KINGSTON, R.I.-September 16, 1999 — The co-author and inspiration for the major motion picture Good Morning, Vietnam! will visit the University of Rhode Island to contrast the “real” story of his experiences with the “reel” story told by Hollywood, as part of URI’s fall honors colloquium series, “Legacies of the Vietnam War.” Adrian Cronauer, of Arlington, Va., will speak in the Barry Marks Auditorium, Room 271 of the Chafee Social Science Center on URI’s Kingston Campus, Sept. 28th from 7 to 9 p.m. Cronauer, a former Air Force Sergeant, served as a military disc jockey in Saigon during 1965 to 1966. He sold his tale to Touchstone Pictures and helped write a script for production of the motion picture Good Morning, Vietnam! starring Robin Williams, and URI graduate, the late J.T. Walsh. Cronauer also assisted in a subsequent special on National Public Radio about the role of the military radio in Vietnam which earned him a 1992 Ohio State Award and two 1991 Gold Medals from the New York Radio Festival. Upon graduating from the University of Pennsylvania Law School in 1989, he worked in a variety of firms, primarily practicing communications law. He currently serves as senior attorney & corporate vice president of Burch & Cronauer, an eight lawyer firm in Washington, D.C. Prior to his legal career, Cronauer worked in radio and television in a number of positions. He worked behind the scenes as programs director, operations manager, station manager, and senior management consultant. He also had his share of the spotlight as news reporter, anchorman, and radio and TV commercial announcer. Besides working in television and radio, he managed the Adrian Cronauer Advertising Agency from 1976 to 1979. A frequent speaker before colleges and universities, veterans organizations, bar associations, and business groups, Cronauer is a periodic guest on such nationally acclaimed television shows as the Today program, Politically Incorrect with Bill Maher, and Freedom Speaks, and radio shows such as the Jim Bohanan Show, and the Oliver North and G. Gordon Liddy program. Cronauer is vice chairman of the Vietnam Veterans Institute, a trustee of the Virginia War memorial, a board member and legal counsel to the Armed Forces Broadcasters Association, a member of the board of the National Vietnam Veterans Coalition, and a member of Mensa. URI’s Colloquium series runs Tuesday nights from 7:30 to 9 p.m. and is free and open to the public. Other speakers include Le Ly Hayslip, author of “When Heaven and Earth Changed Places,” Wallace Terry, contributing editor to Parade magazine and author of “Bloods: An Oral History of the Vietnam War by Black Veterans,” and television’s Peter Arnett. x-x-x For More Information: Jan Sawyer, 401-874-2116