Also filmed in Metter, GA

My home town! Many of the film's scenes were filmed there.

The principal in the film was Aaron Swain, who was the principal for Metter Primary School at the time. I attended school with his four kids. His daughter Patty is shown waiting anxiously to see the principal after the scene with JMV in his office.

The school picture day was filmed in the Metter Primary School auditorium. The High School exteriors were filmed at the old Westside High School in Bulloch County (Statesboro, Brooklet, Portal, Register, and a few other towns). My father and his siblings all attended this school when they were young. The school had been closed for a long time when the crew showed up for filming, and the exterior was revamped for the shoot.

I was in junior high at the time of filming, but many Metter High School students were extras. Recall that this was filmed in the early 70's, when guys had longer hair that covered their ears. Any guys who wanted to be an extra had to cut their hair into styles popular during the 50's. Doesn't sound like much today, but back then it was a big deal for a guy to cut his long(ish) hair.

One bit of historical info: At that time, longhairs and shorthairs did NOT mix. They were completely separate peer groups, and rarely (if ever) intermingled. The "generation gap" was in full swing, and short hair wasn't "cool". It was interesting to see the longhaired guys with short hair.

As to any scandals, there was none larger than the the public's reaction to the finished film. It was the hottest topic in town while filming, everyone wanted to be in it. In fact, the Swains were involved in the film quite a bit. They were respected church members (as were many of the locals used as extras), and when the film opened....well, to say the locals were SHOCKED is an understatement. No one had any clue that the film contained explicit nudity, much less the full Monty!

Ah, memories....