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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (March 8, 1973)
Page 6 Portland/Observer Thursday. March 8. 1973 Drama classes ready Posing prior to the "W attstax premiere in Los Angeles is the film 's director, Mel Stuart, comic Richard Pryor, who was a guest star in the film , singer Melba Moore and Stax Board Chairman Al Bell, who was co-executive producer of the film . "Wattstax w ill play nexl at the Alameda Theatre. 'W attstax” premiers in Los Angeles Searchlights scanned the heavens pointing to the dir ection in which a galaxy of new film starts was to be launched. This was a gala affair, the m o s t exciting event since the Academy Awards last year. It was the w o r l d premiere of “Wattstax” held earlier this year at the Ahmanson Thea tre in the Los Angeles Music Center. The luxurious theatre was filled with Stax recording artists, television and motion picture stars a n d people from the Watts community. And for the first time in Hollywood history, every ele ment of our society was represented on the guest list and they were all exposed to a profound and stirring de piction of Black life as it really is. The Wattstax f i l m is loosely based on a seven- hour concert given for the benefit of the Watts com munity last August. The Stax/Wolper production is being distributed by Colum bia Pictures and has already opened in Los Angeles, Chi cago, New York and Wash ington. On that w a r m Sunday night in hollywood, it all began. Greg Morris, star of “Mission Impossible", greeted guests and in his role as emcee, interviewed celebri ties. Such luminaries as Zsa Zsa Gabor, Rona Barrett, Sonny and Cher, Jim Brown Redd Foxx, Hugh O’Brien, Lonne Elder, Melba Moore, Cicely Tyson a n d Bernie Casey were all there. There had been 32 Stax artists who performed in the Wattstax “72 concert and Isaac Hayes, the Bar-Kays. Carla and Rufus Thomas and Johnnie Taylor arrived to view their contributions to the film. Then, there were also na tional figures like Roy Innis of CORE and local digni Varies like Councilman Tom Bradley o f Los Angeles. Among the more popular guests however, was comic Richard Pryor with corn rowed hair and leather suit. His role as commentator in the film is unique and be yond description. Overall, as the experience of Black life is relatively new to film, so “Wattstax” is also a unique experience. Not a feature, and not a documentary, the film epitomizes a new form, organic in nature and grow ing, as Black culture has, from the circumstances of Black life in America. In deed. the audience had the opportunity to laugh, cry, shout, stomp and above all, feel pride in the accom plishments of Stax Films and Wolper Pictures. Following the premiere, Johnnie Taylor hosted the out-of-town guests in a party at his Marina del Rey pent house. Artists and execu tives, including Stax Organi zation board chairman Al Bell, w e r e there sharing words of happiness. The party was the perfect ending to a momentous event, from the sumptious banquet to the magnificent view of Holly DA-B nj UC u I D U R IN G E x tra c tio n s using Sodium Pentothal W HEN DESIRED N e g is fe r e S A w e M fc r li« l i a A lle w « te a r e No Appointment Necesury NO Finance Company IF YOU NEED DENTURES ASK ABOUT " I m m e d io le " or Bank to Deal With DENTURES ★ DENTURES REAOY Seieeer D a y • Ml MOST CASTS We W 4I Trp «• Dofero* pern* O*«M«er*e bp 4 *• 6 ^ *< to • m and > m U m i Dap N o te: Dr P h ilip S em ler D M fT IB T Is Now an Associate on Our Staff Iten sc e Street Level 51 5 DA.p^WtûM- w t ib t S w 4 t h Between AMer /I FREE P a rk is q 227-2427 Ave. 4 W ..hm ,ten AND EUGENE Special N o tice to Patients o f Dt. C ampbell Dettai Office All D en tei C ete * new H ond lsd under til 0 « » « N A S O e l the e b e u e 4* 0<re<t.en A »enue A d d re tt wood rising beyond the tinsel and glitter, into the realities of life. All in all, it was a most rewarding evening for everyone who had any thing to do with the concert or the film. Spring term Portland Com munity College will offer two drama classes designed to m e e t everyone's interest whether performer or an appreciative member of the audience, "Fundamentals of Acting” is for those who wish to develop performing and pro ducing skills. The class is offered Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, 10 a.m. to 12 noon followed by a two-hour laboratory session. The “A p p r e c i a t i o n of Drama" class will present readings of Brecht’s “Good Woman of Setzuan." Miller's “Death of a Salesman,” and two American musicals, “My Fair Lady” a n d "Hair”. “Appreciation of Drama" re quires no memorization. It will be offered Tuesday and Thursday from 10 to 11:30 a.m. Both classes will meet in PCC's Little Theatre at the Sylvania center. For more information con tact Roy Stave at PTC, 244 6111. Soul Stuff by Joey Sasso Joe Tex and Leah Miller married and and are await OBSERVATIONS IN COV ing an infant. He's the soul ERING THE NIGHT BEAT: singer whose square mo nicker is Joe Hazlet . . . A new version of “The Another fall series to an Harlem Globetrotters Pop ticipate, possibly with more corn Machine" kicks off a big enthusiasm than most of the CBS night of specials March others announced, is one 16th, followed by Lily Tomlin based on the TV movie and Ed Sullivan. Public called “Four Devils”. Sammy reaction will decide if the Davis is set to star, and the famed basketball team will co-star might by Chris Lee of be a fall series with weekly British horror-film fame . . . songs, dances and comedy Dionne Warwick, who has skits. If you’re a Globe been working toward getting trotters fan, nows’ the time her master’s degree in music to write CBS and register and who is expecting her your vote . . . second child soon, has con Muhammad Ali may soon fided to friends that she be giving Jim Brown and plans to retire from per other Super Black hero stars forming when she gets her a run for their money. He's degree! The singer, who is on the verge of signing a one of Las Vegas’ top draws, contract with Warner Bro says that she wants to teach thers for a new detective music to children . . . flick to start filming in the late winter . . . Hubby Bill Elliott is a The whisper from Holly wood this week concerns a regular on the "Bridget and well-known actress who sup Bernie" TV series . . . Godfrey Cambridge is fin posedly has been off in Europe doing some location ally ready to go back to shooting, which turned out to work - and is all over his be a cover up for the fact physical problems. And he's that she was pregnant by a 150 pounds lighter. That is man other than her well- what the man said, 150 pounds! But it took him known husband . . . That was Al Green, Bobby almost a year to lose it, and Womack, Sarah Vaughan and he ended up in a hospital for a couple of months!. . . the Harry Belafontes cheer Cicely Tyson, who is just ing Aris San at Sirocco the other nite. They toasted great in Sounder" and has each other with Teacher’s already picked up a couple of and Scotch to celebrate a forth acting prizes for it is expected to be nominated coming e v e n t. . . is really Record breaker: The all- for an Oscar time record for the number coming down hard on the of performances in one week B l a c k exploitation movies. by a Broadway show has She's of the opinion that the been established by the musi films are harmful to the very cal, “Don’t Bother Me, I Blacks that they are sup Can’t Cope". It played five posed to help. Needless to shows at NAACP benefits in say, she will not be ap Indianapolis, and then re pearing in one of them, no turned to Broadway to play matter how much money six more, for a total of 11 . , . she's offered . . . Diana Ross, former Su Incidentally, Micki Grant, who wrote the lyrics and preme, is c o u n t i n g her music for “Don’t Bother Me, chances for b e s t actress Some I Can't Cope", and is also awards coming up. featured in it, returned to people say that her role in the TV soap opera, “Another “lauly Sings the Blues” was World”, in her role of lawyer fantastic. Rumor has it that Peggy Nolan. She was on she plans another movie al that show six years before ready. Her singing seems to leaving in October for the have taken a back seat to the acting bit. Diana, who's had play . . . It's rare when you find a two babies in two years, says native New York entertainer she won’t quit until she's had starring in a New York spot. six more. Needless to say, That’s the case of Jules Diana's j u s t crazy about Podell's Copacabana where kids . . . On the “Mannix" TV show, exciting songstress M e l b a Moore is headlining. She'll Gail Fisher and series' star be welcoming neighbors and Mike Connors seldom see eye tourists there through March to eye on anthing, either on or off camera . . . 14th . . . King Floyd, Chimneyville recording artist, has released his newest effort entitled, "Think About It". Floyd is best known for his past million s e l l i n g success, "Groove Me”, which became a gold hit of the past. He also released a tune last year which placed high on the national c h a r t s entitled. “Woman Don't Go Astray" Currently preparing for national tour, Floyd has bei acclaimed throughout t h country as “a great sho man", and his recording si cess gives strength to I shows. Floyd is also in tl process of finishing his late album, and he hopes to ha it released by spring. SPECIALI SAVE Y O U R C L A IM TICKETS! 10 cleaning and pressing claim tickets good fo r 1 Bib. load of cleaning and pressing. BUDGET DRY CLEANERS 7 2 2 0 N . Fessenden 2 8 6 -2 2 9 6 R o th L ife C y c le 2635 NE Broadway 288-8431 Tam ara Dobson's curvaceous body and athletic prowess serve her well In Che exciting action sequences of "Celopatrs Jones", the W arner Bros, picture in which se s u r a . Com peting in a motorcycle hill climb and using karate on gangsters t r e Just two of tbs physical talents she displays In the fUrn. 'Cleopatra’ star special Tamars Dobson is no or dinary person. One glance at the beauty of her cover girl face and the regal bear ing of her shapely 6'2" fi gure is enough to convince anyone of that fact. As the star of "Cleopatra Jones" she plays a screen heroine of extraordinary at tributes as movie fans will see w h e n the Warner Brothers picture is released this summer. However, there are other things about Tamara that prove h o w exceptional she is . . . things less obvious and more personal. If she were merely an ordinary person she might well have settled for what life had to offer her in the Baltimore ghetto where she was born. After finishing public schools. Tamara re ceived her degree in fashion illustration at the Maryland Institute of Art. “I also have my license for beauty culture," Tamara ex plain*. “I know the business quite well and know how to handle the books. I have my owner's license, too. and operate a shop with my mother." "But I decided there was something else, something more that I wanted." The determination to act on this decision is cne of the many qualities that sets her apart from ordinary indivi duals. Although she knew she could always go back to beauty culture or could use her education as a fashion illustrator. Tamara n e v e r once looked back after shak ing the dust of Baltimore from her feet. "But even as I moved into new areas, met new people, learned new concepts of life. I found the story was al ways the same - 'You're still Black, my dear " “But I held onto that and used it a* my own tool. That's how I got this role. Because many Black girls who get to be models be come very white in that they forget where they came from. I always remember where I cam from, who I am. and why I'm here. “So being a model helped me educate myself as far as acting is concerned. It helped me further my educa tion as far as fencing, and my speech, all those things the theatre, the ballet, music and concerts -- These exper iences helped me fulfill my self as a person." And that person is cer tainly no humdrum, ordinary person. T h e excitement Tamara generates on the screen in the title role of “Cleopatra Jones” is what Hollywood once called "star quality". Ordinary p e o p l e don't have it. "Cleopatra Jonea" is being directed by Jack S urrett and produced by William Tennant for Warner Bros, from an original screenplay by Tennant, Max Julien and Sheldon Keller. Artist displays work A collection of drawings by former Portland resident Harold Jacobs will be on display in Portland State University's White Gallery beginning March 5. The ex hibit. "Ligre Suite", w i l l hang the entire month. The 11 d r a w i n g s are owned by Arlene Schnitzer of t h e FounUin Gallery. Completed In 1970, they are drawn with numerous medi urns (charcoal, pencil, oils, etc.) Jacobs studied at New York University and on a Fulbright Scholarship at the Sorbonne in Paris. The former Portland M u s e u m Art School instructor is cur rently on the faculty of Moore College in Philadel phia. Jacobs' p a i n t i n g s and drawings h a v e been ex hibited in Paris and through out the United SU tes. His most recent one man exhibi lions were in Muaeo de Arte de Ponce, Puerto Rico; the Vanderlip Gallery, Philadel phia; and Gimpel and Weit zenh^ffer Ltd.. New York. Jacobs says his art work seeks to "affirm what I care about most deeply as a person." E. C. SOUL SURVEY 1. Love Jones...Brighter Side of Darkness 2. Could It Be I'm Falling In Lovp.............. ................................................................. Spinners 3. Paint M e................................ Ohio Players 4. Kissing My Love.................. Bill Withers 5. Why Can’t We Live Together............... ..................................................... Timmy Thomas 6. I Can't SUnd To See You C ry................. ......................................................... The Miracles 7. The World is a Ghetto........................ War 8. Daddy's Home............. Jermaine Jackson 9. Love Train.........................................O'Jays 10. 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