For some reason my Thursday AFI post disappeared, so I had to repost it today, sorry. Looking at Sidney Potier reminded me of the time I worked at the studio That Will Henceforth Remain Unnamed (TWHRU). Sidney had his offices down the hall from us, the largest in the building I think. I think one of the studio buildings was named after him as well. He really didn't do much, but Sidney was such a legacy that it was an honor for the studio to have him chilling there.
Anyway, I was forever making up excuses to my boss on why I should go over there.....some of them were pretty lame. You see, even though I was decades younger than Sidney, I had the biggest crush on him in history. Mind you, some of the biggest film stars ever were in this building and on this lot, black and non-black Hollywood, and I didn't even blink. But Sidney had an amazing energy and charisma that filled up any room he was in....you felt practically woozy in his presence.....he was also crazy charming too. It's a rare thing; I heard Bill Clinton has that same thing going, too (macaroni!). Sidney left any guy my age in the dust.
If you're looking for something to rent this weekend, and are tired of the same ol' same ol', try one of Sidney's comedies: Uptown Saturday Night with Bill Cosby, Let's Do It Again, also with Bill Cosby and Jimmie (Good Times) Walker, Buck and the Preacher , set in the old West with Harry Belafonte and Ruby Dee, or For The Love Of Ivy with jazz great Abbey Lincoln, in which Sidney plays the owner of an illegal underground gambling casino. I promise at the very least you'll find all of these films quite interesting, different and funny.
On to my Spike Lee marathon....
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