Hollywood on the Ohio

You can go home again. Just ask George Clooney.

The Oscar-winning actor set the small Kentucky town of Maysville (population: 9,179) for the premiere last night of "Leatherheads," a football comedy he stars in and directed. Co-star Renee Zellweger joined him, as did his father, Nick.

Clooney chose the picturesque farm community at the Ohio River and Limestone Creek because, as we say in the South, his people hail from there. Famous aunt Rosemary Clooney made it her home, and George (actually born about an hour away in the "big city" of Lexington) spent some formative years there.

Ever the old school movie star, Clooney said he thought a whistle stop tour suited the period film, which opens April 4. And ever the gentleman (and skillful marketer), he posed with the locals for lots of snaps, giving the sewing circles and barber shops something to talk about for many months.