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Kennedy Center Honors 12/5/99 [1]
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�THE
WHITE HOUSE
O f f i c e o f the Press S e c r e t a r y
For Immediate Release
December 7, 1997
REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT
AT KENNEDY CENTER HONORS RECEPTION
The
East Room
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you v e r y much. Ladies and gentlemen,
t o n i g h t the s t a r s shine over the White House. T o n i g h t we honor a r t i s t s
who i n a l l seasons have l i t up g e n e r a t i o n s o f our n a t i o n a l f i r e .
Ezra Pound once s a i d t h a t a r t i s t s are t h e "antennae o f s o c i e t y " -always p r o b i n g , sensing, g u i d i n g us t h r o u g h the t e r r a i n o f t h e human
mind and s p i r i t .
I'm proud t o s a l u t e f i v e a r t i s t s whose s e n s i t i v i t y ,
v i s i o n , and t a l e n t have c h a l l e n g e d our minds and made our s p i r i t s soar.
E s p e c i a l l y s i n c e Edward V i l l e l l a danced here i n t h e East Room a t
the i n v i t a t i o n o f P r e s i d e n t and Mrs. Kennedy, t h e p e r f o r m i n g a r t s have
i n c r e a s i n g l y found a home i n t h i s , t h e n a t i o n ' s house. But t h e b e l i e f
t h a t a r t s are v i t a l t o our democracy goes back t o our v e r y b e g i n n i n g s ,
t o the f i r s t P r e s i d e n t t o l i v e i n the White House, John Adams, who
e n v i s i o n e d an America t h a t would study not j u s t p o l i t i c s , b u t p a i n t i n g ,
p o e t r y , and music.
The u l t i m a t e w o r t h o f our n a t i o n w i l l never be measured f u l l y by
the s i z e o f our t r e a s u r y o r t h e might o f our m i l i t a r y , b u t i n s t e a d i n
the endurance o f our g i f t s t o the human s p i r i t .
Already, our f i l m s , our
music, our p l a y s , our dance have i n s p i r e d p e r f o r m e r s and c a p t u r e d
audiences around t h e g l o b e . Worldwide, they've s p u r r e d n o t o n l y t h e
f o r c e s o f c r e a t i v i t y , but a l s o , and e s p e c i a l l y r e c e n t l y , t h e cause o f
freedom. The a r t s are now, t o borrow a phrase from one o f our honorees,
perhaps t h e s t r o n g e s t c u r r e n t s b l o w i n g i n t h e wind.
T o n i g h t we pay t r i b u t e t o f i v e men and women who have spent t h e i r
l i v e s l i s t e n i n g t o t h e i r h e a r t s and l i f t i n g o u r s , whose work and t a l e n t
make them American o r i g i n a l s .
I t a l l began w i t h t h e l o o k -- ( l a u g h t e r and applause) -- and I can
s t i l l h a r d l y s t a n d i t -- ( l a u g h t e r ) -- a downward c a s t o f t h e c h i n , a
shy, y e t s l y upward glance o f t h e eye.
The l o o k c a p t u r e d Bogey and made
Lauren B a c a l l a legend. A f t e r seeing her f o r the f i r s t t i m e i n To Have
and Have Not, a l l America r e c o g n i z e d t h a t Lauren B a c a l l had i t . The
g r e a t James Agee w r o t e , "She has cinema p e r s o n a l i t y t o burn -- something
c o m p l e t e l y new t o t h e screen."
Bogey and B a c a l l gave us a s e r i e s o f c l a s s i c f i l m s :
The B i g
Sleep, Dark Passage, Key Largo.
Then she showed us How t o Marry A
M i l l i o n a i r e , and e s t a b l i s h e d h e r s e l f as a master o f s t y l i s h comedy. She
conquered Broadway i n Cactus Flower and was d i s c o v e r e d a l l over a g a i n as
a m u s i c a l s t a r i n Applause, and won a second Tony Award f o r Woman o f t h e
Year. J u s t l a s t year -- more t h a n h a l f a c e n t u r y a f t e r her f i r s t f i l m
-- she won rave reviews and an Oscar n o m i n a t i o n f o r The M i r r o r Has Two
Faces.
I'm g r a t e f u l t h a t she t o o k t i m e out from b e i n g a legend t o
campaign a l i t t l e b i t f o r me l a s t year.
(Laughter.) T o n i g h t , on b e h a l f
of a l l Americans, I s a l u t e you, Lauren B a c a l l , as our woman o f t h e year
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and an a c t r e s s f o r a l l t i m e .
(Applause.)
As a young boy growing up i n Minnesota, Bob Dylan spent a l o t o f
time i n h i s room w r i t i n g poems. Then a t t h e age of 14 he bought a
g u i t a r . W i t h i t , he would s e t h i s poems t o music, s t r i k i n g t h e chords
o f American h i s t o r y and i n f u s i n g American p o p u l a r music, from
r o c k - a n d - r o l l t o c o u n t r y , w i t h new depth and emotion.
With searing
l y r i c s and u n p r e d i c t a b l e beats, he c a p t u r e d t h e mood o f a g e n e r a t i o n .
E v e r y t h i n g he saw -- t h e p a i n , t h e promise, the y e a r n i n g , t h e i n j u s t i c e
-- t u r n e d t o song. He p r o b a b l y had more impact on people o f my
g e n e r a t i o n than any o t h e r c r e a t i v e a r t i s t .
His v o i c e and l y r i c s haven't always been easy on t h e ear, but
t h r o u g h o u t h i s c a r e e r Bob Dylan has never aimed t o p l e a s e .
He's
d i s t u r b e d t h e peace and d i s c o m f o r t e d t h e p o w e r f u l . P r e s i d e n t Kennedy
c o u l d e a s i l y have been t a l k i n g about Bob Dylan when he s a i d t h a t , " i f
sometimes are g r e a t a r t i s t s have been most c r i t i c a l of our s o c i e t y , i t
i s because t h e i r concern f o r j u s t i c e makes them aware t h a t our n a t i o n
f a l l s s h o r t of i t s h i g h e s t p o t e n t i a l . "
" L i k e a r o l l i n g stone," Bob Dylan has kept moving f o r w a r d ,
m u s i c a l l y and s p i r i t u a l l y , c h a l l e n g i n g a l l of us t o move f o r w a r d w i t h
him.
Thank you, Bob Dylan, f o r a l i f e t i m e of s t i r r i n g t h e conscience of
the n a t i o n .
(Applause.)
I t h i n k our next honoree would want me t o acknowledge t h a t I can't
thank him f o r campaigning.
(Laughter.) Now, w i t h t h a t d i s c l a i m e r -( l a u g h t e r ) - - I do have a l o t t o thank him f o r . For when I was a young
boy i n Arkansas and movies were my main source o f i n s p i r a t i o n , C h a r l t o n
Heston showed me how t o p a r t t h e Red Sea, d r i v e a Roman c h a r i o t , save
medieval Spain, even a f t e r he was s l a i n -- ( l a u g h t e r ) -- and h o l d o f f a
siege f o r 55 days i n Peking.
I n more t h a n 75 f i l m s , C h a r l t o n Heston has
guided m i l l i o n s of movie l o v e r s t h r o u g h n e a r l y every g r e a t era o f
Western c i v i l i z a t i o n , b r i n g i n g t o l i f e a host o f heroes, from Moses t o
Michelangelo t o B u f f a l o B i l l .
He's even p l a y e d Democrats.
(Laughter.)
But he was, t o be f a i r , s e l e c t i v e -- t h e y were Thomas J e f f e r s o n and
Andrew Jackson.
(Laughter.)
I f t h e b i g screen d i d n ' t e x i s t , t h e y would have had t o i n v e n t i t
f o r C h a r l t o n Heston. A f i l m hero f o r and o f t h e ages, he's won an Oscar
from t h e Academy, accolades from h i s peers, a d m i r a t i o n from h i s
audiences.
But most o f a l l , t h e c h a r a c t e r s he c r e a t e d -- t h e courage
and i n t e g r i t y and commitment t h e y embodied -- remind a l l o f us o f t h e
l i m i t l e s s p o s s i b i l i t y o f t h e human s p i r i t .
He has been and always w i l l
be l a r g e r t h a n l i f e .
(Applause.)
The f i r s t song she ever performed i n p u b l i c was God W i l l Take Care
of You.
W e l l , God was t a k i n g care o f a l l us when he gave us Jessye
Norman's wondrous v o i c e . From a church c h o i r i n Georgia t o c e n t e r stage
a t t h e Met, Jessye Norman has brought j o y t o music l o v e r s and c r i t i c s t o
t h e i r f e e t . Her v o i c e has been c a l l e d t h e g r e a t e s t i n s t r u m e n t i n t h e
w o r l d . Her g r e a t n e s s , however, l i e s not j u s t i n her sound, but i n her
s o u l . She has t h a t r a r e g i f t f o r c a p t u r i n g i n music t r u t h s o f t h e human
experience -- t r u t h s t h a t can never be f u l l y expressed i n words alone.
Having brought new meaning t o Mozart and Wagner, t o B e r l i o z and
S t r a v i n s k y , Jessye Norman remains an American d i v a . Indeed, when she
sang The S t a r Spangled Banner a t my i n a u g u r a t i o n e a r l i e r t h i s year, I
thought t h e f l a g was buoyed by t h e waves o f her v o i c e . I must say,
Jessye, you were a tough a c t t o f o l l o w .
(Laughter.)
A f t e r 40 albums, Grammy Awards, and t h e s t a n d i n g o v a t i o n o f t h e
e n t i r e w o r l d , she stands a t t h e p i n n a c l e o f her a r t . Jessye Norman once
s a i d she wasn't t h e k i n d o f woman t o walk i n t o a woman u n n o t i c e d .
(Laughter.) And I can t e s t i f y t h a t t h a t i s t r u e , h a v i n g been i n many
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rooms w i t h her and never f a i l i n g t o n o t i c e . Since she f i r s t b u r s t on
the scene, her b r i l l i a n c e has h e l d our a t t e n t i o n , year i n and year o u t .
May the supernova o f Jessye Norman shine f o r e v e r .
(Applause.)
As a young man Edward V i l l e l l a was a v a r s i t y b a s e b a l l p l a y e r and a
w e l t e r w e i g h t b o x i n g champion. He might have made t h e b i g leagues, b u t
h i s h e a r t l e d him i n t o a d i f f e r e n t w o r l d . He was a major league dancer
from the moment he j o i n e d t h e New York C i t y B a l l e t . As g r a c e f u l as he
was a t h l e t i c , he mesmerized audiences and choreographers a l i k e .
Balanchine and Robbins c r e a t e d dances t h a t o n l y V i l l e l l a c o u l d dance.
The a r t rose t o meet t h e man -- and the man was always f l y i n g .
He dominated the stage w i t h space-swallowing charisma and leaps as
e f f o r t l e s s as t h e y were b r e a t h - t a k i n g . He t o u r e d t h e S o v i e t Union a t
the h e i g h t o f t h e Cold War and became t h e o n l y American dancer ever t o
be "demanded" t o g i v e an encore. Today he b r i n g s t h e same energy and
c r e a t i v i t y t o t h e shaping o f the Miami C i t y B a l l e t and t o America's n e x t
g r e a t dance company.
Long b e f o r e M i c h a e l Jordan, Edward V i l l e l l a showed us t h a t man
indeed c o u l d f l y .
(Laughter.) Thank you f o r t a k i n g American dance t o
new h e i g h t s .
(Applause.)
Lauren B a c a l l , Bob Dylan, C h a r l t o n Heston, Jessye Norman, Edward
Villella:
a r t i s t s and Americans who have made i n d e l i b l e i m p r i n t s on t h e
p e r f o r m i n g a r t s and our n a t i o n a l c h a r a c t e r .
I t i s quite a tribute to
them t h a t a l l o f you have come f o r them t o n i g h t .
I n them we f i n d t h e
sass, t h e raw emotion, t h e h e r o i c s t r e n g t h , t h e p a s s i o n a t e v o i c e , t h e
s o a r i n g a s p i r a t i o n s o f our n a t i o n .
America s a l u t e s each and every one o f you.
b l e s s you.
(Applause.)
Thank you and
God
END
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THE
J.text. 1
WHITE HOUSE
O f f i c e of t h e Press S e c r e t a r y
For Immediate Release
December 6,
1998
REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT
AND THE FIRST LADY
AT KENNEDY CENTER HONORS GALA
The
5:46
P.M.
East Room
EST
THE FIRST LADY: Thank you so much. Good evening and welcome once
again f o r one o f our f a v o r i t e events i n t h e White House, t h e Kennedy
Center Honors. T h i s i s a w i n t e r wonderland i n s i d e -- i t i s 76 degrees
outside.
(Laughter.) T h i s may be the c l o s e s t we get t o -- Mr.
Cosby?
(Laughter.)
I a p p r e c i a t e the w i l l i n g n e s s t o take d i r e c t i o n .
(Laughter
and applause.) You know, u s u a l l y we have so many b i g Christmas t r e e s i n
here we don't have any c h a i r s f o r anybody, so we're p l e a s e d t h a t a t
l e a s t , oh, about h a l f t h e audience gets t o s i t t h i s year.
But we have much t o s t a n d up and applaud and be e n t h u s i a s t i c about
because of our honorees. And every year B i l l and I l o o k f o r w a r d t o t h i s
because I t h i n k , as w i t h a l l Americans who e n j o y t h i s evening o f honors
every year a f t e r year, i t b r i n g s back so many memories and makes us f e e l
so proud t o be Americans.
And i t i s my g r e a t p l e a s u r e t o i n t r o d u c e someone who laughs h i s
way, s i n g s h i s way and taps h i s f o o t a l l t h e way t h r o u g h every Kennedy
Center evening -- t h e P r e s i d e n t o f the U n i t e d S t a t e s , B i l l C l i n t o n .
(Applause.)
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you v e r y much.
t h r e e , and t h e n f o u r .
(Laughter.)
The next t i m e t h e r e w i l l
be
F"**^
H i l l a r y and I are honored t o have you back a g a i n f o r another
Kennedy Center Honors. You know, the c o n v i c t i o n t h a t our l a n d o f
l i b e r t y should a l s o be a home f o r c r e a t i v i t y i n t h e p e r f o r m i n g a r t s goes
a l l t h e way back t o t h e v e r y f i r s t P r e s i d e n t ever t o l i v e i n t h i s g r e a t
house, John Adams. He wished f o r an America where -- and I quote -"pomp and parade, shows and i l l u m i n a t i o n s f l o u r i s h from one end o f t h i s
continent t o another."
Today, t h e i l l u m i n a t i o n of our p e r f o r m i n g a r t s
shines not o n l y across t h e c o n t i n e n t , b u t , indeed, across t h e w o r l d as a
l i f e f o r c e o f our f r e e s o c i e t y .
D o s t o e v s k i d e f i n e d t h e m i s s i o n o f a r t i s t s as " i n c e s s a n t l y and
e t e r n a l l y t o make new roads, wherever t h e y may l e a d . " A l l t h e a r t i s t s
we honor t o n i g h t have t r a v e l e d l i f e t i m e s across our stages, each i n
t h e i r own way, making those new roads. T h e i r g i f t s o f t a l e n t , h e a r t and
s p i r i t are j o y o u s , i n d e l i b l e t h r e a d s i n t h e f a b r i c o f our n a t i o n a l l i f e .
I t i s my honor t o i n t r o d u c e them.
The T o n i g h t Show has seen a l o t of comedians come and go, b u t one
n i g h t i n 1963, a young man by t h e name o f B i l l Cosby took t h e stage and
took t h e n a t i o n by storm. His h i l a r i o u s l y deadpan d e s c r i p t i o n s of Noah
l o a d i n g t h e a r k w i t h animals -- ( l a u g h t e r ) - - I s t i l l remember i t , t o o ,
i t was p r e t t y funny
launched h i s c a r e e r . But i t was h i s deeply
p e r s o n a l , u n i v e r s a l l y funny c a r i c a t u r e s o f h i s c h i l d h o o d f r i e n d s -- l i k e
Fat A l b e r t and Weird H a r o l d -- t h a t made him famous. One c r i t i c w r o t e ,
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"No comic ever e n t e r e d a c h i l d ' s mind w i t h so much empathy and g u s t o . "
B i l l Cosby's remarkable g i f t i s t o be a b l e t o l o o k i n s i d e t h e
human e x p e r i e n c e and a l l i t s depth and d i v e r s i t y and h o l d i t up t o t h e
u n i v e r s a l l i g h t o f l a u g h t e r -- and i n so d o i n g , t o a l l o w a l l o f us t o
r e t u r n t o o u r c h i l d ' s mind. For more t h a n 30 y e a r s , he has made t h e
o r d i n a r y business o f l i f e e x t r a o r d i n a r i l y funny business -- i n b e s t
s e l l i n g books l i k e "Fatherhood" and "Time F l i e s , " b l o c k b u s t e r movies
l i k e "Uptown Saturday N i g h t , " e i g h t g o l d r e c o r d s . And, o f course, t h e r e
were some minor successes i n t e l e v i s i o n along t h e way -- ( l a u g h t e r ) -" I Spy," "The Cosby Show," h i s new h i t s e r i e s .
B i l l once s a i d he wanted t o make j o k e s about people's
s i m i l a r i t i e s , about what's u n i v e r s a l i n t h e i r e x p e r i e n c e and, i n so
d o i n g , t o b r i n g us c l o s e r t o g e t h e r . That i s e x a c t l y what he has done.
We thank him f o r t h e lessons and t h e l a u g h t e r .
Ladies and gentlemen, Mr. B i l l Cosby.
(Applause.)
The c u r t a i n p a r t e d , t h e p a i n t e d face popped o u t and "Cabaret"
f o r e v e r changed t h e m u s i c a l t h e a t e r . John Kander and Fred Ebb have
g i v e n us dark and gleaming shows s u f f u s e d w i t h m e t a l l i c m e l o d i e s .
Their
m u s i c a l l e f t t h e happy days f o r t h e h a r d e r passages o f o u r c e n t u r y -Germany a t t h e decadent edge o f t h e Nazi n i g h t m a r e , a d e s p e r a t e dance
marathon i n t h e Depression e r a o f A t l a n t i c C i t y , a Jazz Age murder i n
Chicago, a j a i l c e l l i n r e v o l u t i o n a r y South America. The New York Times
wrote t h a t t h e y shook t h e ground under o u r f e e t -- and t h e y c e r t a i n l y
set them t a p p i n g .
With "Cabaret," "Chicago," " S t e e l P i e r , " and "Kiss o f t h e S p i d e r
Woman," Kander and Ebb t o o k us a l o n g way from "Oklahoma" and "South
Pacific."
I t has been a r e l e n t l e s s l y syncopated j o u r n e y , w i t h l y r i c a l
w i t , m u s i c a l drama, b o l d and l o v e l y songs t h a t i n f i l t r a t e o u r minds and
never l e a v e . One o f those songs, known t o every American, has become
the anthem o f New York -- "New York." (Laughter.) A f t e r a l l , what good
i s s i t t i n g alone i n a room when you can go o u t and see h i t r e v i v a l s o f
"Chicago" and "Cabaret"?
Fred Kander and John Ebb have e n t e r t a i n e d us, c h a l l e n g e d us and
touched o u r consciences. T o n i g h t , we s a l u t e them f o r a l l t h e d a r i n g ,
a l l t h e shows, a l l t h e r a z z l e d a z z l e .
Ladies and gentlemen, John Kander and Fred Ebb.
(Applause.)
W i l l i e Nelson's music has been a p a r t o f my l i f e -- l i k e everybody
from my p a r t o f t h e c o u n t r y -- f o r a v e r y l o n g t i m e now. A f t e r years o f
campaigning we can always i d e n t i f y , H i l l a r y and I , w i t h what i t ' s l i k e
t o be on t h e road a g a i n .
(Laughter.)
W i l l i e Nelson i s l i k e America -- always i n t h e process o f
becoming. He changed a l l t h e r u l e s about what c o u n t r y music was
supposed t o be. The g r a n i t e - f a c e d , l o n g - h a i r e d man o f t h e s o i l p u t down
r o o t s i n f o l k , swing, pop and r o c k and r o l l .
And everywhere he went he
gave us something new. H i s songs a r e rugged and b e a u t i f u l , raw and
l i l t i n g ; t h e y ' r e an i n d i v i d u a l , s t u b b o r n d e c l a r a t i o n o f p r i d e and hope
amid a w o r l d o f t r o u b l e s . They're as r e s t l e s s as he i s .
The American highway has been W i l l i e Nelson's second home. I n
f a c t , I t h i n k t h a t bus o f h i s has gone more m i l e s t h a n A i r Force One.
(Laughter.) When someone once asked him why he went i n t o music, he
r e p l i e d , I t h o u g h t I c o u l d s i n g p r e t t y good. W e l l , 200 albums and f i v e
Grammy Awards l a t e r , we know he was r i g h t .
A few years ago t h e Texas l e g i s l a t u r e d e c l a r e d J u l y 4 t h t o be
W i l l i e Nelson Day. L e t me say t h a t t o n i g h t i s W i l l i e Nelson's n i g h t a l l
11/19/1999 10:41 AM
�across America.
Ladies and gentlemen, Mr. W i l l i e Nelson.
(Applause.)
Anyone who went t o t h e movies i n t h e 1950s knew t h e music o f Andre
P r e v i n b e f o r e t h e y knew h i s name. From "Kismet" t o "My F a i r Lady" and
50 o t h e r f i l m s , h i s scores and o r c h e s t r a t i o n s were t h e sounds of t h e
s i l v e r screen, w i n n i n g fans and Oscars.
For some m u s i c i a n s , t h i s achievement might have been more t h a n
enough. But Andre P r e v i n ' s hunger f o r g r e a t music c o u l d n o t be
c o n t a i n e d . The arc o f h i s music i s l o n g and he has soared across i t .
He has been c a l l e d t h e g r e a t e s t c r o s s o v e r a r t i s t s i n c e George Gershwin
and, over t h e course of 50 y e a r s , q u i t e l i t e r a l l y , he has done i t a l l .
As a j a z z m u s i c i a n , he has jammed w i t h the b e s t , from C h a r l i e
Parker t o E l l a F i t z g e r a l d . As a conductor, h i s r e p e r t o i r e ranges from
Bach t o S t r a v i n s k y t o Frank Zappa. As a composer, he has b l a z e d a new
t r a i l i n contemporary music. His new opera, "A S t r e e t c a r Named D e s i r e , "
which opened i n San F r a n c i s c o , i s s i m p l y t h e l a t e s t c h a l l e n g e i n a
fearless career.
Andre P r e v i n was n i n e years o l d when h i s f a m i l y l e f t Germany t o
f i n d r e f u g e here i n America. Maestro P r e v i n , I'm here t o thank you f o r
g i v i n g so much t o those of us i n your adopted c o u n t r y .
Ladies and gentlemen, Mr. Andre P r e v i n .
(Applause).
I'm happy t o welcome S h i r l e y Temple Black back t o t h e White House.
But I'm not t h e f i r s t P r e s i d e n t t o do i t . She was seven years o l d when
P r e s i d e n t Roosevelt asked t o meet her, t o thank her f o r t h e s m i l i n g face
t h a t helped America t h r o u g h t h e Great Depression.
The p r i c e o f movie t i c k e t s has gone up a l i t t l e s i n c e t h e n -(laughter)
b u t her s m i l e hasn't changed, and S h i r l e y Temple c o n t i n u e s
t o be a household word f o r g e n e r a t i o n s who weren't even born when she
l e f t the s i l v e r screen behind.
L e t ' s f a c e i t -- a l l l i t t l e c h i l d r e n are a d o r a b l e , b u t how
can dance, s i n g and act? She was t h e f i r s t c h i l d a c t o r ever t o
full-length A-list picture.
She was t h e most s o u g h t - a f t e r s t a r
Hollywood.
Once The New York Times h a i l e d her as "the g r e a t e s t
of a l l -- g r e a t e r t h a n Garbo, Hepburn and Ginger Rodgers."
many
carry a
in
trouper
S h i r l e y Temple had t h e g r e a t e s t s h o r t c a r e e r i n movie h i s t o r y -( l a u g h t e r ) -- and t h e n g r a c e f u l l y r e t i r e d t o , as we a l l know, t h e f a r
l e s s strenuous l i f e o f p u b l i c s e r v i c e . (Laughter.) She d i d a m a s t e r f u l
j o b as Ambassador, from Ghana t o Czechoslovakia, where she made common
cause w i t h Vaclav Havel i n t h e f i n a l , d e c i s i v e days o f t h e Cold War.
In
f a c t , she has t o be t h e o n l y person who b o t h saved an e n t i r e movie
s t u d i o from f a i l u r e and c o n t r i b u t e d t o t h e f a l l o f communism.
(Laughter.) From her c h i l d h o o d t o t h e p r e s e n t day, S h i r l e y has always
been an ambassador f o r what i s best about America.
Ladies and gentlemen. Miss S h i r l e y Temple Black.
(Applause.)
Ladies and gentlemen, I j u s t t o l d S h i r l e y ' s husband o f 48 y e a r s ,
Charles, t h a t I was w a t c h i n g one of her movies t h e o t h e r day, about t h e
C i v i l War, and he s a i d , "Yes, t h a t ' s the one where she met P r e s i d e n t
L i n c o l n . " And she s a i d t o me, " I d i d n ' t j u s t meet P r e s i d e n t Roosevelt;
I sat on Abraham L i n c o l n ' s l a p . "
(Laughter.)
Ladies and gentlemen, t h i s has been a w o n d e r f u l n i g h t .
I know we
l o o k f o r w a r d t o t h e Honors. I thank you a l l f o r b e i n g here. And once
a g a i n , l e t me thank our honorees f o r t h e g r e a t g i f t s t h e y have g i v e n us.
11/19/1999 10:41
AM
�i m p . ' / w vv vv . p u u . vv m n - i i u u a t . g u v/ ui 1-1 ccw i - :
Thank y o u v e r y much.
END
4 of 4
( j u i . / > KJUHX.^KJ^.QU V .ua/ i y J O I i z.i \ J/ J .ICXl. 1
(Applause.)
5:58
P . M . EST
11/19/1999 10:41 AM
�Draft 9/29/99 12:30 p.m.
Lowell Weiss
PRESIDENT WILLIAM J. CLINTON
NATIONAL MEDAL OF THE ARTS/ NATIONAL HUMANITIES MEDAL
DINNER TOAST
THE WHITE HOUSE
SEPTEMBER 29, 1999
Ladies and gentlemen, good evening. Congratulations, again, on your awards. When I
think ofthe sum total of what the people in this room have created, how many lives you have
touched, how greatly you have enriched the American experience, I am truly awed. It is an
honor to share this evening with all of you.
As you heard earlier today, my voice is still not right. So I will keep this toast nice and
short - especially when you compare it with all the rambling I did when Professor Hall's
Southern Oral History Project interviewed me 25 years ago.
In his homage to the soldiers of the Peloponnesian War, Pericles extolled the glory of
Greece with a simple declaration: "We shall not be without witness. There are mighty
monuments of our power which will make us the wonder of this and succeeding ages."
As we stand at the mountaintop of one millennium and peer out to the next, it is fitting
that we Americans ask ourselves: What will be the monuments of our power? What have we to
offer up to the gaze of succeeding ages?
Just like Pericles's Athens, America has been blessed with prosperity and might. But the
powers that have truly made us great are those of the mind ~ imagination, discovery, and
creation. This is why our nation celebrates your achievements tonight. And this is also why,
when Hillary and I began planning for the coming of the millennium, we placed arts and
humanities at the heart of our efforts.
Just yesterday, Hillary presented an outline of how America will ring in the new
millennium at the foot of the Lincoln Memorial. When I think of what that Memorial stands for
- and how Marian Anderson, Dr. King, Odetta, and others ennobled its steps - 1 can think of no
finer place to honor the past and imagine our future.
Over the course of three full days, we will make the millennium celebration a time to
remember and a time to reflect. Tonight, I want to reach out to you, to ask you to get involved in
the celebration. I know that Steven [Spielberg] and Aretha will play a big part - and we are
grateful. We want all of you to help us create a mighty monument of art and song and
scholarship which will make America the wonder of this and succeeding ages.
It is in that spirit that I salute and celebrate the gifts of creativity that you have so
generously shared with all humankind. Thank you and God bless you.
###
�Iittp://www.pub.whitehouse.gov/uri-...oma.eop.gov.us/1999/9/30/10.text. 1
THE WHITE HOUSE
O f f i c e o f t h e Press S e c r e t a r y
For Immediate Release
September 29, 1999
REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT
AT NATIONAL MEDAL OF THE ARTS AND HUMANITIES DINNER
The S t a t e D i n i n g Room
1:40
P.M. EDT
THE PRESIDENT: Ladies and gentlemen, welcome t o t h e White
House. A s p e c i a l welcome t o a l l o f our honorees o f t h e N a t i o n a l Medals
of A r t s and Humanities.
The n i c e t h i n g about t h i s evening, a p a r t from
b e i n g here i n America's House s l i g h t l y b e f o r e we c e l e b r a t e i t s 200th
b i r t h d a y , i s t h a t t h e r e a r e no speeches and l o t s o f e n t e r t a i n m e n t -( l a u g h t e r ) -- u n l e s s , o f course, Mr. K e i l l o r wants t o s u b s t i t u t e f o r me
at t h i s moment.
(Laughter.)
I ' l l be l i v i n g down t h a t c r a c k I made
about him f o r t h e r e s t o f my l i f e .
(Laughter.)
I want t o say a g a i n , as I d i d today and as H i l l a r y d i d , t h a t
t h i s i s one o f t h e most e n j o y a b l e and i m p o r t a n t days o f every year t o
us, because i t g i v e s America a chance t o r e c o g n i z e our sons and
daughters who have e n r i c h e d our l i v e s , made us laugh, made us t h i n k ,
made us c r y , l i f t e d us up when we were down. I n so many ways, a l l o f
you have touched so many people t h a t you w i l l never know. But i n a l l o f
them accumulated, you have made America a b e t t e r p l a c e , you've made t h e
world a f i n e r place.
And as we l o o k t o t h e new c e n t u r y , I hope t h a t as time goes on
we w i l l be known more and more f o r t h i n g s beyond our w e a l t h and power,
t h a t go t o t h e w e a l t h and power o f our s p i r i t .
I n s o f a r as t h a t happens,
i t w i l l be because o f you and people l i k e you.
And i t was a p r i v i l e g e
f o r a l l o f us t o honor you today.
the
I would l i k e t o ask a l l o f you here t o j o i n me i n a t o a s t t o
1999 winners o f t h e Medal o f A r t s and t h e Medal o f Humanities.
(A t o a s t i s o f f e r e d . )
And
welcome.
END
lofl
Thank you.
8:44 P.M. EDT
12/3/1999 10:49 AM
�5> [joh^Jr
Draft 12/2/99 8:50pm
Lowell Weiss
gfl/U
PRESIDENT WILLIAM J. CLINTON
REMARKS AT KENNEDY CENTER HONORS RECEPTION
THE WHITE HOUSE
December 5, 1999
In 1939, Borge Rosenbaum of Copenhagen sought to safe passage to America, just ahead of
the h azi advance. The U.S. consul, who had seen Borge's brilliant comedy show, granted him a
visa^one condition - that he continue his career in America.
With only $20 in his pocket, he arrived in the United States, changed his name, and began
to learn English by watching gangster films. Soon, Victor Borge had landed himself a regular gig
on Bing Crosby's radio hour, which eventually led to Broadway and the longest running one-man
show in the history of theater.
His act was a revelation. Who would ever have thought that
person could be both a
virtuoso piano player and Epingenious comedian - much less combinfMhe two into one
mischievous, uproarious snow? Perhaps the common denominator/Ts)his gift for improvisation.
Once, when a pesky fly would not leave Borge alone, he so skillfully incorporated it into his
performance that audience members were sure that he had trained the fly to cooperate.
At age 90, Victor Borge continues to share his gifts with the world - not only through
comedy, piano, and conducting but also through the generous scholarship fund he created in
gratitude to those who risked their lives to save Scandinavia's Jews. Tonight, we are deeply
grateful to one long-forgotten U.S. consul and to the Great Dane who has kept America rolling in
laughter for so many years.
^
Ladies and gentlemen, Victor Borge.
Steven Spielberg once said that there are only seven genuine movie stars in
goes without saying that the list includes Sean Connery - who
wkfe Bond and matured into one of the most commanding and versatile actors ever to arch an
eyebrow on the silver screen.
Sean Connery rose from humble beginnings in working-class Edinburgh. Even today, under
the tux he wears better than any man alive, he still sports with pride a "Scotland Forever" tattoo on
his arm. He left school at age 13, and helped support his family as a concrete mixer, bricklayer,
sailor, steel bender, coffin polisher, and weightlifter - jobs that prepared him for a lifetime of
wonderful roles.
After making 007 the most famous character in the world, Sean Connery went on to broaden
his irresistible appeal with Ituhnmg^performances in movies such as The Man Who Would Be King,
The Name of the Rose, The Russlanouse, and The Untouchables - for which he hailed as another
Olivier. Among his numerous honors, he has earned the Academy Award, France's Tri^rest-ciidliaft
rt)«3?tL, a British Academy Fellowship, and Edinburgh's Freedom of the City Award. To this
distinguished list, we add Kennedy Center Honors jmd thank him for his four decades of masterful,
funforgettabl^ contributions to ^ngficaa ff^rfbrmingluls
�Ladies and gentlemen, Sean Connery.
On May 4, 1971, during a 16-minute solo of indescribable powet^and pride and beauty,
Judith Jamison vaulted into the realm of legend. The solo she danced that night was called "Cry,"
and Alvin Ailey had created it just for her. Rarely, if ever, had the artistry of choreographer and
dancer come together in such an elemental, spiritual way.
And yet, in the chronicle of her career, that night was just one in a long list of soaring
triumphs. After a childhood filled with exacting study of dance, her big break came in 1964. "1
taught a class [with] ordinary students," the famed choreographer Agnes de Mille later reported.
"But there was this one astonishing girl." Thanks to Mrs. De Mille, Judith Jamison began
performing with the American Ballet Theater. A year later, Alvin Ailey asked her to dance with his
company. She did so, to world acclaim, for the next 15 years.
From the Ailey Company, Judith Jamison went on to star on Broadway, choreograph for
modem dance and opera, and found her own dance company. But in 1989, she returned to the Ailey
Company to take over as Artistic Director and fulfill her mentor's dying wish. In this role, she has
preserved Alley's legacy - while creating transcendent new works, cultivating a new generation of
stars, and bringing dance "back to the people." Tonight, we thank her for a lifetime of breaking
down barriers and forever lifting up the beauty and majesty of American dance.
Ladies and gentlemen, Judith Jamison.
"He seemed like the last person you would think of casting," said the esteemed director
Jose Quinterolof the young part-time actor, part-time cab driver who sought the lead role in "The
Iceman Cometh." But from the moment Jason Robards, Jr. began the audition, the part belonged to
him. As Quintero later remarked, " I came to see that Jason was the greatest young actor in the
world."
Jason Robards' authority as an artist only grew more impressive with age. After his
chilling performance in Eugene O'Neill's "Iceman," he starred in the Broadway premiere of "A
Long Day's Journey into Night," securing his standing as the finest interpreter of America's finest
playwright. He went on to earn the highest acclaim and highest honors on most ofthe world's
great stages - including, of course, the Kennedy Center, where he presided at the groundbreaking
and shined in the very first play the Center produced.
Of course, he has also enjoyed remarkable success as a screen actor. In the 1970s, J^^p
Robards won back-to-back Academy Awards for his mntinnnpintiire portrayals of Ben Bradlee in
All the President's Men and Dashiell Hammett in Julia. But the theater has always been his first
love. Today, we thank him for sharing that love - and his infinite ability to communicate the
heights and depths of the human experience - with all of us. We just wish Jose Quintero could be
here to share this night as well. [Quintero died of cancer in February.]
Ladies and gentlemen, Jason Robards, Jr.
When Stevie Wonder was baby in inner-city Detroit, his mother dreamed of carrying her son
to the Holy City of Jerusalem in hopes that he would gain his sight. What she could not yet know
was that her child had already been blessed from above - blessed with prodigious, awe-inspiring
musical talents that must have come from the Almighty himself.
�By age 8, Stevie was composing for piano and mastering the harmonica and drums. At age
13, he took the world by storm with /'Fingertips Part ^'-aadtetiaSffiFfifsFfSi^Tecord. At the ripe
old age of 18, he came out with his first album of Greatest Hits.
But today, we celebrate Stevie not for the prodigy he-was_but for the prophet he has become.
Over the past 30 years, while writing and performing th^Gnfbrgetta^e songs that have earned him
17 Grammy Awards, he has helped to make Dr. King's birthrfay^mto a national holiday, to tear
down the walls of apartheid, to alleviate hunger, to promote arts education, to stem youth violence and in soinany_otherwa^s, to compose the remaining passages of Dr. King's unfinished symphony.
So thank you, Stevie, for using your divine gifts to move the world to action just as surely as you
have moved us to song. I believe Dr. King would be very proud ofjfall theway^ you have used your
remarkable voice.
Ladies and gentlemen, Stevie Wonder.
7^
7*
�Draft 12/1/99
Lowell Weiss
PRESIDENT WILLIAM J. CLINTON
REMARKS AT KENNEDY CENTER HONORS RECEPTION
THE WHITE HOUSE
December 5,1999
In 1939, Borge Rosenbaum of Copenhagen sought to safe passage to America, just
ahead of the Nazi advance. The U.S. consul, who had seen Borge's brilliant comedy show,
granted him a visa one condition - that he continue his career in America.
With only $20 in his pocket, he arrived in the United States, changed his name, and
began to leam English by watching gangster films. Soon, Victor Borge had landed himself a
regular gig on Bing Crosby's radio hour, which eventually led to Broadway and the longest
running one-man show in the history of theater.
Victor Borge was not only a sensation but a revelation. Who would ever have fought
that one person could be both a virtuoso piano player and a ingenious comedian - auffitTess ^
combine the two into one mischievous, uproarious show? Perhaps the common denominator his
unequalled gift for improvisation. Once, when a pesky fly would not leave Borge alone, he so
skillfully included it into his act that the audience members were sure that he had trained it to
cooperate.
At age 90, Victor Borge continues to share his gifts with the world - not only through
comedy, piano, and conducting but also through the generous scholarship fund he created in
gratitude to those who risked their lives to save Scandinavia's Jews. Tonight, we are deeply
grateful to one long-forgotten U.S. consul and to the Great Dane who has kept America rolling in
laughter for so many years.
Ladies and gentlemen, Victor Borge.
Steven Spielberg once said that there are only seven genuine movie stars in the world
today. Of course, that list includes Sean Connery - who achieved Beatles-like status with Bond
and matured into one ofthe most commanding and versatile actors ever to arch an eyebrow on
the silver screen.
Sean Connery rose from humble beginnings in working-class Edinburgh. Even today,
under the tux he wears better than any man alive, he still sports with pride a "Scotland Forever"
tattoo on his arm. He left school at age 13, and helped support his family as a concrete mixer,
bricklayer, sailor, steel bender, coffin polisher, and weightlifter - jobs that prepared him for a
lifetime of wonderful roles.
After making 007 the most famous character in the world, Sean Connery went on to
broaden his irresistible appeal with stunning performances in movies such as The Man Who
Would Be King, The Name of the Rose, The Russia House, and The Untouchables - for which he
�hailed as another Olivier. Among his numerous honors, he has earned the Academy Award,
France's highest civilian medal, a British Academy Fellowship, and Edinburgh's Freedom of the
City Award. To this distinguished list, we add Kennedy Center Honors and thank him for his
four decades of masterful, unforgettable contributions to American performing arts.
Ladies and gentlemen, Sean Connery.
When Stevie Wonder was baby in inner-city Detroit, his loving mother dreamed of
carrying her son to the Holy City of Jerusalem in hopes that he would gain his sight. What Lula
Mae could not yet know was that Stevie had already been blessed from above - blessed with
prodigious, awe-inspiring talents that must have come from the Almighty himself.
By age 8, Stevie was composing for piano and mastering the harmonica and drums. At
age 13, he had his first gold record. At the ripe old age of 18, he came out with his first album of
Greatest Hits.
But today, we celebrate Stevie not for the prodigy he was but for the prophet he has
become. Over the past 30 years, while writing and performing the unforgettable music that has
won him 17 Grammy Awards, he has helped to tear down Apartheid, make Dr. King's birthday
into a national holiday, alleviate hunger, promote arts education, stem youth violence - and in so
many other ways, worked to compose the remaining passages of Dr. King's unfinished
symphony. So thank you, Stevie, for using your divine gifts to move the world to action just as
surely as you have moved us to song. I believe Dr. King would be very proud of all the ways
you have used your remarkable voice.
Ladies and gentlemen, Stevie Wonder.
�Kennedy
Millennium
East Room - Merriwether Lewis and Jefferson, dined alone: dined with merriwether lewis
Doing what God put you on Earth to do.
Not just to create, but to share that creation with us
To be a great performer is not to echo what has come before, but to shape everything that comes
after
For Judith Jamison, dance is going "into the depths of your heart to pull out what you
need to communicate with another person."
From the depths of her tremendous heart, Judi has shown us tears and joy, sorrow and
salvation. Since her very first dance performance at age six, she has been breaking down barriers
and seeking that reservoir of spirit that unites us all. She has reached into our own hearts, and
touched us deeply.
That is what art - and these awards - are all about.
In her many years as a performer with the Alvin Ailey Dance Theater, as a Broadway
performer and international star, Judi has been a vision of grace and strength, of art lifted beyond
prejudice and returned to the people who gave it life. She carried that vision across America and
around the world - and to the very first Kennedy Center performance in 1971.
As a choreographer, teacher and mentor, she is shaping new dancers and seeking out new
audiences. And as Alley's successor as Artistic Director, she has preserved his legacy and set
her own fearless course for the future. So thank you, Judi, for sharing with us the beauty of your
artistry - and the power of your spirit.
,
i
�Draft 11/29/99
Lowell Weiss
PRESIDENT WILLIAM J. CLINTON
REMARKS AT KENNEDY CENTER HONORS RECEPTION
THE WHITE HOUSE
December 5,1999
Kennedy
Millennium
East Room - Merriwether Lewis and Jefferson, dined alone: dined with merriwether lewis
Doing what God put you on Earth to do.
Stevie Wonder
• King quote
• Anecdote about how art has had an impact?
•
start with story
• met Dr. King in 1965
• wish I could have given him a knighthood
• Little Stevie Wonder
conclusion: writing unfinished symphony
•
He adds t h a t h e ' l l "continue my assistance i n song and i n s p i r i t , " working on what he
once c a l l e d M a r t i n Luther King's " u n f i n i s h e d symphony" of s o c i a l and r a c i a l harmony.
The only encounter Wonder had w i t h the c i v i l r i g h t s leader came i n 1965
d u r i n g the n a t i o n a l a i r l i n e s t r i k e . "We took t h i s Cessna plane from New York t o
Chicago and the p i l o t l e t me f l y the plane," Wonder r e c a l l s w i t h a chuckle. " I
pushed the wrong t h i n g and we s t a r t e d going dooowwnn . . . Oh my God! When we
got t o Chicago—he was having a r a l l y at Comiskey Park--he said, 'Young man, I'm
very happy t o meet y o u — y o u ' r e doing a l o t o f t h i n g s f o r young people.' " One
gets the f e e l i n g t h a t one sentence means more t o Wonder than the 14 Grammys he's
acquired i n the l a s t decade.
Mr. Wonder's arrangements, and e s p e c i a l l y h i s l a y e r i n g of synthesizer p a r t s
to credte ingenious melodic and rhythmic c o u n t e r p o i n t , have also been widely
copied. And as Paul McCartney r e c e n t l y remarked, Mr. Wonder p r o j e c t s
considerable s p i r i t u a l and moral a u t h o r i t y ,
g i f t f o r melodic w r i t i n g
•
Spokesperson: M i l t o n Hardaway, Stevland Morris Music i n Los Angeles
•
humanitarian, musical genius, composer, producer, performer, musical d i s c i p l e of MLK;
emergence from prodigy to poet and prophet
Stevie Wonder i s a one-man band w i t h the range o f an orchestra; A musician whose moral
s t a t u r e transcends the pop realm, Stevie Wonder
at 34 i s almost a force of nature.
Wonder, who i n s p i r e d and l e d mass marches and r a l l i e s here i n January
1981 and 1982 and i n t e n s i v e lobbying on C a p i t o l H i l l i n 1983, helped make the
�b i l l a law. I t was Wonder, b l i n d since b i r t h , a s t a r f o r more than two decades
and a f o l k hero t o black Americans, who provided the focus f o r d i s p a r a t e
g r o u p s — e s p e c i a l l y young supporters who might be wary of o l d - l i n e p o l i t i c i a n s .
* O c t o b e r 5, 1998: Stevie Wonder Bearhugs C l i n t o n s At White House State Dinner For
Czech President Vaclav Havel. President B i l l C l i n t o n and f i r s t lady H i l l a r y Rodham
C l i n t o n r e c e n t l y hosted
Czech Republic President Vaclav Havel at a s t a t e dinner i n the White House.And though
Stevie Wonder was a guest, and not the f e a t u r e d entertainment, he s t o l e the s p o t l i g h t
when he gave the president and f i r s t lady a b i g bear hug at the a f f a i r .
•
February 23, 1998, B l a i r dinner: " I wish I could give Stevie a knighthood." And i n
honor of Mrs. B l a i r he sang My Cherie Amour, which drew an a p p r e c i a t i v e laugh from the
crowd.
He's been a fixture on the American music scene since 1963 when, as Little Stevie Wonder,
his "F-irtoextips Pt. 2" became a hit.
.
/ •
Wonder t o l d the Jerusalem Post ; "Wfienl was young, before my mother had
accepted t h a t I was v i s u a l l y impaired, she wanted t o b r i n g me t o the Holy C i t y
i n hopes I would g,e.t-m-y- .sight. "
d e f i e s some o f h i s a d v i s e r s w h o trFed t o discourage him"~FrOm-i. ccoiidiiig jnothcr—message^
album
* and at 4 9 i s t h e youngest Kennedy Center honoree ever.
Today, t h e n a t i o n celebrates the Dr.Martin Luther King, J r . Holiday and Nelson Mandela i s
p r e s i d e n t of South A f r i c a f o l l o w i n g the d i s m a n t l i n g of apartheid -- l e g a l segregation
*
a t home w i t h rhythm and blues, j a z z , h i p hop, pop, bossa nova and reggae
*
* v i s i t c h i l d r e n w i t h AIDS, problem of hunger, v i o l e n c e , a p a r t h e i d , MLK, One America,
a r t s i n schools
durable love songs of the past two decades - ''You Are the Sunshine of My L i f e , ' ' ''My
Cherie Amour,'' ' ' I s n ' t She Lovely'' - and he has t a c k l e d s u b s t a n t i a l issues i n songs
l i k e ''You Haven't Done Nothin' '' and ' ' L i v i n g f o r the C i t y . '
Stevie has transcended mere stardom; people w i l l t a l k
about Stevie i n the f u t u r e the way they do about S i n a t r a , the Duke, E l l a or
Gershwin
Wonder was inducted i n t o the Rock and R o l l H a l l of Fame i n 1989.
* some musicians consider
among the a l l - t i m e masters of the keyboard
* Tim White on Stevie Wonder: "No singer has ever o f f e r e d such
uniform, u n e a r t h l y escape t o i n t e g r i t y . "
even t h e most average ear can
i d e n t i f y h i s s i g n a t u r e grooves from j u s t a quick i n t r o d u c t o r y note
Sometimes you r e a l l y sound l i k e a p o l i t i c i a n . Many people thought you r e a l l y
were going t o run f o r mayor of D e t r o i t . Why d i d n ' t you go through w i t h i t ?
-
l
L
1
A.
I know t h a t i f I run, I would win. I'm not saying t h a t e g o t i s t i c a l l y . I n my
heart I would love t o be a p r e s i d e n t . Maybe some day of one of the A f r i c a n
c o u n t r i e s . But God has given me a p l a t f o r m o f music t o express t h i n g s . I t ' s a
b l e s s i n g . The moment I abuse i t , I won't do i t anymore.
Already an adamant proponent o f mixing pop w i t h p o l i t i c s (he was among the
f i r s t t o champion a h o l i d a y honoring Martin Luther King J r . w i t h igSO's Hotter
Than J u l y LP), Wonder vowed a safer c i t y f o r c h i l d r e n and non-stop music i n the
mayor's chambers should he f o l l o w through on h i s b i d t o run f o r o f f i c e sometime
i n t h e '90s.
* I t has been s a i d t h a t at any given moment you have thousands of melodies
spinning i n your b r a i n .
What's your f a v o r i t e Stevie Wonder songTA.I'll have t o borrow a quote from Duke
E l l i n g t o n , and say what he always s a i d
when asked t h a t question: " I haven't w r i t t e n i t y e t . " I do f e e l t h a t way.
* a s o u l f u l , immensely t a l e n t e d songwriter w i t h an u n e r r i n g
s o c i a l conscience
*
"so much o f a r t i s more than j u s t e n t e r t a i n i n g "
The f i r s t e n t e r t a i n e r t o address the United Nations
Wonder i s also on the drums. He i s by no means a conventional p e r c u s s i o n i s t ,
though i n the e a r l y Seventies E r i c Clapton described him as ''the best drummer
i n t h e world''
�Born Steven Judkins i n Saginaw, Mich., he was the t h i r d o f
f i v e c h i l d r e n t h a t Lula Mae Hardaway s t r u g g l e d t o r a i s e alone. His
s i g h t l e s s n e s s may have been caused by problems t h a t developed from
a premature b i r t h .
He vaguely r e c a l l s l i g h t , and he t o l d me, " " I
t h i n k I d i d see my mother's face. ''
His mother worked sometimes as a seamstress, sometimes i n a
f i s h - p a c k i n g p l a n t . There were times when there was no food on the
t a b l e , no heat i n the house. ""We were poor,'' Stevie r e c a l l e d . " " I
knew we were doing w i t h o u t . '' But t h e i r home was f i l l e d w i t h love,
and when they moved t o D e t r o i t ' s east side, i t seemed t h a t no one
i n t h a t poor neighborhood was any worse o f f than they were.
Here was a boy who, from age
2, was c r e a t i n g rhythms w i t h a spoon t o the music from the r a d i o .
Nothing t h a t made a sound escaped h i s tapping. The sides of beds,
the w a l l s , t h e windows. ""day and n i g h t , you could hear i t , ' h i s
brother Milton recalled.
1
When he was 4, Stevie s t a r t e d p i c k i n g out songs on a
harmonica h i s uncle had bought him. He wore out several sets o f t o y
drums u n t i l the Lions Club gave him a r e a l set a t a Christmas p a r t y
f o r b l i n d c h i l d r e n . At 8, he was composing on the piano a t school.
By 9, he was s i n g i n g solos a the Whitestone B a p t i s t Church -- u n t i l
one day he was caught by a s i s t e r of the church p l a y i n g rock 'n'
roll.
For p l a y i n g " " w o r l d l y music,'' Stevie was promptly expelled
from the c h o i r .
Then, on an August day i n 1973, Stevie's l i f e took another
t u r n . Riding back from a concert i n North Carolina, Wonder was
i n v o l v e d i n an auto accident t h a t l e f t him i n a coma.
As Stevie l a y i n the h o s p i t a l , M i l t o n r e c a l l e d t h a t h i s
b r o t h e r had o f t e n s a i d he would d i e young. And he had j u s t released
the song ""Higher Ground,' i n which he sang of God showing the way
to a b e t t e r place. Some wondered now i f he's had a premonition of
his death. Or was i t a r e b i r t h ?
1
A f t e r f o u r days, Stevie came out of h i s coma. Although
several months would pass before he was f u l l y recovered, a kind o f
r e b i r t h ""had occured.
He r e a f f i r m e d h i s commitment t o a i d i n g h i s
f e l l o w man. " " I w i l l not be operating so much on time as " " i n ' '
time,'' Stevie s a i d . By t h a t he meant t h a t he would s t r i v e t o help
others before i t was too l a t e .
11
He has been t r u e t o h i s word. Across the years, he has l e n t
his name, t a l e n t and money t o countless causes -- nuclear disarmament, world
hunger, farmworkers, AIDS research and s i c k l e
c e l l anemia research. I n a campaign against drunk d r i v i n g , he posed
f o r a poster t h a t went t o 16,000 high schools. I t s a i d : ""Before I
r i d e w i t h a drunk, I ' l l d r i v e myself. '' He o f t e n acts on impulse,
h e l p i n g someone he has learned about from a newspaper or TV s t o r y .
A f t e r a lawyer was c r i p p l e d by a v i c i o u s a t t a c k i n h i s D e t r o i t
o f f i c e , Stevie a r r i v e d unannounced at h i s h o s p i t a l room and sang t o
him. When three c h i l d r e n were orphaned when t h e i r mother was k i l l e d
by t h e p o l i c e i n Los Angeles, Stevie staged a b e n e f i t show f o r them.
""Every time I hear recordings of Dr. King speaking, I c r y
because I t h i n k about him,'' he s a i d . ""His s o u l , h i s s p i r i t , h i s
inner v i s i o n . America has i t a l l wrong t h i n k i n g i t ' s a black
h o l i d a y . I t ' s not a black t h i n g . I t ' s an American t h i n g . What he
d i d , he d i d f o r a l l of us, black and white.
Jason Robards
�* Jose Quintero, died i n Februray, " I ' d been a c t i n g f o r years," Robards remembered, "but
i t hadn't amounted t o much of anything. Jose took a chance on me, and e v e r y t h i n g opened
up. And everybody had said, 'don't do i t ; nobody w i l l come t o see O ' N e i l l . I wish
Jose were around f o r t h i s , " Robards lamented. "He should be g e t t i n g t h i s award." Quintero
once c a l l e d h i s O'Neill c o l l a b o r a t o r Robards "an a r t i s t i n
complete command."
* Among the f i v e productions i n which Robards appeared at the Kennedy Center
were the pre-Broadway runs of "A Moon f o r the Misbegotten," "A Touch of the
Poet," the 1985 "Iceman," and the 1988 "Long Day's Journey I n t o Night."
* Robards, along w i t h Robert Kennedy and President Lyndon Johnson, presided at
the groundbreaking f o r the Kennedy Center i n 1966, "when i t was an open f i e l d
f u l l of mosquitoes i n Foggy Bottom down by the Potomac."
appeared i n the f i r s t play the center produced, a r e v i v a l of C l i f f o r d Odets's "The
Country G i r l , " i n 1971
* Robards himself was the presenter when the legendary stage actress Lynn Fontanne was
awarded one of the e a r l i e s t Kennedy Center Honors.
* Robards won back-to-back supporting actor Oscars i n 1976 and 1977 f o r p l a y i n g Ben
Bradlee i n " A l l the President's Men" and D a s h i e l l Hammett i n " J u l i a . " Despite h i s success
i n movies, which f u r t h e r include "A Thousand Clowns,""Any Wednesday," "The Ballad of
Cable Hogue," and "Melvin and Howard," Robards
has always remained a man of the t h e a t r e . "That's why I've always l i v e d i n the
New York area, w i t h i n commuting distance t o Broadway," he said.
" I n the t h e a t r e , your f r i e n d s are forever. That's the wonderful t h i n g about the t h e a t r e . "
Victor Borge
* has created h i s very own a r t form out of laughter and music
* Borge i s s t i l l on the road. He appeared t h i s week w i t h the Houston Symphony
Orchestra. " I do as much as I f e e l I can without t i r i n g myself. I used t o do 98
to 100 shows a year. I cut i t way down t o 98. This year I am doing about 35 t o
40," he s a i d .
Jamison
•
Jamison i s now d i r e c t o r of A l v i n A i l e y American Dance Theater, and danced w i t h the
company the n i g h t the center opened i n 1971.
When I r e a l i z e d t h a t I was going t o receive the Kennedy Center Honors, I was i n t e a r s
l o o k i n g at A l v i n ' s p i c t u r e , " she s a i d . The troupe performed w i t h Leonard Bernstein's
"Mass" a t the center's u n v e i l i n g .
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Tlie Kennedy
The 1999 Kennedy Center Honors
The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts announced the selection by its board
of trustees of the individuals who will receive the Kennedy Center Honors of 1999.
Recipients to be honored at the 22nd annual national celebration of the arts are: comedian
and pianist Victor Borge, actor Sean Connery, dancer and teacher Judith Jamison, actor
Jason Robards, and singer and songwriter Stevie Wonder.
"For the unique and extremely valuable contributions they have made to the cultural life of
our nation," said Kennedy Center Chairman James A. Johnson, "we honor a beloved
entertainer who has created his very own art form out of laughter and music, a living icon
whose charm and talent has enthralled moviegoers for decades, one of the nation's most
individualistic and beloved dance artists, an actor who for half a century has been one of the
leading lights of the American theater, and a musical genius who has been an integral part
of American popular culture for the past four decades."
mm.
The annual Honors Gala has become the highlight of the
Washington cultural year. The 1999 Honorees will be
saluted by their peers at a gala performance in the Kennedy
Center's Opera House oi^Sunday evening, December fDto
be attended by President and Mrs. Clinton and artists from
across the country.
The Kennedy Center Honors will be bestowed the night
before the gala on Saturday, December 4, at a State
Department dinner, hosted by Secretary of State Madeleine K. Albright.
President and Mrs. Clinton will receive the Honorees and members ofthe Artists
Committee, who nominate them, along with the Board of Trustees and other supporters of
The Kennedy Center at the White House on Sunday evening December 5, prior to the Gala
performangguA supper dance in the Grand Foyer—supported for the 17th year by a
genefous grant from Merrill Lynch—will conclude the festive weekend.
CBS Television will broadcast the Honors Gala as a two-hour prime time special for the
twenty-second consecutive year, later in December.
The Kennedy Center Honors was created by George Stevens Jr. and Nick Vanoff in 1978.
The two-hour Honors telecast, produced by Don Mischer and Stevens, has been honored
with five Emmy's for Outstanding Program as well as the Peabody Award for Outstanding
Contribution to Television.
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The Honors recipients are recognized for their lifetime
contributions to American culture through the performing
arts: whether in dance, music, theater, opera, motion
pictures, or television. The primary criterion in the selection
process is excellence. The Honors are not designated by art
form or category of artistic achievement; the selection
process, over the years, has produced balance among the
various arts and artistic disciplines.
The selection criteria allow the Board to honor artists who are not American citizens, but
who have had a significant impact on the cultural scene in the United States, no more than
one each year. Mr. Connery, who is Scottish, joins past honorees in this category who
include Gian Carlo Menotti, Mstislav Rostropovich, and Sir Georg Solti.
This year 96 members of the Kennedy Center's national artists committee made
recommendations of possible Honorees. Among the artists making recommendations were:
Julie Andrews, Carol Burnett, Zoe Caldwell, Renee Fleming, Morgan Freeman, Herbie
Hancock, Gregory Hines, Eugene Istomin, Angela Lansbury, Jack Lemmon, Kurt Masur,
Sherrill Milnes, Randy Newman, Mike Nichols, Martin Scorsese, Leonard Slatkin, Kevin
Spacey, and Frederica von Stade.
The Kennedy Center Honors Gala is a fund-raising benefit for the Kennedy Center to
support its performing arts, its education and public service programming, and its
comprehensive outreach effort, Performing Arts for Everyone, that makes the Center's
presentations accessible to all.
Honors Home Paae I About the Honors I History of the Honors I KC Home Paue
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11/23/1999 10:26 AM
�Connery's own production company, Fountainbridge
Films
Greatest living scot
Connery already has the honor that means the most to him,
and it's not the Oscar he won in 1988 for "The Untouchables." A number of years
ago, he was given Edinburgh's highest honor, the Freedom of the City award,
which is bestowed very infrequently on people the Scots think very highly
of-and they're hard to impress.
You said once you wanted to be remembered as an old man with a good face,
like Picasso or Hitchcock
Around Edinburgh, they call him "Big Tarn
He works tirelessly for the good of his fellow Scots. He is the prime
benefactor of the Scottish National Theatre and, in the early Seventies, was
credited with having founded the Scottish International Education Trust, which
is dedicated to helping young Scots obtain an education.
"If you were his friend in those early days, you didn't raise the subject of
Bond," says fellow British icon Michael Caine.
has had a career that stretches so far
beyond the boundaries of Bond
famous patriotism.
The Bafta Fellowship is the Academy's highest award and Connery became only
the seventh actor to receive one, following in the footsteps of such legends as
Sir Laurence Olivier and Sir Alec Guinness.
The film made an immediate impact, which hit Connery like a blast of heat. ' I
had no idea of that scale of reverence and pressure. It was around the same time
as the Beatles. The difference of course was that there were four of them to
kick it around and blame each other.'
serious golfer
In forty years of filmmaking, Sean Connery has climbed into a remarkable
variety of cinematic costume: suits from Savile Row, uniforms of every stripe,
American West gear, exotic regalia from loincloth to kilt to Spanish grandee's
piratical splendor, the robes of a Benedictine monk, the sturdy tweeds of an
elderly British archaeologist, and the slightly seedy duds of a boozy publisher.
He's been spy, soldier, scientist, submarine captain, cop, poet, miner, thief,
messiah, sheikh, fertility god, and dragon. No matter the clothes, period, or
genre, Connery displays the sang-froid of an instinctively naturalized citizen,
at home from Sekandergul to Oz.
�Page 3
12TH STORY o f L e v e l 1 p r i n t e d i n FULL format
C o p y r i g h t 1999 B u r r e l l e ' s I n f o r m a t i o n S e r v i c e s
CBS News T r a n s c r i p t s
SHOW: 60 MINUTES (7:00 PM
ET)
May 16, 1999, Sunday
TYPE: P r o f i l e
LENGTH: 2222 words
HEADLINE: CONNERY, SEAN CONNERY; HIS FACE IS RECOGNIZABLE, HE'S THE MOST FAMOUS
SCOTSMAN ALIVE AND, AT 69, HE CAN STILL HOLD A CLOSE-UP AND OPEN A MOVIE AT
NUMBER ONE
ANCHORS: STEVE KROFT
BODY:
CONNERY, SEAN CONNERY
STEVE KROFT, c o - h o s t :
The face i s r e c o g n i z a b l e t o j u s t about everyone i n t h e w o r l d , one o f a
h a n d f u l o f t r u e movie s t a r s , n o t t o mention t h e most famous Scotsman a l i v e .
You
f i r s t met him as 'Bond, James Bond.' T o n i g h t , g e t t o know him as Connery, Sean
Connery. A f t e r 68 f i l m s , he can s t i l l h o l d a c l o s e - u p and open a movie a t
number one. He l o o k s s t r o n g enough t o throw someone t h r o u g h a p l a t e g l a s s
window, and on some days, he i s j u s t cantankerous enough t o make you t h i n k he
might t r y . I t keeps t h e f o o l s from g e t t i n g t o o c l o s e , which i s j u s t f i n e w i t h
him. He has been around so l o n g and done so much, i t ' s easy t o f o r g e t t h a t i t
a l l began i n a n o t h e r t i m e , a n o t h e r p l a c e , which was t h e name o f h i s f i r s t movie.
(Excerpt from an unnamed Connery movie)
KROFT: ( V o i c e o v e r ) One r e v i e w e r w r o t e 'The BBC commentator i s p l a y e d by
newcomer Sean Connery, who w i l l n o t grow o l d i n t h e i n d u s t r y . ' That was 41 years
ago.
And you can s t i l l p l a y l e a d i n g men.
Mr. SEAN CONNERY ( A c t o r ) : Yeah, I j u s t d i d i t w i t h C a t h e r i n e Zeta Jones i n
"Entrapment."
KROFT: A t age...
Mr.
CONNERY: S i x t y - n i n e t h i s y e a r .
KROFT: That's p r e t t y remarkable.
a t t r i b u t e i t to?
I mean, how do you e x p l a i n i t ? What do you
�Page 4
CBS News Transcripts, May 16, 1999, Sunday
Mr.
CONNERY: I'm t h e producer.
KROFT: Oh, you're t h e producer.
(Footage o f Sean Connery t a l k i n g w i t h Steve K r o f t ; Connery and w i f e ,
M i c h e l i n e ; Connery w a l k i n g w i t h K r o f t ; Connery w a t c h i n g soccer game on
television)
KROFT: (Voiceover) He has a mischievous sense o f humor, a s t r o n g sense o f
i r o n y , and y o u don't have t o w o r r y about him g e t t i n g warm and f u z z y w i t h you.
He's e x t r e m e l y p r i v a t e . When he's n o t w o r k i n g , he and h i s w i f e o f n e a r l y 30
y e a r s , M i c h e l i n e , spend most o f t h e i r t i m e a t t h e i r home i n t h e Bahamas. Here,
he i s f r e e t o i n d u l g e h i s t w i n p a s s i o n s , p l a y i n g g o l f and w a t c h i n g s a t e l l i t e
feeds o f h i s f a v o r i t e soccer team, Manchester U n i t e d , which once, many years
ago, o f f e r e d h i m a c o n t r a c t t o p l a y f o r t h e o r g a n i z a t i o n .
Mr.
CONNERY: Yes! Yes! Three.
That's w o r t h two g o a l s .
That's
i t , scores.
KROFT: You have an image o f b e i n g v e r y masculine, v e r y tough, someone who
does n o t s u f f e r f o o l s g l a d l y . A c c u r a t e p e r c e p t i o n ?
Mr.
CONNERY: Yeah. Yeah, i t ' s f a i r , I t h i n k .
I adore enthusiasm.
I like
people who are--who l i k e t o be p a r t o f a team. I l i k e - - I don't l i k e i n j u s t i c e .
And I h a t e s t u p i d i t y .
KROFT: You have a temper?
Mr.
CONNERY: Oh, yes.
Yeah.
(Footage from an unnamed Connery movie)
KROFT: ( V o i c e o v e r ) I t ' s h a r d t o o v e r s t a t e h i s p h y s i c a l presence. H i s
a u t h o r i t y and s e l f - c o n f i d e n c e have always been h i s g r e a t e s t s t r e n g t h s on t h e
screen.
(Excerpt from an unnamed Connery movie; f o o t a g e from unnamed Connery movies)
KROFT: ( V o i c e o v e r ) I t took y e a r s and c o u n t l e s s f i l m s f o r people t o r e a l i z e
t h a t he was a l s o a v e r y g i f t e d a c t o r .
(Excerpt from a Sean Connery movie; f o o t a g e from "Dr.
No")
KROFT: (Voiceover) I t s h o u l d have been obvious from t h e moment t h e unknown
Scotsman w i t h a s i x t h - g r a d e e d u c a t i o n was p i c k e d t o p l a y t h e suave,
Eton-educated spy i n t h e f i l m a d a p t a t i o n o f I a n Fleming's "Dr. No." But he made
i t l o o k t o o easy.
(Excerpt from "Dr.
No.")
KROFT: (Voiceover) A t 32, he had c r e a t e d one o f t h e g r e a t e s t r o l e s i n movie
h i s t o r y , n o t t o mention one o f i t s most p r o f i t a b l e f r a n c h i s e s . And i t almost
d i d n ' t happen.
(Excerpt from "Dr.
No")
�Page5
CBS News Transcripts, May 16, 1999, Sunday
Mr.
CONNERY: I a n Fleming wanted Gary Grant or--and t h e n he wanted T r e v o r
Howard, you know. W e l l , t h e i r s a l a r i e s would have t a k e n c a r e o f t h e budget,
you know. And t h e y d i d n ' t have t h e - - t h e y o n l y had $ 1 m i l l i o n t o make t h e
movie.
(Footage o f "Dr.
No")
KROFT: (Voiceover) Fleming c a l l e d Connery an 'overgrown s t u n t man,' b u t t h e
d i r e c t o r , Terrence Young, s a i d he moved l i k e a p a n t h e r . And h i s p r i c e was
r i g h t : $ 30,000. The d e a l was done.
When you t o o k t h i s r o l e , d i d you ever have any i d e a t h a t i t was g o i n g t o be
so s u c c e s s f u l ?
Mr.
CONNERY: No. No. Nobody had.
( V i n t a g e f o o t a g e o f Connery)
Mr.
CONNERY: (Voiceover) The p u b l i c i t y and e v e r y t h i n g was--you c a n ' t imagine
g o i n g t o a c o u n t r y l i k e Japan, and t o have 500 photographers wherever you went.
I mean, down t h e steps l i k e a machine, c l i c k , c l i c k , c l i c k , c l i c k , a l l coming a t
the same t i m e .
(Footage o f "James Bond" f i l m )
KROFT: (Voiceover) The Bond f i l m s were t h e f i r s t i n t e r n a t i o n a l b l o c k b u s t e r s ,
and p r o b a b l y d e l a y e d t h e f e m i n i s t movement by a couple o f y e a r s .
(Excerpt from a "James Bond" f i l m ;
f o o t a g e o f Bond f i l m s )
KROFT: (Voiceover) "Agent 007" p e r s o n i f i e d male chauvinism, b e f o r e anyone
knew what i t meant. I t was 1962, j u s t b e f o r e The B e a t l e s , and Sean Connery was
what made young women go w i l d .
(Excerpt o f a "James Bond" f i l m )
KROFT: (Voiceover) I t was one o f t h e few times he f e l t o b l i g a t e d
t o h i s on-screen image.
What was t h a t
Mr.
t o l i v e up
like?
CONNERY: I t was v e r y
tiring.
KROFT: Was i t ? Was t h e r e any p a r t o f i t t h a t was a p p e a l i n g ?
Mr.
CONNERY: W e l l , i t was j u s t something
t h a t somebody had t o do.
KROFT: So y o u t o o k advantage o f i t ?
Mr.
CONNERY: No, I was t a k e n advantage o f .
KROFT: Does i t s t i l l
happen?
�Page 6
CBS News Transcripts, May 16, 1999, Sunday
Mr.
CONNERY: N o .
KROFT: I s t h e r e any Bond i n you?
Mr. CONNERY: Yes, some. I would say t h a t I would n--never had t h e assurance
t h a t he had i n t h e f i l m s . And i t wasn't always as easy as i t l o o k e d , needless
t o say.
KROFT: What p a r t o f you i s Bond?
Mr.
CONNERY: When I'm r i g h t about something, I t h i n k I'm p r e t t y immovable.
Same sex, I l i k e f o o d , I l i k e d r i n k .
KROFT: Fast c a r s ?
Mr.
CONNERY: What--fa--no,
s t a t i o n wagons.
I'm n o t a c a r f i e n d a t a l l .
I n fact, I like
(Footage o f Connery t a l k i n g w i t h K r o f t ; Connery w a l k i n g w i t h K r o f t a t i s l a n d ;
Connery w a l k i n g w i t h K r o f t i n Edinburgh)
KROFT: ( V o i c e o v e r ) For someone w i t h a f o r t u n e e s t i m a t e d a t around $ 100
m i l l i o n , h i s l i f e s t y l e i s f a i r l y modest. And l i k e a t r u e Scotsman, he seems t o
f a v o r v a l u e over extravagance. He's a B r i t i s h c i t i z e n l i v i n g abroad t o a v o i d
one o f t h e h i g h e s t t a x r a t e s i n t h e w o r l d . He says i t ' s more o u t o f p r i n c i p l e
t h a n parsimony.
But i n t h e t i m e we spent w i t h him, he seemed t o be t h e most a t ease w a l k i n g
t h e s t r e e t s o f h i s o l d neighborhood i n Edinburgh, where some p e o p l e remember him
as Tommy, t h e n i n e - y e a r - o l d who used t o d e l i v e r t h e m i l k on horse c a r t .
U n i d e n t i f i e d Man: I d i d n ' t r e c o g n i z e you w i t h your beard.
Mr.
CONNERY: How you doing?
(Footage o f Connery t a l k i n g w i t h p e o p l e i n Edinburgh; Connery t a l k i n g w i t h
Kroft)
KROFT: ( V o i c e o v e r ) He i s n o t t h e l e a s t b i t embarrassed by h i s w o r k i n g - c l a s s
background.
I n f a c t , he wears i t on h i s s l e e v e , r i g h t over a t a t t o o t h a t says
'Scotland f o r e v e r . ' H i s mother was a charwoman; h i s f a t h e r l a b o r e d a t t h e rubber
f a c t o r y . He q u i t s c h o o l a t 13, spent some t i m e i n t h e navy, and knocked around
l o o k i n g f o r any work he c o u l d f i n d .
What were some o f t h e j o b s you had i n Edinburgh a f t e r y o u g o t o u t . . .
Mr. CONNERY: W e l l , I s t a r t e d l a b o r i n g , t h e n on t o s t e e l bending and f i x i n g ,
which was a b i t more s o p h i s t i c a t e d .
Mr.
(Footage o f Connery t a l k i n g w i t h K r o f t ; v i n t a g e photos o f Connery; Connery i n
U n i v e r s e poses; Connery and c a s t o f "South P a c i f i c " )
KROFT: ( V o i c e o v e r ) H i s o n l y advantages were a g r e a t f a c e , a c e r t a i n r o g u i s h
charm, and an awareness o f t h e e f f e c t s t h e s e had on members o f t h e o p p o s i t e sex.
�Page?
CBS News Transcripts, May 16, 1999, Sunday
He earned e x t r a cash m o d e l i n g a t t h e E d i n b u r g h School o f A r t .
I n 1949, he went
t o London t o compete i n a Mr. U n i v e r s e c o n t e s t , and heard about a u d i t i o n s f o r a
p r o d u c t i o n o f "South P a c i f i c . " He ended up l a n d i n g a j o b i n t h e chorus.
Was t h a t t h e f i r s t r o l e you'd ever a u d i t i o n e d f o r ?
Mr.
CONNERY: Oh, yes.
Yeah.
KROFT: And had you had any t r a i n i n g i n - - i n s i n g i n g and dancing?
Mr. CONNERY: No. No, n o t r e a l l y , c e r t a i n l y n o t s i n g i n g l e s s o n s .
don't know anybody who had s i n g i n g lessons where I was from.
I mean, I
(Photo o f Connery)
KROFT: (Voiceover) He was good enough t o l a n d a y e a r ' s c o n t r a c t t o u r i n g t h e
c o u n t r y , and announced t o t h e d i r e c t o r he was t h i n k i n g about making a c t i n g h i s
permanent t r a d e .
Mr. CONNERY: And I s a i d , 'Well, what would I have I do?' And he s a i d , 'Well,
f i r s t o f a l l , you have t o l e a r n t o speak b e t t e r . And--but more i m p o r t a n t l y , you
have t o g i v e y o u r s e l f an e d u c a t i o n . ' And I s a i d , 'Well, how do I do t h a t ? ' And
he s a i d , 'Well, you w i l l r e a d - - I w i l l g i v e you t h e names o f 10 works.' And so, I
spent t h e days i n t h e l i b r a r y f o r t h e y e a r .
KROFT: What d i d y o u read?
Mr. CONNERY: And t h a t ' s when I s t a r t e d . W e l l , I r e a d a l l Shaw. I read
"Remembrance o f Things Past." And I r e a d a l l S t a n i s l a v s k i , and--and t h e two
beauts o f "Finnegan's Wake" and "Ulysses."
KROFT: D i d you u n d e r s t a n d them?
Mr. CONNERY: Yeah. No. W e l l , I mean, I - - I - - I went t o t h e end o f b o t h . I
went t o t h e end o f a l l o f them, because j u s t r e a d i n g w i t h a d i c t i o n a r y t o f i n d
out what t h e y were s a y i n g , o r what t h e y were w r i t i n g about, i s i n i t s e l f a g r e a t
lesson.
(Footage o f Connery i n a parade)
KROFT: ( V o i c e o v e r ) He takes immense p r i d e i n what he's a c c o m p l i s h e d t h r o u g h
sheer f o r c e o f p e r s o n a l i t y and d i s c i p l i n e . Hard work has shaped h i s c h a r a c t e r ,
and he l i v e s by a s t r i c t and s i m p l e code.
Mr. CONNERY: I ' v e never want t o - - a n d t o d a t e h a v e - - s t o l e n from anybody. And
i f anybody s t e a l s from me, I would go t o t h e ends o f t h e E a r t h t o g e t them.
KROFT: You've done i t a few t i m e s .
Mr.
CONNERY: Yes, yeah.
MICHELINE (Sean Connery's W i f e ) : Oh, yeah.
(Footage o f Connery and M i c h e l i n e ; "The Man Who Would Be K i n g " )
�PageS
CBS News Transcripts, May 16, 1999, Sunday
KROFT: (Voiceover) He has a u d i t e d t h e books on every movie he's ever s t a r r e d
i n , and made a s p o r t o f s u i n g f i l m s t u d i o s . 'They a l l s t e a l , ' he says. A f t e r
he and Michael Caine sued A l l i e d A r t i s t s over t h e proceeds o f "The Man Who Would
Be King," he was proud t o say i t bankrupted t h e s t u d i o .
Weren't you w o r r i e d o r a f r a i d t h a t i t might end your c a r e e r , t h a t people
wouldn't want t o work w i t h you?
Mr. CONNERY: No, I don--no. They're i n b u s i n e s s .
Y o u ' l l very soon--quickly
know i f t h e y don't want you, i f your f i l m s a r e n o t g o i n g t o make any money. And
then, f o r them t o t r y t o s t e a l any o f t h e money, i s j u s t - - i t ' s c r i m i n a l . I t ' s
absolutely not acceptable.
(Footage o f Connery and K r o f t w a l k i n g i n Edinburgh; Connery w a l k i n g h i s
p a r l i a m e n t a r y meeting; Connery and man on stage o f meeting; audience)
KROFT: (Voiceover) I t was t h a t sense o f f a i r n e s s t h a t b r o u g h t Connery t o
S c o t l a n d a few weeks ago t o p l a y a major s u p p o r t i n g r o l e i n t h e f i r s t
p a r l i a m e n t a r y e l e c t i o n s s i n c e 1707, when S c o t l a n d gave up i t s independence t o
j o i n England i n t h e U n i t e d Kingdom. Connery and many o f h i s countrymen f e e l
t h e y have always been t r e a t e d as second-class c i t i z e n s , d r i v e n o f f t h e i r l a n d so
the E n g l i s h c o u l d graze sheep f o r t h e i r woolen m i l l s , and sent o f f t o f i g h t wars
i n faraway p l a c e s .
Mr. CONNERY: S c o t l a n d s h o u l d be n o t h i n g l e s s t h a n equal w i t h a l l o f t h e
o t h e r n a t i o n s o f t h e w o r l d . Yeah?
(Footage o f Connery a t meeting; people o u t on t h e s t r e e t o f Edinburgh;
Connery s t a n d i n g up a t p a r l i a m e n t )
KROFT: (Voiceover) For y e a r s , Connery has been t h e l a r g e s t c o n t r i b u t o r t o t h e
S c o t t i s h N a t i o n a l i s t P a r t y , which made a r e s p e c t a b l e showing i n l a s t week's
e l e c t i o n s , and has grown from a s m a l l f r i n g e group t o t h e main o p p o s i t i o n p a r t y
i n t h e e i g h t y e a r s Connery has been i n v o l v e d . He's p e r c e i v e d i n London as
enough o f a p o l i t i c a l t h r e a t t o t h e u n i t y o f Great B r i t a i n t h a t t h e B r i t i s h
S e c r e t a r y o f S t a t e f o r S c o t l a n d i n t e r v e n e d t o p r e v e n t h i m from g e t t i n g a
knighthood.
D i d i t make y o u angry?
Mr.
CONNERY: I wasn't angry.
I was d i s a p p o i n t e d i n - - i n them.
KROFT: I s t h a t i m p o r t a n t t o you...
Mr.
CONNERY: No.
KROFT: ...the
Mr.
knighthood?
CONNERY: Not a t a l l .
(Footage o f Connery t a l k i n g w i t h K r o f t )
KROFT: (Voiceover) Connery blames t h e snub on t h e k i n d o f B r i t i s h p o l i t i c s he
has no use f o r .
�Page 9
CBS News Transcripts, May 16, 1999, Sunday
Mr.
CONNERY: W e l l , l e t ' s p u t i t t h i s way.
What I g i v e t o t h e S c o t t i s h
N a t i o n a l P a r t y each month would have got me a k n i g h t h o o d i n l a b o r o r i n t h e
C o n s e r v a t i v e P a r t y . I j u s t bum them t h e money, o r t u r n up a t some e v e n t s ,
chatter, chatter, chatter.
I would get a k n i g h t h o o d .
KROFT: That's p a r t o f t h e game.
Mr.
CONNERY: W e l l , I would t h i n k so.
only the underside o f i t .
I'm not conversant w i t h i t .
I know
(Footage o f Connery w i t h Oscar from 1988; Connery r e c e i v i n g t h e Freedom o f
the C i t y award; audience g i v i n g Connery a s t a n d i n g o v a t i o n )
KROFT: (Voiceover) Connery a l r e a d y has t h e honor t h a t means t h e most t o him,
and i t ' s n o t t h e Oscar he won i n 1988 f o r "The Untouchables." A number o f years
ago, he was g i v e n Edinburgh's h i g h e s t honor, t h e Freedom o f t h e C i t y award,
which i s bestowed v e r y i n f r e q u e n t l y on people t h e Scots t h i n k v e r y h i g h l y
of--and t h e y ' r e h a r d t o impress.
Mr.
CONNERY: And t h e people who've r e c e i v e d i t - - g u y s l i k e G a r i b a l d i ,
Benjamin F r a n k l i n , C h u r c h i l l . What r e a l l y added t o i t was t h a t i t was t h e
people i n Edinburgh, and t h e n i n S c o t l a n d , who v o t e d on i t .
(Footage o f Connery award ceremony)
KROFT: (Voiceover) And i t d i d n ' t h u r t t h a t P r i n c e Charles once made i t known
he'd l i k e t o r e c e i v e t h e honor. Edinburgh d i d n o t o b l i g e .
I t ' s about as c l o s e
as Connery w i l l ever get t o f i n a l s a t i s f a c t i o n , which he b e l i e v e s i s r a r e l y i n
the c a r d s .
You s a i d once y o u wanted t o be remembered as an o l d man w i t h a good f a c e ,
l i k e Picasso o r H i t c h c o c k . Are you happy w i t h yours?
Mr.
CONNERY: Oh, yeah.
(Announcements)
LANGUAGE: Eng1i sh
LOAD-DATE: May 17, 1999
I keep w o r k i n g w i t h
it.
�http: //www. kennedy-center.org/honors/years/connery. htm!
Sean Connery
Tlie Kennedy
Sean Connery
(actor; bom August 25, 1930, in Edinburgh, Scotland)
The man who came to define dash and elegance for an entire generation of moviegoers
grew up in a poor tenement in Edinburgh, Scotland, the eldest of two sons of a truck
driver and a charwoman. Young Thomas Sean Connery began helping to support his
family with his first job at the age of seven, delivering milk. By 13 he had to quit school,
working as a day laborer, a steel bender, a cement mixer. He joined the Royal Navy in
1947 for a 12-year stint, but he was discharged due to severe stomach ulcers in 1950.
Then came his first job in show business: movie usher. He was also a bricklayer, a
lifeguard, and a coffinjjolisher as well as a weightlifter and artist's model. It was his
impressive physique that landed him the job of representing Scotland in the 1950 Mr.
Universe pageant in London, where he was spotted by the producers of the hit Rodgers
and Hammerstein musical South Pacific and given the role of a singing, dancing,
shirtless sailor.
After this modest West End debut, which afforded the novice actor intensive dancing,
singing and acting lessons, Sean Connery began landing roles and was particularly
acclaimed in another American classic, Requiem for a Heavyweight, staged by the BBC.
In 1958 he played his first leading role on screen, opposite Lana Turner in the romantic
war drama Another Time, Another Place. He was noticed. And when it came time to
bring to the screen the most intriguing and fascinating character in Cold War fiction,
Connery beat out Gary Gfflnt. Rex Harrison, TreyoiiHowaFdrPatrick McGoohan and
Roger Moore for the role of Ian Fleming's Xgent 007. Dr. No in 1962 turned out to be
the beginning of the most successful film series in history.
Connery's screen spy - Bond, James Bond - was dapper, virile, sexually liberated and
politically savvy, disarmingly witty and irresistible. He captured the imagination of
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�Sean Connery
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millions and triumphed at the box office for three decades beginning with Dr. No and
continuing with undiminished excitement in From Russia With Love (1963), Goldfinger
(1964), Thunderball (1965), You Only Live Twice (1967), Diamonds Are Forever
(1971), and Never Say Never Again (1983).
He played a different sort of hero in Alfred Hitchcock's 1964 thriller Marnie. But it was
after the wildly successful Diamonds Are Forever that Connery felt the need to breakout
from his own 007 creation and prove himself in a variety of roles. He succeeded. He
starred in the science-fiction epic Zardoz and in Sidney Lumet's opulent adaptation of
Agatha Christie's Murder on the Orient Express, both in 1974. He followed this in 1975
with what many consider his finest work, an enigmatic adventurer in John Huston's film
version of Rudyard Kipling's The Man Who Would Be King. The next year, he teamed
up with Audrey Hepburn in what may be the wisest and most romantic of all movie
versions of the Robin Hood legend, Robin and Marian.
Brain DePalma's The Untouchables brought Connery the 198^Academy AwarcL/n The
Russia House, Tom Stoppard's adaptation of the bittersweet John Leuarre Destseller,
Connery played a very different Cold War warrior from Ian Fleming's glamorous secret
agent. And Connery's appeal as an action hero has shown no signs of diminishment as
the actor matured on screen in The Hunt for Red October, Indiana Jones and the Last
Crusade, Rising Sun, The Great Train Robbery, First Knight, The Rock, and
Entrapment.
Sean Connery has received numerous international accolades including the Legion
d'Honneur and Commandeur des Arts et des Lettres (the highest civilian honors given in
France), and the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) Best Actor
award for The Name of the Rose in 1987, the 1990 Lifetime Achievement Award for a
British actor or actress who has made an outstanding contribution to world cinema, and
in 1998, BAFTA's highest award, The British Academy Fellowship. In 1995 Connery
received the Cecil B. DeMille Award for "outstanding contribution to the entertainment
field," given by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association at its annual Golden Globe
Awards.
Steven Spielberg has said that "there are seven genuine movie stars in the world today,
and Sean is one of them." There is, in fact, no one quite like Sean Connery.
Honors Home Paue I About the Honors I History of tlie Honors | KC Home Patie
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�CONNERY
mistakes, which had made headlines that referred
to the "Hillary Problem" and the "Hillary Factor."
Most of the negative publicity that Hillary Clinton seemed to attract derived from the public's
anxiety about how much power she would wield
if her husband were elected president of the United States and how she would transform the role of
first lady. Early in the campaign, Bill Clinton had
boasted that he and his wife were a "buy one, get
one free" package deal. Shortly after he became
president, he named her to the unofficial post of
leader of his Task Force on National Health Care
Reform, whose thirty-four working groups and 500
employees worked in secrecy from January 25 to
May 30 to come up with a viable solution to tame
the costs of the nation's $800 billion health-care industry while expanding services and coverage.
Hillary Clinton broke precedent on February 4,
1993, when she held the first in a series of meetings
with congressional leaders. On June 22, 1993 the
United States Court of Appeals for the District of
Columbia ruled that she was a de facto government
official when it sanctioned the secrecy in which the
task force had conducted its business, and a
Newsweek poll taken in September 1993 indicated
that 56 percent of Americans approved of her leadership of the task force.
After Bill Clinton unveiled his health-care package in a well-received speech to Congress, on September 22, 1993. Hillary Clinton drummed up
support for the legislation in testimony before two
House committees in an unprecedented demonstration of political clout for a first lady. In defending the president's health plan, which he has made
the cornerstone of his domestic policy, she thoroughly impressed members of both parties with
her command of detail, her poise, and, by combining flattery with persuasion at every turn, her
public-relations expertise. The Clintons' bold reform plan, which will be debated and modified for
months to come, would provide health insurance
to all Americans, including the thirty-seven million
who are currently uninsured and the twenty-two
million who are considered to be "underinsured."
The Clintons have argued that by cutting wasteful
spending through government regulation, raising
taxes on alcohol and tobacco, and injecting "managed competition" into the health-insurance market, their plan to overhaul the nation's health-care
system, which represents 14 percent of the United
States economy, is superior to alternative proposals.
In keeping with her longstanding commitment
to a healthful lifestyle, the blond, blue-eyed Hillary Rodham Clinton, who once joked that all she
had to do to make the front page of the nation's
newspapers was to change her hairstyle, exercised
regularly at the YMCA before moving to the White
House, where she has banned smoking. Unlike her
predecessors, who made news primarily by redecorating or ordering a new set of china, Clinton has
taken little interest in home decorating other than
to add comfort and familiarity to her surroundings,
replace fat-laden French food with more healthful
120
meals, and hold more open houses for the public.
In yet another break with the past, she has set up
an office not in the East Wing of the executive
mansion but in the West Wing, closer to her husband's Oval Office. In her increasingly meager allotments of spare time, she enjoys reading, playing
the piano, watching movies, and playing Game
Boy, the popular computerized video game.
Selected Bi'ographicaJ References: Guernsey,
JoAnn Bren. Hillary Rodham Clinton: A New
Kind of First Lady (1993); King, Norman.
Hillary: Her True Story (1993); Radcliffe.
Donnie. Hillary flodham Clinton: A First Lady
for Our Time 11993}; Sherrow, Victoria. Hillary
Rodham Clinton (1993J; Warner, Judith. Hillary
Clinton: The Inside Story (1993J
UPI/Bettmsnn
Connery, Sean
Aug. 25, 1930- Scottish actor. Address: c/o
Rhonda ToIJefson, Creative Artists Agency, 9830
Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills. CA 90212
NOTE: This biography supersedes the article that
appeared in Current Biography in 1966.
"There are only seven genuine movie stars in the
world today," the director Steven Spielberg declared recently, "and Sean is one of them." Indeed,
since first uttering his signature line—"Bond,
James Bond"—in Dr. No (1962), Sean Connery has
been perhaps the most popular romantic hero in
film since the heyday of such celluloid stars as
Clark Gable and Humphrey Bogart. "Connery
CURRENT BIOGRAPHY YEARBOOK 1993
�CONNERY
lore open houses for the public. ^
ak with the past, she has set up!
he East Wing of the executive'
e West Wing, closer to her hus-:
'.. In her increasingly meager alime. she enjoys reading, playing '
ng movies, and playing Game
omputerized video game.
1
ical References: Guernsey,
ry Rodham Clinton: A New
(1993); King, Norman.
Story (1993); Radcliffe.
jdham Clinton: A First Lady
i); Sherrow, Victoria. Hillary
993); Warner, Judith. Hillary
- Story (1993)
UPI/Bettmann
octor. Address: c/o
•rulive Artists Agency, 9830
«<> Hills. CA 90212
u;*rsedes the article that
f'aphy in 1966.
lint movie stars in the
"iJeven Spielberg dent of them." Indeed,
fture line—"Bond,
> Sean Connery has
" romantic hero in
celluloid stars as
l ^ a r t . "Connery
months on the road with the company. By the end
of the run, he had assumed the featured role of
Lieutenant Buzz Adams.
As Connery recalled to Peter Swet, his education as an actor began in earnest during the long
South Pacific tour when an American member of
the cast, Robert Henderson, gave him a list of
books to read: "All of George Bernard Shaw, An
Actor Prepares and My Life in Art, by Stanislavsky, all of Thomas Wolfe, all of Oscar Wilde, all
of Ibsen, Remembrance of Things Past, by Proust,
Joyce's Finnegan's Wake and Ulysses. . . . I spent
my South Pacific tour in every library in Britain,
Ireland, Scotland, and Wales, and on the nights we
were dark, I'd see every play I could, meet the actors and learn. But it's the books, the reading, that
can change one's life. I'm the living evidence."
In the late 1950s, while continuing his theatrical
career, Connery began to land small parts in television productions and in films. During that time he
Sean Connery was born Thomas Connery in Ed- appeared in four B-movies: No Road Back, Time
inburgh, Scotland on August 25, 1930, the older of Lock, and Action of the Tiger, all released in 1957,
the two sons of Joseph Connery, a factory hand and and Hell Drivers, which appeared in 1958. Later in
long-haul truckdriver, and his wife, Euphamia the same year, he won a more substantial role
Connery, who worked from time to time as a clean- when the fading American screen actress Lana
ing woman. He grew up in a cold-water tenement Turner picked him to play her romantic interest in
flat in Fountainbridge, a poor, largely industrial the forgettable World War II melodrama Another
district of the city. To help his parents make ends Time, Another Place. Among his other early
meet during the Depression, he took a job as a
screen credits are Tarzan's Greatest Adventure
neighborhood milkman when he was just nine
(1959), the Walt Disney confection Darby O'Gill
years old, rising each morning at five and putting
in at least four hours of work before settling into his and the Little People (1959), The Frightened City
desk at primary school. Four years later, he (1961), and The Longest Day (1962), a lavish redropped out of Darroch secondary school to work creation of the Allied invasion of Normandy.
Connery's most notable performances during
full-time as a milk roundsman. "It was 1943. The
war was on, and schools were dispersed into peo- those years, however, were as Mountain McClinple's homes because of the bombs," Connery re- tock, the washed-up boxer who is betrayed and hucalled in an interview with Peter Swet for Parade miliated by his manager, in the BBC's 1957
(May 10,1992). "And there was a shortage of men, production of Rod Serling's teleplay Requiem for
which meant work to be had." As the veteran Brit- a Heavyweight, and as Count Vronsky, opposite
ish theatre critic Benedict Nightingale observed in Claire Bloom's Anna, in the 1961 BBC adaptation
the New York Times (June 7, 1987), Connery's of Tolstoy's Anna Karenina. It was his portrayal of
childhood was the sort that "provokes resentment, the dashing Vronsky that brought the thirty-oneand Mr. Connery agrees that it may help explain year-old Connery to the attention of Harry Saltzthe dark and dangerous persona he sometimes man and Albert R. Broccoli, who were searching
projects on the screen."
for an actor to play the sybaritic superspy James
Bond in their forthcoming film production of Ian
"I grew up with no notion of a career, much less
Fleming's Dr. No. In a meeting with Broccoli and
acting," Connery told Peter Swet. At the age of sixteen, he signed up for a twelve-year hitch in the Saltzman, Connery impressed the two producers
Royal Navy; he was discharged after just three with his forceful personality, natural physical
years' service because he had developed ulcers. swagger, and dark good looks, all of which conReturning to Edinburgh, he used his naval disabili- veyed a sense of smoldering menace that was ideal
ty grant to learn the wood-polishing trade, and he for the part of the licensed-to-kill agent 007 of Her
soon found work buffing furniture and coffins. The Majesty's Secret Service. Moreover, throughout
six-foot-two-inch Connery, who had also taken up the interview Connery, a student of the dance inbodybuilding, supplemented his income by work- structor Yat Malgrem (or Malmgeren), who speing part-time as a model at a local art school. In cialized in teaching actors how to use body
1953, he traveled to London to enter the Mr. Uni- language to define character, behaved in what was
verse contest, where he placed third in the tall to become his trademark Bondian manner. "He
men's division. While there, on a whim, he audi- moved like a cat," Broccoli later recalled, as quoted
tioned for a part in a touring production of the mu- by Andrew Yule in his unauthorized biography of
sical South Pacific. To his astonishment, he landed the actor, Sean Connery: From 007 to Hollywood
a job in the chorus. Taking Sean Connery as his Icon (1992). "That did it for us. Harry and I both
professional name, he spent the next eighteen said, 'This is the guy."
looks absolutely confident in himself as a man," the
film critic Pauline Kael once said, in explaining the
actor's personal magnetism. "Women want to meet
him. and men want to be him. I don't know any
man since Gary Grant that men have wanted to be
o much." Struggling to break free from the image
f James Bond, the British master spy he had portraved in six outings, Connery appeared in the
1970s and early 1980s in numerous other films,
pnany of them both critical and commercial disappointments. But after turning in an Oscar-winning
performance in The Untouchables (1987), he
starred in a series of major film productions that
u ere worthy of an actor of his stature and wide appeal. "If yo were casting High Noon today," the
Hollywood producer Larry Gordon asked, as quoted by Diane K. Shah in GQ (July 1989), "who could
leave Grace Kelly behind and walk down the street
like Gary Cooper did? I think only Sean Connery
could."
s
0
u
1993 CURRENT BIOGRAPHY YEARBOOK
121
�CONNERY
"[James Bond] has no mother." Connery said at
the peak of Bondmania. "He has no father. He
doesn't come from anywhere and he hadn't been
anywhere before he became 007. So he was
born—kerplump—thirty-three years old. So 1 had
to breathe life into an idol. I saw him as a complete
sensualist, his senses highly attuned and awake to
everything." Connery played Bond five times in the
1960s, in Dr. No (1962), From Russia with Love
(1963), Goldfinger (1964), Thunderball (1965). and
You Only Live Twice (1967). On the strength of his
tongue-in-cheek portrayal of the suave, indefatigably womanizing secret agent, Connery became the
number-one box-office attraction in the world. "As
James Bond he took what could have been a cold,
humorless character and made him a heartstealing rogue, with his charm, his wit, and that
devilish arched eyebrow," Diane Shah observed in
her article in GQ. "But like something of a Gary
Grant with a Beretta, he was given little credit for
the skill the role demanded."
"1 never disliked Bond, as some have thought,"
Connery explained when he spoke to Peter Swet.
"Creating a character like that does take a certain
craft. It's simply that when one is a trained actor,
it's natural to seek other roles." During the 1960s
those other roles included the scheming Anthony
Richmond in Woman of Straw (1964), opposite
Gina Lollobrigida; Mark Rutland in Marnie (1964),
Alfred Hitchcock's flawed psychodrama about a
man who falls in love with a sexually frigid kleptomaniac; the warrant officer Joe Roberts, a prisoner
in a British military detention camp, in Sidney Lumet's The Hill (1965); and the amoral poet Samson
Shillitoe in Irvin Kershner's literate comedy A
Fine Madness (1966).
After appearing in three consecutive box-office
duds—ShaJafto (1968), The Molly Maguires (1969),
and The Red Tent (1971)—Connery began to
emerge from his "James Bondage" with The Anderson Tapes (1971), in which he was reunited with
one of his favorite directors, Sidney Lumet. A caper film about a daring million-dollar robbery in
Manhattan, The Anderson Tapes was the first
commercially successful Connery film since You
Only Live Twice.
Connery was lured back to his role as James
Bond when Broccoli and Saltzman offered him the
then-unheard-of sum of $1.25 million plus 10 percent of the film's gross receipts to star in Diamonds
Are Forever. Released in 1971, Diamonds Are
Forever, in which Bond battles his archenemy
Ernst Blofeld, the leader of the criminal terrorist
organization SPECTRE, amid the tawdry splendor
of Las Vegas gambling palaces, was a box-office
bonanza. After donating his salary to the Scottish
International Education Trust a charity organization he created to provide financial assistance to
poor but gifted children in Scotland, Connery
vowed never to "do another Bond, not even for another million." Beginning with Live and Let Die in
1973, the British actor Roger Moore took over the
role in Saltzman and Broccoli's Bond movies.
Moore played 007 in seven films before relinquish122
ing the role to the younger Timothy Dalton in 1987
But to legions of moviegoers worldwide, Connery'j
successors were, as Bob Greene put it in Esquire
(April 1987), "merely imitations."
Over the next ten years, Connery accepted a
wide variety of parts, ranging from a vindictive police officer who kills a suspected upper-class child
molester during the course of a brutal interrogation
in Sidney Lumet's The Offence (1973) to a courtly
Berber sultan in John Milius's sumptuous adventure The Wind and the Lion (1975) to General Robert Urquhard in A Bridge Too Far (1977), Richard
Attenborough's star-studded re-creation of a
botched Allied airborne operation toward the end
of World War II. Some of the films in which he appeared—John Boorman's futuristic techno-fantasy
Zardoz (1974); The Terrorists (1975), a gritty deglamorization of political terrorism; The Next Man
(1976), in which he portrayed a visionary Arab diplomat; and Five Days One Summer (1982), about
an illicit love affair between a middle-aged Scottish doctor and his niece—had little box-office appeal, but they nonetheless afforded him a welcome
opportunity to stretch his talents as an actor. As
Connery explained to Benedict Nightingale, he has
been deliberately "experimental" in choosing his
roles: "I've tried to be guided by what was different, what was refreshing, stimulating to me. If you
start thinking of your image, or what the mysterious
'they' out there are thinking of you, you're in a trap.
What's important is that you're doing the work
that's best for you. What matters is just to be a serious actor."
-
Connery closed out the 1970s with starring roles
in three handsomely mounted but ultimately disappointing films: The Great Train Robbery, Meteor, and Cuba, all released in 1979. By all accounts,
he turned in his best work of the decade in The
Man Who Would Be King (1975), in which he was
costarred with his friend Michael Caine, and Richard Lester's Robin and Marian (1976), costarring
Audrey Hepburn. In the opinion of Jay Cocks, writing in Time (December 29, 1975), Connery and
Caine made "a splendid couple of cronies, full of
bluff and swagger." Robin and Marian dealt with
the relationship between a middle-aged Robin
Hood (Connery) and Maid Marian (Hepburn) following Robin's return to Sherwood Forest after
having served Richard the Lion-Hearted (Richard
Harris) for twenty years in the Crusades. Connery
proved himself fully capable of playing a "true
hero," the "perfect counterpart to Audrey
Hepburn," Pauline Kael remarked in the New
YorJcer (March 22, 1976). "He's animal-man at its
best, she's an innocent yet passionate sprite. . . .
The two of them are so wittily matched, and their
dark-brown eyes are so full of life, that they
achieve an elemental splendor."
In 1983, after an interval of twelve years, Connery returned to the role of James Bond ("Bond's
an interesting character," he explained to one interviewer. "There's a lot more I can do with him.")
in Never Say Never Again (1983), in which the secret agent, now middle-aged and balding, again
CURRENT BIOGRAPHY YEARBOOK 1993
�CONNERY
unger Timothy Dalton in 1987.
iegoers worldwide, Connery's
Bob Greene put it in Esquire
imitations."
i years, Connery accepted a
ranging from a vindictive poa suspected upper-class child
ourse of a brutal interrogation
he Offence (1973) to a courtly
n Milius's sumptuous adven)e Lion (1975) to General Robridge Too For (1977), Richard
-studded re-creation of a
rne operation toward the end
ie of the films in which he apan's futuristic techno-fantasy
Terrorists (1975), a gritty deical terrorism; The Next Man
rtrayed a visionary Arab dip.
s One Summer (1982), about
>etween a middle-aged Scotece—had little box-office ap.
;less afforded him a welcome
i his talents as an actor. As
Benedict Nightingale, he has
{perimental" in choosing his
3 guided by what was differing, stimulating to me. If you
mage, or what the mysterious
nking of you, you're in a trap,
that you're doing the work!
lat matters is just to be a seri- j
;
the 1970s with starring roles!
mounted but ultimately dis-f
Great Train Robbery, Mete- '
ised in 1979. By all accounts,^
work of the decade in The'i
King (1975), in which he was'!
nd Michael Caine, and Rich- ?
id Marian (1976). costarring ;
ne opinion of Jay Cocks, writber 29. 1975). Connery and ,
lid couple of cronies, full of *
;
obin and Marian dealt with :
^een a middle-aged Robing
Maid Marian (Hepburn) fol- \
i to Sherwood ^Forest after j
1 the Lion-Hearted (Richard
rs in the Crusades. Connery
capable of playing a "true
counterpart to Audrey
ael remarked in the New
76). "He's animal-man at its
t yet passionate sprite. . . .
o wittily matched, and their
so full of life, that they
splendor."
erval of twelve years, Conole of James Bond ("Bond's
jr." he explained to one inot more I can do with him.")
.gain (1983), in which the sele-aged and balding, again
;
!
1-
takes on SPECTRE. Writing in the Chicago Tribune (October 7, 1983), Gene Siskel called Never
gay Never Again "one of the best 007 adventures
ever made," largely because of the commanding
presence of Connery. who remained, in Siskel's
eyes, the "original and best Bond." Despite a boxoffice gross of $28 million, director Irvin Kershner's film placed second in the Bond sweepstakes
f 1983, behind the Broccoli-and-Saltzmanproduced Octopussy, starring^Roger Moore, which
raked in $34 million.
The late 1980s saw Connery at the top of his
form in an astonishingly broad spectrum of films,
perhaps the most notable being The Name of the
Rose (1986) and The Untouchables (1987). In The
,Vame of the Rose, the film version of Umbertb
Eco's best-selling novel of ideas, the actor underlook the part of a fourteenth-century Franciscan
monk who investigates a series of murders in a forbidding Italian monastery. Although The Name of
ihe Rose enjoyed tremendous success in Europe, it
was a box-office disappointment in the United
States, at least partly because of its daunting subject matter. Eager to work with the director Brian
De Palma and the playwright David Mamet, who
supplied the literate script, Connery jumped at the
chance to join the cast of the crime drama The Untouchables. Sharing the screen with several leading
American film actors, including Kevin Costner,
who attained superstardom with his portrayal of
treasury special agent Elliot Ness, and Robert De
Niro, who played the brutal crime lord Al Capone,
Connery stole the show with his brilliant characterization of Jimmy Malone, a veteran beat cop
who teaches the naive Ness how to fight crime the
"Chicago way" during the savage reign of Capone
in the Roaring Twenties.
0
What he appreciated about the part of Jimmy
Malone, the actor told Benedict Nightingale, was
its paradoxical quality. " I like contrast . . . " he
said. " I like it when an actor looks one thing and
conveys something else, perhaps something diametrically opposite. With Malone, I tried to show
at the beginning he could be a real pain in the ass,
so that you wouldn't think he could be concerned
with such things as Ness's feelings or Ness's family,
and then show he was someone else underneath,
capable of real relationships." Although the New
Yorker's Pauline Kael felt that The Untouchables
was "too morally comfortable" to be a "great
movie," she said of Connery: "At fifty-six this grizzled Scot has an impudent authority that's very
much like Olivier's, except that Connery is so much
brawnier. His performance here is his most sheerly
likable since The Man Who Would Be King." It
earned him the Academy Award for best supporting actor of 1987.
Having won an Oscar and demonstrated his enduring box-office appeal, Sean Connery was by the
end of the decade a member of Hollywood's socalled A list, with tailor-made roles in lavish, bigbudget productions. For example, the director
Steven Spielberg and the producer George Lucas
revised their original conception of the character of
Professor Henry Jones, the father of the intrepid
archaeologist Indiana Jones, to showcase Connery
when they began filming Indiana /ones and the
Last Crusade (1989), the third installment in their
extraordinarily successful series of adventure
movies. Initially conceived as a genteel scholar, Dr.
Jones was recast in the brash mold of his son, Indiana (played by Harrison Ford). The rapport between Ford and Connery allows genuine feeling to
cut through the razzle-dazzle . . .," Peter Travers
observed in his Rolling Stone (June 15, 1989) review of Last Crusade, which became one of the
highest-grossing films of all time. "[They] make a
sensational team; their relationship charges the
film."
For most critics, Connery's "charm," as a randy
widower, was one of the few redeeming features
of Lumet's caper comedy Family Business (1989),
which also starred Dustin Hoffman and Matthew
Broderick. Hampered by a poor script, the film
failed to find an audience, despite the presence of
three gifted and enormously popular actors. No
such obstacles stood in the way of The Hunt for
Red October (1990), which David Brooks described
in the Wail Street Journal (March 10.1990) as the
"finest thriller in decades." Based on the Cold War
techno-thriller of the same name by Tom Clancy,
The Hunt for Red October starred Connery as
Marko Ramius, a Soviet naval commander who attempts to defect to the United States, bringing his
state-of-the-art nuclear submarine, Red October,
with him. Alec Baldwin took the part of Jack Ryan,
a bookish CIA analyst who goes to sea in search of
Ramius and his sub. Although it was released in
the era of Soviet glosnost, John McTieman's suspenseful film caught the fancy of moviegoers, with
receipts of more than $58 million, making the
special-effects-laden movie one of the most commercially successful of Connery's career. In the
New York Times (March 2,1990), Vincent Canby
said that the actor "wears the movie as if it were a
favorite old hat. He makes it look good. The role [of
Ramius] barely exists but he gives it respectability
and elan."
Connery gave what was in the opinion of many
critics the best performance of his career as Barley
Blair in The Russia House (1990), which was adapted by the playwright Tom Stoppard from the bestselling novel by John Le Carre and directed by
Fred Schepisi. One of Le Carre's most affecting
characters, Blair is a boozy, disheveled British
book publisher who becomes an improbable tool of
the Anglo-American intelligence services when a
Soviet dissident named Katya (Michelle Pfeiffer)
slips him a manuscript containing sensitive Soviet
military secrets at a book fair in Moscow. Although
some reviewers felt that The Russia House lacked
the tautness of a compelling Cold War drama, they
were virtually unanimous in their praise for Connery's complex and sympathetic characterization.
Amy Taubin's assessment for the Village Voice
(December 25, 1990) was typical of the favorable
critical comment: "Connery refuses to toss off Barley the way he did 007 or the grizzled gents he's
1993 CURRENT BIOGRAPHY YEARBOOK
123
�COSTAS
been playing of late. He makes Barley both sexy
and enormously likable, self-aware and totally
confused, his irony a flawed defense against bafflement, loss, and foolish hopes." Connery's most
recent screen credits include a cameo as King
Richard I in the blockbuster hit Robin Hood:
Prince of Thieves (1991), with Kevin Costner in the
title role; the maverick biochemist Robert Campbell in the exotic adventure Medicine Man (1992),
for which the actor also served as executive producer; and the Los Angeles police detective John
Connor in Philip Kaufman's Rising Sun (1993).
based on Michael Crichton's controversial bestselling novel about Japanese-American trade wars.
Connery, whose character Crichton had created
with the actor in mind, was the movie's executive
producer.
On the set, Connery adopts a no-nonsense attitude toward the work at hand. He admires efficiency and professionalism on the part of his directors
and producers above all else and is intolerant of
temper tantrums or displays of egocentrism on the
part of his fellow performers. As Michael Caine,
his costar in The Man Who Would Be King, noted
in his autobiography, What's ft All About? (1992),
Connery himself is an unusually "unselfish and
generous" actor—"so much so that you could experiment and take chances and not expect to find
a knife in your back if it went wrong." About the
making of The Man Who Would Be King, Caine
wrote, "We did all sorts of improvisations, which
are less easy in films than in the theatre because of
the technology involved, but it was all done in a
completely relaxed atmosphere because . . . we
trusted each other. It is rare to do a long dialogue
scene in a film where your fellow actor will turn
you full face to the camera for your important line,
and you return the compliment, but this is what
Sean and I did with complete ease all through the
film. . . . [He is] the consummate professional—
which is the highest compliment that I can pay
him."
"More than anything else," Connery once said,
"I'd like to be an old man with a good face, like
Hitchcock or Picasso." That he has achieved his
wish for a "good face" was at least partly borne out
when People magazine named the then fifty-nineyear-old actor the "sexiest man alive" in 1989.
"Sean is what he is," his wife, the former Micheline
Roquebrune, whom he married in 1975, told a writer for People (December 4, 1989). "He's not trying
to hide anything. That genuineness by itself is sexy
in a man." Connery and his wife, who make their
home in Marbella, Spain, a Mediterranean resort
village on the Costa del Sol, like to relax by playing
golf, which he took up while filming Goldfinger, in
the 1960s. He also enjoys oil painting, reading, and
cooking. From his first marriage, to the actress
Diane Cilento, which ended in divorce, Connery
has a son, Jason, an actor. He also has a stepdaughter. In 1981 Connery was awarded an honorary
D.Litt. degree by Heriot-Watt University, in Edinburgh, and in 1984 he was named a fellow of the
Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama.
124
Selected Biographical References.- Chicago
Tribune XUl p4+ Ap 10 '83 pors, mag p4+ O 2
'83 pors. VII pl+ My 26 '89 pors; GQ 59:126+ ]1
'89 pors: Christian Sci Mon B p24+ Ap 3 '79 pors;
Esquire 107:45+ Ap '87 por; N Y Newsday l l
pi 3+ O 9 '83 pors; N Y Times // p24+ /e 7 '87
pors; Parade p4+ My 10 '92 pors; People 20:38+ ]l
IB '83 pors, 32:122+ D 4 '89 pors; Premiere p96+
Ap '90 pors; Rolling Stone pl7+ O 27 '83 pors;
Vanity Fair 56:101+ fe '93 pors; Weekend
Guardian p4+ Ag 15-16 '92 pors; Who's Who,
1993
NBC
Castas, Bob
Mar. 22, 1952- Broadcast journalist; sportscaster.
Address- c/o NBC Sports, 30 Rockefeller Plaza,
New York, NY 10112
With his rare combination of dedicated and expert
journalism, encyclopedic memory, ad-libbing ability, laid-back style, and irreverent sense of humor,
Bob Costas, an NBC Sports broadcaster since 1980,
has achieved undisputed preeminence in his field.
Costas is best known as NBC's prime-time anchor
at the Olympiad XXV games in Barcelona, Spain
in the summer of 1992, as the longtime host of NFL
Live, NBC's Sunday pregame and wraparound
coverage of professional football, and as the host
since 1991 of the network's pro basketball pregame
show, NBA Showtime. He handled the play-byplay of major-league baseball, his favorite sport by
far, for NBC's Game of the Week from 1983
through 1989, when NBC lost its major-league television rights. His other baseball assignments dur-
CURRENT BIOGRAPHY YEARBOOK 1993
�Page 3
86TH STORY o f L e v e l 1 p r i n t e d i n FULL f o r m a t .
C o p y r i g h t 1996 The Telegraph Group L i m i t e d
Sunday Telegraph
November 24, 1996,
Sunday
SECTION: COMMENT; Pg. 3 5
LENGTH: 1087 words
HEADLINE: Man o f many p a r t s P r o f i l e - Sean Connery
BODY:
THIS WEEKEND, more t h a n ever b e f o r e i n t h e 66 years s i n c e he was b o r n on
August 25, 1930, t h e q u e s t i o n demands t o be answered: who e x a c t l y i s Sean
Connery? I s he t h e engage p o l i t i c i a n who l a s t week gave a p a r t y p o l i t i c a l
broadcast f o r t h e S c o t t i s h N a t i o n a l i s t s ("We can be, we must be, a n a t i o n
a g a i n " ) ? I s he t h e f a s h i o n a b l e man-about-town who p r o v i d e d company f o r t h e
Princess o f Wales a t a glamorous London d i n n e r p a r t y t o c e l e b r a t e t h e b i r t h o f
Jemima Goldsmith's and Imran Khan's new baby? I s he t h e f i r s t (and, some say,
o n l y a u t h e n t i c ) James Bond who n e v e r t h e l e s s was a n o t a b l e absentee from a
c e l e b r a t i o n a t t e n d e d by p r e v i o u s and c u r r e n t 007s o f t h e s i l v e r screen? I s he
t h e s u c c e s s f u l i m p r e s a r i o whose f i r s t v e n t u r e i n p r o d u c t i o n . A r t , i s p a c k i n g
Wyndham's t h e a t r e i n London t o o v e r f l o w i n g ? He i s , o f course, a l l o f these; b u t
he might have been none o f them. I f he had n o t heeded t h e a d v i c e o f a f r i e n d , he
might have accepted an o f f e r from Matt Busby t o p l a y f o r Manchester U n i t e d and
become a soccer s t a r r a t h e r t h a n a cinema s u p e r s t a r . I f he had n o t been frowned
upon by h i s g i r l f r i e n d ' s mother, he might have m a r r i e d t h e young photographer
J u l i e H a m i l t o n , w i t h whom he l i v e d f o r s e v e r a l months and had what was d e s c r i b e d
as "a r e a l l o v e a f f a i r " ; and would a c c o r d i n g l y have become s t e p s o n - i n - l a w o f a
l e a d e r o f t h e Labour P a r t y , M i c h a e l Foot. I f he had n o t changed h i s f i r s t name,
he would n o t even have been Sean Connery: when born i n F o u n t a i n b r i d g e ,
Edinburgh, t h e son o f a l o r r y - d r i v e r and a charwoman, he was c h r i s t e n e d Thomas.
Yet - h a v i n g moved on from such j o b s as milkman, b r i c k l a y e r , c o f f i n - p o l i s h e r and
m o d e l l e r o f swimming t r u n k s , and h a v i n g been i n v a l i d e d o u t o f t h e Navy w i t h
u l c e r s - he has ended up as an Oscar-winner ( f o r h i s s u p p o r t i n g r o l e i n The
Untouchables), as a m i l l i o n a i r e , and as B r i t a i n ' s b i g g e s t i n t e r n a t i o n a l
s u p e r s t a r . He has a l s o been denounced (by h i s f i r s t spouse, Diane C i l e n t o ) as
"having bashed my face i n w i t h h i s f i s t s " ; by h i s p o l i t i c a l opponents as
something o f a h y p o c r i t e f o r a d v o c a t i n g S c o t t i s h independence from t h e c o m f o r t
of h i s t a x - e x i l e homes i n Spain and t h e Bahamas; by a d v e r s a r i e s whom he had
s u c c e s s f u l l y t a k e n t o c o u r t as a c h r o n i c l i t i g a t o r ; and - d e s p i t e h a v i n g s e t up
a S c o t t i s h I n t e r n a t i o n a l E d u c a t i o n T r u s t w i t h t h e s e v e n - f i g u r e stun he r e c e i v e d
f o r s t a r r i n g i n Diamonds a r e Forever - by dour Englishmen as a p a r a d i g m a t i c
S c o t t i s h p e n n y - p i n c h e r . What i s c e r t a i n i s t h a t Connery has remade h i m s e l f
s e v e r a l t i m e s . A f t e r u n s u c c e s s f u l l y r e p r e s e n t i n g S c o t l a n d i n t h e Mr Universe
c o n t e s t , he was g i v e n a j o b i n t h e he-man chorus o f South P a c i f i c . ( I t was w h i l e
t h a t Rodgers and Hammerstein m u s i c a l was p l a y i n g i n Manchester t h a t Matt Busby
o f f e r e d h i m pounds 25 a week t o p l a y f o r U n i t e d . ) Connery's l u c k changed when he
was c a s t i n a humdrum opus c a l l e d A c t i o n o f t h e T i g e r . He asked t h e f i l m ' s
d i r e c t o r , " S i r , am I g o i n g t o be a success i n t h i s ? " The d i r e c t o r r e p l i e d "No",
adding "but I ' l l make i t up t o you". The d i r e c t o r was Terence Young, who f i v e
years l a t e r was a s s i g n e d t o d i r e c t t h e f i l m o f a book by I a n Fleming, Dr No.
�Page 4
1996 The Sunday Telegraph Limited, November 24,
1996
His promise was k e p t more e m p h a t i c a l l y t h a n was e v e n t u a l l y t o be t o Connery's
t a s t e . There a r e w i l d l y c o n f l i c t i n g accounts o f Fleming's r e a c t i o n t o Connery's
c a s t i n g as Bond. M i c h a e l Caine, who l a t e r went on t o c o - s t a r w i t h Connery i n
John Huston's superb f i l m v e r s i o n o f K i p l i n g ' s The Man Who Would Be K i n g , has
r e p o r t e d t h a t when Fleming f i r s t met Connery, he s a i d , "I'm l o o k i n g f o r
Commander James Bond, n o t an overgrown stuntman." I n t h e end Connery h i m s e l f was
not p l e a s e d w i t h t h e r o l e , s a y i n g , " I have always h a t e d t h a t damned James Bond.
I ' d l i k e t o k i l l him." He t r i e d t o abandon t h e r o l e a f t e r h i s f i r s t f o u r
i m p e r s o n a t i o n s o f 007. He was e n t i c e d by an e x c e p t i o n a l l y l u c r a t i v e d e a l t o
r e t u r n t o t h e p a r t a f t e r a f o u r - y e a r absence. He had one more go a dozen years
a f t e r t h a t , i n Never Say Never Again (an a d m o n i t o r y t i t l e suggested by h i s
second w i f e , M i c h e l i n e Roquebrune). A f t e r t h a t he managed t o escape permanently
from Bondage. But he had h e l p e d t o e s t a b l i s h t h e Bond f i l m s as t h e most
s u c c e s s f u l s e r i e s i n cinema h i s t o r y . That, however, was i n t h e 1960s. I n t h e 30
years s i n c e t h e n , Connery has developed i n t o a S c o t t i s h c o u n t e r p a r t o f John
Wayne. He i s an a c t o r whose screen t e c h n i q u e i s so p e r f e c t t h a t he seems a b l e t o
amble t h r o u g h h i s r o l e s , and who has t u r n e d i n t o a k i n d o f c i n e m a t i c sage. I t i s
o n l y an a c t o r as s p e c i a l as Connery who can a f f o r d t o say, "There's n o t h i n g
s p e c i a l about b e i n g an a c t o r . " Having made movies f o r such g r e a t d i r e c t o r s as
H i t c h c o c k (a sub-Cary Grant r o l e i n t h e u n d e r v a l u e d Marnie) and had h i s t a l e n t s
r e c o g n i s e d w i t h v a r i o u s awards, Connery might have expected t o spend t h e
t w i l i g h t y e a r s o f h i s c a r e e r smothered i n a d u l a t i o n and c o m f o r t e d by h i s
t a x - s h e l t e r e d r i c h e s . U n f o r t u n a t e l y , fame a t t r a c t s a n i m o s i t y as w e l l as
a d u l a t i o n . W h i l e a c c l a i m e d as a s t i l l - p o t e n t s e x u a l i c o n , he i s unable t o l i v e
down t h e somewhat p o l i t i c a l l y i n c o r r e c t statement a t t r i b u t e d t o him: " I don't
t h i n k t h e r e i s a n y t h i n g p a r t i c u l a r l y wrong i n h i t t i n g a woman - though I don't
recommend d o i n g i t i n t h e same way t h a t you'd h i t a man. An open-handed s l a p i s
j u s t i f i e d i f a l l o t h e r a l t e r n a t i v e s f a i l and t h e r e has been p l e n t y o f w a r n i n g . "
While e n v i e d f o r hobnobbing w i t h such l u m i n a r i e s as S i r James G o l d s m i t h , Connery
has some d i f f i c u l t y i n r e c o n c i l i n g c o n s o r t i n g w i t h t h e p r o g e n i t o r o f t h e
R i g h t - w i n g Referendum P a r t y w h i l e a f f i r m i n g s u p p o r t f o r t h e L e f t - l e a n i n g SNP,
which advocates an independent S c o t l a n d w i t h i n a p o w e r f u l Europe. As f o r h i s
l o n g s t a n d i n g s u p p o r t f o r t h e SNP, t h i s a t t r a c t s some d e r i s i o n , even (perhaps
e s p e c i a l l y ) w i t h i n S c o t l a n d . His message i n t h e S c o t t i s h N a t i o n a l i s t s ' 1992
e l e c t i o n m a n i f e s t o - " I c a n ' t imagine t h a t anyone who l i v e s i n S c o t l a n d can
r e a l l y n o t want t o be independent" - i s t h o u g h t t o be d e c i d e d l y incongruous,
emanating from a man who advocates S c o t t i s h independence w h i l e n o t a c t u a l l y
l i v i n g t h e r e . No one can deny Connery's p a t r i o t i s m , even though i t may be v o i c e d
these days i n home t h o u g h t s from abroad. When younger, he d e c o r a t e d h i m s e l f w i t h
t a t t o o s p r o c l a i m i n g "Mum and Dad" and " S c o t l a n d Forever". However, he i s
l e a r n i n g t h e h a r d way - f o r he i s n o t a l l t h a t t h i c k - s k i n n e d - t h a t v e n e r a b l e
a c t o r s can l o o k j e j u n e when v e n t u r i n g i n c a u t i o u s l y i n t o an u n f a m i l i a r p o l i t i c a l
arena. I t i s a c a u t i o n a r y c o n c o m i t a n t o f screen fame t h a t , w h i l e m i l l i o n s w i l l
pay r e a d i l y t o see a Connery f i l m , markedly fewer a r e ready t o v o t e f o r a
Connery p a r t y .
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
THOMAS 'SEAN' CONNERY (94%);
LOAD-DATE: November 26,
1996
�Olivier, Laurence Kerr, 1st Baron Olivier of Brighton - Encarta Online Concise
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i Olivier, Laurence KeiT, 1st Baron Olivier
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O l i v i e r , L a u r e n c e Kerr, 1st B a r o n
O l i v i e r of B r i g h t o n (1907-1989^.
English actor, producer, and director,
known as one of the most accomplished
actors of the 20th century. Olivier was
born in Dorking, Surrey. He made his
first stage appearances in amateur
performances of plavs bv English
playwright William Shakespeare. In the
theater Olivier played classical roles
ranging from Greek tragedy to
Restoration comedy; he also appeared in
various contemporary plays.
In 1939 Olivier made his first important
motion picture, Wutherina Heights. He
produced, directed, and starred in a film
version of Shakespeare's Hamlet (1948),
for which he received Academy Awards
for best actor, best director, and best
picture of the year. His other films
include Rebecca (1940). The Entertainer
(1960). Sleuth (1972). Marathon Man
(1976), and The Boys from Brazil
(1978)—he received Oscar nominations
for all five. Olivier was head of the
National Theatre of Great Britain from
1962 until 1973. He was knighted in
1947 and made Baron Olivier in 1970.
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�For Judith Jamison, dance is going "into the depths of your heart to pull out what you
need to communicate with another person."
From the depths of her tremendous heart, Judi has shown us tears and joy, sorrow and
salvation. Since her very first dance performance at age six, she has been breaking down barriers
and seeking that reservoir of spirit that unites us all. She has reached into our own hearts, and
touched us deeply.
That is what art - and these awards - are all about.
6
O
In herfiftgwi-yearsas a performer with the AlvinAiley Dance Theater, as a Broadway
performer and international star, Judi has been a vision of grace and strength, of art lifted beyond
prejudice and ^fcttmiedToTTTe^ople wEo gavWTjite^ She carried that vision across America and
around the world - and to^J^yery first KenneSy Center performance in 1971.
As a choreographer, teacher and memor, she is shaping new dancers and seeking outjiew
aufoeiyes. And as Ailey s successor as Aytistic Director, she has preserved his legacy and set
her own fearless course for the future.
So thank you, Judi, for sharing with us the beauty of your artistry - and the power of your
spirit.
fir I r-tJeJ-
7
^*
�http://alviiiailey.org/jjbio.html
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater / Judith Jamison, Artistic Director
iR'i
Alvin Ailey- American Dance Theater
Judith Jamison's dance studies began in
Philadelphia at Marion Cuyjet's Judimar
School of Dance. She supplemented
Cuyjet's training by working with John
Mines, Delores Brown, John Jones, later
studying with Joan Kerr, Madame
Swoboda, Yuri Gottschalk, William
Dollar, Fernand Nault and Antony Tudor
- while also pursuing piano and violin as
means of artistic expression."After
attending Fisk University as a
psychology major, Jamison transferred to
the Philadelphia Dance Academy, now
the University of the Arts.jAftershe was
d iscevered^y^fles^SWill'd^t 'amastepclass<irv4964 Jamison made her
New York debut in de MillefeThe Four.lyiarysvjyyijih^
She became a member of Alvin Ailey
Aiiier^nSiSi^®|T^ti^if I 965ien'd
toured the US, Europe^ Asia, South
America,
.'and-A^iia^ta^^su^i^j^ses^
throughout her fifteen-year tenure as a
J u d i t h J a m i s o n , Artistic Director dancer. Ailey, recognizing her
extraordinary talent and SffliffiMMQgfrStaQe
presence, cj:eat^^j5ixi^f*is:rnpst-.enduring roles for Jamisp^-rhos1%btablyj'the'tour
d^f0f??^ry.,.As well, she has''danced with many ofthe world's greatest male dancers
including James Truitte, Dudley Williams, Kevin Haigen and Mikhail Baryshnikov.
>
s i
From the Ailey Company, she went on to star in the hit Broadway musical
Sophisticated Ladies. Her subsequent guest performances include American Ballet
Theatre, Harkness Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, Dallas Ballet, Vienna, Munich and
Hamburg state opera ballets and Maurice Bejart's Ballet of the Twentieth Century. In
1984, Jamison choreographed hertfirst work, d i ^ f ! § ^ . r < i i ^ ^
on to
create new works for Mabrice Bejart and Ballet NuevoiMuhdp^de-Carats.' Jamison
choreographed her first opera; ;Boit6's:;Mefistofele, for the Opdra -Company of
Philadelphia during January of 1988; and her PBS special, The DanceMaker, was
aired nationally during spring of the^same y e a r . i ^ M j y f e ^ p ( O g ^ p i m ^ ^ ^ i | p o y i n g
tri^te^J^vtia^lw.?^
Featuring a libretto by Tony Award nominee, actress and playwright Anna Deavere
Smith, Hymn has been critically acclaimed both nationally and internationally and was
featured in the PBS documentary "Hymn: Remembering Alvin Ailey," which premiered
in 1999, for which she has recently received an Emmy nomination. Jamison's ballet
Riverside, which explores elements of African and African-American movement, had
its US premiere in New York in December of 1995. Her dynamic work Sweet Release,
a first-time: collabbratioh with celebrated trumpeter Wynton Marsalis, premiered at
Lincoln Center in 1996. Jamison's most recent work, Echo: Far From Home, premiered
in New York in December, 1998.
(
In recognitioniof her achievements, Jamison has received numerous awards. In 1972,
she was presented with the Dance Magazine Award. Honored for her contribution in
theTi€ild:pf,perfb miing^artsy;she:.was;given the Philadelphia Arts Alliance Award, the
Franklin Mint Award, the Candace Award, the Frontrunner Award, the Ebony Black
Achievement Award and the Outstanding Achievement in the Arts Award, which was
presented by the Big Brothers/Big Sisters of New York City. She.has received the
Spirit of Achievement Award, presented by the National Women's Division of Yeshiva
University's Albert Einstein College of Medicine; the Golden Plate Award, presented to
her by the American Academy of Achievement; and the Distinguished Artists Award,
presented by Club 100 of the Los Angeles Music Center. She is also the recipient of
The Isabella Graham Award from Graham-Windham Services to Families and
,
I of 2
12/1/1999 12:03 PM
�Alvin Alley Amei ican Dance Theater / Judith Jamison, Artistic Director
lmp://al viiiailey.org/jjbio.html
contribution to the television program, "Dance In America: A Hymn for Alvin Ailey" has
garnered her an Emmy nomination.
Jamison is a lecturer, as well as a past presidential appointee to the National
Endowment for the Arts. She is the recipient of honorary doctorates from the University
of the Arts, Harvard University, Marymount Colleges in New: York City'and Tarrytown,
Middlebury College/Colgate University, New York University, Bard College and
Claremont University. Jamison's most recent honorary doctorate was awarded to her
by Harvard University in 1999. Jamison is also a Dean's Fellow ofthe Columbia
College Shapiro Program.
In 1988, Jamison debuted her own company, The Jamison Project, in Detroit, New
York and Philadelphia and embarked on a highly acclaimed US tour one year later.
During the spring of 1989, she celebrated the thirtieth anniversary tour of Alvin Ailey
American Dance Theater as Guest Artistic Associate. On December 20, 1989,
Jamison was named Artistic Director of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and The
Ailey® School, the official school of the Company. Jamison's autobiography, Dancing
Spirit, was published by Doubleday in 1993 and issued in paperback by Anchor Books
in 1994.
Today, Judith Jamison presides .9ver a renewed Ailey brganization - one that has
been artistjrally^nd|fi^lly|ln^
presence
has b 3 ^ $ | t e ^ 4 2 j £ d M
of
thp.Womeq^foor^
performances at the Olympic Arts
Festival, national appearances by the Company in American Express television and
print ads, as well as the Company's unprecedented return engagement to South Africa
in 1999. She has continued Alvin Alley's practice of showcasing the talents of
emerging choreographers from within the ranks of the Company. As Artistic Director of
The Ailey® School, she has helped implement a multicultural curriculum including
specialized training ih the dance of West Africa. She has also furthered MnsAiley's r,
desire for community.outr.each by expanding AileyCamps'irito Philadelphia, PA and
Boston, MA due to open in "200'0. She is responsible for bringingjdance?toithe • «
>
commuriity*and-making children understand their role in maintaining the arts in the
forefront of our culture. She has alsoibeen a guiding force behind the new B.F.A.
program - a collaboration between The Ailey School and Fordhami-University. This
program offerSiStudents a unique opportunity to receive both superb dance training
and a superior liberaLarts education. Her focus, as she celebrates her-IOth
anniversary-season as Artistic-Director, remains the constant rejuvenation of Alvin
Ailey's legacy - dance as a medium for honoring the past, celebrating the present and
fearlessly reaching into the future.
t
Dance Theater Foundation, Inc.
211 West 61st Street, 3rd Fl.
New York, NY 10023
(212) 767-0590 FAX (212) 767-0625
Credits... Copyright © 1999 General Interactive, Inc.
2 of 2
12/1/1999 12:03 PM
�Jud
http://www.kennedy-center.org/honors/years/jamison.html
on
Tlie Kennedy
Judith Jamison
(dancer, choreographer, and teacher; bom May 10, 1943 in Philadelphia)
Judith Jamison's interpretation of Cry, the epic 1971 solo Alvin Ailey created especially
for her, was and remains the stuff of legend: a superhuman feat of intensity and clarity,
drenched in a powerful feminine presence with an immensely generous, universal
appeal. And yet Cry was just one triumphant moment in a long career blessed with
triumph. Ailey described Jamison as "one of the giants in my life," and her stature has
only grown since her mentor's death in 1989, when she took the helm of the Alvin Ailey
American Dance Theater.
Jamison the dancer already has earned a place in history as one of our century's most
individualistic and beloved artists. Jamison the choreographer and teacher, is leading a
great American dance company into the next century. Jamison once spoke of Ailey, a
1988 Kennedy Center Honoree, as her "spiritual walker," and now it is Jamisun WRo is
guidmglhe steps of Alley's spiritual children. As Ailey's successor, as a major force in
dance in her own right, Jamison is nurturing the future of American dance.
She was bom in PJiiladelghia and began her ballet studies there at the age of six with
Marion Cuyjet and later witli Antony Tudor. Her debut came at 15, as Myrtha in Giselle.
She enrolled as a freshman at Fisk University in Nashville, intent on studying
psychology. Dance beckoned, however: she left Fisk, joined the Philadelphia Dance
Academy and never looked back. In 1964, Agnes de Mille spotted Jamison in a master
class and invited her perform in Four Marys with American Ballet Theatre.
It was in New York that Alvin Ailey first saw her, while Jamison auditioned for a
television show choreographed by Donald McKayle. She did not get the job with
McKayle, but within three days Ailey invited Jamison to join his troupe. Ailey and
1 of 2
11/23/1999 10:26 AM
�Judit'
jn
http://www.kennedy-center.org/honors/years/janiison.html
Jamison were a perfect match, both statuesque and more than a little wild, their dance
marked aTohce by eitt6tional abandon and intellectual rigor. From 1965 to 1980,
Jamison was Ailey's muse, his company's biggest star - even as Jamison herself often
cautioned, "Don't call me a star, call me a dancer."
Her majestic presence brought to life dance after glorious new dance, including Ailey's
Revelations, Blues Suite, Aridness, Yemanja, Knoxville: Summer of 1915, Reflections in
D, Masekela Language, Lark Ascending, The Mooch, and two memorable duets: Pas de
Duke with Mikhail Baryshnikov, and Spell with Alexander Godunov. She excelled, too,
in Geoffrey Holder's Prodigal Prince, John Butler's Blood Memories and Carmina
Burana, Louis Falco's Caravan, and Jose Limon's Missa Brevis. At the Hamburg Ballet,
Jamison was partnered by Kevin Haigen in John Neumeier's Josephslegend in 1976. In
1979, Maurice Bejart choreographed Le spectre de la rose for her and Patrice Touron
with Bejart's Ballet du XXme Steele ("Ballet ofthe 20th Century"). In 1980, Jamison left
the Ailey company to star on Broadway in Sophisticated Ladies. She founded the
Jamison Project in 1988. When Ailey died in 1989, Jamison came home to the Alvin
Ailey American Dance Theater, to build on Ailey's vision and make her own unique
contribution. Under Jamison's aegis, the company's already broad repertory has been
enriched with dances by Lar Lubovitch, Billy Wilson, Elisa Monte, Jawole Willa Jo
Zollar, and Jamison herself.
Jamison's own growing choreographic oeuvre includes her 1984 Divining, her first work
for Ailey, as well aS "a moving memory piece about him called Hymn with a libretto by
Anna Deveare Smith, and such challenging ballets as Just Call Me Dance, Time Out,
Time In, Into the Life, Tease, Forgotten Time, Rift, Riverside, Echo: Far From Home,
and Sweet Release.
Ailey believed that "dance came from the people: we must take it back to the people."
Jamison shares that belief, and she is taking to the people everywhere, a shining
ambassador of our country, a living example of the very best and most exciting in
American culture.
Honors Home Page | About the Honors | History of the Honors
2 of 2
| KC Home Page
11/23/1999 10:26 AM
�, 6
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References
Po/ygofw series of 1961-62, In which stendled
numbers, their names, and associated words were
Amaya, Mario. Pop Art and After (1966)
set in polygons with the appropriate number of
Galas, Nicolas and Elena. Icons and Images
sides. In Exploding Numbert (1964-66) and
of the Sixties (1971)
Cardinal Numben die structure is muck simpliMcCoubrey, John W. Introduction to Exfied. Exploding Numbers consists of thefiguresone
hibition of Robert Indiana (1968)
through four set in rectangles of increasing size;
Who's Who in America, 1972-73
Cardinal Numbers consists of the figures one
through ten set in circles that are set in rectangles containing their names. Cardinal Numbers, JAMISON, JUDITH (jam'i-»n)
which can be installed in either horizontal or
vertical form, was installed in vertical form at the
May 10, 1944- Dancer
"American Painting Now" exhibition at Expo 67
Address: b. Alvin Ailey American Dance Theain Montreal, Canada.
ter, 229 E. 59th St., New York 10022
The LOVE paintings and Indiana's new number works were displayed at a one-man show at Since joining the Alvin Ailey American Dance
the Stable Gallery in 1966. Two years later, In- Theater in 1965, Judith Jamison, now the prindiana was given a major retrospective exhibition cipal of that integrated but largely .^lack troupeL
consisting of twenty-two paintings, twelve sculp- has be<#ine*sucfc" a favorite of balletomanes that
tures, and drawings, prints, and posters. It was her first step on the stage triggers an instant ovamounted at the University of Pennsylvania's In- stion. To iler " j ^ t ^ ' ^ t u r T t r f i v e f e U 'ten*
stitute of Contemporary Art in Philadelpkia, the inches and her elegantpteperlal' inaiiner^she apMarion Koogler McNay Art Institute in San An- plies an impeccable **echniqu&-an amalgam of
tonio, and the Herron Museum of Art in classical ballet discipline and the best of several
Indianapolis.
modem dance methods-producing a strikingly
At his next New York show, held at the Denise individual style. In Revelations, KnoxoMe: SumRen4 Gallery in 1972, Indiana further explored mer of 1915, Cry, and other innovative and huhis personal history in two sets of Autoportraits manistic ballets Miss Jamison and her fellow
dated from 1960 through 1969. The basic fonn members of the Ailey company have garnered
for each of the twenty canvases is similar: a five- a harvest of i i A w > i a d ^ j ^ ^ # n > d e m ' - o m o e - l a ^ .
pointed star is set within a circle which is »et hundreds of American engagements and many inwithin a square. Each star contains the letters temational tours. Critics are as greatly impressed
IND, and each circle contains a date and the by her "commanding presence" and the emotionwords and numbers associated with Indiana's ex- al communicabilityi of «ven her • simple, gestures^
periences that particular year. The 1972 skow as ihey are by her .technicalexpertise.-"In mo- '|"
also contained two polycnromatic LOVE sculp- tion, she'blazes'with a fearful intensity," Hubert '*
tures, a huge four-paneled LOVE painting, and Saal wrote in Newsweek, "hurtling through the
paintings and sculptures of the word ART and air like a spear plunged Into the heart of space."
the word ONE.
Judith Jamison was bom on May 10, 1944 in
Deeply involved with otker arts and artists, In- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to John and Tessie
(Bell) Jamison. Her father is a sheet-metal mediana has designed sets and costumes for a revival of the Virgil Thompson-Gertrude Stein chanic who was once a part-time pianist and
opera. The Mother of Us AH, has collaborated singer and had wanted a career as a concert artist;
with Andy Warhol on the film Eat, and has de- her mother is a part-time teacher. She has an
signed posters and banners for theatres, museums, older brother, John, who drives a bus for Greyand other cultural institutions. Other commissions hound. A music-oriented child,' Juditk Jamison
he has executed include the redesigning of the began to study piano at an early age with ker
United States one-cent piece and the design for father. She later took formal lessons in violin.
a mural for the New York State Pavilion at the A source of much happiness to her during her
New York World's Fair, held in 1964 and 1965. growing years was the Mother Bethel African
During the summer of 1968 he was artist In resi- Methodist Episcopal Church, where she sang in
dence at the Center of Contemporary Art in Aspen, the young people's choir. The sermons, which
made her aware of the power of communication,
Colorado.
|
Indiana lives and works in New York City and fascinated her as much as the church music.
Tall for her age, at six Judith Jamison seemed %
has a summer studio in Vinalkaven, Maine. His
constant companion is a cat named Patricci. He somewhat gangling to her parents, who enrolled j
once said: " I am an American painter of signs her in the Judimar School of Dance in Philadel- ^
charting the course. I would be a people's painter ohia, hoping that dancing lessons would make |
ber graceful. She gave most of her attention at •
as well." Regarding his achievement of that ambition, McCoubrey wrote in the catalogue for the Judimar to ballet study under the school's direc- >
1968 retrospective: "His allusive paintings, ver- tor, Marion Cuyjet. But she also received instruc- £
bally compact and totally contemporary, do stand tion in tap, acrobatics, jazz, and primitive dance, j
for an exhaustive range of the culture with whick Some of her other teachers were Dolores Brown, |
he so deeply identifies. He is an American painter John Jones, Melvin Brooms, and John Hines. t
From time to time she benefited from such l l - J
of signs. He is also a people's painter."
-
202
C U R R E N T B I O G R A P H Y 1973
�^//'
3. Pop Art and After (1966) ^
; and Elena. Icons and Images 'J
ies (1971)
John W. Introduction to ExRobert Indiana (1968)
in America, 1972-73
[ (jam'i-ssn)
Dancer
Ailey American Dance TheaSt., New York 10022
Vlvin Ailey American Dance
idith Jamison, now the printed but largely black troupe,;
favorite of balletomanes that.;
staee triggers an instant ova--;
ional stature of five feet ten:'
int, imperial manner she ap- |
; technique—an amalgam of^
)line and the best of several ;
hods-producing a strikingly:
Revemtions, KnoxviUe: Sum- '
md other innovative and lux-'}
ss Jamison and her fellow •
ley company have garnered;
Iherents for modem dance in.
.n engagements and many initics are as greatly impressed \
I presence" and the emotion-f
of even her simple gestures!
technical expertise. "In mo-;
i a fearful intensity," Hubert I
week, "hurtling through the!
ged into the heart of space."
is bom on May 10, 1944 in";
•Ivania to John and Tessie,
father is a sheet-metal me- ;
ice a part-time pianist and •
id a career as a concert artist;
irt-time teacher. She has an :
who drives a bus for Grey-j
ented child, Judith Jamison^
io at an early age with her '
ok formal lessons in violin,
happiness to her during her'
the Mother Bethel African:
Churcl£ where she sang In \
choir. The sermons, which
the power of communication,
ich as the church music,
at six Judith Jamison seemed
to her parents, who enrolled
School of Dance in Philadellancing lessons would make
ive most of her attention at
idy under the school's direeBut she also received instructs, jazz, and primitive dance,
eachers were Dolores Brown,
Brooms, and John Hines.
she benefited from such i l -
ill -
lustrious guest teachers as Anthony Tudor, Vincenzo Celli, and Maria Swoboda. In her first
school concert, at Philadelphia's Town Hall, she
won applause for her dancing to the popular song
"I'm an Old Cowhand." Miss Jamison remained
at the Judimar School for eleven years, simultaneously attending Philadelphia public schoob.
On graduating from high school at seventeen,
Judith Jamison was unsure about what to do with
her life. She described her feelings to Robert
Wahls in an interview for the New York Sundau
News (April 9, 1972), "When I got out of high
school, I was loose. . . . I never thought of dancing as a career. It was simply the hobby giving
me the most pleasure." A scholarship to Fisk
University in Nashville, Tennessee proved only
a partial solution for her. She began working
toward a degree with the intention of majoring
in psychology, but she admitted to Wahls, " I was
always mooning around the music room." After
three semesters at Fisk she decided that what
she really wanted was a career in dance. Returning home, she enrolled at the Philadelphia Dance
Academy, where her ballet teachers were Nadia
Chilkovskv, James Jamieson, and Juri Gottschalk.
She supplemented their instruction with study of
the history of the dance, its composition and art,
and Labanotadon (a svstem of dance symbols
based on movements of parts of the body). In
addition, she attended classes in the Lester Horton technique at Joan Kerr's Dance School.
While teaching a master class in December
1964 at the Philadelphia Dance Academy, the
choreographer Agnes de Mille recognized Miss
Jamison's talent and invited the eager novice to
dance the role of Maty Seaton in her new ballet
The Four Marys. With Carmen de Lavallade as
the principal, the ballet had its premiere in February 1965 during the American Ballet Theatre's
run at Lincoln Center in New York. But when
the season of her professional debut was over.
Miss Jamison found herself Idle. Encouraged by
Miss de Lavallade, she remained in New York to
be available for auditions whenever she heard of
an opening in a company. She took a temporary,
nondancing job at the World s Fair, helping to
operate the Log-Flume Ride.
In the fall of 1965 Judith Jamison auditioned
for Donald McKayle, who was directing dance
sequences for a projected Harry Belafonte television special. She failed to win a part, but during the audition she impressed an onlooker, Alvin
Alley, as "extraordinary" and "beautiful." Three
days later he invited her to join his company,
then called the Alvin Ailey Dance Theater. She
made her debut with that troupe in Congo Tango
Palace at the Harper Festival in Chicago later in
1965. In December of that year, when the Ailey
company performed in the Hunter College dance
series in New York, she danced with James
Truitte the "Fix Me Jesus" duet of Ailey's Revelations, a religious ballet rooted partly in the
Negro spiritual.
Her association with the Ailey company
changed Judith Jamison's life dramatically, re-
otr^^
JUDITH JAMISON
quiring her to travel almost ceaselessly. She
danced with the company on a whirlwind tour
of Western Europe in early 1966 and during a
side trip in April to the first World Festival of
Negro Arts in Dakar, Senegal, at which the Ailey
troupe was the only integrated modem dance
company to perform. In Barcelona later in the
spring the company joined forces with the Harkness Ballet in guest appearances and continued
a tandem schedule at the Marais Festival in
Paris. Miss Jamison served her apprenticeship in
the general repertory during those engagements
and in Paris was given time off to appear in a
French film.
On the advice of Alvin Ailey, whose company
temporarily disbanded because of lack of funds,
Miss Jamison joined the Harkness Ballet for several months during 1966-67, when she again entered upon a period of concentrated ballet training, this time under Patricia Wilde and Raymond
Segarra. In the Harkness Ballet's 1967 American
tour she danced in several works with Tim
Harum, one of the tallest men in dance. She
found her work with the Harkness Ballet inspiring and rewarding, in that her technique was
strengthened, but she was given fewer occasions
to perform than she had with the Ailey troupe.
Her appearances with Harkness ended when she
fell on a slippery floor, chipped an ankle bone,
and ripped an Achilles tendon.
After recuperating, Miss Jamison rejoined the
Alvin Ailey Dance Theater for its 1967 European
tour. In Stockholm she performed in Seven Deadly Sins, which Ailey had choreographed for television, and at the end of the tour returned to
that city to appear with Miguel Godreau in a
dance that he created for TVs Golden Hour.
Also in 1967, during a tour of nine African countries sponsored by the United States Department
of State, Miss Jamison danced before Jomo Kenyatta, the President of Kenya, who admiringly
told her that she looked like a Masai.
An early creation of Judith Jamison's was the
role of Voudoun Erzuile in Geoffrey Holder's
CURRENT BIOGRAPHY 1973
203
�I
I
rf"" '
(
f
The Prodipal Prince, which she danced with
Miguel Godreau in its premiere at Hunter College Playhouse on January 19, 1968. In the company's spring season at the Brooklyn Academy of
Music, New Yorkers were treated generously to
Miss Jamison's gifts in Blues Suite, Reflections
in D, Revelations, and again in The Prodigal
Prince. Partnered in the last-named ballet by
Dudley Williams, she came under fhe critical
eye of Deborah Jowitt, who wrote in the Village
Voice (April 11, 1968), "Miss Jamison is a marvelous all-around performer-extravagantly tall
with a purring kind of strength and a leap that
looks as if she had been poured upward."
In 1968 the Ailey company toured widely In
American cities and traveled again throughout
Europe. A high point of the tour was the company's week-long engagement at the Edinburgh
Festival in September, Judith Jamison was especially cheered for her dancing of the Mother in
the premiere of Ailey's new work Knoxville:
Summer of 1915, set to Samuel Barber's poignant
musical memoir of that title. By the time the
Alvin Ailey Dance Theater made its initial
foray onto Broadway in January 1969, Judith
Jamison was considered its titular prima ballerina and had collected a strong and vocal following. In that short, sellout season at the Billy Rose
Theatre she appeared in the first New York performance of Talley Beatty's The Black Belt,
which had a score by Duke Ellington, and dazzled her audiences dancing the Sun opposite
Miguel Godreau, who had the title role in Lucas
Hoving's Icarus. After the Broadway triumph.
Miss Jamison performed with the Alley troupe
on a tour of American colleges and universities. ,
In the company's engagement at the American
Dance Festival in New London, Connecticut that
summer she appeared with George Faison in the
duet of Joyce Trisler's Dance for Six.
The Brooklyn Academy's Festival of Dance
during the winter of 1969-70 provided a feast
for dance fans, who saw a succession of first-rate
modem dance companies. For the Ailey company
Judith Jamison contributed substantially to two
new works: she danced with Dudley Williams in
Michael Smuin's Panambi, with music by Alberto
Ginastera, and introduced a solo in Ailey's controversial Masakela Language. Among the excellent notices she earned for the latter was Walter
Terry's in the Saturday Review (December 13,
1969): "Her solo of agonized, but curiously contained loneliness was brilliantly conceived—but
that might have been expected of a young woman who is darkly beautiful, whose technique is
dazzling, and whose artistry makes her the undisputed prima of the Ailey company."
After fulfilling a series of engagements in
North Africa during the summer of 1970, the
Ailey group made a precedent-setting autumn
tour of the Soviet Union. In his dispatch to the
New York Times on the company's opening at
Moscow's Variety Theatre on October 22, 1970,
James F. Clarity called it "the most exciting evening of dance in Moscow this season." Dancing
204
CURRENT BIOGRAPHY
1973
in Revelations, The Prodigal Prince, Masakela
Language, and Dance for Six, among others, Judith
Jamison delighted Soviet audiences with her exquisite control and proud, majestic presence. In
London she was especially applaudea in Revelations, the most popular piece the company offered there during its two-week visit later in the
fall.
Two new Ailey works, in which Miss Jamison
appeared, highlighted the spring 1971 season at
New York's City Center. Of Chord Dances, first
performed on April 28, 1971, Frances Herridge
wrote the following day in the New York Post,
"It is a somberly beautiful work with Judith
Jamison a stunning presence even in the midst
of the ensemble because of the powerful sweep
of her arms and legs." Confirming evidence of
Judith Jamison's stardom came with the premiere
ot Cry, a solo piece that Ailey crtfated especially
for. his „ protegee and dedicated (to "all black
women everywhere—especially „o«iir mothers." •,
With music by Alice Coltrane, Lailra Nyro, and
the Voices of East Harlem, the solo depicted the
experience of black women, which Clive Barnes
summed up in the New York Times (May 5,
1971) as "African roots, urban despair and, finally, Black freedom." Barnes went on to say, "Miss
Jamison dances with great control, and although
her work has obviously been greatly influenced,
via Ailey, by the Lester Horton West Coast
style, . . . it is also strongly tinged with classic
dance. The result, added to her lithe and statuesque i>physigue, is fascinating."
Miss 'Jamisori participated In the program that
opened the John F.-Kennedy Center for die Perfonning Arts In Washington, D.C. on September
8, 1971, ^ h ^ . s h e Appeared in 1 ^
Bernstein'sMais. A theatre piece, the work had dance
sequences choreographed by Alvin Ailey. Another Mass in which she was featured, Mary
Lou's Mass, an Ailey piece choreographed to
Mary Lou Williams' jazz Mass, had its world premiere at the New York City Center on December
9, 1971. As Hubert Saal described her interpretation in Newsweek (December 20, 1971), she
performed "The Lord's Prayer," her solo, "as if
she were a prostrate sinner, on her knees in entreaty and supplication, moving only her torso
and arms."
During the company's 1972 spring season at
the New York City Center Miss Jamison danced
in Ailey's newly created The Lark Ascending. In
a romantic love duet with Clive Thompson, to
a score by Ralph Vaughan Williams, she surprised her audience and proved that she was as
much at home in lyricism as in anguish or in
comedy. In the summer of 1972 Miss Jamison
again appeared with the Ailey troupe in an extended run of Leonard Bernstein's Mass at the
Metropolitan Opera House in New York.
Judith Jamison's most prized awards are one
she received for her last performance, early In
her career, at the Christmas Cotillion at Philadelphia's Convention Hall—an award of merit
presented to her by Joan Crawford—and the
�Prodigal Prince, Masakela
for Six, among others, Judith
iet audiences with her exroud, majestic presence. In
:ially applaudea in Revelalar piece the company oftwo-week visit later in the
rks, in which Miss Jamison
the spring 1971 season at
er. Of Choral Dances, first
8, 1971, Frances Herridge
ay in the New York Post,
eautiful work with Judith
resence even in the midst
use of the powerful sweep
i . " Confirming evidence of
Dm came with the premiere
hat Ailey created especially
1 dedicated to "all black
especially our mothers."
Coltrane, Laura Nyro, and
irlem, the solo depicted the
omen, which Clive Barnes
>Jew York Times (May 5,
ts, urban despair and, finalimes went on to say, "Miss
great control, and although
ly been greatly influenced,
.ester Horton West Coast
itrongly tinged with classic
ed to her lithe and statuesnating."
ipated in the program that
ennedy Center for the Perington, D.C. on September
ppeared in Leonard Bempiece, the work had dance
hed by Alvin Ailey. Ani she was featured, Mary
y piece choreographed to
zz Mass, had its world pre: City Center on December
<
ial described her interpretaDecember 20, 1971), she
's Prayer," her solo, "as if
; inner, on her knees in en•n, moving only her torso
ly's 1972 spring season at
enter Miss Jamison danced
id The Lark Ascending. In
with Clive Thompson, to
mghan Williams, she surnd proved that she was as
icism as in anguish or in
ner of 1972 Miss Jamison
the Ailey troupe in an exd Bernstein's Mass at the
ause in New York,
jst prized awards are one
last performance, early In
iristmas Cotillion at PhilaHall-an award of merit
Joan Crawford-and the
Dance Magazine Award for 1972, which she
shared with the Royal Ballet's Anthony Dowell.
Her short acceptance speech on the latter occasion closed with the phrase, "Thank you for letting me be myself again and again and again
and again." In August 1972 she was honored by
President Richard Nixon, who appointed her an
adviser to the National Council on the Arts. In
answer to the question of how she intended to
handle that rcsponsibilitv, she told Angela Terrell in the Washington Post (-August 23, 1972),
" I want to see more of • the smaller companies
develop by giving them moje money. Maybe
elevate one at a time and see if they make it or
fall on their face."
"Haven" is a word that Miss Jamison often
uses when talking about the positive institutions
in her life: home, church, school, and, above all,
her art. "Dancing is like the aura I feel in
church," she told Robert Wahls. " I walk into a
church and there is a warmth, a safeness, a
haven. The stage is like that for me, a vacuum
where I can express myself." Miss Jamison has
close-cropped hair, a low and soft voice, a beaming smile, and a warm manner that contrasts
with her onstage awesomeness. In December 1972
she married Miguel Godreau, a former member of
the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater.
References
Dance Mag 43:64+ Ag '69 pois; 46:24 +
N '72 pore
N Y Post pl3 Ap 15 72 por
N Y Sunday News I I p82 Ap 9 72 por
N Y Times I I p l + N 19 72 por
Washington Post B p l + Ag 23 72
JASTROW, ROBERT
Sept. 7, 1925- Physicist; author; educator
Address: b. Goddard Institute for Space
Studies, 2880 Broadway, New York 10025;
h. 22 Riverside Dr., New York 10023
As director of NASA's Goddard Institute for
Space Studies, Robert Jastrow heads the scientists who conduct much of the research in astrophysics, atmospheric physics, and planetary science connected with the American space program. Jastrow began his career as a nuclear
physicist, but he became involved in orbital
studies and atmospheric physics in the 1950's
at the United States Naval Research Laboratory,
where scientists were developing the first American satellite. When the National Aeronautics
and Space Administration was organized in 1958,
he was appointed head of its theoretical division. Three years later he established the Institute for Space Studies in New York to draw upon
the resources of that city's academic and research institutions.
At Columbia University Jastrow is adjunct
professor of geophysics and chairman of the
graduate program in space physics. He has writ-
ROBERT JASTROW
ten a best-selling science primer for the layman
entitled Red Giants and White Dwarfs, in which
he traces the origins of man back to his ultimate
beginnings in the cloud of primordial hydrogen
from which the universe is thought to have been
created some 10 billion years ago.
The son of Abraham Jastrow, a car salesman,
and Marie (Greenfield) Jastrow, Robert Jastrow
was bom in New York City on September 7,
1925. During his infancy his family lived in the
East Bronx; when he was three years old they
moved to Queens, where they lived successively
in College Point, Flushing, Elmhurst, and Long
Island City. Jastrow has one sister, Mrs. John
Heller, a Vine! and. New Jersey housewife. His
parents now live in retirement in Tucson, Arizona.
Jastrow began his education in public schools
and entered Hunter College Elementary School
at the age of nine. While an elementary student
he won first prize at a science fair held at the
Museum of Natural History for an exhibit called
"The Economic Potential of Cotton." On his
graduation from the Hunter school he was
awarded a medal for his achievement in Spanish
language studies. At thirteen Robert Jastrow was
admitted to Townsend Harris High School,
operated by the College of the City of New York
for gifted students.
After graduating from Townsend Harris at fifteen Jastrow entered Columbia College, where
he became a premedical student During a course
in behavioral psychology he became interested
in the behavior of rats, and his professor persuaded him to take up calculus in order to
further his research. That subject so fascinated
him that he switched his major, first to biophysics and then to theoretical physics.
By taking part in an accelerated wartime program, Jastrow graduated from Columbia College
in 1944, at the age of eighteen. Rejected by the
draft board for poor eyes and flat feet, he stayed
on at Columbia University, studying under Dr.
A. H. Kramer of the Netherlands, one of the
world's leading theoretical physicists, who was
CURRENT
B I O G R A P H Y 1973
205
�Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater / Judith Jamison, Artistic Director
http://alvinailey.org/jjbio.htm
Alvin Ailey^American Dance Theater
Judith Jamison's dance studies began in
Philadelphia at Marion Cuyjet's Judimar
School of Dance. She supplemented
Cuyjet's training by working with John
Hines, Delores Brown, John Jones, later
studying with Joan Kerr, Madame
Swoboda, Yuri Gottschalk, William Dollar,
Fernand Nault and Antony Tudor - while
also pursuing piano and violin as means
of artistic expression. After attending Fisk
University as a psychology major,
Jamison transferred to the Philadelphia
Dance Academy, now the University of
the Arts. After she was discovered by
Agnes De Mille at a master class in 1964,
Jamison made her New York debut in de
Mille's The Four Marys, with American
Ballet Theatre. She became a member of
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in
1965 and toured the US, Europe, Asia,
South America, and Africa/thrilling
J u d i t h J a m i s o n , A r t i s t i c D i r e c t o r audiences throughout her fifteen-year
tenure as a dancer. Ailey, recognizing her
extraordinary talent and captivating stage presence, created some of his most
enduring roles for Jamison - most notably the tour de force Cry. As well, she has
danced with many of the world's greatest male dancers including James truitte,
Dudley Williams, Kevin Haigen and Mikhail Baryshnikov.
From the Ailey Company, she went on to star in the hit Broadway musical
Sophisticated Ladies. Her subsequent guest performances include American Ballet
Theatre, Harkness Ballet,; San Francisco Ballet, Dallas Ballet, Vienna, Munich and
Hamburg state opera ballets arid Maurice Bejart's Ballet of the Twentieth Century. In
1984, Jamison choreographed her first work, Divining, for Ailey. She then went on to
create new works for Maurice Bejart and Ballet Nuevo Mundo de Caracas. Jamison
choreographed her first opera, Boito> Mefistofele, for the Opera Company of .
Philadelphia during Januaty?qf ii988;:and her PBS sped
nationally during spring of the s'ame.year. Hymn; Jamison's powerful and moving
tribute to Alvin Ailey, prerriiereci during the Company's 1993 New Yorkieason.
Featuring a ijbrettd by tony Award nominee, actress and playwright Arina Deavere :
Smith, Hymn has been critically acclaimed both nationally and internationally and was
featured in the PBS documentary "Hymn: Remembering Alvin Ailey," which premiered
in 1999, for which, she has recently received an Emmy nomination. Jamison's ballet
Riverside, which explores elements of African and African-American movement, had
its US premiere in New York in December of 1995. Her dynamic work Sweet Release,
a first-time collaboration with celebrated trumpeter Wynton Marsalis, premiered at
Lincoln Center in 1996. Jamison's most recent work, Echo: Far From Home, premiered
in New York in December, 1998.
In recognition of her achievements, Jamison has received numerous awards: In 1972,
she was presented with the Dance Magazine Award. Honored for her contribution in
the field of performing arts, she was given the Philadelphia Arts Alliance Award, the
Franklin Mint Award, the Candace Award, the Frontrunner Award, the Ebony Black
Achievement Award and the Outstanding Achievement in the Arts Award, which was
presented by the Big Brothers/Big Sisters of New York City. She has received the Spirit
of Achievement Award, presented by the National Women's Division of Yeshiva
University's Albert Einstein College of Medicine; the Golden Plate Award, presented to
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12/1/1999 11:49 AW,
�Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater/ Judith Jamison, Artistic Director
http://alvinailey.org/jjbio.htm
her by the American Academy of Achievement; and the Distinguished Artists Award,
presented by Club 100 of the Los Angeles Music Center. She is also the recipient of
The Isabella Graham Award from Graham-Windham Services to Families and
Children. Jamison is the youngest recipient to ever receive the Dance USA Award
which was presented at the Spoleto Festival, USA, in May of 1998. Her outstanding
contribution to the television program, "Dance In America: A Hymn for Alvin Ailey" has
garnered her an Emmy nomination.
Jamison is a lecturer, as well as a past presidential appointee to the National
Endowment for the Arts. She is the recipient of honorary doctorates from the University
of the Arts, Harvard University, Marymount Colleges in New York City and Tarrytown,
Middlebury College, Colgate University, New York University, Bard College and
Claremont University. Jamison's most recent honorary doctorate was awarded to her
by Harvard University in 1999. Jamison is also a Dean's Fellow of the Columbia
College Shapiro Program.
In 1988, Jamison debuted her own company, The Jamison Project, in Detroit, New
York and Philadelphia and embarked on a highly acclaimed US tour one year later.
During the spring of 1989, she celebrated the thirtieth anniversary tour of Alvin Ailey
American Dance Theater as Guest Artistic Associate. On December 20,1989,
Jamison was named Artistic Director of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and The
Ailey® School, the official school of the Company. Jamison's autobiography, Dancing
Spirit, was published by Doubleday in 1993 and issued in paperback by Anchor Books
in 1994.
Today, Judith Jamison presides over a renewed Ailey organization - one that has been
artistically and fiscally invigorated by her strong artistic decisions. Her presence has
been a catalyst, propelling the organization in new directions - the development of the
Women's Choreography Initiative, Company, performances at the Olympic Arts
Festival, national appearances by the Company in American Express television and
print ads, as well as the Company's unprecedented return engagement to South Africa
in 1999. She has continued Alvin Ailey's practice of showcasing the talents of emerging
choreographers from within the ranks of the Company. As Artistic Director of The
Ailey® School, she has helped implement a multicultural curriculum including
specialized training in the dance of West Africa. She has also furthered Mr. Ailey's
desire for community outreach by expanding Ailey Camps into Philadelphia, PA and
Boston, MA due to open in 2000. She is responsible for bringing dance to the
community and making children understand their role-in maintaining the arts in the
forefront of our culture. She has also been a guiding force behind the new B.F.A.
program - a collaboration between The Ailey School and Fordham University. This
program offers students a unique opportunity to receive both superb dance training and
a superior liberal arts education. Her focus, as she celebrates her 10th anniversary
season as Artistic Director, remajns the constant rejuvenation of Alvin Ailey's legacy dance as a medium for honorihg'the past, celebrating the present and fearlessly
reaching into the future.
'
Dance Theater Foundation, Inc.
211 West 61st Street, 3rd Fl.
New York, NY 10023
(212) 767-0590 FAX (212) 767-0625
Credits... Copyright © 1999 General Interactive. Inc.
12/1/1999 11:49 AM
�ISSN 1058-1316
flit
iv'H
CONTEMPORARY
ack
iography
x
Profiles from the International Black Community
Volume 7
Barbara Carlisle Bigelow, Editor
Gale Research Inc. • DETROIT • WASHINGTON, D.C. • LONDON
�137
Judith Jamison
1943Dance choreographer, artistic director
Since 1989 Judith Jamison has
been at the helm of the Alvin
Ailey American Dance Theater in
New York City. As the company' s artistic director, she has blended her own standards of excellence with the late Ailey's artistic
genius, remaining true to his vision of having black dancers perform pieces about African culture
and the African American experience. A protegee and friend of
Ailey, Jamison strives to maintain
his dance company and preserve
his memory. Yet, she goes farther—challenging her dancers and exploring innovations
in modem dance.
"People ask me, 'What's different? What are the changes
you've made?'" she revealed in an interview with Jennifer
Dunning for the New York Times. "It's an evolving
situation. 1 want to sustain this company and not have it
be a museum piece. I want to challenge the dancers and
the audiences with as much diversity as possible." In
another Times article, Anna Kisselgoff observed, "There
are signs that Miss Jamison wants to see the repertory tilt
further toward formally oriented works that explore new
ways of moving, to draw closer to what is happening
elsewhere in modem dance."
In 1965 Ailey discovered Jamison and asked her to become a
member of his dance company.
Always hungry to perform and to
extend herself past her physical
limits, the five-foot-ten, statuesque
dancer was soon equated with an
African goddess and applauded
by audiences from Paris to Moscow to New York. She was a lead
performer in Ailey's company
from 1967 to 1980, and Ailey
choreographed some of his most
famous works for her, most nota-
He also encouraged her development a^jtchoreographer.
during the 1980s. Jamison remained Ailey's friend even
when she left his company to become a star on Broadway
and dance with other companies. When Ailey became ill
in late 1980s, he selected her to succeed him as artistic
director of his company, which she did, even though she
was in charge of her own budding dance troupe at the
time.
Jamison's dance career lasted almost 20 years; during that
time, she learned more than 70 ballets. Aside from
appearing primarily with Ailey's company in the United
States and around the globe, she guest performed with the
�138 • Contemporary Black Biography • Volume 7
as a sponsor and danced at several presidential inaugurations.
At a Glance...
B
orn May 10, 1943, in Philadelphia, PA; daughter
of John Henry and Tessie Belle Brown Jamison;
married and divorced Miguel Godreau (a dancer),
1972. Education: Studied dance with Marion Cuyjet,
Nadia Chilkovsky, Joan Kerr, /^tohy fudpr, and 6th-,.
ers; attended Judimar School of Dahde, Fisk Universi-"
ty, and the Philadelphi^ Dan^e Xadeniy.
Dancer, c h o r e o g r ^ i i e r j ^
'v
danced
professionally in Agnes de Mille's Four Marys, Amer-
"I'm standing on Alvin's shoulders." Jamison reflected in
her 1993 autobiographj^pancing SplrH^but after his
death, she found that "the norizons [hadj Become broader. " Under her direction, the Alvin Ailey American Dance
Theater has taken on new dancers and varied its programs; in addition, Jamison has introduced a choreographic style that is different from Ailey's. As Kisselgoff
observed in the New York Times, "The contemporary
pieces are cool; the older ones simmer and come to a boil.
Miss Jamison has added some new ingredients, but she
has, so far, stirred the right brew."
ican Ballet Theatre, 1965; dancer.with Alvin Ailey
American Dance Theater, New York, J 965^0; be-^
came lead dancer and toured in United States, Eu '
A
and Africa; choreographed pieces for Ailey troupe,'^
had lead roles created for her in the Vienna 6peVa*and%
elsewhere; choreographed heriOwn ballets for various'- ;
companies, including that of Maurice/Bejartjjn Paris; ^ ,
starred on Broadway^^in Sophisticated ladies; estab-r
• -:
:
. • .-.v.-::-'----"'-•
•v
•• ••'•v.*.. • •
r -
Jamison was bom on May 10, 1943, in Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania, to John Henry Jamison and Tessie Belle
Brown. She credits her parents for the start of her spiritual
journey toward the arts and for her pride in her African
American heritage. Though she and her older brother
grew up in a racially mixed, blue-collar neighborhood,
their parents exposed them to Philadelphia's thriving
black community. Aware of their daughter's restless
energy from a very early age, Jamison's parents enrolled
her in the Judimar School of Dance, where she gave her
first dance recital at the aqe_oL5i&_
• >.'
lished her own dance troupe, the Jamison Project, in '•
Philadelphia and Detroit. Choreographed works in- ',
elude Divining and Just Call Me Dance, both 1984;*:
Time Out and Time In, both 1986; Into the Life, 1987;
Tease, 1988; Forgotten Timeand ReadMatthew 11:28,
both 1989; Rift, 1991; and Hymn,^ ?93'. Author, with^,:
Howand Kaplan, of Dancing Spirh, 1993.
Parents Nurtured Jamison's Dancing Spirit
'•^'•^M'-.
Awards: Dance Magazine annual citation, 1972; key
to the City of New York, 1976; distinguished service
award from Harvard University, 1982, and from the
mayor of New York City, 1982; Philadelphia Arts
Alliance Award; Candace Award, National Coalition
of 100 Black Women; several honorary degrees.
Addresses: Office—Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, 211 West 61st St., 3rd Floor, New York, NY10023.
American Ballet Theatre, the Harkness Ballet, and other
companies in the United States and overseas. She also
went on tour in Africa with the U.S. State Department
Jamison went to Judimar for 11 years, while simultaneously attending regular public school. At Judimar,
she studied ballet, tap, acrobatics, jazz, and primitive
dance with a variety of teachers, including her earliest
mentor, Marion Cuyjet. Jamison recalled in Dancing
Spirit that Cuyjet "created a world for yourttJ'TMH?
•CfflfSren that encompassed more than dance." Jamison also remembered the impact of seeing a lecturedemonstration given by anthropologist and dancer
Pearl Primus. "She had gone to the [African] homeland, which impressed me," Jamison noted in her
autobiography.
After graduating from Judimar and Germantown High
School, Jamison took a year off before going to college.
Then, at the suggestion of Cuyjet, she enrolled at Rsk
University in Nashville, Tennessee, on a physical education scholarship. But apparently Rsk was too conventional a place for an individualist like Jamison. "During
halftime at basketball games I danced on pointe," she
wrote in Dancing Spirit. "People thought I was totally
nuts.... They didn't know what to make of me." After
three semesters, she transferred to the Philadelphia
Dance Academy, which offered her more opportunity to
challenge herself as a dancer.
;
>
:
>
�Jamison • 139
fte&vited by Agnes de MiQe, then Alvin Ailey
Wftile studying in Philadelphia, Jamison took a class with
guest teacher, choreographer Agnes de MiUe, who
oromptly offered her a role in a ballet she was choreoqraphing for the American Ballet Theatre. "I said yes,"
Jamison wrote in her autobiography. "1 knew Agnes de
Mille and her history and I knew the Ballet Theatre and
theirfs)-1 had pictures of the dancers all over my bedroom
^•all." Called The Four Marys, the ballet was performed
jn 1965 at New York City's Lincoln Center and at the
Chicago Opera House. Afterward, Jamison stayed in
fs'ew York and frequented audition halls, looking for parts.
At an unsuccessful audition for a role in a Harry Belafonte
television special, she attracted the interest of Alvin Ailey,
who several days later asked her to join his Dance Theater.
Commenting on the years she spent working with Ailey,
she revealed in Dancing Spirit, "My relationship with
Alvin was based on total awe of his accomplishments as
a director, choreographer, and human being."
companies, including that of Maurice Bejart in Paris, had
lead roles created for her in the Vienna Opera, and taught
dance classes at Jacob's Pillow in Massachusetts.
a
i
Of her decision to leave the Ailey troupe, she wrote in her
autobiography, "1 had finished doing my work dancing
with the company. I wanted to try something else." Yet
Jamison's ties to Ailey were not completely severed when
she went out on her own. Prior to Ailey's death, Jamison
explained to Olga Maynard in Aspects of a Dancer,
"Alvin and I have this love-hate thing, a relationship that
I think we both appreciate, if neither of us truly understands it." In 1984 she choreographed her first piece,
Diui'nfng, at Ailey's suggestion, and periodically returned
to perform an occasional piece with the company.
Assumed Directorship of Ailey's Dance
Theater
Became Top Dancer in Ailey Troupe
In 1988 she began auditioning dancers for her own
troupe, the Jamison Project, which was based in Philadelphia and Detroit. Two premiere dances were created for
the project, Forgotten Time and Read Matthew 11:28.
When the company first performed them in Washington,
D.C, Suzanne Levy observed in the IVashmgton Post,
"These 12 dancers have been coached by Jamison to give
their all. Bodies areflungwith fierce disregard for safety,
limbs are stretched to improbable limits, stops are made
with jolting abruptness, the movementis impossibly fast,
yet, they do it, and they make it loq^g}diilarating)rather
than dangerous." Jamison planned to give tours, workshops, seminars, and lecture-demonstrations in each city.
But before her project blossomed, Ailey died, and Jamison
took up her position as artistic director of the Alvin Ailey
American Dance Theater. She managed both companies
for a time, but eventually hers merged with Ailey's.
Jamison's height and strength, coupled with her ability to
express a wide range of emotions, made her a preferred
dancer; she performed key roles with the Ailey company,
as in the famous solo Cry, which premiered in New York
in the spring of 1971. Of that performance Clive Barnes
wrote in the New York Times, "For years it has been
obvious that Judith Jamison is no ordinary dancer.... Now
Alvin Ailey has given his African queen a solo that
wonderfully demonstrates what she is and where she is....
Rarely have a choreographer and dancer been in such
acCGrET^
-~~
"
Jamison's choreography has drawn both praise and
criticism throughout the 1980s and 1990s. In 1985
Dance Magazine called her "first foray into choreography, Diuining, a deceptively simple exercise in strong,
grounded movement to a live percussion score.... A fusion
of traditional African motifs with the repetitive, simplified
focus of post-modem dance, the work has more to it than
meets the eye." At the opposite pole, New York magazine termed it "a flimsy affair," adding, "The piece
doesn't go on anywhere near long enough to build the
hypnotic power it lays claim to."
In 1980 Jamison left Ailey's troupe to star with Gregory
Hines on Broadway in Sophisticated Ladies. Jamison
also appeared with other dance companies and with
leading male dancers, including Mikhail Baryshnikov. In
addition she choreographed her own ballets for various
When the premiere of Jamison's 1989 work Forgotten
Time was perfonned at New York's Joyce Theater, Jack
Anderson wrote in the New York Times, "Ms. Jamison
was at her choreographic best.... The work, for her full
company, was notable for the beauty of its groupings and
Jamison first danced with Ailey's company in the ballet
Congo Tango Palace, which was performed at the
Harper Theatre Dance Festival in Chicago in 1965 and
1966. She traveled continually afterwards, appearing
onstage across America, Europe, and Africa as Ailey's
company gained worldwide attention. "We did six weeks
of one-night stands on our bus tours," Jamison explained.
"Alvin would teach us a half-dozen dances in two weeks."
When the Ailey company temporarily broke up in Barcelona, Spain, because of lack of funding, Jamison took time
off and appeared in a Senegalese movie. She rejoined the
company later in 1967 and went on tour with them in
Europe.
�140 • Contemporary Black Biography • Volume 7
for the way it appeared to take place in some mysterious,
'= ^^^^^erAT^a\m." However, he added that Jamison
T /S "nCTalwrays able to organize [her sequences] into
Aa
choreographic structures" and suggested that "judicious
editing would make some of her works even more striking
than they now are."
:
During the 1993-1994 winter performance of the Alvin
Ailey American Dance Theater, Jamison presented a new
work, Hymn, set to a monologue created by actor/writer
Anna Deavere Smith. About the choreography of the
piece, which was performed at the company's 35th
anniversary gala at City Center in New York City, Deborah
Jowitt wrote in the Village Voice, "Jamison can make the
"Dance is bigger than the physical
body.... When you extend your
arm, it doesn't stop at the end of
your fingers, because you're dancing bigger than that; you're dancing
spirit."
whole stage boil with individual gestures or lock into
exuberant, spine-rippling unison. She uses walking to
reflect Ailey's words about dance as a spiritual journey or
interpolates familiar Ailey images ... into her own solid
patterns." Anna Kisselgoff observed in the New York
Times, "Hymn threatened to be all talk and little dance....
Yet, gradually and dramatically, [it] progressed into a
convincing artistic statement of its own.... Ms. Jamison
has choreographed pungent solos [and] captures the
essence of some outstanding dancers."
In her autobiography, Dancing Spirit, Jamison summed
up her philosophy about what it means to be a dancer:
"You have to be desperate, as though you were catching
your breath.... You want to eat life, so you have to be
famished all the time, not physically, but in wanting to
know and in wanting to absorb and in exploring and
stepping out over the edge, sometimes by yourself....
Dance is bigger than the physical body.... When you
extend your arm, it doesn't stop at the end of your fingers,
because you're dancing bigger than that; you're dancing
spirit. Take a chance. Reach out. Go further than you've
ever gone before."
Sources
Books
Clarke, Mary, and Clement Crisp, The History of Dance,
13&U.P..226.
Jamison, Judith, and Howard Kaplan, Dancing Spirit,
Doubleday. 1993.
Maynard, Olga, Aspects of a Dancer, 1982.
Periodicals
Dance Magazine, March 1985; May 1991.
Detroit Free Press, March 18, 1990.
Detroit News, March 17, 1990.
Emerge, December/January 1994, p. 16.
Newsweek, March 16, 1981, p. 103; September 18,
1989.
New York, March 16,1981, p. 43; Febmary 12,1990, p. 59.
Neiu York Dai/y News, March 16, 1981.
New York Post, December 20, 1993.
Neiu York Times, November 15, 1988; November 17,
1988; December 20, 1989; January 25, 1990, p.
C18; December 2, 1990; December 23, 1990; December 10, 1993.
Publishers Weekly, August 9,1993; October 18,1993,
p. 59.
Time, March 16, 1981.
Village Voice, December 21, 1993.
Washington Post, May 14, 1990, p. B7.
—Alison Carb Sussman
�hire more professionals, and to establish groups
within the organization to keep a close surveillance of national issues of interest to the black
community. Most importantly, as a kind of "ambassador to the young," she has launched a
drive to attract young people, many of whom
had in the past been drawn to such militant
organizations as the Congress on Racial Equality
and the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee—by emphasizing the relevance of the
NAACP to civil rights problems. Mrs. Wilson
has expressed satisfaction that the young Georgia
state legislator Julian Bond has indicated that
he is interested in taking over the executive director's post after Roy Wilkins retires.
In the months that followed her election Mrs.
Wilson appeared on such national television programs as Meet the Press, the David Susskind
Show, A.M. America, and Today. When interviewed by newsmen she discussed such vital issues as the impact of the national recession on
NAACP efforts to provide increased minority employment in industry, the legal struggle to desegregate Boston and Detroit public schools,
and the need to bring more blacks into policymaking jobs in government. "I'm getting a little
weary of public officials assuming the only spot
we can hold is in civil rights or equal empfcyment," Mrs. Wilson told Richard E. Prince of
the Washington Post (July 4, 1975). "It's cynical
and insulting. Blacks should be providing some
leadership not only on the problems of blacks,
but all problems. We should be respected and
heard."
When the sixty-sixth national convention of the
NAACP opened on June 30, 1975 at the Sheraton
Park Hotel in Washington, D . C , it took as its
theme "You Gotta Belong!" to accent Mrs. Wilson's
crusade to involve persons from all w; •Vs of life
in the organization's activities. I n her i.r/note remarks to the convention Mrs. Wilson charged the
Ford Administration with being "indifferent and
unresponsive to the humiliation and suffering that
millions of Americans are enduring." The central
issue of the convention—the effects of economic
recession on minority employment—was stressed
by NAACP national labor director Herbert Hill.
Pointing out that "the civil rights issue" had become "the job issue," and that the recession had
"become a catastrophic depression" for the black
community, Hill attacked organized labor's insistence on seniority provisions in collective bargaining contracts, under which blacks are usually
the "last hired, first fired." At the end of the
five-day convention, the 3,000 delegates passed
resolutions demanding increased employment opportunities for minorities and improved benefits
for veterans and youth.
Admitted to the Illinois bar in 1947 and to the
bar of the United States Supreme Court in 1966,
Mrs. Wilson is a member of the American and
Missouri bar associations, the Lawyers Association,
and the bar associations of St. Louis and Mound
City, Missouri. Maintaining her law office in St.
Louis, she commutes to NAACP headquarters in
New York City for board meetings and other
446
C U R R E N T B I O G R A P H Y 1975
official business. Mrs. Wilson holds a number of
civic and professional awards, including the
Bishop's award of the Episcopal diocese of
Missouri, which was conferred on her in 1963.
She is an Episcopalian and an active Democrat.
Margaret Bush Wilson's marriage to Robert E.
Wilson Jr. ended in divorce in March 1968. She
has one son, Robert Edmund Wilson 3d, who is a
student at Harvard Law School. With her brother,
she makes her home in the eight-room house in
St. Louis, where she grew up. "I'm going to stay
in the ghetto," she told Jane Perlez. "I think it's
a swinging neighborhood. I have marvelous neighbors. I'm five minutes from the sjmphony,
ten
minutes from the art gallery, and fifteen minutes
from the ballpark." Among her favorite books are
Grcof Debates in American History, Dumas Malone's Jefferson and the Rights of Man, and
Langston Hughes's Fight for Freedom.
A petite woman, who dresses modishly and appears ten years younger than she is, Mrs. Wilson
manages to be firm and efficient while remaining
soft-spoken and patient. She is not without a sense
of humor. According to Ebony, she emerges as a
"contemporary" woman, with "candor and freshness" as well as "charm, intelligence, and ability
to relax." While working with the Model City
Agency, she was known to her colleagues as "Mary
Poppins-with a razor blade," an epithet combining, as Chuck Stone of the Philadelphia Daily
News (June 26, 1975) put it, two qualities much
needed by the NAACP: "winsome, goody-goodv
evangelism" and "tough-minded pragmatism."
Mrs. Wilson does not consider herself a feminist.
A believer, like Thomas Jefferson, in a natural
aristocracy based on talent and virtue, she has
said: " I consider myself an aristocrat. Character.
Competence. Accomplishment. That's my definition of aristocracy."
References
Crisis p80+ Mr 7 5 por
Ebony p88-l- Ap '75 pors
N Y Post mag p i Ja 18 '75 por
N Y Times p30 Ja 14 '75 por
Washington Post p4 Jl 4 '75 por
Who's Who of American Women, 1975-76
WONDER, STEVIE
May 13, 1950- Singer; composer
Address: c/o Motown Records, 6464 Sunset
Blvd., Hollywood, Calif. 90028
Probably the most original and popular performer among the pop musicians of the younger
generation, Stevie Wonder has made the transition from singing rhythm and blues hits to creating innovative nmsic that has bridged the gap
between soul and pop. The blind singer began
his career during the early 1960's as Little Stevie
Wonder, a precocious child singer and hannonica
player for Motown Records, which discovered
much of its talent, including Wonder, in the
black ghetto of Detroit. After struggling for
�•;on holds a number of
iwards, including the
Episcopal diocese of
cued on her in 1963.
id an active Democrat.
marriage to Robert E.
ce in March 1968. She
nd Wilson 3d, who is a
hool. With her brother,
ie eight-room house in
up. ' T i n going to stay
me Perlez. " I think it's
: have marvelous neigh)in the symphony, ten
ry, and fifteen minutes
; her favorite books are
n History, Dumas MaRiglits of Man, and
for Freedom.
esses modishly and apian she is, Mrs. Wilson
flicient while remaining
e is not without a sense
lony, she emerges as a
ith "candor and freshntelligence, and ability
with the Model City
her colleagues as "Mary
ide," an epithet comthe Philadelphia Daily
: it, two qualities much
'winsome, goody-goody
-minded pragmatism."
ider herself a feminist.
Jefferson, in a natural
it and virtue, she has
n aristocrat. Character,
ent. That's my defini-
por
'• pors
i 18 7 5 por
4 '75 por
Jl 4 7 5 por
vican Women, 1975-76
several years to break away from the stereotyped
black soul sound of Motown, Wonder renegotiated
his contract with the record company in 1971
and now has complete control over the music
ho performs. Since then he has brought forth a
remarkable series of "one-man" record albums
(Music of My Mind, Talking Book, Innervisions,
and Fulfdlingness' First Finale) that he has produced himself. He has written all of the music
and most of the lyrics for those albums, prepared
the arrangements, played most of the musical
instruments, and sung the vocals. Complex, highly
electronic, and ranging from love ballads to
funky soul. Wonder's music has made him the
reigning favorite of pop music critics and the
most influential figure in black music. Although
his subtleties can best be enjoyed on recordings,
he is an exciting performer in concert, where ne
bounces and jumps from piano to drums to synthesizer projecting what one writer called "the
image of a loose, happy child of music." Wonder's hit singles of recent years have included
"Superstition,' "You Are the Sunshine of My
Life," and "Higher Ground." All of his wort:
appears on the Motown or Motown Tamla labels.
-ft
I
composer
Records, 6164 Sunset
90028
and popular perfomicians of the younger
has made the transimd blues hits to creathas bridged the gap
he blind singer began
1960's as Little Stevie
1 singer and harmonica
rds, which discovered
ding Wonder, in the
After struggling for
.••..if
•I
I
Stevie Wonder was bom Steveland Judkins
Morris on May 13, 1950 in Saginaw, Michigan.
He has two older brothers, Milton and Calvin,
a younger brother, Larry, and a younger sister,
Renee. Stevie's parents separated when he was
small, and he was brought up by his mother,
Lula Mae, who moved the family to Detroit.
She was subsequently remarried to Paul Hardaway, a black baker who worked in a Jewish
bakery. Wonder grew up in Detroit's east side
ghetto in what he likes to call "upper-lower-class
circumstances."
A premature baby. Wonder has been blind
since birth. " I have a dislocated nerve in one
eye and a cataract on the other," he explained
to Henry Edwards of New York (September 16,
1974). " I t may have happened from being in
the incubator too long and receiving too much
oxygen." Despite his disability, the boy had a
fairly normal childhood, running, climbing trees,
and, with someone to steer, even riding a bicycle.
His family was not particularly musical, but
Stevie showed his aptitude early. At two he
pounded a tin pan with a spoon to the rhythm
of music on the radio. At four he began playing
the piano, and shortly after that he started to
leam the harmonica on a little four-hole Instrument given to him by an uncle. Stevie wore out
several sets of toy drums until the local Lions club
gave him a real set at a Christmas party for blind
children. By the age of nine the boy was singing
solos at the services of the Whitestone Baptist
Church, but he was expelled from the choir
after a church member heard him singing and
playing rock 'n' roll on a doorstep with some
other children.
In 1960, when Stevie Mom's was nine years
old, a playmate's big brother, who was a mem-'
ber of the singing group, the Miracles, brought
him to the studios of Motown Records, the fastrising black record label then based in Detroit.
STEVIE WONDER
The young blind boy began hanging around the
recording studio every day after school, playing
every instrument he could get his hands on and
writing songs (his first was "Lonely Boy"). People
started calling him the little boy wonder, and so
Motown released his records under the name
Little Stevie Wonder. In 1963 he had his first
big hit, "Fingertips Part 2," a jumpy, finger-snapping harmonica number punctuated with soul
screams and squeals. The ' Fingertips" single rose"
to the top of the charts during the summer of
1963 and sold over 1,000,000 copies, earning
Wonder his first gold record. Among Wonder's
early albums were Little Stevie Wonder: the
Twelve-Year-Old Genius, which contained the
"Fingertips" cut, and A Tribute to Uncle Bay,
a vocal salute to Ray Charles, the blind soul
singer whose style Wonder imitated during his
early years as a performer.
When Little Stevie Wonder became a recording artist for Motown, he became a member of
the Motown "family." A court-appointed guardian
was secured for him, and the money he earned
was put in a trust to await his majority. Motown
kept tight control over the music he performed,
seeing that it conformed to the slick soul sound
that became known as Motown. About two weeks
a month Wonder spent touring with the Motown
Revue, which traveled by bus to black theatres
and night spots around the country. For a time
Wonder continued to attend public school, but
then he transferred to the Michigan School for the
Blind in Lansing. While traveling, he studied for
three or four hours a day with a private tutor.
Wonder received his diploma from the Michigan
School for the Blind around 1969, and according
to some sources, went on to study composing and
arranging at the University of Southern California.
He writes and arranges music with the aid of
a tape recorder and braille music sheets.
After the smash success of "Fingertips," Little
Stevie Wonder recorded a string of hits, including "Uptight," "Blowin* in the Wind," "A Place
in the Sun," " I Was Made to Love Her," "Shoobe-oo-be-oo-be-oo-da-day," "Yester-me, Yester-You,
1
CURRENT
BIOGRAPHY
1975
447
�Wonder returned to Motown with Music on My
Yesterday," "For Once in My Life," "My Cherie
Mind, released in 1972, and he negotiated a new
Amour," and "Signed, Sealed and Delivered."
His 1970 album, Signed, Sealed and Delivered, and more favorable contract that gave him more
which was the first that he himself produced, money and complete control over nis music, production of his records, and bookings for his perwas judged to be one of the best records of
sonal appearances. Early in 1972 he organized
the year by many critics.
By the late 1960's Motown had dropped the Wonder ove, a back-up group of three female
"Little" from the six-foot singer's billing, and singers and several musicians. After touring with
Stevie Wonder was one of the record company's his new show for a few months, he accompanied
most successful acts. Besides appearing in con- the Rolling Stones on their triumphant North
certs with such other Motown neadliners as the American tour in July and August 1972. As the
Supremes and Martha and the Vandellas, Wonder opening act in their show, Wonder received genbegan appearing at such clubs as the Cellar erally appreciative reviews and exposure to a
Door in Washington, D.C. and the Village Gate large, new, mostly white audience. Shortly after
in New York City. In September 1969 he made the Stones tour, Wonder released "Superstition,"
his bow at New York's Philharmonic Hall and a an infectiously rhythmic son^ that became his
few months later, in April 1970, he filled his biggest hit since 'Fingertips,' and on February
first supperclub engagement in New York City 7, 1973 he made a Carnegie Hall debut to a
at the Oapacabana. After hearing him there, Al- responsive audience and critical acclaim.
fred G. Aronowitz of the New York Post (March
' Superstition" was included on Wonder's sec20, 1970) wrote that Wonder was "an honest ond one-man album, Talking Book, which was
prodigy of flawless taste and superb talent. Not released late in 1972 to an even better reception
only has he developed his own style as a soul than that encountered by his previous LP. "Every
singer, but he's one of the world's virtuosos on cut is a colorfully multi-tracked sonic canvas makthe chromatic harmonica."
ing heavy use of the synthesizer," wrote Stephen
From the beginning of his professional career, Holden of the Saturday Review (February 3,
Stevie Wonder took such an interest in the crea- 1973), who concluded that it was "the most
tion of the music that he performed that he mature, though not the most accessible, album
often collaborated with Motown's lyricists and to date by a prodigious figure in pop music."
composers. Most of his material after "Uptight" Besides "Superstition," Talking BOOK contained
in 1966 includes his name in the credits. Shortly a second hit song, "You Are the Sunshine of My
after Signed, Sealed and Delivered he produced L i f e Seven months went into the preparation of
an even more ambitious album. Where I m ComInnercisions, which Wonder has called his "most
ing From (1970), written entirely by Wonder and
his wife, singer-songwriter, Syreeta Wright. A personal album." After its release in the summer
transitional work, Where I'm Coming From struck of 1973, David Marsh of Newsday (August 26,
1973) expressed the consensus of critics when he
an uneasy compromise between the Motown
Sound and Wonder's own free-wheeling musical wrote, "With his last three albums, Stevie has
accomplished what few rock musicians ever do.
explorations.
Chafing under Motown's paternalism and the He has made one record after another which
restrictions of its sound, Wonder decided, when not only seems to transcend his previous work, but
he turned twenty-one in May 1971, to leave the also reflects a cohesive style, a unity of direction
record company. Taking the million dollars that and purpose which renders comparisons of qualhad been held in trust for him, he used a quarter ity among the albums futile." Among the cuts
of the money to rent a recording studio in New of Inneruist'ons are the hit single "Living for
York, where he taped his experiments on the the City," a pulsating song about a boy who
Moog and ARP synthesizers and poured out the exchanges the hardships of the country for an
musical ideas he had been storing up for years. even harder life in the city; another hit, "Higher
Finally he came up with the album, Music of My Ground," which begins in gloom and ends on a
Mind, on which, aided by modern recording note of religious affirmation; "Don't You Worry
techniques, he was able to play most of the 'Bout a Thing," a humorous tune with a Latin
instrumental accompaniments on the piano, drums, beat; and "All in Love Is Fair," which has been
harmonica, organ, clavichord, clavinet, and syn- recorded by Barbra Streisand.
thesizers—and to sing most of the background
While record reviewers and the public were
vocals. "One-man recordings have been tried by becoming acquainted with Wonder's new album,
other performers . . . but no one has brought the blind star's career almost came to a tragic
off the complicated trick of playing most—or all end. On August 6, 1973, in Salisbury, North
- o f the parts better than Wonder in this collec- Carolina, the car in which he was riding to a
tion," wrote New York Times music critic Don personal appearance struck the back of a log
Heckman on July 30, 1972. Finding it more than a truck. Logs tumbled through the windshield and
feat of dexterity, he went on to say, "After a few hit the singer in the forehead with such force
minutes of the first track, one promptly forgets all that he lay in a coma for nearly a week. The
about the technical legerdemain and settles down brain injury that Wonder suffered required him
to hear a constantly provocative flow of musical to be hospitalized for several weeks, followed
ideas, good humor, artistic invention and solid by months of slow recuperation. While he was
swing."
still recovering his health, he was nominated in
448
CURRENT BIOGRAPHY
1975
�i with Music on My
ie negotiated a new
hat eave him more
iver nis music, projokings for his psr1972 he organized
p of three female
After touring with
hs, he accompanied
triumphant North
ugust 1972. As the
mder received gen.nd exposure to a
ierce. Shortly after
ased "Superstition,"
r that became his
and on February
e Hall debut to a
\\ acclaim.
! on Wonder's secBook, which was
en better reception
>revious LP. "Every
1 sonic canvas mak•.er," wrote Stephen
cicu) (February 3,
it was "the most
t accessible, album
ire in pop music."
ig
BOOK
contained
he Sunshine of M y
the preparation of
as called his "most
.•ase in the summer
wsday (August 26,
; of critics when he
albums, Stevie has
musicians ever do.
for another which
; previous work, but
i unity of direction
imparisons of qual" Among the cuts
single "Living for
about a boy who
he country for an
nother hit, "Higher
om and ends on a
"Don't You Worry
tune with a Latin
r," which has been
J the public were
>nder*s new album,
came to a tragic
i Salisbury, North
e was riding to a
lie back of a log
the windshield and
d with such force
early a week. The
erea required him
d weeks, followed
ion. While he was
was nominated in
January 1974 for six Grammy awards, more than
any other recording artist in the sixteen-year
history of the awards. That March he won five
Grammies, includine one for best pop vocal performance by a male singer ("You Are the Sunshine of My L i f e " ) and another for best album
of the year (Innervisions). I n 1974 he was also
named best-selling male soul artist of the year
bv the National Association of Recording Merchandisers, and he received the American Music
awards for best male soul vocalist and soul single
("Superstition").
Wonder's latest album, Fulfillingness' First
Finale, was released in the summer of 1974.
By September it was the nation's best-selling LP.
More meditative than his previous discs, it was
perhaps especially vulnerable to the criticism of
having excessively sentimental lyrics, about the
only complaint ever leveled at Wonder's music.
"Too gusny," was the verdict of Josh Mills, for
example, who wrote in the New York Sunday
News (October 6, 1974), "Stevie Wonder is a
genius, but his taste is moving too far into the
mystic and the romantic for me." During the fall
of 1974 Wonder and his band toured thirty cities,
including Boston, Buffalo, Washington, and Los
Angeles.
As of October 1974 over 40,000,000 copies of
Wonder's records had been sold. He has accumulated fourteen gold singles (sales of over 1,000,000
copies each); four gold albums (sales of more
than $1,000,000 worth of copies each); and two
platinum albums (sales of more than 1,000,000
copies each). I t seems unlikely that his huge
output will slacken, since he told a Newsweek
reporter (October 28, 1974) that he has some
200 recorded songs that he has not yet released.
In 1975 Wonder won four Grammy awards, a
National Association of Recording Merchandisers
presidential award, and a Rock Music award for
best male vocalist.
When not on tour Stevie Wonder divides his
time between New York, where he has an East
Side apartment, and Los Angeles, where he has
a house and a magnificently equipped recording
studio. Wonder lives with his fianoSe Yolanda
Simmons, who is his secretary and bookkeeper.
His marriage around 1970 to Syreeta Wright, a
Motown secretary who developed her own career
as a singer-songwriter under his guidance, was
dissolved in 1974. Wonder and Miss Wright have
continued their musical association, however, and
in 1974 he produced her second album, Stevie
Wonder Presents Syreeta, for which he wrote the
music to accompany her lyrics. Wonder drinks
only sparinglv and uses no drugs, although the
way in whicn he constantly rolls his head back
and forth has sometimes been mistaken for a
drug-induced "high." He has explained that his
head movements are "blindisms," triggered by the
energy that sighted people release through the
use of their eyes.
Endowed with an incredibly acute sense of
hearing. Wonder can pinpoint the position of
people in a room and pick up reverberations from
solia objects like walls as he approachos them.
He uses neither a cane nor a Seeing Eye dog,
but he seldom ventures out without one of his
aides to guide him. After his near-fatal accident,
which has left two scars on his forehead, he had
some impairment of the senses of smell and taste,
and he still suffers from occasional headaches.
Over six feet tall and slender, Stevie Wonder
is infectiously good-natured, soft-spoken, and charismatic. "He really seems to give off a kind of
spiritual glow as he talks with his rich voice and
eager hands," wrote a Newsweek reporter (October 28, 1974) of the singer, who now seems
as interested in religion as he always has been
in social and racial matters. Wonder has often
performed at benefit concerts, especially to help
the blind. I n 1975 he and Yolanda Simmons became the parents of a daughter, Aisha Zakia,
whose name means strength and intelligence.
References
N Y Post p l 5 Jl 22 7 2 por
Newsday I I p l 7 F 4 '73 por
Newsweek 84:59+ O 28 74 pors
Sr Schol 102:20+ Mr 26 73 pors
WRIGLEY, PHILIP K(NIGHT)
Dec. 5, 1894- Business executive; baseball executive
Address: b. Wrigley Bldg., 410 N. Michigan
Ave., Chicago, 111. 60611; h. 1500 Lake Shore
Dr., Chicago, 111. 60610
For half a century Philip K. Wrigley has had a
highly responsible role in directing the chewing
gum manufacturing firm that bears his father's
name, the William Wrigley Jr. Company. On Wall
Street, Wrigley Chewing Gum is Known as the
"General Motors of the Gum Industry." Its three
flavors, Juicy Fruit, Spearmint, and Doublemint,
dominate the American chewing gum market and,
along with P.K. (Packed tight-Kept right), are
made and sold in ten or more countries. I n
1961 Philip K. Wrigley turned the presidency of
the company over to his son, William Wrigley,
and took for himself the chairmanship of the
board. He has, however, as owner of the Chicago
Cubs, remained president of another family enterprise, the Chicago National League BaU Club, Inc.
Even though the Cubs have failed to win a league
pennant for the past thirty years, Wrigley is recognized for his dedication in seeking in professional
baseball some of the same objectives ne has had
as a business executive—to improve the product
and satisfy the customer and at the same time to
benefit the people, employees, or ballplayers, who
work with him toward those goals.
Philip Knight Wrigley was bom in Chicago,
Illinois on December 5, 1894 to William Jr. and
Ada Elizabeth (Foote) Wrigley. He had one
sister, Dorothy, who became Mrs. lames R. Offield.
Their father, a Philadelphian, had moved to Chicago to start a business as a soap salesman. To
lure customers to his product he gave awav baking powder, and when the demand for baking
CURRENT
BIOGRAPHY
1975
449
�12,01/99
WED 0 4 : 5 1 FAX
Rain vour love down
Lyrics and music by Stevie Wonder
Such a lovely world was made for you and me
Wondrous life for us to taste, touch, smell, hear, and see
But one glance Irom outside looking at our world state
Clearly displays we don't appreciate it at all
Rain your love down won't you rain down your love
Let it drench us like the sun from above
Such ability inside you and me
Made to do anything and be all we can be
But one bird's eye view at us does show, oh it shows
That against God's Plan we've let it go, oh no
Rain your love down won't you rain down your love
Let it drench us like the sun from above
Rain your love down let it rain down today
So that it may wash all our sins away
You'd think the signs would make a difference,
oh, make a difference
You'd think fire next time instead of rain
Would cause us to make a change
The world has gone insane
Rain, rain your love down won't you rain down your love
Let it drench us like the sun from above
Rain your love down let it rain down today
So that it may wash all our sins away, let it rain
Rain your love down let it pour on us, please
Cleansing us from hunger, hate, war, and greed
Rain your love down, won't you let it start over again
So we can live up to your Master Plan
^1002
�12/01/99
W D 04:51 FAX
E
Rain your love down oh won't you let it start
Wash the wicked minds and the...
I know they're side, you know they're sick, we know they're sick at heart, yeah
Rain your love down won't you let it rain
Rid this world of drugs, disease, crime, and pain
Clear om- spirits give our minds new Software
With your lesson on honoi, respect, trust, and care.
Rain your love down I beg for human sake
For only you can get us out of this state
Rain your love down rain down on all mankind
Cause we are out of order and so out of line.
Conversation Peace
Lyrics and music by Stevie Wonder
Staring right at 2000 AD
As i f mankind's atrocities to man has no history
But just a glance at life in 2000 BC
We find traces of man's inhumanity to man
There's no mystery
>jfr
Allft>rone, one for all
There's no way we'll reach our greatest heights
Unless wc heed the call
Mc for you, you- for me
There's no chance of world salvation
Less the conversation's peace
We can't pause, watch and say "no" this can't be
When there's a plan by any means to have
Cleansing of one's ethnicity
And we shouldn't act as if we don't hear nor see
Like the holocaust of six million Jews and
A hundred and fifty million blacks during slavery
All for one, one for all
There's no way we'll reach our greatest heights
Unless we heed the call
Me for you, you for me
There's no chance of world salvation
Less the conversation's peace
When publicly or privately convened
21003
�12/01/99
W D 04:51 FAI
E
May love, positivity and life's preservation
be the basic theme
And shoidd you put your trust in some
prophet in life
Give him trust but your faith must stay
with the one
Who gave the ultimate sacrifice for—
All for one, one for all
There's no way we'll reach our greatest heights
Unless we heed the call
Me for you, you for me
There's no chance of world salvation
Less the conversation's peace (repeat)
Have a Talk with Cod
S.Wonder/C.Hardway
There are people who have let the problems of today
Lead them to conclude that for them life is not the way
But every problem has an answer and i f your's you cannot find
You should talk it over to Him
He'll give you peace of mind
When you feel your life's too hard
Just go have a talk with God
Many of us feel we walk alone without a friend
Never commimicating with the One who lives within
Forgetting all about the One who never ever lets you down
And you can talk to him anytime He's always around
When you feel your life's too hard
Just go have a talk with God
Well He's the only free psychiatrist that's known throughout the world
For solving the problems of all men, women, little boys and girls
When you feel your life's too hard
Just go have a talk with God
When you feel your li fe's too hard
Just go have a talk with God
When your load's too much to bear
J usl go talk to God He cares
I know he does
Si 004
�12/01/99
W D 04:52 FAX
E
Si005
When you feel your life's too hard
Just go have a talk with God
thank-you
thank-you very much
Happy birthday
£ KLK.^
Lyrics and music by Stevie Wonder
Yon know it doesn't make much sense
There ought to be a law against
Anyone who takes offense
At a day in your celebration
'Cause we all know in our minds
That there ought to be a time
That wc can set aside
To show just how much we love you
And Tm sure you would agree
It couldn't fit more perfectly
Than to have a world party on the day you came to be
Happy birthday to you
Happy birthday to you
Happy birthday
Happy birthday to you
Happy birthday to you
Happy birthday
1 just never understood
How a man who died for good
Could not have a day that would
Be set aside for his recognition
Because it should never be
Just because some cannot seg«
The dream as cleaTSsTie""""'^
thdl llltfy i»liunin make it become an illusion
And we all know everything
That he stood for time will bring
For in peace our hearts will sing
Thanks to Martin Luther King
Happy birthday to you
Happy birthday to you
Happy birthday
�12/01/99
W D 04:52 FAI
E
121006
Happy birthday to you
Happy birthday to you
Happy birthday
Why has there never been a holiday
Where peace is celebrated
all throughout the world
The time is overdue
For people like me and you
Who know the way to truth
Is love and unity to all God's children
It should never be a great event
And the whole day should be spent
In full remembrance
Of those who lived and died for the oneness of all people
So let us all begin
We know that love can win
Let it out don't bold it in
Sing it loud as you can
Happy birthday to you
Happy birthday to you
Happy birthday
Happy birthday to you
Happy birthday to you
Happy birthday
Happy birthday to you
Happy birthday to you
Happy birthday
Happy birthday to you
Happy birthday to you
Happy birthday
Happy birthday
Happy birthday
Happy birthday
Oohyeah
Happy birthday...
We know fhe key to unify all people
Is in the dream that you had so long ago
Th at lives in all of the hearts of people
5
�12/01/99
WED 04:52 FAI
That believe in unity
We'll make the dream become a reality
I know we will
Because our hearts tell us so
ItflOOT
�Page 3
20TH STORY o f Level l p r i n t e d i n FULL f o r m a t .
C o p y r i g h t 1992 The Houston C h r o n i c l e P u b l i s h i n g Company
The Houston C h r o n i c l e
June 28, 1992, Sunday, 2 STAR E d i t i o n
SECTION: PARADE; Pg. 4
LENGTH: 176 7 words
HEADLINE: S t e v i e Wonder's b e l i e f i n our power t o h e a l o u r s e l v e s and o u r w o r l d i s
s t r o n g e r t h a n ever;
LOVE IS THE KEY
BYLINE: WALLACE TERRY
BODY:
""IT'S POSSIBLE THAT, I F I COULD see, I wouldn't have spent
as much t i m e d e a l i n g w i t h t h e concept o f l o v e , ' ' S t e v i e Wonder t o l d
me.
" " I might have been made m i l i t a n t by what I would see. But i f I
g o t my s i g h t back today, my b e l i e f t h a t l o v e r e a l l y ""does'' h o l d
the key would " " n o t ' ' change. A l l e v i l can be conquered by l o v e .
It's
t h e r e i n s i d e you, i f y o u ' l l o n l y l i s t e n .
''
L i t t l e S t e v i e Wonder a r r i v e d on t h e American music scene i n
1962.
A happy c h i l d o f 12, he was h a i l e d as a p r o d i g y . I n t h e years
t h a t f o l l o w e d , h i s o u t p u t has been p r o d i g i o u s : 30 albums ( f i v e
g o l d , two p l a t i n u m ) , 17 Grammys, an American Music Award o f M e r i t
and i n d u c t i o n i n t o The Rock and R o l l H a l l o f Fame.
I knew
and b l i n d
pressures
wanted t o
l o v e , had
S t e v i e Wonder had faced t h e c h a l l e n g e s o f b e i n g b l a c k
and growing up i n p o v e r t y . He a l s o had surmounted t h e
o f e a r l y stardom. And he had had a brush w i t h death.
I
know how t h i s man, whose music i s f i l l e d w i t h j o y and
k e p t h i s v i s i o n . What had kept him strong?
I met S t e v i e Wonder, now 42, a t Wonderland, h i s m a g n i f i c e n t l y
f u r n i s h e d r e c o r d i n g s t u d i o s i n Los Angeles. He i s a l a r g e man -- 6
f e e t 2 and 200 pounds -- who seems t o g i v e o f f a s p i r i t u a l glow.
Born Steven J u d k i n s i n Saginaw, Mich., he was t h e t h i r d o f
f i v e c h i l d r e n t h a t L u l a Mae Hardaway s t r u g g l e d t o r a i s e a l o n e . H i s
s i g h t l e s s n e s s may have been caused by problems t h a t developed from
a premature b i r t h .
He vaguely r e c a l l s l i g h t , and he t o l d me, " " I
t h i n k I d i d see my mother's f a c e . ' '
His mother worked sometimes as a seamstress, sometimes i n a
f i s h - p a c k i n g p l a n t . There were times when t h e r e was no f o o d on t h e
t a b l e , no heat i n t h e house. ""We were poor,'' S t e v i e r e c a l l e d . " " I
knew we were d o i n g w i t h o u t . '' But t h e i r home was f i l l e d w i t h l o v e ,
and when t h e y moved t o D e t r o i t ' s east s i d e , i t seemed t h a t no one
i n t h a t poor neighborhood was any worse o f f t h a n t h e y were.
�Page 4
The Houston Chronicle, June 28, 1992
One day when S t e v i e was 5, h i s mother r e c a l l e d , she was
w a t c h i n g h i m p l a y . He walked up t o h e r and s a i d , ""You w o r r i e d t h a t
I'm b l i n d , Mama? You don't have t o worry, because I'm happy. '' He
p a t t e d h e r hand. ""That day,'' h i s mother s a i d , ""he took a l o t o f
p a i n and g r i e f o f f me. ''
D e s p i t e h i s d i s a b i l i t y , S t e v i e ' s c h i l d h o o d was f i l l e d w i t h
games and p l a y . He rode on a b i c y c l e w h i l e h i s b r o t h e r s t e e r e d . He
c l i m b e d t r e e s . One day, he wanted t o t r y jumping from t h e shed i n
the backyard. A l t h o u g h h i s b r o t h e r warned t h a t h i s mother was
coming, he jumped anyway, l a n d i n g i n h e r arms. R e c a l l i n g t h e
i n c i d e n t , S t e v i e laughed.
""She beat t h e s t u f f i n g s o u t o f me. ''
Then a s h e e p i s h g r i n s t o l e across h i s face.
" " I was w i l d . ''
And he had a remarkable t a l e n t . Here was a boy who, from age
2, was c r e a t i n g rhythms w i t h a spoon t o t h e music from t h e r a d i o .
N o t h i n g t h a t made a sound escaped h i s t a p p i n g . The s i d e s o f beds,
the w a l l s , t h e windows. ""day and n i g h t , you c o u l d hear i t , ' ' h i s
brother Milton recalled.
when he was 4, S t e v i e s t a r t e d p i c k i n g o u t songs on a
harmonica h i s u n c l e had bought him. He wore o u t s e v e r a l s e t s o f t o y
drums u n t i l t h e Lions Club gave him a r e a l s e t a t a Christmas p a r t y
f o r b l i n d c h i l d r e n . A t 8, he was composing on t h e p i a n o a t s c h o o l .
By 9, he was s i n g i n g s o l o s a t h e Whitestone B a p t i s t Church -- u n t i l
one day he was caught by a s i s t e r o f t h e church p l a y i n g rock 'n'
roll.
For p l a y i n g " " w o r l d l y music,'' S t e v i e was p r o m p t l y e x p e l l e d
from t h e c h o i r .
The f o l l o w i n g year, Ron White - - a member o f The M i r a c l e s ,
one o f t h e e r a ' s t o p r e c o r d i n g groups - - came t o t h e neighborhood
t o hear S t e v i e . People were c a l l i n g him ""The L i t t l e Boy Wonder. ''
Soon S t e v i e was s i g n e d by Motown, t h e b l a c k r e c o r d company; w r o t e
h i s f i r s t song, ""Lonely Boy '; and had h i s f i r s t h i t , t h e jumpy
harmonica tune " " F i n g e r t i p s . ''
His l i f e changed o v e r n i g h t . The p r e c o c i o u s c h i l d s i n g e r ,
renamed L i t t l e S t e v i e Wonder, was a s e n s a t i o n .
Before l o n g , S t e v i e
was spending most o f h i s time t o u r i n g , and h i s f a m i l y moved t o a
m i d d l e - c l a s s neighborhood.
1
D i d i t t r o u b l e him t o l e a r n t h a t he was black?
c o u l d t h a t mean t o someone who was b l i n d ?
And j u s t what
" " I knew I was c o l o r e d , I was Negro,'' he answered, b u t I
d i d n ' t e x a c t l y know what i t meant. I knew I was d i f f e r e n t and
t r e a t e d l e s s t h a n someone e l s e because o f my c o l o r . And on t o p o f
t h a t I was b l i n d .
I d i d n ' t know why t h e r e was such a problem about
c o l o r , when I was b l i n d i n t h e f i r s t p l a c e . That seemed w e i r d t o
me. But I d i d n ' t f e e l i n f e r i o r .
I f e l t I was s p e c i a l even when I
would hear someone say, "You r e a l l y sound good. You c o l o r e d people
s i n g b e t t e r t h a n w h i t e people. ' ''
�Page 5
The Houston Chronicle, June 28,
1992
D u r i n g h i s teens, S t e v i e Wonder had a s t r i n g o f h i t s w i t h
Motown t h a t s o l d m i l l i o n s and made him a s u p e r s t a r -- songs l i k e
" " U p t i g h t , ' ' ""For Once i n My L i f e ' ' and ""My Cherie Amour. '' But
he grew r e s t l e s s under t h e t i g h t a r t i s t i c c o n t r o l Motown m a i n t a i n e d .
When he t u r n e d 21, he was a b l e t o break f r e e . From then on,
he had c o n t r o l of h i s l i f e and h i s a r t . He changed h i s name l e g a l l y
t o S t e v l a n d M o r r i s , m a r r i e d Syreeta W r i g h t , a s i n g e r , bought a
r e c o r d i n g s t u d i o and began p r o d u c i n g a remarkable s e r i e s of
""one-man'' albums.
From ""Music o f My Mind t o T a l k i n g Book, h i s r e c o r d i n g s
marked h i s emergence from p r o d i g y t o poet and p r o p h e t , c u l m i n a t i n g
i n h i s landmark " " I n n e r v i s i o n s , ' which p r e s e n t e d h i s i n s i g h t i n t o
urban i s s u e s and a p o w e r f u l c a l l t o change b e f o r e i t was t o o l a t e .
1
But h i s message remained one of l o v e - - a l o v e so s t r o n g , as one
song s a i d , t h a t i t would l a s t " " u n t i l t h e rainbow burns t h e s t a r s
out o f t h e sky. ''
Then, on an August day i n 1973, S t e v i e ' s l i f e took another
t u r n . R i d i n g back from a c o n c e r t i n N o r t h C a r o l i n a , Wonder was
i n v o l v e d i n an auto a c c i d e n t t h a t l e f t him i n a coma.
As S t e v i e l a y i n the h o s p i t a l , M i l t o n r e c a l l e d t h a t h i s
b r o t h e r had o f t e n s a i d he would d i e young. And he had j u s t r e l e a s e d
the song ""Higher G r o u n d ,
i n which he sang of God showing t h e way
to a b e t t e r p l a c e . Some wondered now i f he's had a p r e m o n i t i o n o f
h i s death.
Or was i t a r e b i r t h ?
11
A f t e r f o u r days, S t e v i e came out o f h i s coma.
Although
s e v e r a l months would pass b e f o r e he was f u l l y recovered, a k i n d o f
r e b i r t h ""had
occured.
He r e a f f i r m e d h i s commitment t o a i d i n g h i s
f e l l o w man.
" " I w i l l not be o p e r a t i n g so much on time as " " i n ' '
t i m e , ' ' S t e v i e s a i d . By t h a t he meant t h a t he would s t r i v e t o h e l p
o t h e r s b e f o r e i t was t o o l a t e .
11
He has been t r u e t o h i s word. Across t h e years, he has l e n t
h i s name, t a l e n t and money t o c o u n t l e s s causes -- n u c l e a r disarmament, w o r l d
hunger, farmworkers, AIDS r e s e a r c h and s i c k l e
c e l l anemia r e s e a r c h .
I n a campaign a g a i n s t drunk d r i v i n g , he posed
f o r a p o s t e r t h a t went t o 16,000 h i g h s c h o o l s .
I t s a i d : ""Before I
r i d e w i t h a drunk, I ' l l d r i v e myself.
He o f t e n a c t s on impulse,
h e l p i n g someone he has l e a r n e d about from a newspaper or TV s t o r y .
11
A f t e r a lawyer was c r i p p l e d by a v i c i o u s a t t a c k i n h i s D e t r o i t
o f f i c e , S t e v i e a r r i v e d unannounced a t h i s h o s p i t a l room and sang t o
him.
When t h r e e c h i l d r e n were orphaned when t h e i r mother was k i l l e d
by t h e p o l i c e i n Los Angeles, S t e v i e staged a b e n e f i t show f o r them.
" " I can't work " " t o o ' ' hard, I can't work " " t o o ' ' l a t e , ' '
says t o f a m i l y and f r i e n d s who t r y t o g e t him t o slow down.
he
I n 1988, S t e v i e was honored by the UN's S p e c i a l Committee
A g a i n s t A p a r t h e i d f o r h i s commitment t o ""the u p l i f t m e n t o f t h e
�Page 6
The Houston Chronicle, June 28, 1992
oppressed and downtrodden o f t h e w o r l d . '' But when I asked him what
he would l i k e t o be remembered f o r , he answered u n h e s i t a t i n g l y : as
one o f those who made the b i r t h d a y o f M a r t i n L u t h e r King J r . a
national holiday.
""Every t i m e I hear r e c o r d i n g s o f Dr. King speaking, I c r y
because I t h i n k about him,'' he s a i d . ""His s o u l , h i s s p i r i t , h i s
i n n e r v i s i o n . America has i t a l l wrong t h i n k i n g i t ' s a b l a c k
holiday.
I t ' s not a black t h i n g .
I t ' s an American t h i n g . What he
d i d , he d i d f o r a l l o f us, b l a c k and w h i t e . But t h e r e i s n o t h i n g
wrong w i t h i t b e i n g a b l a c k day i n the sense t h a t we c e l e b r a t e a
b l a c k man. ''
S t e v i e ' s marriage
t o Syreeta ended amicably
a f t e r a year.
W i t h Yolanda Simmons, a w r i t e r , he has a daughter, Aisha, now 17,
and son, K e i t a , 15, who l i v e i n New Jersey w i t h t h e i r mother.
With
Melody McCulley, a former v o c a l i s t , he has a son, Mumtaz, 8. They
live i n California.
""The mothers o f my c h i l d r e n and myself have remained f r i e n d s
as w e l l as worked a t b e i n g p a r e n t s ,
S t e v i e s a i d . ""And t h a t ' s
i m p o r t a n t . '' He spoke w i t h p r i d e o f b e i n g p r e s e n t when Aisha and
Mumtaz were b o r n .
" " I t was e x c i t i n g , ' ' he s a i d . " " I f e l t them b e i n g
b o r n . The c r e a t i o n o f l i f e i s i n c r e d i b l e . ''
1 1
I n t h e l a s t decade, S t e v i e ' s success has c o n t i n u e d w i t h
b e s t s e l l i n g albums such as " " I n Square C i r c l e , '
""Characters,''""The Woman i n Red'' -- which c o n t a i n e d h i s
O s c a r - w i n n i n g song, " " I J u s t C a l l e d To Say I Love You ' -- and
""Jungle Fever,'' f e a t u r i n g the songs he wrote f o r t h e Spike Lee
film.
1
1
He t y p i c a l l y r i s e s a t 4 p.m., works on p r o j e c t s a t h i s
o f f i c e , t h e n t r a v e l s t o h i s s t u d i o and works t h r o u g h t h e n i g h t .
o f t e n s t a y s up f o r 24 o r 48 hours a t a t i m e .
He
To r e l a x , he enjoys a r e a d i n g machine, which scans p r i n t e d
m a t e r i a l and t r a n s l a t e s i t i n t o spoken words. By t h i s process, he
devours n o v e l s , auto b i o g r a p h i e s , commentaries. He a l s o l i k e s t o
r o l l e r s k a t e , swim and w r e s t l e w i t h Mumtaz.
He w o r r i e s about t h e r a c i a l d i v i s i v e n e s s , crime, v i o l e n c e and
drug abuse p l a g u i n g t h e b i g c i t i e s l i k e h i s hometown, D e t r o i t -and about i l l i t e r a c y and j o b l e s s n e s s , which he b e l i e v e s a r e
problems everywhere. ""But I'm v e r y o p t i m i s t i c about t h e w o r l d , ' '
he s a i d . " " I b e l i e v e t h i s i s God's i s l a n d , and u l t i m a t e l y He w i l l
make i t r i g h t .
D e s p i t e t h e damage t h a t we have done t o i t , I f e e l
t h e b e a u t y o f t h e e a r t h . I f e e l t h e beauty o f God. ''
Does he p r a y f o r a m i r a c l e e n a b l i n g him t o see t h a t beauty?
""No,'' he r e p l i e d .
" " I sometimes t a l k t o God about my s i g h t ,
and I say, " I ' d l i k e t o see, b u t i t ' s up t o You -- what You f e e l i s
�Page 7
The Houston Chronicle, June 28, 1992
b e s t f o r me. ' I'm n o t a f o o l .
S i g h t would make me more independent.
I would be a b l e t o see my c h i l d r e n , t h e mothers o f my c h i l d r e n . My
b r o t h e r s and my s i s t e r .
But I'm n o t g o i n g t o stop e n j o y i n g what I
have t o w a i t f o r i t t o happen. ''
S t e v i e paused. ""When I pray, I thank God f o r p r o t e c t i n g me,
c o n s o l i n g me and l e a d i n g me on t h e p a t h t h a t I f o l l o w . God has
b l e s s e d me w i t h t h e a b i l i t y t o w r i t e about t h e l o v e I f e e l .
Sing
what I f e e l .
And share i t w i t h people. ''
""And more t h a n a n y t h i n g , ' ' he added, ""God has b l e s s e d me
w i t h t h e a b i l i t y t o h e l p people t h a t I don't even know. ''
GRAPHIC: Photos: 1 . A t h i s i n d u c t i o n i n t o The Rock and R o l l H a l l o f Fame i n
1989, S t e v i e Wonder was j o i n e d by h i s son, K e i t a , daughter, Aisha, and t h e i r
mother, Yolanda Simmons; 2. L i t t l e S t e v i e Wonder, a t 13, appearing on t h e TV
program ""Ready Steady Go' i n London; 3. Dionne Warwick, S t e v i e Wonder, Quincy
Jones, M i c h a e l Jackson and L i o n e l R i c h i e a t t h e Grammy awards ceremony i n 1986
(p. 5 ) ; 4. S t e v i e Wonder p e r f o r m i n g (p. 5 ) ; 5. S t e v i e Wonder w i t h C o r e t t a King
i n Washington, D.C, 1983 (p. 5 ) ; 1. C l i f f ord/DMI, 2. Globe, 3. Z u f f a n t e / S t a r
f i l e , 4. Raban/ S t i l l s / R e t n a , 5. S e e l i g / S t a r f i l e
1
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
LOAD-DATE: August 15, 1992
�http://www.kennedy-center.org/honors/years/wonder.html
Stevie Wonder
Tlie Kennedy
Stevie Wonder
(singer and songwriter; bom May 13, 1950, in Saginaw, Michigan)
Stevie Wonder has been an integral part ofthe world of music for the past four decades,
as a singer, songwriter, musician and producer. The boy wonder burst onto the music
scene when he was just ten years old, and his mission ever since has been to bring joy
into people's lives. "He has been pop music's unquenchable optimist for nearly a
generation," said The New York Times in 1986. "His skills at writing sinuous melodies
and gently uplifting harmonies, and his cheerful yet determined eclecticism -fromfunk
to ballads, bossa nova to quasi-showtunes - have made Mr. Wonder a one-man Tin Pan
Alley through two decades of rock."
Since his prodigious beginnings, Wonder has grown into an artist who combines
musical innovation with political activism. The magic of his music is matched by his
passionate commitment to political causes and charities. As much a teacher and leader
as a supreme entertainer, he was an early and outspoken yritiV nf aparthpiH in South
Africa and has also been deeply involved in the global war against famine. " I love
touching people with love songs," explains Wonder, "but I also want to reach people's
consciences and trigger some emotion on matters other than the heart."
Blind since birth, Wonder sang like a seasoned veteran even as a toddler, and at age 7 he
had mastered the harmonica and drums. At 11, he had a contract with Motown that led
to the birth of "Little Stevie Wonder." Wonder and his label hit the jackpot in 1963 with
"Fingertips-Pt. 2." In two years he became one of Motown's finest artists, recording a
series of brilliant singles for a solid nine years. By the end of the '60s, he was not only
hitting the charts with his own records - including "Uptight," "Castles in the Sand," and
"My Cherie Amour" - but also by writing for many other Motown artists, including "It's
a Shame" forthe Spinners and co-writing 'The tears of a Clown" with Smokey
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�Stevie Wonder
http://www.kennedy-center.org/honors/years/wonder.html
Robinson.
Wonder's creative spirit soon felt constricted by Motown's strict production and
publishing contracts. When his record contract expired in 1971, Wonder recorded two
full albums by himself and used them as a bargaining tool during contract negotiations
with Motown. The record label gave him total artistic control of his albums, as well as
the rights to his own songs.
In that first decade of his artistic emancipation which began in 1972, the singer,
songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist released seven classic albums: Music of
My Mind, Talking Book, Innervisions, Fulfdlingness' First Finale, Songs in the Key of
Life, The Secret Life of Plants, and Hotter Than July. The hit singles that emerged from
this period include "Superwoman," "Superstition," and "You Are the Sunshine of My
Life." Music of My Mind, especially, helped usher in a new era in which soul and R&B
albums became not just a collections of singles anymore, but a cohesive artistic
statement, in which artists could extend their music beyond the confines of a
three-minute hit single. Wonder's lyrics began to address social and racial issues as
eloquently and incisively as any other artist or social activist.
And social activism became increasingly important to his career and his life. He lobbied
the federal government to create the Martin Luther King, Jr. national holiday: he
"performed in concerts to protest nuclear weapons and prorffote peace; and he recorded
songs that urged racial harmony ("phonv and Ivory," with Paul McCartney), opposed
drunk driving ("Don't Drive Drunk'), advocated stiffer handgun control laws ("My Love
Is With You"), and fought world hunger ("We Are the World").
"
During the past decade. Wonder put together the soundtrack for Spike Lee's Jungle
Fever and he released the critically acclaimed Conversation Peace.
His work has earned him 17 Grammy Awards and an Oscar for " I Just Called To Say I
Love You!.' from the 1984 film The Woman in Red. He has sold more than 70 million
L'Fs and ranks alongside The Beatles and Elvis Presley in having the most Top Ten
records
Stevie Wonder is a true American phenomenon.
Honors Home Page I About the Honors I History of tlie Honors | KC Home Page
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�
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Lowell Weiss
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Lowell Weiss
Office of Speechwriting
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1997-2001
Is Part Of
A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included.
<a href="http://clinton.presidentiallibraries.us/items/show/36408">Collection Finding Aid</a>
<a href="https://catalog.archives.gov/id/7431951">National Archives Catalog Description</a>
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
2006-0470-F
Description
An account of the resource
This collection consists of the speechwriting files of Lowell Weiss. Lowell Weiss worked as a Special Assistant to the President, Presidential Speechwriter from June 1997 - August 2000. Weiss traveled and wrote speeches for President Clinton on domestic issues. His speeches cover a broad array of topics. Major issues he wrote on concern the environment, education, the economy, and race relations. He wrote weekly radio addresses; commencement speeches; and remarks for bill signings, events, and conferences. The records consist of speeches, drafts, memoranda, correspondence, schedules, event and travel arrangements, notes, articles, and printed email.
Provenance
A statement of any changes in ownership and custody of the resource since its creation that are significant for its authenticity, integrity, and interpretation. The statement may include a description of any changes successive custodians made to the resource.
Clinton Presidential Records: White House Staff and Office Files
Publisher
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William J. Clinton Presidential Library & Museum
Extent
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464 folders in 36 boxes
Text
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Original Format
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Paper
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Kennedy Center Honors 12/5/99 [1]
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Office of Speechwriting
Lowell Weiss
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
2006-0470-F
Is Part Of
A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included.
Box 19
<a href="http://clinton.presidentiallibraries.us/items/show/36408">Collection Finding Aid</a>
<a href="https://catalog.archives.gov/id/20761020">National Archives Catalog Description</a>
Provenance
A statement of any changes in ownership and custody of the resource since its creation that are significant for its authenticity, integrity, and interpretation. The statement may include a description of any changes successive custodians made to the resource.
Clinton Presidential Records: White House Staff and Office Files
Publisher
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William J. Clinton Presidential Library & Museum
Format
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Adobe Acrobat Document
Medium
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Preservation-Reproduction-Reference
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20761020
42-t-7431951-20060470-F-019-003-2015