THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, September 15, 1995 TAG: 9509130108
SECTION: PORTSMOUTH CURRENTS PAGE: 03 EDITION: FINAL
LENGTH: Medium: 61 lines
Chatterbox is a not-quite-newsy look behind the scenes from City Hall to City Park.
POSTSCRIPT TO THE MAIL - Moses Gibson, who retired 23 years ago after carrying mail for 30 years, found a whole new career in front of the camera.
Gibson made his movie debut in 1985 in ``Blue Velvet.'' Since then, he's appeared in a variety of films made in Virginia and the Carolinas: `The Vernon John Story'' starring James Earl Jones and filmed in Richmond and Williamsburg; ``Assault at West Point,'' starring Sam Waterston and Samuel L. Jackson; ``Love Field'' with Michelle Pfeiffer and a bunch of others.
He's in a new British production of ``Other Voices, Other Rooms,'' a autobiographical story by the late Truman Capote. It was filmed at Edisto Beach, S.C.
``It isn't being shown yet in this country,'' Gibson said. ``But it's one I'm real proud of.''
And there's another one that's been filmed but Gibson said he can't talk about it yet.
``I might end up on the cutting room floor,'' he said.
Acting has been Gibson's hobby all his life. The Tidewater Dinner Theater opened the same year he retired, so he signed on with them for some shows. And he's been involved with the Portsmouth Little Theater, even served as its president.
In addition, he has filmed television commercials for local companies and also appeared in a CBN film, ``The Lighthouse.''
RIGHT AT HOME - Jan Faircloth, the right hand of U.S. Rep. Norman Sisisky, represented her boss on the platform at the Portsmouth Public Schools' celebration of quality.
Sisisky was in a hospital recovering from an operation for colon cancer.
Faircloth was introduced as a former Portsmouth school teacher and said afterward that she really was happy to be part of the celebration.
Talkative, energetic Jan was a teacher here for 17 years, teaching little ones at Hodges Manor and Highland Biltmore.
``That was the hardest decision I ever made when I left teaching,'' she said. ``I loved it.''
HAD TO BE MAMA - School Board Chairman J. Thomas Benn III was a busy - but happy - man Friday when the schools celebrated quality achievement. In fact, he was so busy, he forgot to comb his hair after walking through the wind and rain to a reception at the Children's Museum, where he introduced U.S. Sen. Charles ``Chuck'' Robb.
When camera flashes started going off, a woman stepped up behind Benn, pulled him from the line of fire and handed him a comb. It was his mother who wanted her son, the School Board chairman, to comb his hair before his picture was taken with the senator.
Robb, who flew in by helicopter after the Senate votes on Friday, also was a little worse for the weather. He stuck out a foot to display a wet, muddy trouser leg incurred when he stepped out of the 'copter. by CNB