"God has a sense of humor," said actress Kelly McGillis during a special Saturday fundraiser for Ephrata Performing Arts Center.
"When I was doing 'Witness' [in Lancaster County in 1984], I was so scared, I started drinking. I was in a movie opposite Harrison freakin' Ford, Indiana Jones, and I was terrified all the time. I think God brought me back here for a do-over."
McGillis, 50, of Mohnton, is much calmer now. She's a stay-at-home mom doing occasional film or TV roles in series like "The L Word." Originally from California, she's lived in Berks County for seven years, partly, she told an audience of more than 150 friends and fans, to escape the fame-induced demons of drugs and alcohol.
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"I still love acting," she told Ruth. "But now I know it's acting. It's no longer life-and-death to me."
Sitting in a pair of plush wing chairs, center stage, the pair covered topics ranging from pets and hobbies to leading men.
"The only time I got to kiss a guy with my shoes on was with John Goodman in 'The Babe,' " McGillis said. "The rest of the time, I was barefoot or wearing fuzzy slippers [out of camera range]. At 5'10, I'd tower over Tom Cruise [in 'Top Gun'] or Harrison Ford [in 'Witness'] if I wore heels. I even wore flats tonight," McGillis told Ruth, "Because I didn't know how tall you'd be."
Among those excited to see the still statuesque actress in person was Lancaster truck driver (now truck inspector) Palmer "Shorty" Fogelsonger, 84. He worked as McGillis' chauffeur when she was in Lancaster filming "Witness."
"I just wanted to see you again," he told the actress from the talk-back microphone. "And I hope you enjoy seeing the area."
"I live here," McGillis gently reminded him.
"Do you remember me?" asked Samuel Stoltzfus, 42, of Bart Township. Now a member of a New Order Amish-Mennonite congregation, Stoltzfus was 19 when McGillis spent a week living with his family as she prepared for her role as Amish woman Rachel Lapp. "I thought maybe after 'Witness' you might come back and marry an Amishman."
McGillis remembered Stoltzfus, but not some of the details he recalled about her visit: "The Amish bishop came and told us you had to go because you were an actress. And during the barn-raising scene, right across from our farm in Strasburg, you took me and my brother down to your camper to have a beer."
Stoltzfus said he keeps a treasured copy of the movie "Witness" in his home safe. "It's that precious to me."
When the next questioner came to the microphone, she quickly announced: "Kelly, we've never met before."
"Thank you," said McGillis with a laugh. "I was starting to perspire."
Ruth, former Sunday News entertainment editor, touted McGillis as both a "matriculator and supporter of community theater" as he led her through her life on stage and in front of the camera. "I started acting in high school by a fluke," she told him. "I just needed an extra credit."
She spoke of early waitressing jobs in New York City, her first professional acting gig on the stage in Central Park for $50 a week, and of secretly tape recording people in Central Market before the start of filming for "Witness" so she could master an Amish accent. She even joked about the nudity she had to do for films, including "Witness."
"[Director] Peter [Weir] told me to just do it. So I did. Later, my dad told me I had nice breasts. After that, I decided there were no more limits."
As for fame, McGillis said, "I never aspired to it. I wanted to be an actress. But after 'Top Gun,' I couldn't go anywhere in private. It was awful. Being famous begins to define you. It's both exhilarating and terrifying. You can get lost in it. People think you have all the answers. But you don't."
Marty Crisp is staff writer for the Sunday News. Her e-mail address is mcrisp@lnpnews.com.
