Actors and crew speak highly of the enthusiasm and dedication he brings to his work, of his patience and courtesy on the set. Bystanders tell of a man pleased to shake hands and sign autographs on his way in and out of Colony House, virtually on a daily basis. FOR SOME, the magic is less in Spielberg's good nature than the good fortune he has brought. Spielberg is alone atop Hollywood's A-list, and his pockets are correspondingly deep. Actors, crews and tourists must eat and sleep.
Sets require building materials.
Equipment not imported from Los Angeles or New York is rented locally. Such individually minor expenses as phone lines, pagers and fax machines all add up. And spending will not be confined to Newport, for over the next two weeks, Spielberg is also filming in Providence, as well as Boston and Connecticut. Yesterday, he shot in Bristol. Smaller productions already are booked to come, he said.