Unsung

[VirginiaHamilton]

Speaking of Car Wash, I'd love for them to do an Unsung on Ivan Dixon. I'm one who believes that it was him, not Bill Duke, Antonio Fargas, or Richard Pryor, who carried that movie and would love to learn more about how he learned to cope with the fact that Hollywood didn't care to provide him with the opportunities that he deserved and how he manage to maintain that dignity in spite of that harsh truth.

[DramatistDreamer]

I was just thinking of this after watching the Bill Duke Unsung.

Hogan's Heroes was before my time and I can't say I watched more than a couple episodes while in reruns but whenever the opening credits came on, I'd always wait to see Ivan Dixon's credits before switching the channel. When I saw him in Car Wash, he was definitely the heavy in that film. The action of the film may have been facilitated through Duke's character but Ivan Dixon's character had the gravitas and authority in the film.

Still, I never realized what leading quality Dixon had until I saw Nothing But A Man. The film had flaws but they certainly had nothing to do with Dixon. He exuded the type of leading man quality that Sidney Poitier had at that time.

[amybrickwallace]

I would love love love to see Unsung do a profile on the 1965 classic, A Patch of Blue. To be sure, the entire cast was not black, but it's a timeless movie about race relations. Also, Ivan Dixon played Sidney Poitier's brother in the movie. Another movie that would make a great Unsung episode would be 1964's One Potato, Two Potato.

Edited April 13, 2014 by amybrickwallace

[DramatistDreamer]

Has Melvin van Peebles ever had a documenary done about him? He did some interesting films.

About a month ago, Bounce TV aired Watermelon Man.

At first, I thought it was a crazy film, although variations of this theme have been done (e.g. True Identity w/ Lenny Henry, similar but not exactly the same) and I really didn't know who Godfrey Cambridge was other than seeing him playing secondary and peripheral characters in other films but I was so impressed that I actually began to buy the film's crazy premise.

I only saw half of the film as I had to leave but when I did a quick Wikipedia of his bio and filmography, I realized he was trained in theater and a Tony nominated actor before breaking through as a comedian. Had he not died an untimely death at a relatively young age, I think he might have had a very versatile career.

Cambridge died while playing Idi Amin (a very unfunny character) for a movie and after his death, Amin was said to declared Cambridge's death a punishment from God.

Cambridge, the son of West Indian immgrants (from Guyana) seems like a talent with a fascinating backstory. I'd love to see him get an Unsung as well.

Edited April 13, 2014 by DramatistDreamer

[amybrickwallace]

I never knew that either - especially that KL was his very first directing gig.

[amybrickwallace]

Has anyone watched the Harlem Globetrotters episode yet?

[amybrickwallace]

Unsung returns with new episodes beginning Wednesday, July 30. The 10-week season lineup is as follows:

http://theurbandaily.com/2014/07/16/tvone-unsung-summer-season

[ChitHappens]

Thanks for the info. Some of those look really good!

I did and it was really good. I was especially intrigued with how they really became so popular.

[amybrickwallace]

I STILL want them to do a Syreeta Wright profile. Hopefully next season? At least people like Martha Wash, the Emotions and the Chi-Lites are getting their due.

[ChitHappens]

To touch back on the HGT...

They began their antics on court because the team was prohibited from beating the white players by more than 7 points/game. If they did, The Globetrotters would not be invited back to play and other teams would shut them out. To kill time, they started clowning on the court and that turned into a world phenomena. Wow!

[DramatistDreamer]

I never got to see it (*whines*). I have been watching episodes on TV One's website which are generally posted a week after they air on broadcast (I don't have cable) and it seems as though they never got around to posting the episode on THG on their website! And I don't see it on You Tube or any of the other usual places.

Oh well, I guess I'll have to wait for Unsung Hollywood Season 2 in hopes that they might remember that they never posted the final episode of Season 1.

I'm glad Unsung is back though. I never found Montell Jordan or his music that interesting but it sounds like his personal life during his heyday sure was!

[amybrickwallace]

Yeah, I understand that he is in the ministry now.

[ChitHappens]

This Is How We Do It was my jam!

[All My Shadows]

I had no idea about that, Chit. That's a very interesting piece of history.

I'm most looking forward to the Emotions and Chi-Lites episodes. I know most people think "Best of My Love" when they hear of The Emotions, but they'll always be "Don't Ask My Neighbors" to me. And that holiday standard "What Do the Lonely Do at Christmas?"

I'm still waiting patiently for Betty Wright and Maze/Frankie Beverly. I feel like Rick James is far from "unsung," but that's just my opinion.

[amybrickwallace]

Sounds like you are waiting for an episode about them the way I am for one about Syreeta!!! I am also looking forward to the Peaches & Herb episode. I agree with you about Rick James.