When I arrived home to the farm last Thursday, I had a special FedEx envelope waiting for me on the back porch from Universal Pictures.

Inside, an exclusive invitation to the world premiere of "Public Enemies" at 7 p.m. Thursday at AMC River East 21 in downtown Chicago. The invite also includes the official after party across the street at River East Art Center, sponsored by Cartier.

Yes, this is the information so many readers have been emailing me for and calling about for weeks.

I've mentioned it previously in a few columns how I happened upon a speaking role in the film, playing -- what else -- a newspaper reporter.

According to the script and promised film credit, specifically, Reporter Number 3.

The real fun for me in taking a break from the newsroom for a few days to see the other side of the stories I so often write about, was the chance to wear a different hat.

In this case, I had the honor of wearing famed gossip columnist Walter Winchell's real fedora and his "W W"-engraved silver cufflinks, which I bought years ago at an estate sale, courtesy of radio personality Joe Franklin.

Two-time Oscar winner Colleen Atwood, who won her first statuette in 2003 for best costume design for "Chicago" and her matching little man in 2006 for "Memoirs of a Geisha," created the costumes for "Public Enemies," and she and director Michael Mann gave the thumbs up for me to peer out from under Winchell's brim at Depp during the three days I was on the film set, first in Columbus, Wis., and then in Crown Point in Spring 2008.

And yes, I plan to wear Winchell's hat while walking the red carpet Thursday, joined by the farmer's daughter from down the road Amy Scamerhorn, who now lives in Indianapolis and works as a high school Spanish teacher.

Attending the premiere will be Mann, joined by the film's stars, Johnny Depp, who plays John Dillinger, Oscar winner Marion Cotillard, who plays his moll, and Christian Bale, who plays FBI agent Melvin Purvis.

While in town, I'm told by Universal Pictures publicists Eric Gonzalez and Jill Wheeler, the security for the event will be tight and principal actors and actresses will begin doing press interviews as part of the office press junket on Thursday and finishing up by Saturday.

Of all of the emails and voice mails I've received from eager fans of this film and Depp, my favorite one comes from reader Cindy Palm of Elgin, Ill.

Hello!

I'm not sure if you remember me, but we met at the Crown Point jail during the filming of "Public Enemies."

I was one of the many fans standing across the street and you were gracious enough to get costume designer Colleen Atwood to sign a book I brought.

I will never forget how kind you were to do that for me!

I'm writing to you today hoping you can provide me with some information.

I am hearing thunderous rumors of press junkets and screenings for PE coming up very soon. I live in the Chicago area and would love to get a glimpse of the cast just one last time before all of this hoopla fades forever into the sunset.

Do you happen to know which theater will host this event or where it is taking place?

Also do you have any information on where the press junket will take place?

You know I'm not a crazy, scary kind of person. Any details you can pass on would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you for your assistance. And by the way, I've enjoyed seeing you in the TV commercials and the movie trailers. You are easy to spot and look great on screen. Cindy Palm, Elgin, IL

Thank you for your email (s) Cindy. I hope you, as well as other Times readers, find the information in the above column interesting and helpful. As for the location for the Chicago media junket and interviews, as a courtesy to Universal Pictures, that information is better left out of print. I hope you enjoy the film!

The opinions expressed are solely those of the writer. He can be reached at philip.potempa@nwi.com or 219.852.4327.

Today's Celebrity Birthdays

Actor Bill Cobbs is 74. Author Erich Segal ("Love Story") is 72. Author Joyce Carol Oates is 71. Actor Corin Redgrave (brother of Lynn and Vanessa, "A Man for All Seasons") and country singer Billy "Crash" Craddock are 70. Songwriter Lamont Dozier is 68. Singer Eddie Levert of The O'Jays is 67. Actress Joan Van Ark is 66. Singer James Smith of The Stylistics is 59. Singer Gino Vannelli is 57. Actress Valerie Mahaffey ("Desperate Housewives") is 55. Actress Laurie Metcalf ("Roseanne," "Norm") is 54. Model-actress Jenny Shimizu is 42. NFL player A.C. Cowlings (former OJ Simpson teammate who drove the infamous white Bronco) is 62. Actor James Patrick Stuart is 41. Actor John Cho (2009's "Star Trek," "Harold and Kumar" movies) is 37. Actor Eddie Cibrian ("Third Watch") is 36. Actor Frederick Koehler ("Kate & Allie") is 34. Actress China Shavers ("Boston

Public") is 32. Actress Missy Peregrym is 27. Actress Olivia Hack (Cindy Brady in "The Brady Bunch Movie") is 26. "American Idol" runner-up Diana DeGarmo is 22.