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Show 10 - The Daily Utah Chronicle Monday, March 1,1999 racial barriers in major league baseball. Although the entertainer spent the last part of his life black-liste- d for his speeches, he left an admirable legacy as a bold adversary of hate. BLACK FILM continued from page 8 her first acting gig as a maid in "The Golden West," McDaniel was frequently typecast as a servant in many of her movies. The actress was still able to bring depth and feistiness to her roles and garnered the most attention of any African American showbiz figure from the mainstream and black press. The actress undoubtedly made history in 1939 by being the first African American actor to be nominated and to win the Academy Award for her supporting role as Mammy in "Gone With the Wind." Amidst the controversy, McDaniel gracefully accepted her Oscar and saw her win as indicative of an age when all African American children could "aim high and work hard." Dorothy Dandridge Beyond (1898-1976- ): possessing sex appeal Marilyn Monroe's, beauty had genuine talent. But, as an African American actress vying for roles in a time prior to the civil rights movement, Dandridge found it frustrating to encounter prejudice at every turn in order to land any challenging film roles. But in 1954, Dandridge made African Americans and whites sit up and take notice in the cinematic opera "Carmen Jones." Her performance as the title character made her the first actor to earn an Academy Award nomination. More than just a starlet, Hollywood Dandridge also won the limelight as the lady-in-waiti- Paul Robeson (1923-1965- ): orn the son of an Robeson was the first in his family to go to college. Also a graduate from Columbia University's law school, Robeson quit his law career after finding the racist atmosphere intolerable. With his eloquence and natural warmth, Robeson decided to venture on to the stage. As a result, he became the first African American to play Shakespeare's Othello with an cast, winning critical raves in both London and U.S. productions. And as the deckhand Joe in the theatrical and film incarnations of "Show Boat," Robeson turned the tunc "01' Man River" into his signature song. But, beyond entertaining, the actor became an e, headline singer in nightclubs in big cities such as New Lena Home Home, united with the NAACP, (1917-present- ): efore becoming one of the top .female jazz artists of all time, the music icon ventured from her native Brooklyn toward Hollywood in the early 1940s to pursue acting. In meetings with MGM studio heads, Home initiated her own protest by openly refusing to play the stereotypical African American housekeeper, which appeared to be the only type of character available. As a result, many of her film stints were more like brief cameos which made editing them for white audiences easier. Home still gained cinematic praise for her acting and singing in the movies "Cabin in the Sky," "Stormy Weather," and "Till the Clouds Roll By," and became an instant sex symbol for African Americans and whites. B took advantage of her fame and traveled throughout the South during the civil rights era to preach for equal rights. The songstress applied her principle of to her personal life as well. In 1950, the blues diva publicly announced her three-yemarriage to Lennie Hay-toa colleague at MGM who was white and was alienated by the Hollywood industry. Despite being outcasts, their marriage endured until Hayton's death in 1971. color-blindne- ar Esther Rolle all-whi- te g outspoken, protester of racial prejudice and publicly embraced communism. Besides left-win- refusing to sing in front of segregated audiences, Robeson used his clout to urge Congress to outlaw n, (1920-1998- ): robably best known for defining the African American fam ily matriarch, Rolle command ed the small screen in the 1970s in Norman Lear's "Maude" and its spin-of"Good Times," which cenon tered her "Maude" character, hardworking house keeper Florida Evans. g Although the actress had a passion for drama that touched back to P f, Emmy-winnin- filming, Esther Rolle readily York and Las Vegas. Ironically, the actress was not allowed to stay overnight in the very hotels she performed in. In spite of dying from a barbiturate overdose at 42, Dandridge is still a legend in her own right. Her life story, starring Halle Berry, will be brought to HBO later this year and has provoked interest from the likes of Whitney Houston, Janet Jackand son Vanessa Williams. ss producers that her character, gle, African American mother. to Rolle and wrote a devoted American Quilt" and Spike Lee's "Rosewood." And while battling diabetes within the last six months of her life, Rolle managed to watch her last performance in Maya Angelou's "Down in the Delta." The actress, as evidence of her fighting spirit, was still reading scripts up to her death. her youthful start on the New York theatre stage, Rolle constantly paid attention to how African Americans were being portrayed. For example, before "Good Times" began filming, Rolle readily insisted to the show's producers that Florida not be another single, African mother. American The powers- - that-b- e listened to Rolle and wrote a devoted husband into the sitcom. Her authoritative pluck also won parts in an impressive array of films, including "Driving Miss Daisy," "How to Make An Harry Belafonte To (1927-present- ): younger generations, he is the guy who sang that Boat Song "Banana But, for many people, the name Harry Belafonte is attributed with acting, activism and good will. (Day-O).- " Perhaps a sign of his long list of accolades to come, Belafonte won a 1953 Tony Award for his first Broadway performance in the musical "John Murray Anderson's Almanac." Soon after, he made his first film, "Bright Road" along side Dorothy in Dandridge, his future "Carmen Jones." As her friend and fellow thespian, Belafonte sympathized with her plight of being African American and female in Hollywood. Dandridge wasn't the only person who influenced Belafonte's desire to combat racism. His close friendship with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. deepened the entertainer's dedication to march on Washington for civil rights, regardless of the possible damage to his career. Belafonte's efforts also earned an appointment by President John F. Kennedy as cultural advisor to the Peace Corps. Meanwhile, the 50s and 60s also saw Belafonte as the first African American television producer and the first African American performer to grab an Emmy Award. Soon approaching 71, the UNICEF ambassador is still going strong. After returning in 1995 from a d break from film in the "White Man's Burden" opposite John Travolta, Belafonte is acting currently doing double-dutand producing. Now, that's power. co-st- ar 20-ye- ar little-watche- y, Utah's credit unions and their members have been asking state Senators and Representatives for their support of credit unions and Utahans' right to choose. We recognize that our legislators work hard on behalf of their constituents, We appreciate their dedication, fairness, and sacrifices. n . ik: it t v L. WmflviBirmtpy CREDIT UNION . Let your legislators know that you appreciate their hard work in support of the Credit Union Membership Access Act. 48i- - 8800 www. ucreditu. com ima |
