Paulist Father Ellwood “Bud” Kieser made a name in Hollywood in the 1960s and 1970s — unusual for a Catholic priest. He produced the long-running TV show Insight, a religiously-themed weekly anthology series that attracted prominent writers, directors, and actors.
Then, in the 1980s, Father Kieser, known as the Hollywood Priest, traveled to famine-stricken Central Africa with his friend, actor John Amos. The experience, especially seeing starving children, caused him to have a profound spiritual awakening to the poor. He soon became a voice for the poor and hungry on U.S. television.
“These kids [starving in Africa] — they would cry sometimes. But they were so fragile, you were afraid to take them into your arms,” said Father Kieser.
Paulist Father Tom Gibbons, 52, never met Father Kieser, who died in 2000 at 71. But Father Gibbons, raised in St. Lawrence the Martyr Parish in Chester, realized they had much in common while co-producing an hourlong documentary about him, “Hollywood Priest: The Story of Fr. ‘Bud’ Kieser.” Like his subject, Father Gibbons is committed to using media to advance Catholic values and encourage open dialog. He also is committed to serving the poor after witnessing their level of poverty. Father Gibbons is vice president of Paulist Productions, which Father Kieser founded.
“Hollywood Priest” features interviews with stars who knew Father Kieser, such as Amos and actor Martin Sheen. They both appeared on Insight, which presented 30-minute dramas that highlighted the search for meaning, freedom, and love from 1960–1983. Father Kieser also produced “Romero,” a movie about Salvadoran Archbishop Oscar Romero. He created the Humanitas Prize for writers who explore the human condition meaningfully. Father Gibbons also wrote and directed the documentary.
Father Gibbons was partly inspired to pursue priesthood because of his experience with the poor. He lived in the Long Valley neighborhood of Washington Township and attended St. Lawrence, where he was in youth ministry. Father Gibbons went to Loyola University in Baltimore, MD, where he worked with the homeless. After graduating in 1994, he served two years with the Jesuit Volunteer Corps in Phoenix, Ariz. He worked with immigrants in El Paso, Texas, and Juarez, Mexico.
“I was exposed to poverty — a level of suffering — that made me think of what it means to be Christian and Catholic,” Father Gibbons said.
Father Gibbons returned to Baltimore to work as a graphic designer and web developer, including for Catholic Relief Services. He met Paulist priests, who were “down to earth.” He was ordained a Paulist in 2012. In 2016, he produced a documentary on the order’s founder, “Isaac Hecker and the Journey of Catholic America.”
Father Kieser remains an inspiration to Father Gibbons.
“Father Bud tried to create a conversation between the sacred and the secular — bringing a Catholic voice into it but welcoming everyone. In Africa, he saw no salvation without the poor and lived that out. He never stayed in one lane in his faith,” Father Gibbons said.
“Hollywood Priest” will air on PBS starting May 1. Check your local listings.