around the table. Diversity is extremely important. We need to celebrate our dif- ferences, that is how America is meant to be and so we should go in that direction. It starts with respect; respecting oneself comes first this way we can live together and it can become second nature.” As an alumnus of the Boys and Girls
An Actor and a Gentleman A
n Emmy award, an Oscar, and co- untless nominations, a legendary
Hollywood actor goes beyond the glitz and glamour in a new book. Louis Gossett, Jr., the esteemed Afri- can-American actor, who rose to fame for his Emmy-winning role in the tele- vision mini-series Roots and supporting actor Oscar-winning role in An Officer and a Gentlemen, tells the story of his more than fifty years in the world of entertainment in An Actor and a Gent- leman. An Actor and a Gentleman recounts
Mr. Gossett’s early achievements on the stage in New York, most importantly working with Ruby Dee and Sidney Poitier in Raisin in the Sun, the play that, according to the Times, ”changed Broadway forever.” He describes his first foray into Hollywood for the film version of the same play, and the racism he encountered there for the first time in his career. He then returned to Broadway for Golden Boy with Sammy Davis, Jr., and, seven years, later went back to Hol- lywood to make the first made-for-television movie only to encounter even more blatant racism. An Actor and a Gentleman tells of constant struggles to be paid fairly, and the continuing inability as a black man to get leading roles, even after his success in Roots and An Officer and a Gentlemen. He writes frankly about his personal life, the partying and the booze and drugs, and the two sons he loved but almost lost because of his addictions. Happily, Mr. Gossett has now overcome his demons, and has started a founda-
tion, Eracism, to work to erase racism in this country, and especially to give children at risk the helping hand they need to make a better lives for themselves. An Actor and a Gentleman is a riveting look at a legend, his career, his life, his survival and ultimately his redemption. (Wiley, May 2010, ISBN: 978-0-470-57471-3; $26.95 / Cloth).
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Club of America, Gossett enjoys reaching out to children and focuses on guiding them into becoming good, solid individu- als, “We have a responsibility to ourselves to be the best in line so that kids have po- sitive role models to copy rather than a gang.” Gossett enjoys traveling to Africa to meet with underprivileged children and supports a variety of organizations such as the Foundation for a Better Life, Boys and Girls Club of America, United Way, Avia- tion Angels and Big Brothers and Big Sis- ters of America, “We need to be of service to the children, they need a better example than what they may have at home. I love children , it is important and it is our duty to be mentors and to guide them, they just got here and they are still ‘new’ to the world. Our natural job is mentoring, whether they are our children or not.” In early 2010, Gossett announced that
he had been diagnosed with prostate can- cer. The disease was found and diagnosed during a routine checkup. Gossett has since recovered and has gone public with the diagnosis to bring more awareness to the disease and motivate others to follow through with their checkups, “I didn’t want to be a statistic, and I knew that if I came clean about the diagnosis and reco- very, I could bring hope to others.” Louis Gossett Jr. is currently working
on a production company and several films including The Grace Card, a faith based movie that is being sponsored by Sony, The Lamp, and Spitting. Although he is working on obtaining financing for his productions, he continues to work dili- gently to spread positive messages. A man of courage and strength who
doesn’t allow himself to fall short of his values; a hard worker and determined actor; a person who has forgiven and le- arned to love himself; a human who has made errors yet has straightened out his life and is devoted to assist others in their healing… Louis Gossett Jr., the Black EOE Journal commends you on your long career as an actor, philanthropist, and a role model who knows what it takes to be a gentleman.
The Black E.O.E. Journal
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