Karen Payne 73, Reluctant Pioneer and Role Model for the Unconventional Career
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Karen Payne 73, reluctant pioneer and role model for the unconventional career. by Nugent, jailed many months for IRA activities, to her mother. Payne wrote to Nugent's mother, explaining about her book. She later received an envelope with apparently nothing in it, but "two teeny little balls fell out as I shook the envelope. When I unrolled them, I saw that she had sent me the letters themselves." Between Ourselves was a bestseller, translated into Japanese, Braille and German. Payne decided to rest a while from writing, becoming involved again in the British peace movement. In 1982 she had married David Hawkins, a British writer. It was also this period which saw the beginning of her film career. A friend of hers, who was filming "The Grass is Singing," a feature based on Doris Lessing's novel, invited her to join the crew. She went on location in Zambia as "the lowest of the low"; but, as Payne explained, a "series of disasters" left her as the first assistant director. "In America they call that a short learning curve," she said. "I came back to has turned into something more. television; Payne is confident it England with about 10 years' film Payne partly attributes this move will come to American TV as well. experience that I got in three to her near-fatal brush with toxic But no more fum work, she swears months." shock syndrome later in 1986. vehemently. "It's always a misery. As an assistant director, Payne Recovery was slow and interrupted I've said after every film I ever coordinated the departments of the work she had recently begun worked on, 'never again'-and this the film unit, set up the day's on another film project, "The time, I mean it." shooting schedule and Turning of the Tide." Meanwhile, she is still hard at coordinated other aspects of the After Payne was well, work work in organizations devoted to filming. Certainly no staid office resumed on the film, now in the halting the spread of nuclear job; she must have liked it a lot, final stages of production. weapons. She considers neither right? Wrong! "It was hideous," "Turning of the Tide," which writing nor filmmaking to be her she said, shuddering. "Working in Payne produced and co-directed, life's work, she says. So what are Africa is difficult. We worked 16 "is not about holocaust, fear and her plans for the future? "I don't hours a day six days a week. On threat," she said, but about "how know," said Payne. "I'll try the seventh day we rested and people are positively facing the something new again-I've got worked only 10 hours." moral, emotional and political some ideas." All she will commit "Some things I love about dilemmas ofliving in the nuclear to the record is this tantalizing filmmaking," she said, relenting. age." idea: "I'd like to work in a place "I love the teamwork compared to The film is framed by interviews like Pitzer, in a small community the isolation of writing. It's also with nuclear weapons experts who devoted to articulating values 1 g09d because you make a certain have committed themselves to believe in-but, who knows!" amount of money in a short span working toward an alternative She laughs at the notion she of time-enough to take some defense solution. A retired U.S. might be a pioneer of sorts, or a time off and support yourself Navy Admiral, a U.S. national role model for others. "It's just," when you're writing." laboratory weapons designer, and a she says, "I'm constitutionally Other films followed, including retired Soviet army general are unsuited to having a real job! " dramatic and documentary among those who describe the - Elisabeth Duran features for British television. She turning points in their thinking came back to the U.S. in 1986 for about nuclear issues and the a visit and, once more, a short visit subsequent changes in their lives. "Turning of the Tide" has been sold to English and French 30 &31 Alumni Update Alumni Council Welcomes learned there, and the friends I Next year represents a change in New Members made." organization as well. Instead of Peters said she got a real eye breaking down into committees, Three new members-at-large were opener when she recently attended the Alumni Council will operate as elected last spring to the Alumni her class reunion. "I just wonder a committee of the whole. Each Council: Adi Liberman '79, how I missed some of it while I member will volunteer to work on Katherine Peters '74 and Henrie was there," she said. numerous projects, said Watkins '88. Peters is a professional singer Zetterberg. "We're really excited about our specializing in 20th-century 15th National Issues Forum new members and eager to get classical music; she is a private Draws Pitzer Friends started with plans for next year," music teacher as well as music said Director of Alumni Programs instructor at Fullerton College and Alumni, trustees and friends Suzanne Zetterberg '68. "We have Cal State Fullerton. gathered at the Beverly Wilshire a busy calendar, and we're pretty Henrie Watkins '88 didn't have hotel in Los Angeles last June for ambitious about what we want to far to go in joining the Alumni the College'S 15th Annual do next year," she promised. Council: since graduation, National Issues Forum. This year's Adi Liberman joins the council Watkins has served as director of speaker was Los Angeles Times after returning to California a year the College's new Early Outreach Pulitzer Prize-winning editorial ago; since graduation, Liberman Program aimed at increasing cartoonist Paul Conrad. has lived and worked in minority enrollment in higher Conrad spoke on "Satire Washington State, New York and education. Through the Eyes of an Editorial Washington, D.C. "I would like to see alumni Cartoonist," his trenchant "I have three reasons for more involved in things happening political commentary adding. becoming involved," he said. at Pitzer every day," said Watkins. another dimension to an audio "First, I have a really strong "We're Pitzer's past, even though visual presentation of his topical attachment to Pitzer-it was one we are concerned about Pitzer's and controversial cartoons. of those pivotal experiences in future. It's important for alumni Initiated by Eli Broad, chairman [my] life. Second, I feel incredibly to stay involved." of the board and chief executive grateful to Pitzer for the Watkins will soon enter the officer at Kaufman and Broad, scholarship help I received while I UCLA School of Architecture and Inc., and life member of the Pitzer was there-I'd like to 'pay back' in Urban Planning's program in College Board of Trustees, the some way. public policy to earn a master's forum is designed to open "And finally, I feel there are degree. "It will be a big change for discussion on major problems of some things missing for students, me," he predicts. "I'm so used to broad concern. Speakers are and I'd like to playa role in small schools!" chosen for their particular role in helping some of those things The Alumni Council hammered articulating important national happen. In particular, I'd like to out next year's goals at a retreat questions, offering a range of help alumni get involved in serving last March in Palm Springs. perspectives on these issues,. and as resources to students looking "Through programs, networking proposing solutions, accordmg to for career guidance." on and off campus and reunions," Carl Bandelin, vice president of Liberman spent the last year said Zetterberg, "the Alumni Development and Alumni working on the mayoral campaign Council plans to maintain contact, Relations. of Los Angeles City Council support fund-raising, contribute . The most recent speakers at the Member Zev Yaroslavsky and to the lives of alums, create alumm National Issues Forum include other city elections before his resources for the College, educate Tipper Gore, Harry Reasoner, Ted recent appointment as chief of Pitzer graduates on what it is to be Turner, Henry Kissinger, and a staff for State Assemblyman Tom an alum, and enhance and debate between Charles T. Manatt Hayden at his Santa Monica promote the College'S image." and Frank J. Fahrenhopf, Jr., then district office. Current Council membership is heads of the Democratic and Katherine Peters '74 says her made up of Sandra Segal '78, Republican National Committees. membership on the council is the president; Camille Lombardo '70, The evening raised $68,150 for first formal connection to Pitzer vice president; Isabel Halty Pitzer's scholarship fund. since graduation. "Part of my Cathcart, vice president; Chuck On the Politics of Life reason to be involved was to find Diaz '75, treasurer; Anita Ortega out more about Pitzer-today and Oei '75, secretary; and members-at "No country has the legal system in general," Peters said. "As a large Adi Liberman '79, Katherine to deal with the court cases student, you don't really know. I Peters '74, Henrie Watkins '88, reproductive technologies have was involved in my own growth Elena Maitret '83, Martha generated," Sharon Snowiss, and missed a lot of what's there. Quintana '83 and Sheri Rapaport professor of political studies, told a Through the years, I've begun to '78. Naomi Weiss '90 will be the gathering of alumni last spring. appreciate more and more what I representative from the senior She was referring to a court case class, while representatives will be pending over a divorcing couple's selected soon from the remaining three classes.