SECTION D


September 8-14, 2010


Reflections By Steve Holsey


Who should portray Marvin?


During a recent interview Blair Underwood,


the talented actor who has long maintained a regular presence on television and the big screen, says he would love to have the opportunity to portray Marvin Gaye.


And he says he


could do his own sing- ing! Evidently that is one of his hidden talents.


A Marvin Gaye Marvin Gaye


biopic has been discussed now for two decades, but for whatever reason has


never developed. One of the projects has Jesse L. Martin, best known for his work on the TV drama “Law & Order,” in the starring role.


forgot c Inase you


never knew


…or


Jesse L. Martin


Maxwell Underwood However, there are those who feel that Max-


well is tailor-made for the part. Still others believe it should be an actor the


public is not familiar with. But will a Marvin Gaye movie ever be made? MEANWHILE, chances seem fairly good


that the film on the life of Miles Davis will get made, with Don Cheadle in the lead role. (That would be good casting.) Such a movie would be largely based on Davis’ brutally honest story told in his own words in “Miles: The Autobiog- raphy,” published in 1990.


Some performers make a Stephanie Mills


big deal over when they go on stage when they are sharing the bill with other artists. Most do not want to go on first. But Stephanie Mills says she doesn’t care if she goes on first, last or somewhere in between. It’s all the same to her. And besides, she added


with a laugh, “The check is the same!” You are likely to remember


David Ramsey, the actor from Detroit who has many film and television credits including the late ’90s sitcom “The Good News,” also featuring another Detroiter, Roz Ryan. Ramsey is one of the co-stars of a new series, “Outlaws,” that will make its debut on Sept. 24.


Blair


BETTYE LAVETTE


went through


extremely hard times but


survived and is now a


major star.


By Steve Holsey People tell me all the time that my


memory amazes them. I have a head full of facts, statistics, songs, etc. I can recall, in great detail, people, events and conversa- tions going way back, plus there are always new things to pick up on.


With that in mind, this week we’re bring-


ing back — or in some cases introducing — information from all directions.


MARVIN GAYE and SMOKEY ROBIN-


SON both made acting debuts in the 1970s. Gaye appeared in a B-movie titled “Chrome and Hot Leather.” That was in 1971. Rob- inson was in an episode of the TV series “Police Story” that aired in 1974.


The very talented actress PHYLICIA


RASHÃD was, from 1978 to 1982, married to VICTOR WILLIS, original lead singer of the Village People. She was Phylicia Ayers-Allen when they tied the knot.


years Beyoncé has returned to the David Ramsey


recording studio. And speaking of returns, El DeBarge,


who hasn’t had a release in 16 years, has an album coming out in November titled “Second Chance.” He says jokingly, yet seriously, “I’ve got a lot of catching up to do!” It’s hard to believe that El DeBarge is now 49 years old.


THERE IS another side to prolific hip-hop


producer/rapper Dr. Dre. (Real name: Andre Young.) His hero, that he talks to a lot, is Quincy Jones. He hopes to write movie scores as Jones has done so many times. Also in the name of versatility, he has taken piano lessons from none other than Burt Bacha- rach.


As for producing, Dre Dr. Dre


says that outside of Eminem, “I only want to work with new talent and new produc-


ers. People who want to learn and I can learn from.”


All this likely has something to do with


maturity. Dr. Dre is 45. Rock ’n’ roll icon Chuck Berry has an inter-


esting policy regarding payment — no checks, cash only, paid in full up front, or there will be no show. Also, Berry travels alone (no band; it is up to the promoter to provide the band) and drives himself rather than ride in limos.


By the way, Berry and wife, Themetta, have


been married for 61 years. Now that’s what you call commitment!


Bow-Wow is no fan of the reality TV show


“Basketball Wives.” He said bluntly, “They’re all ignorant.”


On Sept. 14 Patti LaBelle is scheduled to


join the cast of “Fela!” It’s based on the life and career of Fela Kuti, the Nigerian musician. You might remember when Patti LaBelle was in “Your Arms Too Short to Box With God,” that made a stop in Detroit. While it was here, Patti regularly cooked for the cast in her hotel room. (She had specifically requested cooking facilities.)


Eminem says there are doctors who “love See Reflections Page D-2


PHYLICIA RASHAD was once married to “the cop” from the Village People.


Sadly, many later,


when his ex- wife was


a


superstar — thanks to “The Cosby Show” — Willis fell on hard times (much of


it


caused by heavy drug use) and sold items that had belonged to Rashãd.


Now that’s


tacky! S I M O N E ,


daughter of the legendary and


eclectic NINA SIMONE, is making quite a name for herself — without ever attempt- ing to imitate her famous mother. Simone’s father is Andy Stroud, the late star’s second husband who worked on and off as her man- ager.


Simone has been featured on Broad-


way in two hit productions, “Rent” and “Aida.” Also, she has an album by way of which she pays homage to her mother titled “Simone On Simone.” To learn more about this interesting lady, go to www. simonesworld.com or YouTube.


MARY J. BLIGE is very excit-


ed about portraying Nina Simone on the big screen. She said, “I’m going to really try to figure out how to bring Nina back to life, like Jamie Foxx did with “Ray.’ I’m not just going to take advantage of being the artist they (Paramount Pictures) picked. I know I’ve really got to nail this part.”


A former member ofMILES DAVIS’


band says that on one occasion, a woman had for some reason infuriated Davis, who was known for frequently not practicing “temper control.” Ac- cording to the band member — who is from Detroit — Davis knocked the woman out, then put her in an elevator and pushed the down button.


That, of course, was disgraceful.


But Davis could have had his judgment clouded by drugs.


NICK ASHFORD liked VALERIE SIMPSON’S “church moves.”


SIMONE (left) is making major show business inroads. Her mother, NINA SIMONE, would be proud.


At one point DAVID RUFFIN wanted the


Temptations’ name changed to David Ruffin & the Temptations, in the tradition of the Miracles being renamed Smokey Robinson & the Miracles and the Supremes being rein- troduced as Diana Ross & the Supremes.


The group said no to Ruffin in the clearest


possible language. According to OTIS WILLIAMS, in his au-


tobiography (“Temptations”), David wasn’t the only one with ego problems.


“We had to let DENNIS (EDWARDS) go,”


he said. “His troubles were getting out of control, and his attitude was generally intol- erable. We loved Dennis, but we just couldn’t


take his nonsense anymore.” No doubt Edwards sees things different-


ly. DON CORNELIUS laughs today when he


recalls that James Brown had an extremely hard time believing that “Soul Train,” the popularity of which at the time was phenom- enal and growing, could possibly be owned by a Black man. On more than one occasion he said to Cornelius, “Come on, tell me, who’s backing you?”


Despite being a widely acclaimed and


highly respected actress, and having received an Academy Award nomination, ANGELA BASSETT is still among the talented Black actresses who do not work as regularly as they should.


The situation is better for a select few


Black superstar actors who work constant- ly, such as Samuel L. Jackson, Morgan Free- man, Laurence Fishburne, Denzel Washing- ton and Don Cheadle.


Despite that unfair reality, Bassett says


she will not accept any role that is below her standards. She said you have to be a “faith walker,” and that it is essentially that you go into that business for “the love of acting.”


NICK ASHFORD and VALER-


IE SIMPSON have been together now, first as lovers then as hus- band and wife, since the early


See Forgot Page D-2


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