The Film Makers

Completing a film is always a challenge.  However, our documentary’s director, Norm Anderson and the film’s producer, Jess Hill have proven track records of successfully completing projects at the highest level.

Norm Anderson (Director of the Donut Dollies Documentary - on left) and Jess Hill (Producer) as they prepare for filming in Ho Chi Min City, Vietnam
Norm Anderson (Director of the Donut Dollies Documentary – on left) and Jess Hill (Producer) as they prepare for filming in Ho Chi Min City, Vietnam

While still in his teens, Jess started working on film sets in various roles. After earning a degree in filmmaking and screenwriting from NYU, he worked on several feature films and then was involved in a company that created long-form projects for HBO, including “Alexander the Great” and “The Pacific.” Being bilingual, he helped develop two series, “The Flower Merchant” and “Titanic: Blood and Steel,” with an Italian company, The DeAngelis Group, and the Fremantle Corporation.  He recently completed work as producer on an untitled feature length film shot in Italy and Spain that will see international release later this year. Jess is very excited to be producing The Donut Dollies Documentary and has actually known Dorset since she babysat for him in the late 1970s.

Norm is a daytime Emmy nominated co-executive producer, writer and documentary filmmaker with credits on a variety of projects – from Discovery’s Shark Week to shows on A&E, CNBC, the CW, E!, Spike, VH1 and others. While earning an MFA from USC, he focused on screenwriting and documentary filmmaking and was mentored by Oscar-winning documentarian Mark Jonathan Harris. Since then, filmmaking projects have brought him to Cambodia, Malawi, Ghana, Europe, Peru and all over the States.

Furthermore, Norm’s personal connection to the project means his commitment to finishing the film is not only a matter of professional pride, but also a matter of deeply personal obligation.  In short, making this film is a promise he made to his Mom, so he’s got to keep it.

5 Comments

  1. DAVID JONES said:

    SWEET. Great idea for a doc. Now just need a great VO Talent to get the buzz & social media spin going.

    January 15, 2015
    Reply
  2. Bob Reilly said:

    I would like to locate the Donut Dollie that arrived at FSB Fuller (Dong Ha Mountain) after an NVA attack on 11/19/69, even before the wounded were medevaced. I thanked her and all of the Dollies by including her in a song I wrote:

    “Come Home My Vietnam Vets” –

    – a picture of my Dollie is at the 2:41-mark

    Thanks to this Donut Dollie for her extraordinary compassion and courage!

    Bob Reilly
    Vietnam Veteran
    1969-1970
    FDC
    US Army
    6 BN 33RD ARTY

    July 9, 2018
    Reply
  3. Eric said:

    Hello ladies. My name is Eric. I served in both Iraq and Afghanistan multiple combat deployments. When I was in my deployments, I wished we had Donut Dollies. I was a kid in the 1980’s and early to mid 1990’s and so my heroes I always read about were Vietnam Vets all branches. I had read about Donut Dollies and thought they were the most precious beautiful sweethearts ever. When my time came to serve after September the 11th, 2001, I wished I could have had a real life Donut Dolly from Vietnam write to me in Iraq and Afghanistan even just a letter. Though they were not from my time period, still, I longed for their all American sweetness, gentleness and their all American touch of sweetness. It was not to be as I couldnt find much about them during my deployments. I remember in the monsoon rains in Afghanistan, I wished I could have a sweet gentle Donut Dolly to talk to, just to hug and embrace, to feel her in my arms but just for a moment, to play a game of checkers with, just a yearning for a gentle touch of a 1960’s all American patriotic sweet heart that the Donut Dollies were. In Iraq, same deal. Many lonely moments where I wish I could listen to a sweet Donut Dolly read a book or play a guitar, or sing, I just needed their comfort. It was sad when I thought about the reality because during my tours in 2005 2007 2010 I knew the Donut Dollies were older gals already in their 60 by then and they probably couldnt make it out to Iraq and Afghanistan. I just kept their sweet memory with me on patrol through the rivers and mountains of Afghanistan and through the dusty god forsasken desert cities and dusty towns and farming hamlets of Iraq. I missed the Donut Dollies though I never experienced them. Im 43 now and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are over. But still, Donut Dollies, I have a very special request of you. If youre out there, I hope you would please mail me a photo of you as you were in the 1960’s as a Donut Dolly so I can have a part of America I so yearned for during my combat deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan. I hope you would have been willing to have been my Donut Dolly too during our wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. We needed you, but your time had passed in history. In our current time period, there is no such thing as a Donut Dolly. I hope to hear from any of you soon. I collect autographed photos of Vietnam vets Ive known throughout the years. It would mean soo much to me as an American war veteran of both Iraq and Afghanistan to receive a photo of some Donut Dollys as you were in the 1960’s specifcally addressed to me. I Hope to hear from any of you gals soon, you are such precious American treasures and I want you all to know that before anymore time passes and people pass away. Eric

    October 31, 2019
    Reply
    • Donna Farmer said:

      Eric: I was in VN in 69-70 as a DD & loved serving there. It was a volunteer position that I enjoyed more that anything I’ve ever done. I never worried about the danger as it was something I wanted to do. I met so many great guys and few gals serving this great country of ours. You did the same, but in a different era. Thank you so much for your service!

      April 13, 2023
      Reply
  4. Jim Hooper said:

    I am doing a major revision of my best-selling “A Hundred Feet Over Hell” (Zenith Press, 2009), the story of my brother’s aviation company in Northern I Corps. I’d be grateful to make contact with any of the Donut Dollies who were at Phu Bai in 1968-69, and remembers the Catkillers.

    August 25, 2020
    Reply

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