Show MARilyN Becks Hollywood Clifton Davis has found a new life before moving to Alabama where he spent 3 V4 years getting a BA in theology Then he moved to Michigan to work toward a master’s in divinity “There were many acting offers during that time — pilots movies for TV for lots of money And here I was starving and broke” He pins “But I didn’t want to sacrifice the joy and satisfaction of the life I had in order to jump back into what I called the rat “Out of the dust of depression came a whole new life" says Clifton Davis about his current state: portraying a minister on NBC’s new hit “Amen” series — while he serves as a minister for the Seventh-da- y Adventist church actor found that new life he Before the would reach the depths of degradation and despair Years ago Davis already had achieved success He had gone from Broadway (where he had earned a Tony nomination for “Two Gentleman of Verona”) to stardom in the ’70s series “That's My Mama” He had penned the song “Never Can Say Goodbye" which won the Jackson 5 a gold album But he says about that time: “There was something missing in my life I couldn’t put my finger on it” Davis turned to drugs and gradually things started “I was freebasing falling apart in my life I became paranoid I didn't trust anyone not even my own mother or family I had a secretary who took care of all my business — I don't think 1 opened one piece of mail in a year I'd HOLLYWOOD — just go back and get high” He looks down at his hands clasped together in his lap as he recalls the painful period when drugs took control of his life He recounts' how his narcotics habit affected his relationship with Ann (now his wife of five years) “She was living with me at the time In one of my moments I put her on a plane and sent her away for the sake of her safety” He shifts on the couch The admissions don't come easily His voice drops a little lower as he says about his addiction “It was pretty bad I classically went through depression Severe depression I conquasi-straig- race” Still Davis missed acting “The Bible teaches that if you bury your talents they won’t grow and the Lord isn’t glorified” he says “I wasn’t using my acting talents and I wasn’t happy about it” Davis concentrated on setting up his career as a minister Just prior to completing his master’s he received an assignment at the Loma Linda University Church outside of Los Angeles He was apprentice minister when his agent reached him with an offer of starring in a new syndicated version of “That’s My Mama” “I was all set to do it — they'd even changed the taping day from Friday to Tuesday so that I could observe the Sabbath” says Davis explaining that Seventh-da- y Adventists observe Sabbath from sundown Friday to sundown Saturday “Then all of a sudden I got an offer to play a minister on a new show -‘- ht templated suicide" Finally in 1979 he found the courage to confront his I didn’t go to a problem “I didn’t go to a clinic ’’ hospital I went to Christ Jesus He also went home to his mother in North Carolina Then after a few days he moved on to Connecticut to be with his brother one of his 14 siblings “He’s the one who prayed with me helped me find hope outside of myself outside of this world" he says “And I want you to know the help I received was out of this world” Davis notes that this was the turning point when he decided to give his life to the Lord “When I was in show business before I wasn’t into church” he says Born and raised in Chicago Davis divided his childhood between the churches of his Baptist minister father and his Seventh-da- y Adventist mother (his parents separated when he was young) “I got turned off — very turned off — on the church for a long time” he says A few months after his rehabilitation Davis made a brief return to Los Angeles to collect his furniture Amen’” Davis reveals that since returning to Los Angeles “there are pathways I used to take I just don’t go down any more” He adds “But now I don’t feel there are any challenges I can’t handle — with God’s help” “Amen" won’t provide Davis with any preaching practice — that he’ll have to glean at Loma Linda “We don’t show the sanctuary on the show and we avoid offending anybody" he quickly asserts But through his TV exposure — and publicly relating his story of successful survival — Davis hopes to reach more people than he ever could connect with from the pulpit “I’ve got a message My message goes much further than ’Amen’ It’s all the stuff that comes before ’Amen’ If I can help make someone's life right see their sadness traded for happiness see their well that’s when I say grief traded for comfort rAmen’” Argentine Eva’ paints a kind portrait - -- The persecution of Nacha by right-win- g extremists turned into a blessing in disguise for the singer who made a charismatic first lady ement idol is once again a star in name for herself abroad in tours to Buenos Aires only this time the ladies:" Brazil Spain Puerto Rico Venezuela in fur coats give her standing ovations New York and Washington where she instead of brickbats performed at the Kennedy Center Few of Argentina’s labor union rank The musical show “Eva” a kind of file who still adore the historical and show to the hit retort musical Argentine “Evita” that scored big in London and Eva because of the social welfare New York has been racking in crowds benefits she sponsored can afford the in Buenos Aires since its opening in $10 ticket for the current show May Yet the who all the stage interpretation is favornightly spectators Nearly give the show a standing ovation are able enough to the controversial heroine elegantly dressed and middle class In to avoid the court action and a labor Eva Peron's heyday in the late 1940s boycott by the General Labor Confederand early 1950s ladies of families with ation that would almost certainly greet noney characteristically resented and a local production' of the “Evita" rock derided the political upstart who musical that scored so well abroad In fact in the city of Mar del Plata climbed to power through her association with army officer Juan Domingo recently an imported television serial on Eva Peron starring Faye Dunaway Peron the three-tim- e president The current “Eva” show was written was suspended by a federal judge after and directed by its leading lady singing the Labor Confederation submitted a BUENOS AIRES Argentina (UPI) Eva Peron late Argentina's and labor mov- home-produc- ed Her third complaint saying it slandered the husband Alberto Favero wrote the former first lady n In both the Argentine and music a is unNacha is an tragic The stage musicals Eva abashed admirer of Eva even though figure dying young of cancer in 1952 she was forced into exile twice under following a humiliating veto by the army of her intended candidacy for vice Peronist governments in 1975 and 1976 star Nacha Guevara Anglo-Saxo- call today a liberated woman” Nacha Guevara says in an interview “I was a child when she was in power That was a very unusual experience in a society dominated by men at a time when a women could not even give somebody a gift without permission of her husband “Eva changed the relationship of women in Argentine society not only for me but for all women I consider woman” myself a post-Ev- a Nacha says she was forced into exile because “I defended human rights Defending human rights in Argentina is not like it is in the United States It’s a Instead of rock music featured in the lot rougher here I was rough too I was Broadway and London hit by Tim Rice outspoken” While Nacha performed in exile one and Anthony Lloyd’ Webber the Argenof her top songs was the Spanish version tine production has soft melodic tunes including some tangos Juan Peron a of “Don’t Cry for Me Argentina” She declined an offer by producers of dominant figure on Broadway makes the Buenos in the Broadway hit to play the leading minor appearances only role in a Spanish language version of Aires show Argentina's production which opened that show “I thought that show was unfair to May 7 and is scheduled to close Nov 16 e Eva and unfair to history” she said is perfomed in the Maipo a After democracy was restored in burlesque house with a much smaller budget fewer props and sound effects Argentina in December of 1983 following and a smaller chorus than the more years of military rule elaborate New York and London Nacha returned from exile to Buenos Aires in triumph for a solo series of spectscles “Eva in her time was what we would song recitals in 1984 president But the slant as well as the music and script of the Buenos Aires version is quite different In home territory “Eva” presents the heroine probably the way most Argentines remember her — more a victim than a victimizes more innocent than shrewd more pathetic than' powerful more sincere than deceitful She is more the reformer who sponsored women's suffrage than the rabble rouser who ruthlessly manipulated power hounded hei enemies and accumulated wealth through public ' of-fi-ce one-tim- seven-and-a-ha- lf y- -' y-- -- v -1 i j i i i 1 1 S3-- yi i : 11 Jill |