Smart Family Fields Book, Movie Offers (Isn't that Special!)

Yahoo News ^ | 3/17/03

[areafiftyone]

SALT LAKE CITY - Hollywood loves a gripping saga, especially one with a happy — and astonishing — ending like the Elizabeth Smart kidnapping.

So it's no surprise that in the five days since the kidnapped teen returned home, the family's spokesman has fielded more than 3,000 media calls and received nearly 100 film, book or made-for-TV-movie proposals.

The potential audience for a real-life drama is enormous, if hits to the Smart family Web site are any indication. In the first hours after Elizabeth was found alive and returned home Wednesday, more than 3 million people had visited the site.

Her story, outlined by investigators, is a screenwriter's dream: Kidnapped at knifepoint — allegedly by homeless drifter Brian David Mitchell — Elizabeth lived with the self-proclaimed prophet and his wife Wanda Barzee for nine months.

Family members say she was so brainwashed she didn't try to escape, even when she had the chance.

Sharp-eyed witnesses recognized Mitchell and called police Wednesday. The suspects were arrested, Elizabeth was returned home, and people across the country rejoiced.

Mitchell and Barzee remained in jail Sunday awaiting charges, which could come as early as Monday.

Chris Thomas, a spokesman for parents Ed and Lois Smart, said they will begin to review production offers in the next few weeks.

"It's something that they're going to deal with soon. They're trying to figure this all out — it comes down to let someone else tell the story, or tell it themselves," Thomas said.

USA, ABC, NBC, CBS and Lifetime are all reportedly interested in obtaining rights to the story.

"It really covers the broad spectrum. I haven't looked at all of them, and I don't want to disclose specific names and studios or other entities, but we've been contacted by some really big names," said Thomas.

Rumors that John Walsh, host of the television show "America's Most Wanted," has been pushing Ed Smart for a production deal are false, said Thomas. Walsh has interviewed the father for his show and the two became close after Elizabeth's disappearance.

"It came up in a discussion between Ed and John, when Ed was asking John for advice on a number of things. John said, 'I'm not even going to go there. I've read rumors that I've got the inside source on this. I do have a production company and if you're interested you can talk to me, but I'm not pitching you. That would be a really tacky thing to do in my capacity,'" Thomas said.

Thomas said the family has not begun to consider a price, because they haven't decided yet whether to go along with any production, movie or book.

"Right now, their main focus is on Elizabeth and books and movies and exterior things are secondary," he said. "The family is being very calculated in every action, and weighing the pros and cons of everything with the predominant priority being Elizabeth's well-being."

[bonfire]

You are obviously keeping track of Utah Girl's posts. Little obsessed?

[Marysecretary]

I see 50-60 year old professors wearing them and all the old hippie women still like 'em!

[FreeTally]

The drawing didn't include a beard

Or a hat. The drawing shows a forehead and a perfect hairline. But she said he was wearing a hat.....

I dont know if a beard of that length could have been grown in 9 months. I have pretty fast hair growth, and can grow a pretty decent, thick beard in a month.

[Utah Girl]

No, the sketch shown on America's Most Wanted was a composite sketch down in conjunction with the SLPD forensic artist, and Ed and Lois Smart. At the time Lois Smart hired him to work on the roof, Mitchell was clean shaven, which is where the sketch came from, their recollections. Elizabeth was abducted five months later, mountaineer has posted a photo of Emmanual walking down a SL street, in robes, a beard, and longish hair.

My question is: did he cut his hair for the abduction? He was wearing a hat of some sort, he could have shoved the hair up under the hat. The beard? Was he clean shaven (did he shave his beard for the abduction?) Lots of untidy bits lying around, and I need to get a life. :)

[tracer]

Thanks/good points. Actually, it's virtually certain that at least 10% of the proceeds would be donated to the LDS Church in the form of tithing.

Much good could come from all of this, but it is distrubing to see that which is starting to look like a public relations nightmare for all involved that will do nobody good. I (FWIW) still pray for the best outcome of Elizabeth and her family and the many others in similar straits....

[Doc Savage]

In case you haven't heard, Ed(wina) Smart has decided to turn down all Hollyweird offers to portray his daughter's "disappearance" on the big screen.

Instead, Ed(wina) has reportedly sent his wife Lo(IQ) to downtown Salt Lake City to find a homeless movie producer and offer him him five dollars to come home and write the screenplay for his daughter.

The FBI is standing by for the next "disappearance".

[Alberta's Child]

Anyone who lived through the media coverage of that whole Tawana Brawley charade in New York about 10-15 years ago is understandably cynical about these things.

[FreeTally]

The whole sketch saga is a mystery. The police and the Smarts would never say if a sketch had been done. It was always "no comment" and "The police have asked us not to comment."

Not that I believe the particular theory, but I can see how some people formulate one(based upon this) that says she was "sent away to return at a later, specified date". Don't release a sketch until they "want" her found. Like I said before, this takes into account some pretty serious risks, so I can't say I believe(or want to) believe this scenario.

[sharktrager]

I was wondering if it was ever explained why those 2 shared a bed. The house looks plenty large enough for them to have their own beds if not their own rooms. And a girl of Elizabeth's age wouldn't seem to me to likely be fond of sharing a bed.

[tracer]

"Jim Robinson ought to figure out a way to charge for this kind of entertainment!"

The number of my Swiss bank account is US453526/98276363. The cost of my meds is breaking my back.

Hooyah!! And thanks for your support.... 8~)

[spectre]

"Just answer one question. Why are so many people anxious to believe the worst about people they have never met. People who have no impact on the lives of anyone but themselves and their families. This is not like Clinton, where we had proof that he was dishonest, and he had power over our lives. There, it was normal to see a conspiracy or an ulterior motive in every move. But to behave that way toward people who have never done anything to anyone else, and who cannot impact your life one way or another makes no sense at all. It is just wierd.

Hummm? It is precisely this type of liberal thinking that put Elizabeth in harms way. Her parents would have us believe it was a charitable act, hiring Emmanuel. That they were christian enough not to judge a book by it's cover, to look beyond the exterior of the man they hired and give him the benefit of the doubt that he was sane. So look where that got them?!

Of course, the other possibility is, that they were just trying to save a buck, and didn't care if he was a lunatic or not, at the time...

sw

[Doc Savage]

"Rejoice! She was lost and has been found"

What in God's name would lead you to believe that this is a "wonderful, wonderful family."?? Your characterization of "normal" and "wonderful" as applied to the Smart family is bizarre to say the least.

The Smart "disappearance" is clearly the end result of child endangerment by the mother and father. In a supremely misguided attempt to lend a "Christian?" hand to the less fortunate (read psychotic, panhandling junkies, alcoholics and con men) these two adults not only "extended" the hand of kindness, but placed the welfare of their own children in jeopardy by intimately exposing them to criminal grifters, we can assume on a repetitive basis. Your first obligation as a parent is to the health and safety of your child. A responsible parent does not even allow his or her child to cross a street unless they are with them for fear that some untoward accident might befall their son or daughter. How is it then that supposedly "intelligent" and "responsible" adults could expose their children to such jeopardy?? As for Mr. Smart's (read Dumb) tyrannical outburst at the GOP for their failure to follow HIS timetable in passing legislation, it was the first time since the disappearance of his daughter that he had assumed the "guise" of manhood and gave at least the appearance that he possessed some trace evidence of testicular tissue. The ruse, however, was so blatant and obvious, that no one could take him for real. When your daughter has returned, and the public has time to reflect upon exactly HOW and WHY she disappeared in the first place, you need to deflect that personal guilt by loudly and brazenly attacking innocent people. It was by this pattern of supposed "Christian" brotherhood that he and his wife had endangered the welfare of their own children. People who wish to help the "poor" have hundreds of options open to them each and every day which do not involve bringing psychotic reprobates in their home. One can offer charitable services to many different responsible church and civic organizations, make donations, campaign for change, etc., without throwing away common sense on some asinine "bring-a-bum-home-to-dinner" guilt trip. Mr. Smart would do himself (and all of us) a great favor by shutting up, taking a long cold hard look at his failings as a father, and pulling the plug on his obsessed 15 minutes of fame -something which is long, long overdue!.

[Alberta's Child]

"I know who you think I am. You think I'm that Elizabeth Smart girl that ran away."

--- Elizabeth Smart, in response to one of the first police officers on the scene after she was identified by several bystanders.

[FreeTally]

I was wondering if it was ever explained why those 2 shared a bed. The house looks plenty large enough for them to have their own beds if not their own rooms. And a girl of Elizabeth's age wouldn't seem to me to likely be fond of sharing a bed.

Having not followed this until last week, I never thought about it. I know in some of the posts made by Utah Girl, Ed Smart is quoted as saying the kids would routinely "sleep with each other" and they checked all the rooms before calling the cops.

[Arizona]

Wow! (Regarding your #46.) I never heard this before, thanks for reposting.

Those words are definitely not what you would 'send as a message' to a missing daughter. To me they seem more of an attempt to put a guilt trip on a rebellious child.

My gut instinct is in total agreement with you here: " I have to wonder what Lois knew and when she knew it. "

az

[RecentConvert]

Original post: "So, a young girl who mistook a gun for a knife, miraculously remembers several months later a very good description of the man?"

How in the heck could you even think I am talking about Elizabeth here?

Easy. You state in the above post that the girl who said the perp had a knife had previously said he had a gun (ie, "mistook a gun for a knife"). The only person who said the perp had a knife was Elizabeth. This fact was revealed through Ed after Elizabeth was freed. No one else had mentioned this bit of information until Elizabeth had been freed and revealed it to her father. Ergo, the only person who could have mistaken the gun for a knife could only have been one person: Elizabeth.

[tracer]

And that goes for your *&@# cat, too!!

[Conservative4Ever]

I am not unfamiliar with children being abducted. My mother and her older brother were abducted as children by their father. Took my grandmother 3 years to find them. She did. There was no John Walsh, amber alert, nor news media in those days. My comment on the braids was to express the fact IMHO the family were endeavoring to make her look younger than her 15 years. Nothing more. I am glad she is home with her family. I'm glad she came to no harm. However, I believe there is more to this story.

Red

[tracer]

It's disappointing that nobody has considered Professor Plum or perhaps Colonel Mustard with a lead pipe in the study. Maybe in the movie.....

[RecentConvert]

I believe he shaved his beard immediately prior to the abduction. He then disappeared in the hills for two months plus and when he descended the hills in late August/early September he again had a grown beard.

I posted two photos here