scheduled to air April 15 on NBC at 8 p.m. It stars Mare Winningham ("St. Elmo's Fire," "Turner and Hooch") and Ben Cross (Barnabas Collins in "Dark Shadows").

Coleson, who lives in Alton, Ill., with his wife Wendy, said he'd always been fascinated by movies. "I went to the college where they were making the movie (in Elsah, Ill.) and submitted a photograph. They gave me a call," he said.

The movie was partially filmed in both Elsah and St. Louis. The film centers on the life of Prudence Crandell, a New England educator who faced prejudice and imprisonment for teaching black girls along with whites in 1830.

Although he moved away from Olive Branch in 1966, he said two sisters and brothers still live there, along with a number of nephews and nieces. "I'm sure they'll be watching the movie closely, as I will that night," he said.

Although Coleson said he had a lot of fun, the work was intensive. He worked 27 hours over a two-day period. The pay was only $50 a day.

"I have been asked to play an extra in the next movie to be made in St. Louis in the spring, The Untouchables II. I hope to be a gangster or a machine gunner in the movie. I must say the Disney Company was a great group of people to work for."

Coleson manufactures fishing supplies from his home in Alton.