The Region - News from Dec. 9, 1986

A script supervisor on the “Twilight Zone” film set denied that she warned director John Landis that an ultimately fatal scene appeared too dangerous to film and that Landis had responded, “Shut up.” Katherine Wooten testified that she never approached Landis to discuss dangers in the upcoming helicopter scene, in which actor Vic Morrow and two children were killed. Her testimony in the involuntary manslaughter trial of Landis and four associates sharply conflicted with that of hair stylist Virginia Kearns, who had testified that she overheard Wooten warn Landis about the shot. Deputy Dist. Atty. Lea Purwin D’Agostino said she had expected Wooten to testify in a hostile manner toward the prosecution. “She’s biased in Landis’ favor,” said D’Agostino, noting that Wooten has worked on several Landis films. She said she called Wooten as a witness because, if she had not, the defense would claim she was covering up evidence favorable to Landis.