&. THE ENTERTAINMENT SEEN
Act One
by Ken C ovington
The House T h at Berry Built
“ Hey, m an, not like th a t! You are supposed to take tw o steps back, spin
to the right and clap tw ice, then slide le ft." "A lrig h t, alright, alright. I g ot
it now , but w hen I saw them on the Ed Sullivan S h ow last n ig h t, they slid
to the r ig h t!" "Y ea, w ell, w h ich w ay did you w atch your TV. Did you sit in
fro n t like regular folks w here the steps are backw ards, or do y'all w atch the
back o f your T V !" The boys how l in laughter, some even fall against the
wall weak fro m g ut-w re n ch in g g u ffa w s th a t seem to bounce o ff every wall
in the tin y school bathroom w here today, in fro n t o f the m irror, they have
suddenly becom e the T em ptations.
Does this sound familiar? I'm sure it m ust, because all over the co un try
all little boys and girls w ere im ita tin g either the T em ptations and The Sup-
remes; or Sm okey, Stevie W o n de r or M artha and the Vandellas during the
60's and 70 s: the golden age o f the baby boom ers.
M o to w n is responsible fo r treating the w orld to some o f th e finest Black
entertainm ent ever kn ow n. Richard Pryor, Grover W a sh in gton , J r., M arvin
Gaye, and Lionel Richie are am ong the golden list o f names from M o to w n
that shaped the very d irection and status o f R &B m usic in th e w orld today.
In the m id-70's w hen H ollyw oo d w as cranking o u t the Black exploitation
film s, Berry Gordy produced a m odern m asterpiece called "L a d y Sings the
Blues" th a t show ed the rest o f the nation th a t Blacks can act and produce
quality film s and quality roles and role m odels; another first fo r Blacks via
M o to w n .
W hen you think o f the to p names in m usic today, am ong them are Diana
Ross and Micael Jackson, b oth o f w ho m are no longer w ith M o to w n but
ow e an a w fu l lot to the genius o f Berry G ordy. A s I m en tion ed earlier, in
the m id-70's w hen Berry G ordy w as producing "L a d y Sings the Blues” ,
he m oved his w hole operation from D etroit, th e M o to r City, to Los Angeles,
"th e plastic paradise", and so ended the real golden age o f the M o to w n
Sound
D o n 't get me w ro ng . M any good things still flo w e d fro m the "h o u se that
Berry b u ilt": movies like "M o h a g a n y ", "T h e W iz " , and "T h e Last D ra
g o n "; new artists like Bobby N unn, Finis Henderson, De Barge and even
Ben Linder M e m o ria l Fund
740 N.E Kilhngsworth
fo r
V io lin
&
A benefit Folk Dance w ill be held J u ly 24, 1987 from 7 - 10 p .m . at the
Garden Home Recreation Center, 7475 S .W . Oleson Road, Portland, Ore
gon. The proceeds fro m this benefit dance w ill help continue Ben's h um an
itarian w o rk in Nicaragua.
There w ill be fo lk dancing w ith experienced leaders as w ell as Nicaraguan
slides and inform a tion . Refreshm ents w ill be served. There is a suggested
donation o f $4.00, w h ich is tax deductible.
This event is sponsored by the W est Hills U nitarian Fellow ship's Social
Concerns C om m ittee and the Portland C orinto Sister C ity Association.
For m ore in fo rm a tio n , c o n ta c t Garden Hom e Recreation Center, 244
PIPES • SCREENS « PAPER
CIGARETTES - Reg. $1.18
100'
$1.23
( 18 yrs Et older only)
is Dr. M artin Luther King, and M artin came fro m God.
H ow m any tim es can w e turn on the TV or radio and hear background
m usic from the golden age o f M o to w n ; h ow m any M o to w n Revues w ill
there be; and how m any more plays and stories w ill be w ritte n about the
magic th a t flow ed fro m the "h o u se that Berry b u ilt"? The question w ill not
be answerable until the end o f tim e. U ntil then, Berry, here's to you!
M u s ic
Folk Dance
P o rtla n d Pipes & T o b a c c o Co.
Star Search w inner Sam Harris.
M o to w n is no longer "T h e Sound o f Young A m e ric a ", b ut by no means
is it a thing o f the past. Everyone ca n 't be on to p forever; it's just not m eant
to be that w ay. But never before and never again w ill there be a period and
a com pany that touched the hearts and m inds o f the w ho le w orld and
changed the image o f the A frica n-A m erican . The nearest I can com e to it
French
T h e a te r C o m p an y at th e In te rs ta te Firehouse C u ltu ra l C en ter Friday,
S a tu rd a y and Sunday th ro u g h July 26, 1987.
Photo by R ichard J. B ro w n
A iea (Ju lie Serq u in ia) sits stage fro n t w h ile Rusty (N eal T h o m as)
and his son, Val (H en ry M e ls o n ), discuss h o w he (Val) should deal
w ith th e results of his actio n s in the play "S p lit S e co n d ". The play,
d ire cted by M ic h a e l J. G ra n t, is being p erfo rm e d by PassinA rt: A
HRS- Tues Fri. 11 A M -7 PM
•
Sat, 11 A M -6 PM
284-7040
1 10 1._____________
[ ★
s
OYER THEATRES
4 SR
BARGAIN-*3 (E A nlrt
0UL Sitara
T*1C 5 H 30 ,L0 P M |
Piano
Violinist Pierre d'A rch am be au and pianist C hristopher Schindler w ill pre
sent an evening o f cham ber m usic by French com posers at 8 p .m . Friday,
July 24, at the Old C hurch. Adm ission to the recital is $5.00 general and
$4.00 students and seniors, tickets at th e door. The program w ill feature
music by Faure, Debussy and Messiaen. For m ore in fo rm a tio n , call the
Old C hurch, 222-2031. The Old C hurch is located at 1422 S .W . 11th, on the
ROSE MOYER
5TH AVENUE
224 «PP
249 6965
• 16591 SE DIVISION
1
W h ite w u le i Sum m er
The Squeeze
1
The G ood Father
2
U n to in h iib ’es
2
H o llyw o o d S h u ffle
3
Spaceballs
4
Adv w
‘ or
the
M unn
248-6966
• 15 AT STAFFORD H IT
B ab ysittin g
Roxanne
6
Weekends Are Fun At The
W a d in g
GRANO PARKWAY
J .iw c- I h r - Revenge
5
H
• 516 SW HALL
Northeast corner o f S .W . 11th & Clay.
FLIRT B A N D LIVE
L__
1
Roxxane
2
Revenge of The Nerds II
3
Spaceballs
1
H
1
1
U n tóte hables
2
P te d aioi
3
S paceballs
4
Full M«‘tal Jacket
1
la b a m h a
2
Roxanne
1
U n touchables
3
U n touchables
2
Roxanne
3
W h ite W a ter S um m er
232 2665
• 3792 SE HAWTHORNE
The Return of
DOLBY STEREO |
I
iMSUEC’ EC THEATRES
/A
$1.99
¿2
Pepsi
6 p k /1 2 o z .
Revenge o f the Netds II
Raising A rizona
B ill's K w ik M a rt'
The Squeeze
R u n n in g S< « fe d
760-2195
• SE TT2TH AT ~
L.
W h ite W ater Sum m er
S ta n d By Me
\
$1.99 plus DEP
790 2499
• 10401 SE POWELL BI VP
POWELL
1
Sat. & Sunday
2 pc. chicken, 2 pc. JoJos
potato chips, small drink
104TH ST.
BAGDAD
w ith Dr. Rock
Special on C hicken
(206) 254-0000
645 4611
• NW 195 9 SUNSET HWY
T h e Flirt Band
Under New Management
VANCOUVER MALL
TANASBOURNE
at THE ROYAL ESQUIRE
Fri. — Sat.
}
SPECIAL ENGAGEMENT!
NO P A S S 'S T tG H 'W A D ’ U tS D A V F R E D V F tE O
M GM T D 'S C O U N T S ■ R E r t e - u r m e e t 8 ’ - '» e ls
7 Days A W e e k
J
HRS:
M O N -TH U R S
7 am
S A T 8 am - 1 a m
-
•
11 pm • FRI 7 am
SUN 8 a m -11 pm
3510 N.E. Union Ave.
•
-
1 am
281-0357
Lady B lue
fro m 6 - 9
Sunday Jazzy Jam
ROYAL
ESQ UIRE
Benny W ilson
1708 N.E. ALBERTA
& Co.
287-5145
I
p im : street /
S.E. 9lh AT (
*
w ith
M OTOW N
w
DOW NTOW N A
MEMBERS & GUESTS
« H IM THE
THEATRE
SAMIY BLVlM
This C o u p o n
G ood For
REGGAE FROM JAM AICA
PABLO
MOSES
1
ANO
KUKRUDU
THE FOUR TOPS
com e to
PIONEER COURTHOUSE SQUARE!
00
OBO ADDY
off
*
w
9:00pm
"Excludes Red Tag Merchandise
PINE STREET THEATER
fsw 6th and Morrison)
V.
*
Friday, A ugust 7
A N Y R EG U LA R P R IC E D
A L B U M . C A SSE TTE OR
C O M P A C T D IS C IN STO C K
Fri. July 24
y
when
SE 9th & Sandy Blvd.
7
30 pm to midnight
also dance to
Portland’s soul review SALMON DAVE
Seattle’s “ doo-wop THE M A IN ATTRACTION
*
ALL AGES
S7.50 Advance * $9.50 Door
the first
Wednesday.
July 22nd
M U 5 IC
M IL L E N N IU M
Summer Triple
Threat
MLADINS
Jackals
\P
C la rk « «
H A R D T IM E S
A ll a g aa
Portland's Largesl Dance Floor
Phone: 235-0C27
Advance Tickets on Sale Now1 Usual Outlets
■
HE C T F O G S TAPE S
—
F A C T V1TV- € P E C F V E W » - O K N O W M J B C
!
“ NIGHT OUT WITH THE STARS”
A PARTY to benefit Pioneer Courthouse Square
In hets
$12.50 of jeon Machine at the Galleria. G I. Joe's. Powell’s Travel Store
on the Square, or charge by phone 222-7425
SPONSORS
EAST P OR TLAND
32nd
E B urnside
N W POR TLAND
J l . t 6 N W J o h n so n
231 8943
248 0163
b
Limit 1 ner customer
Expires 6-23 87
*
¿T hr c''i rn i’ iii m
n □ r fl S t r 0 ITl
CONTRIBUTORS Paul Bergen Catering Pacific Northwest Bell AdG'aphics. Wallace Security
Portland Hilton. Edelman Noim on Bissett. Larry Kirkland. Hitmakers. City Center Parking InterLight,
Baugh Construction. Pepsi. Schlegel Typesetting Daily Journal o f Commerce