WILLIAM OBANHEIN
William J. Obanhein (October 19, 1924 – September 11, 1994) was the chief of police for the town of Stockbridge, Massachusetts. He was a member of the police force there for 34 years, 1951 to 1985. Obanhein was the “Officer Obie” mentioned in Arlo Guthrie’s 1967 talking blues song “Alice’s Restaurant”. Obanhein played himself in the 1969 movie of the same name, telling Newsweek magazine that making himself look like a fool was preferable to having somebody else make him look like a fool. Working on the film caused Obanhein to develop greater respect for Guthrie, and the two became friends for the rest of Obanhein’s life. Obanhein posed for Norman Rockwell (himself a resident of Stockbridge) for a handful of sketches, including the 1959 black-and-white sketch Policeman With Boys, which was used in nationwide advertisements for Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company (MassMutual). (More from Wikipedia)
Arlo Guthrie starred as himself in a movie called Alice’s Restaurant (1969) that brought the song “Alice’s Restaurant Massacree” to life better than anyone could have expected. It was directed by Arthur Penn whose other films include Bonnie and Clyde and Little Big Man. Other cast members include Pat Quinn, James Broderick, and M. Emmet Walsh. Stockbridge police chief William Obanhein (“Officer Obie”) appears as himself, as does the blind judge, James Hannon. Pete Seeger and his bandmate in the Weavers, Lee Hays are also in the film. Alice Brock has a cameo in the movie; as the song says, the name of her restaurant was never “Alice’s Restaurant” – originally it was called The Back Room.
(March 2016)
