ENTERTAINMENT
B Section
THE CHARLOTTE POST - Thursday, February 18, 1988
Page IB
CRY FREEDOM
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POWERFUL FILM PORTRAYS A BLACK MARTYR
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The funeral of Stephen BIko In CRY FREEDOM (Inset): Actor DENZEL WASHINGTON as BIko
‘tephen Bikowas an anomaly. A man of stupen
dous intellect, he was also a gracious man with a de
lightful sense of humor. At ease among any class of
people, he despised pomp and pretentiousness. And
he had an amazing charisma. He could light up a
room; galvanizing both attention and emotions
upon making his entry.
Biko might have become a film star-or the con
summate politician. Like Martin Luther King, he
had both the easy grace and common touch that cut
across societal lines. Perhaps all great men possess
those characteristics in common.
But like King, Stephen Biko carried within him
the seeds of his own doom. He also had a profound
belief in human rights and dignity. And he was a
tenacious fighter for the things that ennoble hu
mankind. He was also very proud of his race and
color. And that is always a dangerous thing to be if
you're not the right color.
Beginning in his twenties, Biko became the most
respected and effective black voice in South Africa.
Heedless of personal danger, he focused world atten
tion on the loathsome government policy of apart-
held in that country.
The young social reformer's life was cut short at
thirty years of age. He was tortured to death by the
very government he had sought to reform. But his
voice echoes again in the epic "Cry Freedom."
Black & White Boogie
Denzel Washington & Kevin Kline
reprise a great friendship in an
epic motion picture.
By William James Brock
Post Entertainment Editor
DENZEL WASHINGTON & KEVIN KUNE
"Keyhole Dancer" In BOOGIE N BUCK & VWrTE
By Sally Keenen
Special To The Post
In 1947, a 25-minute film with
an all-black cast called "Pitch a
Boogie Woogie" premiered. It Is
now known that the featurette
contains the only footage of an
authentic Southern minstrel
show and the only visual record
of Irvin C. Miller's Brown Skin
Models, one of the highly touted
attractions at Harlem's Apollo
Theater during the '30s. Today
"Pitch a Boogie Woogie" is rec
ognized as a cinematic gem In
which the Winstead Mighty Min
strels combine their talents
with other performers to
present the many facets of mu
sical comedy.
This might not have been the
case. The original "Pitch a Boo
gie Woogie" was lost after a
number of showings. Twenty-
eight years after its premiere,
BUI Shepherd, a North Carolina
musician, found the film In
Greenville's abandoned Roxy
Theater. He gave the reels to a
See BOOGIE/page 4B
Principal photography on Cry
Freedom began In July 1986.
sir Richard Attenborough be
gan the epic film on location in
Zimbabwe, which was formerly
Southern Rhodesia.
In ancient times, Zimbabwe
was the biblical kingdom of
Ophir, and was ruled by the
Queen of Sheba. It was the
country from which she and
King Solomon drew their fabu
lous wealth In diamonds and
gold out of the legendary mines.
The epic film Is based on Biko
and Asking For Trouble, two
books written by Journalist
Donald Woods. The author had,
for a few years, been a close
friend of martyred activist Ste
phen Biko In South Africa. Biko,
written In 1978, was banned by
the government of South Afrlca-
and remains so today.
After reading the two books,
the British director wanted to
make a film that would focus on
the evils of apartheid. He em
ployed screenwriter John Bri
ley, who had scripted the mon
ster hit CandhI for him In 1985.
Before beginning the film, At
tenborough felt obligated to vis
it South Alrtca for a first-hand
see CRYFREEDOW'page 4B
WAYNE FULCHER
INNOVATIVE
IMPRESARIO
By William James Brock
Post Entertainment Editor
I am the most talked-about
animal In America today; a
black man.
The line Is from "The Diary Of
Black Men," a play written by
Thomas Meloncon of Houston.
It sums up exactly what pro
moter Wa}me F\ilcher would like
to be. Being black, he's already
half way there. And he's work
ing hard to make the other half
of the quote a reality.
As Impresario and head of
Wayne I^ilcher Productions, he
Is bringing the play to Ovens
Auditorium on Saturday, Feb.
27 for a one night stand. Show
time Is 8:00 p.m.
'We will, of course, go for a sec
ond night If advance ticket sales
warrant It." Fulcher said.
"Promoters love nothing better
than a held-over show."
The Impresario has had con
siderable success thus far In
Charlotte. His organization
brought both "Mama I Want To
Sing" and the Harlem Boys
Choir to the city In recent times.
Both productions were met
with crltlc2d acclaim and excel
lent attendance. Perhaps this
was due to his Instincts and
background In promoting
crowd-pleasing events.
Not a typical "thee-a-tah" style
promoter, Fulcher began his
show business career promot
ing boxing matches. His first
outing was working In promo
tion of the legendary Muham
mad All-Ken Norton bout.
Fulcher earned his spurs han
dling the closed-circuit TV end.
That's how I cut my teeth In
the business," he said. "I was
still In college at the time. When
I learned of the opportunity to
help promote the fight I Jumped
on It. Boxing Is excitement."
Born In Westchester County,
NY, Fulcher attended JCSU,
earning a degree In communica
tions. But It was In New York
that he learned his craft.
"My mother worked as a do
mestic for wealthy people," he
said. "I guess that's how I got
my foot in the door. In fact, one
of them became my mentor."
Fulcher got his first big shot
when Rene Anselmo, wealthy
owner of Galavlslon In New York
heard about him from a
groundskeeper on the TV mag
nate's estate.
"Rene owns a national network
of Spanish-speaking TV," Fulch
er said. "He heard about my
work on All-Norton and sent
word for me to come and Inter
view with him."
Figuring It would be a stock In
terview In an office, young
Fulcher was surprised when he
arrived at Anselmo's sprawling
suburban estate.
"The place was a miniature of
Versailles Palace," Fulcher said.
"He Invited me out Into his to
mato garden. It was right out of
the movies, man. We cut the
deal right there-drlnklng lem
onade while birds sang In the
trees. It was an experience."
What Anselmo had In mind for
the budding Impresario was
equally surprising. He turned
over promotion of the Joe Frazl-
er-George Foreman fight to
Fulcher In three large cities.
"Here I was a rising Junior In
college with the responsibility
for promoting a blgtlme boxing
match In Buffalo, Rochester and
Portland, Maine," Fulcher said.
"I even had to approve the na
tional TV commercials for the
bout. I'll alwa3Ts be grateful to
Rene for believing In my talent."
The Impresario has come a
long way since those days.
Along the way he dabbled In
Hollywood-researchlng the life
of "Moms" Mabley for the olT-
Broadway production "Moms."
The play was written from a
screenplay based on Fulcher's
rese£U"ch.
"Clarice Taylor has the lead In
the play," Fulcher said. "She
plays Bill Cosby's mom on his
hit TV show."
And he Is diversifying Wayne
Fulcher Productions. He Is
working to get Southeastern
rights to a Mike Tyson-Mlchael
Spinks fight-lf the two sign a
pact. Fulcher also dreams of
promoting a "super card" of
three championship bouts In
Charlotte someday.
"I'd like to see Tommy Hearns,
Kelvin Seabrooks and Evander
Holyfield fight on the same
card," FTilcher said. "I know Hol
yfield personally. 1 think this
could be put together."
Fulcher has also branched out
Into the recording business. He
Is promoting "Candy," a record
on the Speclad K label. The song
was written and arranged by
Kevin Henderson-who also
owns the label. Singer Lisa
Richards evokes a smokey sex
uality with her powerful vocals.
"My secret dream Is the mo
vies," Ftilcher said. "I'd like to go
the way of Spike Lee." Holly
wood had better look out.
The Diary Of Black Men opens
Saturday, Feb. 27 at Ovens Audi
torium. Showtime: 8:00 p.m.
Tickets are $17.00 ($15.00 bal
cony). Wayne Fulcher Produc
tions gives group discounts- $3
oJJ ticket price for blocks of 20 .
HERITAGE
Scott Joplin was born around
the turn of the century n Lang
try, Texas. A precocious child,
he could remember song lyrics
after hearing them once by the
time he was two. When he was
three, his mother once sat the
energetic boy at the piano to
quiet him. He began pecking out
simple melodies of songs he'd
heard.
Joplin went on to earn a col
lege degree In music and be
came a composer and arranger.
He Introduced syncopation to
popular music. Written Is
ragged time signature, his music
was quickly dubbed "Ragtime"
and became the rage of St. Louis
and Chicago. From those cities
It spread across the country.
The composer went on to eEum
considerable money from his
music. It was finally displaced
byjaz.z In the 1920 and 1930s.
One of the most popular of Jo
plin's songs was a rag called
"The Entertainer." It became the
theme song of Paul Newman's
movie "The Sting."