'Billy' seeks pastors' blessing

By Tim Funk tfunk@charlotteobserver.com Newcomer Armie Hammer plays young Billy Graham. Stephanie Butler plays Ruth. On Sept. 2, up to 750 pastors and church workers are expected to crowd into the sanctuary at Calvary Church in south Charlotte – some of them driving in from as far as 60 miles away. They're coming not to sing, pray or hear sermons, but to watch a movie. “Billy: The Early Years” – the new feature film about Charlotte-born Billy Graham – won't hit theaters until Oct. 10. But the movie's producers, based in California and England, hope to build some buzz in the coming weeks by holding more than 50 such sneak peeks for evangelical “opinion makers” across the Bible Belt. Two nights after the Calvary screening, it'll be shown to pastors assembled at Pritchard Memorial Baptist near uptown Charlotte. All told, 13... [read full story]