Oral History Interview with Peter Werner
Title
Oral History Interview with Peter Werner
Narrator (written)
Peter Werner
Narrator First Name
Peter
Narrator Last Name
Werner
Interviewer
Matthew Libre
Abstract
Peter Werner, Dartmouth Class of 1968 (father Class of 1934), was born in New York City on January 17, 1947. Werner had an older sister and one younger brother, Tom, who later founded the Carsey-Werner Television company. Werner attended St. Bernard’s Boys School for elementary school before going to Hotchkiss Boarding High School. Growing up attending the movies regularly, Werner fell in love with film, which he would later study at Dartmouth and work in professionally. While at Dartmouth, Werner was a member of the Dartmouth Film Society, filmed athletic events, and taught a course on film through the Dartmouth Experimental College. Werner, like many students, became more politically active while at Dartmouth and notably attended the pro vs anti-war silent standoff on the Green in the Spring of his junior year. A member of SDS, Werner helped organize a walkout during a Jacob Javits speech for the 1968 Dartmouth commencement. After graduating, Werner served with VISTA [Volunteers in Service to America] for a year. Trained under Saul Alinsky, Werner worked briefly in Dayton, OH, before being transferred to inner-city Detroit, MI, where he helped organize activities for children and lived among them. Continuing to the American Film Institute after a period of filmmaking in Vermont, Werner successfully directed the Oscar-winning film “In the Region of Ice” (Best Short Film, Live Action 1977), influenced heavily by personal experience while working in VISTA. Peter has since been a prolific and successful director, and he teaches film in Los Angeles today.
Date of Interview
June 7, 2020
Subject
Dartmouth Alumni
Dartmouth History
Political Participation
Protest/Antiwar Activism
Volunteer/Aid Work
Language
English
Rauner ID
DOH-633
Rights
Interview Audio Source (MP3)
//rcweb.dartmouth.edu/DDHI/histories/werner_peter/werner_peter.mp3
Interview Transcript Source (PDF)
//rcweb.dartmouth.edu/DDHI/histories/werner_peter/werner_peter_transcript_final.pdf
HTML
//rcweb.dartmouth.edu/DDHI/histories/werner_peter/werner_peter_transcript_final.html