Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (May 18, 1978)
Portland actors feated Actress and former Portlander, the late Jeeaie Coles Grayson and actor Paul Winfield, also a former Portlander, were selected fcr special tribute in their old home town recently by the Guild of the Portland Urban League. The occasion, observed at the Sheraton Hotel, was marked at the May luncheon meeting of the Portland Federation of Womens Clubs. Annually, some fifty to sixty clubs in the federation vie, under their individual banners, for top hor ors in portraying in their imaginative table centerpieces the current decorative theme chosen by the federated group. Thia year's theme. “Hooray for Holly wood." was borrowed directly from the famous Portland Rose Festival Parade scheduled to be again viewed by thou sands of eager spectators in early June. Representatives of the Royal Rosarians. sponsors of the parade, came to the luncheon resplendent in their royal re galia to present their 1978 Festival queen to the nearly 400 assembled guests. The Urban League Guild did not win one of the three coveted prizes but did attract much favorable attention and interest for their dramatic tib le center piece which featured a few of the many Black artists who have struggled for recognition of their talents in the movie capital. Spotlighted with tiny lights were the two Portland personalities. Jessie Coles Grayson began in 1927 her seige to break through the walls of denial and restriction standing against Blacks who sought to develop their art on film in this powerful media. Much in demand to sing in l*ortland's music circles of church and concert events. Mrs. Grayson had been a member of Bethel A .M .E . Church since about 1910. She possessed a rich contra alto voice with admirable range which afforded her considerable advant age when the "talkies" came in. Mrs. Grayson was awarded substantial speak ing and singing roles in films with Bette Davis, Spencer Tracy and others before her death in Los Angeles in the fifties. Of a younger generation of Black actors, Paul W infield, also spotlighted by the Urban League Guild, is currently busy building his successful career in Hollywood. He enjoys the movies but keeps ever mindful of his early love for the stage and for the Shakespearean theatre. W infield came to Portland as a child, attending elementary and secon dary schools here, and was graduated from the University of Portland. Mrs. Ozella Canada is president of the 75 member Portland Urban League Guild. Paul W infield, the celebrated actor. Is a fanner Portland resident - a graduate of the U niversity of Portland. | Photo: Cour tesy of University of Portland) Jessie Coles Grayson, one ef the first Black screen actresses, was much in demand in Portland as a soloist before her Hollywood success. (Photo: Courtesy of Bancroft Library, University of Cali fornia) The late Jessie Coles Grayson as seen in her movie roll. (Photo: Courtesy of Bancroft L ib rary, University of Califor nia) REGISTER & VOTE / / / Luxurious Dining on 4th floor Club Skyview Air Conditioned Buffet Dining on 3rd floor ________Fairview Terrace Post time 7 30 p m Monday thru Saturday For information and reservations __________ call 665-2191 Sorry no Sunday racing and no children ____________ under 12 At Fairview Park NE 223rd and Halsey St east out Freeway Banfield ____________ CI-80NJ MULTNOMAH MENNG.CLUB I J ‘ d I on M ay 27th in Dick Clark's in his tw enty-tw o years of beading the Donna Summer visits Bandstand For the first tim e since Dick Clark took over as host of “American Bandstand" some 22 y e a n ago. he will not appear on the program as its host on May 27th. Taking his place for Bandstand's hour long tribute to disco music will be the F » -M A Y ie o- H L trC O U H A M ] UIVSWrAXK r » a tow shows tts u -» » S M tn V O w st THE EARTH a 6)2 N W 21st • May 31-Junel ’ww n « « .» IIM M Y SM ITH A HIS TW O a c«m neck sar»s»'»°" • Thun June • CO UNTRY JOE • M C D O N A LD a up»»» • S U N A M O N fUNE 11 A 12« the VASSAR CLEMENTS band • SUN JUNE IS • SUN RA and I hr AWtESTRA 2 SHOWS AJO A 11K» AS advance S* day of ahow I I « y M r . «M «* M— • J*»* ■ —g — Mux H» WUl K» Wo»* lMUwea»l Queen of Disco herself Donna Summer. Among other things she will be p ro moling her first motion picture, “Thank God It's Friday." Both the movie and her "American Bandstand” hosting chore should go a long way to convincing the public that there is a lot more to Donna than just the sex-goddess image she acquired while moaning and heavy-breathing through her monster hit. “Love To Love You Baby." Not that Donna objects to the publi city. As she says, "You have to get people's attention some kind of way. But I'm not just sex. sex, sex. I would never want to be a one-dimensional person like that. “It's like if you have a coat that's red, yellow and white. You don’t call it a red coat, or a yellow one, or a white one, you call it a multi-color coat. “Same w ith me. I can sing songs like 'Love To Love You Baby,’ but I can also sing ballads, light opera, things from musical comedy, church hymns all kinds of songs. Plus, I can w rite, act and think. Like the multi-color coat, I'm multi dimensional, and I don't want to be known for just one thing.” Meanwhile she is stepping into another pair c i big shoes when she hosts "Am eri can Bandstand," May 27th, with Dick Clark executive producing from the wings, rather than standing in the center- stage host s spot he has occupied for more than 20 years. ZSTLQANS. FOR AUTOi TRAVEL HOME IMPROVEMENTS. 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