Hannibal to be spotlighted on ‘CBS Sunday Morning’

Ron Chernow, at left, (with his back to the camera), is greeted by Hannibal Mayor Darrell McCoy during an author talk on June 29, at the Mark Twain Museum. The crew from CBS News Sunday Morning is airing a segment on Chernow and his new book, “Mark Twain,” during its weekly program, which will air at 8 a.m. Sunday, July 6. Spotlighted in this program will be Hannibal’s official 2024-25 Tom and Becky, at right, Korbin Asbury and Ainsley Ahrens. Contributed photo.

MARY LOU MONTGOMERY

A CBS production crew was in Hannibal during the Memorial Day Weekend, filming footage and conducting interviews during the town’s “Twain on Main” celebration.

Megan Rapp, executive director of the Mark Twain Boyhood and Museum, has received confirmation that footage filmed in Hannibal that weekend will be featured on CBS News Sunday Morning, July 6, the hour-long show airing locally at 8 a.m.

The television network’s attention focused on Hannibal following the release of Ron Chernow’s new book, “Mark Twain,” which went on sale May 13.

The book ‘leaped’ onto the New York Time’s Best Seller list. Attention aroused by the book has   predictably returned the spotlight on the town of Hannibal, which served as boyhood home for the world-renowned author.

For the segment, Robert Costa, journalist/national correspondent, interviewed Mark Twain, (aka Jim Waddell) Tom Sawyer (Korbin Asbury) and Becky Thatcher, (Ainsley Ahrens).

The author

Ron Chernow, whose biography of Alexander Hamilton served as inspiration for the famed Broadway musical, “Hamilton,” was in Hannibal on June 29 on the final leg of his national book launch tour.

“We had been working with Penguin Press, in order to bring Mr. Chernow to Hannibal,” said Megan Rapp, executive director of the Mark Twain Boyhood Home and Museum. “He was so gracious. We were thrilled to have him in the town that started all of Mark Twain’s most loved stories.”

During the reception, which included an author talk, “We were able to comfortably seat 110,” she said. “We wanted to have it at the museum to make the event special.

“We priced the tickets at the cost of the book, so people got a signed copy of the book with their ticket,” she said. The ticket also entitled those in attendance to a tour of the museum. “The exposure was beneficial, Rapp said. “We purchased the books through our gift shop, so any proceeds went straight to the museum.”

Chernow visited Hannibal during his research for the book, Rapp said, “and he had very complimentary things to say about how helpful the museum staff had been.”

On this trip, “he had time to sign books, and eat a quick sandwich” prior to his lecture. “He did visit with Tom and Becky,” she said. “He asked them a lot of questions. They were very tickled by that.”

Becky, portrayed by Ainsley Ahrens, was impressed by Chernow. “We talked about multiple things. He asked why we think other people should read Mark Twain’s books.”

As a true Hannibal ambassador, Becky aka Ainsley, said, “because (Twain’s books)  show how things were then (when Twain was a boy in Hannibal.) The words he wrote awhile ago are still relevant today.

She pointed out that Mark Twain spoke out against racism, “and his words still hold their meaning, which I think is impressive.”

Korbin Asbury, as Tom Sawyer, said that it was “crazy” to meet Ron Chernow in person.

“He was super cool. He’s written so many books,” Tom aka Korbin said. “Hamilton is my favorite musical; (Chernow) said he was so delighted to meet us.”

The young Tom Sawyer impersonator said that his favorite Twain book is “The Prince and the Pauper.”

“Mark Twain’s daughters acted it out. Whenever his daughters got in the library at his Hartford house, they would put on a show for him. They enjoyed making their father laugh.”

Mark Twain, in the feature segment, is portrayed by Jim Waddell, who as a Mark Twain impersonator of some 30 years duration, performs nine live shows a week, divided between the Mark Twain Museum and the Mark Twain Cave.

This is the second time he has been interviewed in the role of Twain by CBS Sunday Morning, he said.

The first was a few years back, when the CBS crew did a feature on Val Kilmer, and his one-man stage show titled “Citizen Twain.” Both Richard Garey, who has been impersonating Twain for more than 40 years, and Waddell were interviewed for this national broadcast.

“It is wonderful to be able to react as Twain,” Waddell said of his most recent interview. “He is still in everybody’s thoughts, and now a book concerning him is back on the national best seller list.”

Trisha O’Cheltree, director of the Hannibal Visitors and Convention Bureau, assisted with the planning for the TV crew’s Hannibal visit.