European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - August 25, 1986, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Tom Hanks Success has t changed him it not is Hollywood a emf four offic hit by Vernon Scott United press International new Star has risen in Hollywood bridging Itie Gap Between 1ho old guard Robert Redford and Iho new Breed Rob Lowes. Tom Hanks 30. Is a throwback to an Cartter generation who brings o mind the Young James Steward and Henry Fonda. He s also a Box Tolice phenomenon. Fout of his its live Pic lures have been wildly successful both critically and financially up asst Bachelor parly. Yoju leers and the Money pit. His fifth dim. Terr of Van with one fled shoe did t measure up bul his new picture nothing in common with Jackie glean. Looks like a Winner. Hands plays Good Guys caught up in comic situations from which he must eat Icale to Iselt with dash and Elan Tut still maintain his integrity the sort of character women Tove and men Admire. I like every single one of the Guys i Pfay he said. They Are Complex intricate characters who Are never Boring. And 116 to think there is something of Tom Hanks in them. To laugh of the same things and they re  in fix year Hank has Wared from starving actor in regional theater to movie stardom and More than $1 million per picture the transition has left Hank somewhat stunned but unspoiled. To Stilt lives modestly in the san Fernando Valley. He still drives a Volkswagen he often rides his Bike to his Pilish office at Columbia pictures everything that s happened to me has been a real kick in lha head a said. Hanks polishing off a tuna Sandwich was dressed in to Swit and jeans. A contrast to his Retegan i office. I Don t think much about the residual benefits of my work he continued. I Don t have time. The work the acting is More fun than All the other trappings. I m Lorl Unale o be in the position of having people seek me out. For a Long time no one came to me. My responsibilities have grown in direct proportion to the work i m doing. But in gels harder to find Good pictures without repeating myself the curly haired hyper kinetic wide eyed Hanks is not conventionally handsome but there is an appealing naivete about him a vulnerability Fiat compels audiences to care about his characters look at Alfil face he said with a lopsided Grin. How could i play a bad Guy this to no a crooked face. My characters play by the rules maybe they Bend them a Tittle but never break pm. They Are Guys who learn Tig lessons in tits average men who find themselves in non average situations. "1 walk a Fine line to foot Roeg to common it took discipline to stay honest to avoid becoming a Lampoon the part required the Rosl personal investment for me. I play a successful Guy who has More going for him than my other rotes. He had the longest Way to go. 1 had to rely on instinct a lot at the time. Instinct plays a huge part in what i do. Tempered by discipline and  so far Hanks has not been Caal in heavy drama although he has been offered several dramatic films. Comedy is King in movies today he said. You Don t win awards but everyone likes to Faugh needs to laugh anyway. Comet Fles make a lot More Money than the serious  Hanks is at his Besten screen in romantic scenes. His characters like Elrose played by the Youthful Fonda and Stewart approach women with a mixture of humor and affection. My characters respect  Hanks said they Aren t chauvinists and they Don l compete with women. They enjoy Success with tha ladies but Romance is More important to them than sex. I figure if i like the men \ play maybe other people will  Williams vows to quit if country music strays by Jim Lewis United press International of Williams the gentle giant believes the Urban Cowboy Tad almost kitted country music and promises to quit if the genre ceases to be family entertainment. Weems a future member of the country music Hall at Fame made his observe Irons during a rare interview at his Nashville office a son spoken Man. Williams reluctance to be interviewed is matched by a reluctance to beat his own drum. I think the older i get. The More i fee that Way. 1 Don t want to offend anyone bul at the same Lime i Don l want anyone intruding on my family and he time i have set aside Lor that Williams explained. Some people understand and some Don t. You just Hope Shat people who Don t understand Are not Loo offended by  it foams has an unbroken string of country hits dating trom 1972, including Don t you believe. The shelter at your yes corns Early morning. We should be together i would i want to lira ii you did t love me till the Rivers Bun dry lord i Hope this Day is Good and More than a dozen others. He had some unusually forceful things to say about the ejections of country music and its recent history. " yeah i listen to country music among other things. I Don t see much of a problem with country music fans and 1 Don l see much of a problem with country music artists Williams Sard. I sea the problem in tha business of country music. I think that country music was making real substantial gains at a healthy Rale until it became a fad. And once it became a fad we had Many people who jumped Ort the bandwagon and Many stations that changed their format and we had an influx of Rock Type people into country radio. And now that the fad is Gorta everybody 16 the stars and stripes is freaking out. They Don t know what to  Williams a native of Floydada Texas now living on a farm North of Nashville continued i think there s been a great Deal of damage done to country music. Country music had always enjoyed stability with country radio. Now we have rockers in there who Don t know who the Hank Thompsons and All Hose people  Williams also blasted the top 40 formal utilized by Many radio stations. Such formats keep the play list extremely limited and prevent the introduction of new songs. They Don t play the songs off the albums like hey used to. That Tiepel those artists who weren t on the charts in the minds of the fans. We be got Rock jocks in the positions of music directors program directors and qts. I Don t think they appreciate the value of country radio As it was just before it was a  it marry think the Ordinary country music fan wants More variety and nol a restricted play list. He also said the record labels Are pulling too much pressure on artists to sound not country to dress not country and to act not  but the greatest danger according to Williams has Matij to do with substance and Content. I Don t know what country is. We be always had the triangles and the drinking songs but when in comes to the five performance it was always a family event. And i feel in some respects we re moving away from that. If it gets far afield i won t have anything to do with it. If it gets to the Point where it s realty a drug scene. I la just do something  Azou his own music. Williams said he is constantly looking Tor new material hat pushes him. I m always Wor led about going too far. I try to keep that balance. My feeling has always been that i have to change. I want to change. There Are sounds and moods musical grooves if you will that i have done. I Don do those things just to be doing in. The song has to Call for it. I la always be looking for the song that stretches me. Monday August 25,1986 i always Hope that in stretching my fans wiil say that s a Little bit different for Don but i really like it rather than say Why did a do that " Williams has recorded Many songs that Are full fledged country music classics but he s still stretching 1 and still producing some of the Best country Muste around. County music Star Don Williams in Phou