BK Fulton and Jacquelyn Stone

Celebrating Diversity In The Entertainment Industry

THE

®

EMPIRE EBONY

OF

DOCUMENTARY

DIARY LUNATIC OF A

JACQUELYN STONE BK FULTON

&

SYLKE'S TALE

POWER COUPLE

BEDSIDE READING HW'S FAVORITE AUTHOURS

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR Welcome Readers, When Jacquelyn E. Stone was a young girl, growing up in then-segregated Williamsburg, Virginia, her mother shared the biography of an African American shopkeeper from Williamsburg who was so wealthy he loaned money to then-president of The College of William & Mary—a school that did not allow people of color to enroll until1951. Growing up just steps away from the college, even as a child Stone was struck by the fact that a Black man was wealthy enough to grant a loan to the leader of William & Mary, yet would have been barred from attending as a student.

This is just the beginning of our monthly series of exclusive interviews of people making a difference and sharing their life experiences with our readers. This edition of Hollywood Weekly is filled with great stories.

Producer, actor and director Tye Liu has another interesting story. He gives HW readers his personal take on Hollywood.

PUBLISHER/EDITOR IN CHIEF Prather Jackson VICE PRESIDENT Bernice Harris Michael D. Coxson SENIOR BOOK CURATOR Jane Ubell-Meyer MARKETING & SALES Launy Rhem CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Alex A. Kecskes Ike Sinha Carmelita Pittman Elyce Hastings GRAPHIC DESIGNERS Denise Chavez Rufus Agbede

“ I come from Henan, the hometown of Kung Fu. Martial art is like a mandatory thing at school for my town. Kung Fu is part of my daily life and it is fantastic but there are many Asian stories to tell and more Asian culture to share besides martial arts. I always have an impulse to share our stories. We lack Asian representations in the western world; the label of “KUNG FLU” is NOT RIGHT! I am here to tell you more stories!”

AFRICA OPERATIONS Egor Efiok HWM Africa Ambassador and Correspondence Egorefiok@gmail.com

Diary of a Lunatic: Sylke’s Tale’s” written and directed by Greg Robbins is yet another amazing adventure. This story is available on Amazon Prime and follows a group of young adults trying to save their universe, one writing at a time.

BRAZIL OPERATIONS Fabio Glingani Rico@lapenda.net (310) 567-3333

The first-ever Black media empire, Ebony, is getting its own documentary. Lisa Cortés (All In: The Fight For Democracy, The Apollo) will direct the film and Academy Award and Emmy Award winning filmmaker Roger Ross Williams’ (The Apollo, Life Animated) will produce via One Story Up. Cortés will also produce, as well.

We would like to thank each of you, our readers, for your support. Please be sure a send a note letting us know which story you found most interesting.

Best wishes, and be sure to get your Covid-19 shot when it’s your turn.

Prather Jackson Publisher

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4 TYE LIU 10 DIARY OF A LUNATIC 12 AL HIRSCHFELD FOUNDATION 14 THE EMPIRE OF EBONY 20 BEDSIDE READING 22 CARMELITA PITTMAN 26 GLORIA BERLIN 32 BK AND JACKIE Power Couple Producer

Sylke’s Tale

Amplified Dignity Documentary

HW's Favorite Authors The Social Butterfly Her Story

HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY IS A PUBLICATION WHOLLY OWNED

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Bunny Briggs in Black and Blue, 1989 © The Al Hirschfeld Foundation. All rights reserved. www.AlHirschfeldFoundation.org.

Press contact: Keith Sherman & Associates info@ksa-pr.com 212.764.7900 HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY • 3

MAKING A WAY OUT OF NO WAY

Richmond, Virginia’s Ultimate Power Couple Exemplifies the Power of Love

By E. Ce Miller

W

hen Jacquelyn E. Stone was a young girl, growing up in then-segregated Williamsburg, Virginia, her mother shared the biography of an African American shopkeeper from Williamsburg who was so wealthy he loaned money to then-president of The College of William & Mary—a school that did not allow people of color to enroll until 1951. Growing up just steps away from the college, even as a child Stone was struck by the fact that a Black man was wealthy enough to grant a loan to the leader of William & Mary, yet would have been barred from attending as a student.

It’s a story that must have stuck with her.

The Stone family valued education and taught their children to do the same. Jacquelyn, the only sister to her three brothers, remembers starring longingly out the window of her family’s home as a child, watching her older brother catch the bus to school. Stone was so eager to attend school herself that her mother set up a child’s-sized table in the family room of their home—Stone’s “school”—and let her pretend she was attending as well.

When Jackie was finally old enough to enroll in school, her parents sent her to the private Walsingham Academy. It was the early 1960s and there were not many educational options for African American children—nor were there many other students of color at Walsingham. Stone spent her afternoons and school breaks surrounded by the children of color who lived on her street, and her school days immersed in a white student body. The dichotomy this presented for Stone left echoes that reverberated through her life years, even decades, later. This dichotomy taught her the power of diversity.

Stone’s roots in Williamsburg run deep and read like a pedigree of mid-Atlantic royalty. Her maternal grandfather worked at an elite golf course and met stars like Perry Como and others.

4 • HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY

Her father, the Honorable William T. Stone, was the first Black lawyer in Williamsburg, the first Black judge in Virginia, and founded the first integrated law firm in the state. Judge Stone mentored Jackie and many other rising attorneys. He was mentored by Oliver Hill, Sr. one of the pioneering lawyers that won the Brown v. Board case that ultimately allowed students like Jackie to attend any public institution.

So perhaps it is no wonder the Harvard Law School-educated daughter of Williamsburg grew up to become the first African American female partner at a major law firm in the state of Virginia, the first African American on the Board of Partners for the law firm of McGuireWoods, and the firm’s first African American hiring partner—a role she held for over two decades.

Those early experiences at Walsingham must have left their mark as well: Stone both created and chaired McGuireWoods’ Diversity and Inclusion Committee for most of her career, making such an impact that the firm’s Diversity and Inclusion Award is now called the Jacquelyn E. Stone Diversity and Inclusion Award. Most recently, Stone was named Best Mentor: Law Firm by The American Lawyer Industry Awards. This makes her the top law firm mentor in the nation.

And that’s just her day job.

When she’s not trailblazing in the legal profession, serving as Executive Vice President & Chief Legal Officer to film investment company Soulidifly Productions is a labor of love for Stone. Literally. In 2017 Soulidifly Productions was founded by Stone’s husband, former Verizon Communications executive, and current PGA film producer BK Fulton. Soulidifly produced or co-produced four feature-length films in its first year—a feat no other independent production company can claim to date.

In his first act, Fulton was the first Black president of Verizon Virginia and first Black vice president of Verizon’s Mid-Atlantic

BK and Jackie at Home overlooking the financial district in downtown Richmond, VA.

Region. From the moment he “retired” Fulton’s second act was in full swing. As of this writing, Fulton and the Soulidifly team are on set with Bruce Willis, Leon Robinson and Frank Grillo working on their tenth film in four years—eight are currently in the marketplace (including the much-celebrated River Runs Red featuring Taye Diggs, Jon Cusack, Luke Hemsworth and George Lopez; Love Dot Com: The Social Experiment; and the award-winning 1 Angry Black Man). The ninth film, Freedom’s Path, is expected to release by summer 2021.

He is also the author of eight children’s books— Shauna – about growing up with a disabled sibling; the seven book series Mr. Business: The Adventures of Little BK, based on Fulton’s own childhood; and one award-winning nonfiction title for young adults – The Tale of the Tee, which is a book about the power of simple acts to heal. BK is putting the finishing touches on a middle-school reader and Book 8 in his Mr. Business series along with a cartoon in collaboration with Lion Forge Animation, who won an Oscar in 2020 for their Hair Love cartoon short. Finally, BK has written and plans to release two novels about love, faith, and the power of knowing one’s roots. All of BK’s books are on Amazon and audible.com.

To call Stone and Fulton a “Renaissance” couple just barely scratches the surface.

What they’re really doing is building an empire.

As the benefactors of Virginia Tech’s B. Keith Fulton and Jacquelyn E. Stone STEAM Endowed Scholarship and recent donors of over a million dollars in art to the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (VMFA), it’s fitting that Stone and Fulton first met at a local charity event in Richmond. They briefly locked eyes across the room of a leadership meeting for the United Negro College Fund, hosted by the current chairman of the VMFA. At the end of their initial meeting, Stone—who, if you ask Fulton, is HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY • 5

the kind of person who has never met a stranger—introduced herself. The next meeting was on a chilly winter evening the following month. When they shook hands, he noticed hers were cold. He warmed them between his own.

The rest is history.

They were married on January 1, 2014—New Year’s Day, seven days after Christmas, six days before Stone’s birthday, and nine days before Fulton’s. It also happened to be the 151st anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation: a happy coincidence for the couple who has dedicated so much of their dynamic careers to diversity, inclusion, and equality.

Their ceremony was deliberately small, but well attended—their seventy guests included the first Black governor of Virginia and a former majority leader of the US House of Representatives.

They held it just around the corner from where Jackie grew up, at the Williamsburg Inn—a once-segregated venue that neither Stone nor Fulton would have been allowed inside of when they were growing up in Virginia, in the 1960s.

It’s a centuries old, storied institution; one that Margaret Thatcher and Queen Elizabeth frequented when they were in the States. Fulton and Stone stayed in the Queen’s suite on the night before their wedding. They were married in front of the iconic spiral staircase leading into the East Lounge, where the Queen entertained when she was in the US. Judge Stone was the officiant. It was a moment that inarguably changed the history of a place the couple would have been barred from just decades before. It was an unforgettable affair, the significance of which was visible on the faces of everyone who witnessed it, from Fulton and Stone’s guests to the event staff who were present that day—the couple’s delight in one another palpable.

But, like the very best love stories, their romance hasn’t always been all fairytale.

6 • HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY

BK&J with Henry Lewis Gates, Jr. and Russell Wilson in RVA.

In the summer of 2017, Stone suffered two brain aneurysms.

One of them had ruptured. Stone also was diagnosed with an anteriovenous malformation (AVM) and underwent a level 10 of 10 multi-hour brain surgery—a procedure with a disconcertingly low survival rate given the combination of Stone’s challenges.

Of those who survive the intense procedure of removing the AVM and fixing the aneurysms, a significant percentage (almost 80%) return from surgery with severe disabilities. Stone’s doctors expected she had only a 1% chance of returning to her career as a high functioning lawyer. She was told to prepare for up to eight months of recovery and rehab. Together, the couple leapt into the unknown. BK moved into the hospital to be by his wife’s side. Their love and faith kept them steady.

Two weeks following open brain surgery, Stone was released from the hospital. Two weeks after that, she returned to work.

Within days of returning to work, she was able to drive again. It was a recovery the couple considers nothing less than a miracle.

In 2017, only three years married, facing the possibility of Stone’s death taught the couple a critical lesson: tomorrow is not promised. They began to think about their lives differently.

That film became Il Sogno (“The Dream”, in Italian) a feature-length, non-narrative travelogue documenting a group of 122 people on an Italian vacation. They reenacted scenes from movies they loved: Roman Holiday, La Dolce Vita, Cleopatra, Gladiator, Death in Venice, Cinema Paradiso, Malèna, Il Postino, Life is Beautiful, The Godfather Part II, and an HBO limited series that aired shortly before their trip called The Young Pope. Often, the tourists they encountered on their travels willingly joined them in taking on the roles of actors in the various scenes. The trip was a movie buff’s fantasy. They loved every minute of it.

Il Sogno culminates in the group of travelers attending a blacktie event hosted by the ERG Italian Oscars—the perfect way to celebrate everything they had done on their trip. BK was asked to MC the event and he even read an official letter from the Pope to the group of global travelers. This trip would become one of many to follow and it set the tone for what Stone and Fulton had settled on as their next act – to enjoy every moment they had together and to lift others as they climb.

When Fulton was 20 years old, he made a 60-year plan for his life. Following Stone’s brain surgery, he realized he had accomplished everything in his plan: comfortably retiring earlier than most of his peers, remaining active in the tech industry and philanthropy, and nourishing the important relationships in his life. But shortly after Stone’s recovery, the couple looked at one another and asked: What else can we do with our lives now?

The first thing they did was take a once-in-a-lifetime trip to Italy. Ready to live every day as loud and full as they could, they decided to do something exciting, that neither one of them had ever done before. They travelled around the country recreating scenes from some of their favorite films, splicing them together to create a one-of-a-kind film of their own.

HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY • 7

BK&J in Soulidifly Screening Room in Richmond.

After their trip, Stone and Fulton returned to Richmond and started their company.

That film company is Soulidifly Productions—an investment house with nearly ten films completed and another two slated to wrap up by the end of this year. In addition to those listed above, the production company is also responsible for action features and dramas like Atone and Hell on the Border as well as the documentary The Unity Ride. Their film Joseph just won the African equivalent of the Oscars, taking home the 2020 Best Diaspora Film Feature award at the 16th annual African Movie Academy Awards. The film Freedom’s Path will be released this summer. This friendship film that takes place in the Antebellum South is already getting award buzz. It’s sure to become a fan favorite.

But that’s just the beginning. Films on deck include From August with Love, a book and film package that includes never-before-seen love notes from American playwright August Wilson and Asira Awakens the directorial debut of the ever-talented Malik Yoba, written by Christy S. Coleman. Fulton is especially amped about Final Four: The Miracle Season, a sports lover’s dream film that tells the story of the 1983 NCAA Championship team from NC State. The film was co-written by Fulton and one of the men who lived that championship season, former basketball player Dereck Whittenburg.

Not one to leave his calendar empty, Fulton continues to lead the other pillars of Soulidifly Productions as well: SoulVision Magazine and SoulVision.TV. As part of what the couple calls the “uplift cinema tradition,” they give away the magazine and the TV network programming as part of changing the narrative on what is possible when inclusion and diversity are a core value. BK is a major investor in seven companies, ranging from his ever-expanding media empire to the kind of emerging technology that has interested him since he was a kid: augmented reality, cybersecurity, movies and gaming exchanges.

He serves on the board of private companies like TowneBank and MediaU.com, institutions and nonprofits like Norfolk State University, The Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation, Media Mentors, and the Joan Trumpauer Mulholland Foundation.

Stone—who began her legal career at a time when there were 8 • HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY

BK&J in Malibu with Steve and Candi McKeever.

Steve is the founding CEO of Hidden Beach records.

not many partner positions available to women at U.S. law firms, and when diversity and inclusion weren’t topics on everyone’s mind—continues to help ensure attorneys of color are getting the same opportunities everyone else is getting, and that everyone is being acknowledged for the unique skills and perspectives they bring to the firm. As a partner and a mentor to young, emerging lawyers, she takes the extra effort to recognize as much diverse talent as possible. It’s an endeavor she doesn’t just rise to but exceeds.

One thing Stone and Fulton have always done is live their lives out loud. They go into everything full-force, and don’t slow down. They do not accept mediocrity and at the same time they don’t push aside or delay their dreams. They don’t believe in leaving a single thing they want to achieve on the table. In other words, they go all in, on everything. “It’s the only way to give greatness and love a chance,” says Fulton.

As a couple, they believe that there is no place to go except towards bigger dreams and smarter work. They are also working with friends to help get better elected leaders and ensure that everyone can freely exercise their right to vote. They trust that if they do their part, life will do its part for them. This is something they have experienced time and again. Fulton often says, “God blesses all of us to turn our dreams and ideas into their tangible equivalents. But you have to have the faith, be willing to do the work, and expect the outcomes.”

This couple has the faith. They do the work. They expect the outcomes. And, if you ask them, they’re just getting started.

BK&J at Martha’s Vineyard Sunday service with the President of the University of Richmond Dr. Ron Crutcher and his wife Dr. Betty Crutcher; with Mrs. Reesa Reynolds and the late Charles Reynolds.

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HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY • 9

Q&A with

Tye Liu 01

HW: Thank you for taking the time for this interview.

Please tell me your name and where are you from? My Chinese name is Te Liu. Tye is my English name. I am from Henan Province, China. I am a full-time producer, part-time director, and a freelance actor.

Recently I have been working on US-China coproduction films, TV commercials, and TV Show in Los Angeles.

02

HW: I understand that you are a talented actor. Who inspired you to pursue filmmaking as a way of life? How does your family feel about your desire to succeed as a filmmaker? The movie Chinatown inspired me to pursue filmmaking as a way of life. The ending scene was memorable. “Forget it, Jack. it is Chinatown.” When women and minorities are treated with indifference, the passerby are sleeping and people like me sitting in the audience are disappointed. After I watched a TED talk of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie: The danger of a single story (You should check it out), I decide to stay here to tell more stories!

I come from Henan, the hometown of Kung fu. Martial art is like a mandatory thing at school for my town. Kung Fu is part of my daily life and it is fantastic but there are many Asian stories to tell and more Asian culture to share beside martial arts. I always have an impulse to share our stories. We lack Asian representations in the western world; the label of “KUNG FLU” is NOT RIGHT! I am here to tell you more stories!

My family is happy about my desire. On the one hand, it is a good thing. On the other hand, it is a good business; the film business is flourishing in China and people look brilliant in front of or behind the camera. As a shrewd businessman and a rising producer, my father and I have many things in common.

The business is not a gambling game but like the stock market, people like us take the risk.

10 • HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY

03

HW: What steps have you taken, or classes that you have studied to help build your career? I graduated from Emerson Collage.

During my four years in college, almost every weekend was spent working to become a better film maker, and it became a filming week. Filmmaking techniques are very practical. The most important thing is to understand the film business and organize resources.

04

HW: Please tell us more about yourself. What films projects have you been working on? Most of the time, I am producing film and TV commercials.

2020 was a very productive year for us. Our upcoming short film, Untouchable (2020) directed by Jinfeng Ding is the official selection of the Beverly Hill Festival. I directed a short Film, Chinatown: Keep out. It was an award winner at the Montreal Independent Festival. The film will be screening at New Filmmakers NY. We shot two documentaries. The first one is The Foreigner’s New Adobe, which won the Golden Angel Award. The second one is The Thirty -Three Stories. I submitted it to major international film festivals.

We also shot some TV Commercials for local businesses including a Mother’s Day campaign for a DIY painting product, a promo for local restaurant, and a Corporate Video for automobile service company.

From 2019-2021 I also worked with this brilliant diligent Chinese director name Miaomiao Liu. She can always show a vision from a unique perspective.

In the movie Hawaii (2020), she depicted two vivid restaurant waitresses who were struggling for living. We worked on a short called Her (2021). This is a very interesting story about a Chinese model who had breast cancer and a resection operation.

06

HW: I understand that you have a business. What is the name of your company and what is your specialty? What is your role in your business? Our company is Easyfind Pictures. I am the Producer and director. My daily job is to explore Asian stories, to develop films and to increase our representations.

Recently, we have been preparing the stage drama, Bartender Nose. While at the same time, we are building an NFT social media for both Chinese and American users. We are inviting all artists, stars, filmmakers to join the NFT party.

07

HW: Do you have a website? What social media channels are you presently using? Please share your links.

Official Website: https://easyfindpictures.com/works/ IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm11968820 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/filmmakertye/

08

HW: Have you worked with any major actors or stars in your country. What was that experience like? During my college years, I worked with a schoolfellow, and talented actress, Tianran Qin (Jennifer Qin). Recently, Jennifer directed and starred in one of Apple’s iPhone movie projects in China. Jennifer is definitely an energetic and confident rising star.

I am now working on a stage drama and a feature film, called Bartender Nose. In 2022, we are going to make a performance tour in Los Angeles, Boston, and NYC. The feature film will be aired on Chinese and America video streaming platforms in 2023.

05

HW: As you know our Magazine is based in Los Angeles the center of Hollywood and the home of major motion picture studios. Producers and other members of the entertainment industry will discover you and read your story. What is the most important thing that you wish Hollywood to learn about potentially work with you in their films? There are three important things we want to share with you.

First, it is about our long-term project the stage drama and feature film, Bartender Nose. The story is about an Asian family tragedy involving an affair, family abuse and substance abuse. Our marketing strategy is to do the stage drama tour first to get more exposure and then we will shoot the feature film.

We are looking for cooperation.

Second, we want to introduce our short-term projects. We have a TV commercial service which includes business commercials, personal promotions, and red carpet or special events.

As a producer at Easyfind Pictures, I worked with Xiaohe Zhao, a famous director and a great supporting actor for many Chinese TV shows such as the Thunder. In 2020, we worked on a featured documentary, called “The Thirty Three Stories .” We recorded thirty- three clips and interviewed people from different Asian groups affected by the 2020 pandemic in the U.S including many students, small business owners, employees and so on.

I worked with this director name James Hu for a Tencent short documentary project, Dear My Hometown. James was nice. We called him “Humble Jimas.”

I also work with actor Arthur Peng. Last year, we won the Golden Angel Award together at the Chinese American Film Festival. I learned a lot from Arthur, and he is my mentor in LA. Here, I would like to say, “thank you my comrades!”

09

If you were introduced to your favorite actor or actress who would that person be, and what inspires you to like that person? I would like to meet Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. Her speech of the Danger of a Single Story had a huge influence on my filmmaking.

10

This concludes the formal interview session. What additional points would you like to discuss? The Internet is tremendously reformed our reality. Our films are the bridge between the real world and the virtual world. It is a trend, and everybody should enjoy it and join the party!

Third, we are here to announce that we are entering the NFT market.

Recently, many influential people are joining the NFT market: Jack Dorsey is selling his first NFT twitter; Elon Mask is selling his own NFT music… We believe NFTs and filmmakers will have unpredictable chemical reactions. We are planning to transfer and sell our video products as NFTs, such as TikTok Videos and TV commercials and so on. There are more options for you now!

We are developing our new websites and our own NFT social media APP. Please contact me for more information, cooperation, and updates.

HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY • 11

Diary Lunatic OF A

S Y L K E ’ S

“D

iary of a Lunatic: Sylke’s Tale’s” written and directed

by Greg Robbins follows a group of young adults trying to save their universe, one writing at a time. I appreciated this short series for many of its unusual yet unique choices and elements. To start, the diversity in the cast of this show was remarkable.

Recent stories have been flying in the media about lack of People of Color in top-ranking films and TV shows. I commend the writer for his choice of cast and non-stereotypical role choices.

Many shows these days tend to take this tasteless road of stereotyping actors on how they should act based upon sexuality, skin color, etc. The storyline of this show can be hard to grasp at first so I urge all audiences to pay close attention to details such as symbols, language, and character development. The character MaHa is one of the main protagonists in this show. MaHas's character is very unique as she tends to be wise and also unsure of her greatness. I appreciated

12 • HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY

the variety of story lines that happened in this show because it provided a bit of realism. Grace is a character that I enjoyed as she was portrayed to be very young and innocent while still being the most powerful woman in the room. We have all seen the fairy tales where the princess needs the prince to save her but in Diary of a Lunatic, the people save themselves. This show gives a refreshing take on mystery and magic all while intertwining it into different worlds full of villains and darkness. There were many twists and turns in this show as each episode led into the next and almost all ended on a cliffhanger. I believe that this show had lots of great detail. Shows like this typically tend to lack big pieces of a plot line but for this series, that was not the case. I can tell by watching this that the director had a clear idea of what he wanted to see on the big screen. It was refreshing to be able to understand the details as a viewer because this show allowed me to not only question my ideas for the plots but also understand from other perspectives

T A L E

By Elyce Hastings

from the comfort of my own home. I have not seen many of the actors in this series anywhere else before so it was very interesting to see new acting styles unfold before my eyes. This show is unlike many others that I have seen.

It was hard to relate it to multiple plot lines, even ones that may have shared similarities. I would highly suggest this series to anyone who enjoys the idea of fantasy over reality. I would love to see this series progress into more episodes that introduce new and intriguing characters. If you find yourself in hard times and need to escape for a bit, try out “Diary of a Lunatic: Sylke’s Tale’s.”

After long research and studying of this marvelous series, I took it upon myself to interview some of the key characters and actors that helped develop the unique storyline and plot to this artistic, unique story. The first lovely woman I had the pleasure of interviewing is Melody Nardone who played the character “MAHA”

Q&A W I T H Melody Nardone

EH: Why did you want to be involved in this production?

MN: It was truly divine intervention. I received a call from Larry Saunders asking if I was interested in doing a screen test for this series. I didn't even know what a screen test entailed. He went on to mention that Kimberly Eastwood who is Clint Eastwood's daughter is the executive producer. I was floored to know this and instantly wanted to be part of this TV series. It was even better when they asked if my daughter, Amber Vanderbush wanted to take part in this.

How could I say, "no?" Greg Robbins, the director saw something in me that I didn't even know existed. I trusted in that.

MH: The experience alone was worth it.

To work with this talented cast and crew, was worth it. To have it on Amazon Prime, is worth it. To be featured on the back of a bus, is worth it. To be here, doing this interview is worth it. To have worked with acting coach, Josie Divincenzo, worth it. For an opportunity to be a lead in a TV series, was worth it.

Alongside MaHa, there were many other amazing actors and actresses that made the characters they played truly come alive.

When speaking with Yancy Butler who played “Clarissa”(MAHA’s evil alter ego), I got to know a bit more about the true meaning behind this series. Yancy highlighted that this story is “unlike anything or any other story” that has been done. “This story is about different journeys and respecting each other’s choices”. When asked about the chemistry on screen between cast members, Yancy stated that they all were “nothing but welcoming, as we have all never worked together”. I found that this was a very interesting fact to know as the chemistry on screen is clearly very natural for everyone. This aspect made the tale just that much more desirable to watch.

EH: What made this role one worth having?

EH: Do you believe that you are similar to your character, if so, how?

TW: Trew and I are similar in the way we want to support and cheer on other people.

EH: What do you think people can walk away with after watching and understanding this story?

TW: I think this story is much like life trying to figure it out as you go along. It's not always clear when you are going through it, but then you look back and it all makes sense. I also appreciate the themes of goodness, and the importance of helping each other out, sticking up for one another, and encouraging each other to be our best.

EH: What’s going to surprise people about this show?

TW: It's not all spelled out for you. You have to come along for the ride, and watch it unfold.

EH: What’s going to surprise people about this show?

MH: It truly is a sci-fi/ fantasy mixed with some intense stunts. The stunts will surprise you!

EH: What do you think people can walk away with after watching and understanding this story?

MH: I truly feel like this film empowers you. You hold the pen to dictate your life.

You always have a choice no matter what your situation is. Here's the pen, how will you write your story?

Q&A W I T H Tracy Wilson

Tracy Wilson who plays “Trew” in the series gave us some insight on the similarities between her and her character. Tracy also ex pressed her overall appreciation for the cast and crew that made this on-screen experience special.

Muse Watson gave us an insight to his character of “creator of all worlds”. It is important to note that this character was played by Watson as his first on screen character since his former well received performance as “Mike Franks” on the CBS television series NCIS. When asked about the benefits of playing his character, Watson answered “playing the creator of all worlds was very fun, when I read his opening monologue “I was hooked”.

HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY • 13

Q&A W I T H Cynthia Rothrock

I got the chance to speak with Cynthia Rothrock. Cynthia is best known as her character “Mrs. CLOUDOVER” Mrs. Cloudover plays the mother of one of the main characters whose evil alter ego takes EH: What’s the biggest challenge about taking on your role?

CR: This role was a fun role for me to play.

The biggest challenge was playing a dual role.

The same thing is what attracted me to part. .

EH: What made this role one worth having?

CR: The role was fun for me to do. I always played a tough fighter and now I was playing a quirky mom possessed by a mean spirit.

She was suppose to change looks from the crazy mom to the good mom, but we only see the crazy looking mom side...But it was worth it to play Mrs. Cloudover when the spirit left her body.

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EH: Why did you want to be involved in this production?

CR: When the director contacted me he said it would be a fun role...A sci-fi film... With quirky characters. My character played two parts... One bad/ and one good. I loved the thought of playing a dual role. Unfortunately, more of the bad side shows up...We ran out of time and had to cut the good character scenes out to just a shortened version. You never got to see me look like the good side...But it worked and that is the magic of filming. I thought it was totally different from the past roles and loved the idea of going back to NY. EH: What do you think people can walk away with after watching and understanding this story?

CR: They will walk away being completely entertained, see some great fight actions, and as always good always wins over the bad.

Along with Greg, Maha Guemei is one of the key elements to this project as she is not only the co- creator, but also the exec producer words. Talking” is his attitude, and who wouldn’t if that is all he asks in return?

EH: Do you believe that you are similar to your character, if so, how?

MG: I was meant to play myself in our first production TREW’S CALLING and again in this TV series SYLKE’S TALES, but each time personal issues and health issues prevented me from doing so.

And both, Tracey B. Wilson as TREW and Melody Nardone as MAHA paint a perfect picture of me and my reactions to and the experiences of God talking to and teasing, testing and impressing an intelligent, independent, nonreligious woman who wants nothing to do with him. True to life is also that God never tries to shove TREW or MAHA into a religious belief corner, and that he is neither deterred by their cussing nor their disbelief in his words. “All is fine as long as we keep talking” is his attitude, and who wouldn’t if that is all he ask in return?

Lastly, I got the amazing opportunity to interview the film's very own director himself, Greg Robbins. Greg Robbins spoke to me about the true creative process behind this detailed series and who exactly he pulls inspiration from when bringing the big stories, to your very own screens at home.

Q&A W I TH Greg Robbins

EH: What, in your opinion, is the most important quality in a film director?

GR: Teaming up with actors to tell a story and bring emotions to the surface that take an audience on a journey.

EH: Regarding the creative process, how did yours come about? How did you come up with this idea?

GR: This is a collaboration between myself and Maha Guemei. We create ideas together and then I write dialogue and bring it back to her and we work from there.

EH: Tell me a bit about how it was to work with the cast.

GR: I have worked with most of the cast before as I like surrounding myself with good people. Being a good person is as important to me as having talent.

EH: What do you hope to do in the new future with your talents?

GR: To continue telling stories that enhance life EH: What audience do you believe that this series is targeted towards most?

GR: We are learning that gamers, people that are into comic books and fantasy’s of all ages like this show EH: Who is your favorite film director and what inspires you most about them/ their work?

GR: I love the work of Clint Eastwood, Frank Gapra and Peıer Berg, they are different styles of directors but they seem to pour the heart and soul into the stories they tell.

EH: I noticed on your IMDB, you quote “When you're a nobody making a living as a filmmaker is kind of like clawing on the inside of a coªm”. Can you please explain a little more about this concept of “clawing on the inside of a coªm” and how do you overcome it?

GR: Everyday is a struggle when you are a nobody in this business, trying to get stories told without the proper tools starting with funding. I don’t care about how much money I make, I'm talking about being able to take our time and do things the correct way. You never overcome it, you just keep moving forward and learn to make solid products with what you have and you try and get better faster. I just want to tell stories that makes people feel good and maybe that feeling will help their day.

Many of the actors in this series had nothing but raving compliments regarding production and overall outcome. Diary of a Lunatic: Sylke’s Tale is unlike anything you will ever watch.

From cast, to crew, to themes, this show stands out. Fantasy, magic, and the ultimate truth of friendship is what this show is all about. Empowerment tends to be an ongoing theme within this series as the pen is what ultimately dictates people’s futures. Melody Nardone chimed in on this take with her stating “I truly feel like this TV series will empower you. You hold the pen to dictate your life. You always have a choice no matter what your situation is. Here's the pen, how will you write your story?”. I found this to be a very interesting aspect of the show as such a simple object, had the power to hold so much story and truth in many different ways, for many different characters. The color pallet of this show is notably something that stood out to me as a viewer. Many of the emotions from each character is translated through the use of colors that set the scene. The darker colors indicated fear, loss, and defeat. The brighter colors were used to help show enjoyment, happiness, and even admiration or love. I urge all audiences to be mindful of this special detail while watching.

The character development was very clear while watching this show. “MAHA” is a character that I grew into finding herself above all else. It was fantastic to see how all characters including her, grew into finding their voice throughout each episode. Underlying themes such as this one make for excellent on-screen art.

GREG ROBBINS is a very talented director who puts all of his energy into his work. Diary of a Lunatic: Sylke’s Tale is a perfect example of this. I would suggest this show to anyone who finds comfort in watching fantasy mixed with realistic challenges on screen. Each character is uniquely developed and therefore can relate to anyone watching. I would only hope that Greg Robbins continues to pursue his passion through film as his work is clearly one worth watching overtime. I look forward to having the pleasure of viewing many of his future projects as I believe that they will be just as special, if not more.

Photos courtesy of Greg Robbins, Jim Breidenstein and Monika Zanni

Diary OF A Lunatic Check it out now on Prime Video!

www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/B08XJLP91D/ref=atv_dp_share_cu_r

HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY • 15

AL HIRSCHFELD FOUNDATION presents "AMPLIFIED DIGNITY," online exhibition celebrating

BLACK HISTORY

T

he Al Hirschfeld Foundation celebrates Black History Month with its latest online exhibition, Amplified Dignity: Black Dancers Drawn by Hirschfeld. Now live at AlHirschfeldFoundation.org/exhibitions though March 13, the exhibition features Hirschfeld's reflections of legendary 20th Century artists including Sammy Davis Jr., Josephine Baker, Nicholas Brothers, Bunny Briggs, Judith Jamison, Hinton Battle, Maurice Hines, and Honi Coles.

the 2020 Apple Awards. A special episode dedicated to the works featured Amplified Dignity: Black Dancers Drawn by Hirschfeld will be available starting February 2, 2021 from AlHirschfeldFoundation.org/podcasts, iTunes and other popular podcast sites.

"To be rendered by Hirschfeld is to be immortalized in the fraternity of American popular art," says dance educator, choreographer and dramaturg Melanie George, who has curated Amplified Dignity. "These drawings encapsulate a history of individual and collective opportunity and excellence, as well as disenfranchisement and marginalization. The exhibit contains a mix of well and lesser-known artists, and nameless groups of dancers, who have contributed to the history of dance in America. The images demonstrate reverence for the people and art of New York, especially during the Harlem Renaissance era. The intent is to place these dancers at the center of the cannon, not on the margins. A rightful place, as the foundation and evolution of dance in America is intertwined and indebted to innovation and performances by Black people in America."

Amplified Dignity is the latest exhibition in The Al Hirschfeld Foundation's Black Art Matters series. Having launched last summer with Lost in the Stars: Black Theater Makers Drawn

By Hirschfeld, upcoming exhibits in the series will celebrate black film artists and musicians, and the 80th anniversary of the artist's iconic representations of the African-American experience in the 1930's Harlem As Seen By Hirschfeld., Go behind the lines of Hirschfeld's art with "The Hirschfeld Century Podcast," nominated as "Best NYC podcast" by

16 • HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY

Self Portrait, 1985 © The Al Hirschfeld Foundation. All rights reserved. www.AlHirschfeldFoundation.org. Press contact: Keith Sherman & Associates info@ksa-pr.com 212.764.7900

Judith Jamison in Echo: Far From Home, 1998 © The Al Hirschfeld Foundation. All rights reserved. www.AlHirschfeldFoundation.org. Press contact: Keith Sherman & Associates info@ksa-pr.com 212.764.7900

HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY • 17

ABOUT CURATOR MELANIE GEORGE

ABOUT THE AL HIRSCHFELD FOUNDATION

Melanie George is a dance educator, choreographer, scholar, and dramaturg. She is the founder and director of Jazz Is... Dance Project and an Associate Curator and Scholar-In-Residence at Jacob's Pillow. As a dramaturg, she has contributed to projects

by David Neumann & Marcella Murray (on the Obie Award winning Distances Smaller Than This Are Not Confirmed), Raja Feather Kelly, Ephrat Asherie, Susan Marshall & Company, Machine Dazzle, and Urban Bush Women among others. A highly sought after teacher and choreographer of the neo-jazz aesthetic, Melanie is a featured in the documentary UpRooted: The Journey of Jazz, Dance. Melanie has presented her research on jazz improvisation and pedagogy throughout the U.S., in Canada and Scotland, and founded the global advocacy website jazzdancedirect.com. She is the former Dance Program Director at American University, and has guest lectured at Harvard University, the Yale School of Drama, and The Juilliard School, among others.

The mission of the Al Hirschfeld Foundation is to promote interest in the theater and visual arts by supporting non-profit museums, libraries, theaters and similar cultural institutions.

The Foundation fulfills its mission through grants and exhibitions of Hirschfeld's art . The Foundation maintains an extensive collection of Hirschfeld artworks and lends and/ or donates pieces to institutions all over the world. Another primary mission is arts education, which the Foundation does primarily with the Hirschfeld Arts Curriculum. Created in conjunction with the New York City Board of Education, The Hirschfeld Arts Curriculum is an innovative visual/ performing arts education program based on Hirschfeld's art to engage students K through 12 in a variety of arts activities. Our programs encourage writing, reading, researching, observing, movement and performance to learn about the arts, its history, and the opportunities for education and employment in the arts field. The web based Al Hirschfeld curriculum is easy to use, and is intended to be a free resource for teachers and students. www.AlHirschfeldFoundation.org

Sammy Davis Jr in Stop the World I Want to Get Off, 1978 © The Al Hirschfeld Foundation. All rights reserved. www.AlHirschfeldFoundation.org.

Press contact: Keith Sherman & Associates info@ksa-pr.com 212.764.7900 18 • HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY

ABOUT THE ARTIST Al Hirschfeld's drawings stand as one of the most innovative efforts in establishing the visual language of modern art through caricature in the 20th century. A self-described "characterist," his signature work, defined by a linear calligraphic style, appeared in virtually every major publication of the last nine decades (including a 75-year relationship with The New York Times) as well as numerous book and record covers and 15 postage stamps.

Hirschfeld said his contribution was to take the character, created by the playwright and portrayed by the actor, and reinvent it for the reader. Playwright Terrence McNally wrote: "No one 'writes' more accurately of the performing arts than Al Hirschfeld. He accomplishes on a blank page with his pen and ink in a few strokes what many of us need a lifetime of words to say."

In 1945, Hirschfeld celebrated the birth of his daughter Nina by placing her name in the background of a drawing. What the artist described as an innocent prank soon became a personal trademark and national obsession, as he began hiding numerous NINA's throughout his drawings for years to come.

He is represented in many public collections, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Whitney Museum of American Art, the National Portrait Gallery, and Harvard's Theater Collection. Hirschfeld authored several books including Manhattan Oases and Show Business is No Business in addition to 10 collections of his work. He was declared a Living Landmark by the New York City Landmarks Commission in 1996, and a Living Legend by The Library of Congress in 2000. Just before his death in January 2003, he learned he was to be awarded the Medal of Arts from the National Endowment of the Arts and inducted into the Academy of Arts and Letters. The winner of two Tony Awards, he was given the ultimate Broadway accolade on what would have been his 100th birthday in June 2003. The Martin Beck Theater was renamed the Al Hirschfeld Theater.

Whoopi Goldberg in Whoopi Goldberg, 1984

Bunny Briggs in Black and Blue, 1989

© The Al Hirschfeld Foundation. All rights reserved. www.AlHirschfeldFoundation.org.

Press contact: Keith Sherman & Associates info@ksa-pr.com 212.764.7900 HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY • 19

THE EMPIRE OF EBONY

Lisa Cortés to Direct Documentary on the Rise and Impact of the 1st Black Media Empire

A supporter holds up an issue Ebony magazine featuring Barack Obama before a speech at a campaign event billed as a town hall meeting August 19, 2008. | Photo: Sara D. Davis/Getty Images (Getty Images) | Source: Theroot.com

By Tonja Renée Stidhum The first-ever Black media empire, Ebony, is getting its own documentary. Lisa Cortés (All In: The Fight For Democracy, The Apollo) will direct the film and Academy Award and Emmy Award winning filmmaker Roger Ross Williams’ (The Apollo, Life Animated) will produce via One Story Up. Cortés will also produce, as well.

rise of Ebony and Jet and their growth into a brand with a readership base in the millions which has had an undeniable effect on American culture. This will include the important role these publications played in illuminating key moments in American history that went unreported by the mainstream media.

Here’s what you can expect from the doc, per the press release sent to The Root:

With access to Ebony and Jet’s extensive archives, the film will also chronicle the media empire’s revolutionary effect on not just the media landscape but American culture, consumerism, and history. The Empire of Ebony will provide a powerful testament to the visionary entrepreneurship of the Ebony media empire and a dynamic story of Black struggle and triumph in America.

The Empire of Ebony will take an expansive look at The Johnson Publishing Company and their titles Ebony and Jet. The film will explore two of the most influential publications in the history of American media all the way from the media empire’s beginnings as a small publishing company, started by John H. Johnson and Eunice W. Johnson with a five-hundred dollar loan, to its incredible growth into a publishing juggernaut with an unparalleled cultural impact. The film will chart the

20 • HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY

“Growing up, Ebony and Jet were in every Black household and they were everything! You could start reading at home and finish at the beauty parlor, barbershop, or at your Auntie’s house,” Cortés said in a statement. “In the pages of these magazines I

saw Black people who inspired me to dream and create. I’m so excited to be working with the incredible team at One Story Up anchored by Roger Ross Williams, and honored that Linda Johnson Rice has entrusted me to tell this story for the first time. Through a visual archive spanning seventy-five years of the most important moments of African American life, The Empire of Ebony will be a revelatory story of entrepreneurship, innovation and Black love.”

The celebration of Ebony’s legacy has also been documented in literary form by Lavaille Lavette called Ebony: Covering Black America, which is described as “a celebration of the treasure trove of the magazine’s rich history, glamorous covers, groundbreaking cultural impact, and authentic coverage of Black American life from the magazine’s inception to the present.”

Of course we can’t help but wonder if the documentary will explore “the fall” along with “the rise.” In fact, it has been quite a rollercoaster ride of rises, falls and rebirths with the magazine being recently purchased for $14 million by retired Milwaukee Bucks forward Ulysses “Junior” Bridgeman and the very recent appointment of its new CEO, Michele Gee. It looks like this is the time to do a retrospective of our legacy Black publications because it was announced last October that HBO Max would be developing a drama series based on Essence Magazine’s origin story.

“The lasting impact Ebony and Jet has is undeniable. With these publications, the Johnson Publishing Company changed the entire American press landscape and completely revolutionized the way Black Americans were able to see themselves in popular culture, media, and advertising,” Williams said in a statement.

“We’ve seen numerous documentaries about other publications like Rolling Stone, Playboy, and The New York Times, but have yet to see something about such dynamic magazines like Ebony and Jet. I’m thrilled to be able to collaborate with Lisa, Linda, and Brenda through One Story Up to bring this project to life and shine a well deserved spotlight on this influential and powerful media empire.”

SUBMIT YOUR FILM GET REVIEWED (424) 371-9900 HollywoodWeekly@gmail.com

The Empire of Ebony, which is currently in production, is produced by Alyse Shorland and executive produced by Linda Johnson Rice, chairman and CEO of Johnson Publishing Company, and One Story Up’s Emmy Award-Winning Geoff Martz (The Innocence Files, Between The World And Me), Brenda Robinson, Regina K. Scully, Patty Quillin, Nion McEvoy, Leslie Berriman, Julie Parker Benello, Chaz Ebert, Jason Delane Lee, Yvonne Huff Lee, Jenny Raskin, Geralyn White Dreyfous, Jenifer Westphal, Joe Plummer, Charles D. King, Poppy Hanks, Steve Cohen, Paula Froehle, Jim Swartz, Susan Swartz, David Fialkow, Nina Fialkow, Barbara Dobkin, Eric Dobkin and Katrina vanden Heuvel. Co-Executive Producers include Malcolm Jenkins, Melony & Adam Lewis, Marni Grossman and Robert Pasin. Additional producers include Impact Partners, in association with Chicago Media Project, MACRO, The Lagralane Group and Artemis Rising Foundation.

HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY • 21

Hollywood Weekly - Page Turners BedsideReading.com

We’re gathering our beach reads, one by one and we’re patiently waiting to dive in. But you don’t have to! Our beach reading begins here:

Don't Lie to Me by Willow Rose Every parent's nightmare! When twelve-yearold Sophie Williams went on a Girl Scout summer camp, she never returned home.

Three months later, her body is found inside her sleeping bag in the most frequented area of Cocoa Beach, and the town is outraged.

The girl isn't just any child. She's the town's most beloved surf idol, and it was believed that she could be the next Kelly Slater.

As another child, the son of a well-known senator is kidnapped, and the parents receive a disturbing video, FBI profiler Eva Rae Thomas — who has just returned to her hometown, divorced and out of a job — plunges into the investigation, breaking her promise to her children not to do police work again.

Local law enforcement, with her old flame Matt Miller in charge, are the ones who ask for her help in a case so unsettling that only she can solve it. But the deeper they dig, the deadlier it becomes for Matt and Eva Rae. Soon, everyone she holds dear is in grave danger as this case hits a little too close to home.

DON’T LIE TO ME is the first book in the Eva Rae Thomas Mystery Series and can be read as a standalone.

Brilliant Burnout by Nisha Jackson In Brilliant Burnout, Nisha Jackson reveals proven and successful testing and treatment strategies, with step-bystep instructions for optimal hormone, brain, and body balance and compelling insights that have helped women all around the world change their lives and step up their game. Learn and use the very tactics explained in this book to beat the big snooze of burning out!

"ABSOLUTE PERFECTION." "I just could not put it down and read it in one sitting. Excellent!"

"I loved it and can’t wait for the next one in this series. Don’t miss this one!! "

Little Sister by Patricia Chadwick Imagine an eighteen-year-old American girl who has never read a newspaper, watched television, or made a phone call. An eighteen-year-old-girl who has never danced—and this in the 1960s.

It is in Cambridge, Massachusetts where Leonard Feeney, a controversial (soon to be excommunicated) Catholic priest, has founded a religious community called the Slaves of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. The Center's members—many of them educated at Harvard and Radcliffe—surrender all earthly possessions and aspects of their life, including their children, to him. Patricia Chadwick was one of those children, and Little Sister is her account of growing up in the Feeney sect.

Separated from her parents and forbidden to speak to them, Patricia bristles against the community’s draconian rules, yearning for another life. When, at seventeen, she is banished from the Center, her home, she faces the world alone, without skills, family, or money but empowered with faith and a fierce determination to succeed on her own, which she does, rising eventually to the upper echelons of the world of finance and investing.

A tale of resilience and grace, Little Sister chronicles, in riveting prose, a surreal childhood and does so without rancor or self-pity.

22 • HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY

_____

both the discomfort and the throes of grief after ldren around the world he rest of her family, the iew (they visit a temple ng tarantulas, after all). vel writing, what really ds her way, after nearly ompassion. Square Up is love of self, family, and,

When a surprise job offer from her house-flipping sister reacquaints Lilly with handsome, free-spirited Wenniway Island transplant Matt Eastman, Lilly wonders if she’s ready for a new romance. Then she meets Hollywood heartthrob Jayden Pierce, who is filming a movie on the island, and she’s certain of it—but with whom? She’s caught the attention of both men, and both men have caught hers. So what’s a girl to do?

Earnest Matt shares her love of the close-knit island community, while surprisingly down-to-earth Jayden encourages her to live life outside her comfort zone. As the flirtatious triangle sets the town talking, Lilly must choose: Does she want to plant forever roots in Trillium Bay with Matt?

Or follow a man who makes love stories for a living? Two very different men. Two very different futures. But deep down, Lilly knows that only one holds the promise of her kind of perfect.

A Perfect Nightmare: My Glittering Marriage and How It Almost Cost Me My Life by Karen Gosbee Karen Gosbee had it all: a successful husband, three beautiful children, the homes, the cars, the jewelry, the A-list invitations. Her life looked perfect and as her husband, George, liked to say, appearances are everything.

But at the height of his success as an owner of a major American sports franchise, cracks appeared in George’s carefully constructed façade.

Karen could not ignore his increasingly erratic and self-destructive behavior, which spiraled from affairs and hard-drinking to prostitutes and drug abuse. Nor could she escape his abuse as emotional bullying escalated into dangerous beatings.

A Perfect Nightmare is the story of a woman’s awakening to the realities of her failing marriage and her desperate struggle - one that would end in headlines and tragedy - to bring herself and her children to safety.

The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones From “the Jordan Peele of horror literature” comes a psychological thriller about revenge, breaking tradition, and the American Indian experience, perfect for fans of Stephen King. The Only Good Indians tells the story of four American Indian men and their families, as they are haunted by a disturbing, deadly event that took place in their youth.

Years later, they find themselves tracked by an entity bent on revenge, helpless as the culture and traditions they left behind catch up to them in a violent, vengeful way.

Lisa Dailey

urney around the world merciful, compassionate tive, and healing. As a who has struggled with sion, not self-pity, with loved Cheryl Strayed’s

After her scandalous May-December romance comes to an end, baby of the family Lilly Callaghan returns home to Trillium Bay braced for the torrent of “I told you sos” from her sisters and the rest of the tiny island community. Floundering both personally and professionally, she’s at an emotional crossroads but determined to figure out her next best steps.

SQUARE UP

ehind? Born on the “Day nderlust. Although she he-world adventure, she after losing seven family helps us understand and d wisdom, heal from our

My Kind Of Perfect by Tracy Brogan

Square Up by Lisa A Dailey

SQUARE 50,000 m

iles in se

ife Quest to Run Seven

Lisa Dailey

UP

arch of a way hom e

Have you ever wished you could run away and leave your life behind?

Born on the "Day of the Wanderer," Lisa Dailey has always been filled with wanderlust. Although she and her husband had planned to take their family on a 'round-the-world adventure, she didn't expect their plans to come together on the heels of grief, after losing seven family members in five years. Square Up shows us that travel not only helps us understand and appreciate other cultures, but invites us to find compassion and wisdom, heal from our losses, and discover our capacity for forgiveness, as well as joy.

Raphael, Painter In Rome

by Stephanie Storey Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel ceiling is one of the most iconic masterpieces of the Renaissance.

Here, in Raphael, Painter in Rome, Storey tells of its creation as never before: through the eyes of Michelangelo’s fiercest rival—the young, beautiful, brilliant painter of perfection, Raphael. Orphaned at age eleven, Raphael is determined to keep the deathbed promise he made to his father: become the greatest artist in history.

But to be the best, he must beat the best, the legendary sculptor of the David, Michelangelo Buonarroti. When Pope Julius II calls both artists down to Rome, they are pitted against each other: Michelangelo painting the Sistine Ceiling, while Raphael decorates the pope's private apartments. As Raphael strives toward perfection in paint, he battles internal demons: his desperate ambition, crippling fear of imperfection, and unshakable loneliness. Along the way, he conspires with cardinals, scrambles through the ruins of ancient Rome, and falls in love with a baker’s-daughter -turned-prostitute who becomes his muse.

With its gorgeous writing, rich settings, endearing characters, and riveting plot, Raphael, Painter in Rome brings to vivid life these two Renaissance masters going head to head in the deadly halls of the Vatican.

HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY • 23

Conversations With Our Authors The Contract by Sheila Grinell Joanna and Ev have been partners for ten years--in business and in love--when one of the only women in government in the Middle East invites their firm to design a children's museum in Riyadh. Jo sees a chance to solidify her name in the design world in the venture; Ev has no desire to work in a vigorously policed society, preferring to remain in his workshop fashioning displays. But Ev accedes to Jo's wishes. The process of bidding on the job soon throws their home office into chaos and challenges their long-held assumptions about the value of their work--and marriage. If they get the job, will their partnership survive the strain?

Q&A WITH SHEILA GRINELL Q. What inspired you to write the book?

A. I overheard a friend, a woman I knew to be kind and generous, talking to her sister with absolute contempt. I thought to myself, shouldn’t she have learned to tolerate her sister by now?

We live in such fractious times—people all over the world are having problems tolerating one another. In a flash, I realized I could use my experience as a consultant in Saudi Arabia to explore the dimensions of tolerance through fiction. I could send a married couple of Californians to Riyadh on a mission, and there’d be plenty of dramatic tension.

Q. Is the story based on your life as a museum developer?

A. I spent forty years creating science museums before I started writing novels. Yes, the story takes off from my experience in museums around the world, but it’s fiction. The characters are amalgams of people I’ve known, but they’re their own, unique people. My former field features quite a few wife-husband design teams. In the book, the protagonist’s husband is also her business partner. In real life, I’d kill my Tom if I had to work with him.

The Rancher In Stilettos by Marcia Williams Cromer The Rancher in Stilettos is a romance novel based on a group of six black women whose relationship spans their entire lives. They met as children in the small Texas town where they grew up and forged a bond that would last a lifetime. Though not biological, "The Dreamers" are sisters in every sense of the word, and when life struggles present themselves, the women form their "Dreamers Circle" of protection against outside forces.

You can't stereotype Zaide Grace and her friends. Try to put "The Dreamers" in a box and they will decorate it with every color and invite the world in for a tour. The main character, Zaide Grace is a black woman who is a beautiful, smart, powerful marketing professional preparing to leave her life in New York after a recent divorce. She is also in a flailing relationship with Lane, a tall, handsome, black co-worker at Banger and Stroud. Leaving New York and her dream job will be difficult, especially since she is heading back to live on the ranch she inherited and grew up on in Texas.

Zaide prepares for her next adventure by embarking on a business with “The Dreamers.” “Big Dream Threads” is a high-end boutique that the women plan to open in Dallas, New York and Paris. To jump start the business, Zaide reaches out to venture capital friends that can help them raise money. One of the VCs is a former client, Corey Helms, a young, handsome, tall, recently single white man who has long been in love with Zaide. Corey couldn’t previously act on those feelings as he was also married when they first met.

The Rancher in Stilettos is a funny, sexy, internationally set ride with characters that you will root for and love.

Q&A WITH MARCIA WILLIAMS CROMER Q. What was the inspiration for the book?

A. I have been wanting to write this book for several years. The title came from my own experiences growing up on a ranch and finding myself doing ranch work or hanging out with my dad in my professional clothes. When COVID prevented me from traveling, I decided to write the book with the extra time and come out of this pandemic with something positive.

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Q. How does the book seek to empower women of all cultures?

A. "The Dreamers" are all ambitious women with powerful jobs and huge aspirations. They love and appreciate the men in their lives, but rarely acquiesce their own desires or intelligence.

Because they have known each other all of their lives, they know what motivates each other. The support they provide each other comes from a place of unconditional love- no strings attached.

The Twelve Gifts of Birt by Charlene Costanzo There is no more magical moment than when a newborn baby is laid in a mother's arms. What was for many months a dream and a mystery is now a miraculous new person at the threshold of a life filled with possibilities. Through a tender, inspiring tale, The Twelve Gifts of Birth reveals the birthright inheritance that all children receive at this moment. Wise women, otherwise known as fairy godmothers, announce the twelve gifts in the form of blessings and show how to use them to enrich one's life.

This keepsake book encourages new parents to nurture and protect the wondrous qualities that have been bestowed on their tiny miracles. When shared with young children, this message helps form within them a strong foundation of values and self-respect. For teens and adults, this story offers healing and hope during times of diminished self-esteem and uncertain transition. It reminds all readers to see the dignity that is inherent in themselves and others.

Q&A WITH CHARLENE COSTANZO Q. What’s the story behind The Twelve Gifts of Birth?

Readers like to hear how a rejected manuscript became a bestseller and grew into a collection of titles. How did this begin?

A. You know the expression, “The days are long but the years are short?” One afternoon when my daughters were teenagers, I had a wake up experience. I felt as if I was hit with a tidal wave of understanding that expression. I was simply unloading the dishwasher when I suddenly saw, in my mind, scenes from their childhood. It was like a film running in high speed. When I saw times they were little girls chattering excitedly and I half listened because I was busy juggling tasks, I ached for those precious opportunities to give them my full attention. “Have I been a good mom?” I asked myself. Though my answer was “Yes,” there was a “but.” “Yes, but,” because I knew so much more about parenting after 17 years of on-the-job training. Besides learning that time passes quickly, I understood that unconditional love is the most important thing we can give children. Also, we are to help guide

each child to become fully herself. I realized I would have done some things differently. I knew I couldn’t change the past. But I wanted to give them something meaningful for the rest of their lives.

Q. What is the story of The Twelve Gifts of Birth?

A. It begins with a “Once upon a time” fable about how fairy godmothers rushed to the castle whenever a new prince or princess came into the world. The godmothers would pronounce 12 noble gifts upon the royal baby. As time went on, the godmothers understood that the 12 noble gifts of birth belong to every child.

They wanted to announce this to all children but the customs of the land did not allow them. The godmothers predict that someday all children will know about their gifts. And when that happens, a miracle will unfold on Earth.

Feeling hopeful that someday is near, the godmothers share a secret with the reader. It’s about the moment you were born.

The gifts are then pronounced to the reader with a “May you” prayerful wish about how to use each gift to live well.

Winter’s Mourn by Mary Stone A killer is watching…Thirteen years ago, Winter Black came home early from a sleepover to find her parents brutally murdered and her little brother gone—taken by a serial killer called The Preacher. Now a rookie FBI agent assigned to her first murder case, Winter has returned to the small Virginia town where she grew up.

But when bones found by a hunter lead to the discovery of a secret burial ground containing the remains of children, the investigation suddenly hits close to home as the past and future collide with each new shocking discovery. Will they find her brother’s bones in the makeshift graveyard next?

Only The Preacher knows, and he’ll do anything to keep the past—and its secrets—buried until he’s ready to make his final move. A masterfully conceived psychological thriller reminiscent of Lee Child, Winter’s Mourn will keep readers turning the pages—and watching the window—long past midnight.

Q&A WITH MARY STONE Q. How did you come up with the idea for this book?

What inspired it?

A. I was watching a show on scientists working on creating “designer” babies, where parents could choose sex, eye color and other physical traits to make the “perfect” child. I began thinking past the physical, and how some people might want to create perfect behavior in children (kind of like Stepford Wives, but as babies). These children could be easily molded and manipulated

into following orders, and as they age, take over the world. The cult leader in this book attempts to create perfect followers, with little success.

Q. How is it different than others in the series?

A. This book investigates the death of multiple children found in shallow graves. Instead of the normal serial killer trope, who kills for the love of killing, this killer is attempting to make perfect children, then getting rid of those children who his manipulations disfigure.

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Carmelita Pittman The Social Butterfly

Self portrait oil painting/ collage 18X24 /

by Carmelita Pittman

BY CARMELITA PITTMAN

B

eing very shy as a child I would run and hide behind the furniture when visitors arrived in our home, I eventually outgrew that phase. I always admired those who were socially connected and prominent in stature, even as a youngster when I saw people like class mate Nettie Douglas in the 4th grade who was beautiful and popular. That was not me. I was in the shadows.

But I had a leaning towards being religious.

I was taught in Catechism class to pray the rosary regularly no matter where , even on the bus. About eleven years of age, taking that lesson to heart, I sat on a bench minding my own business praying the rosary during recess one day. The next thing I knew a crowd was gathering to watch me pray. The crowd began to grow and youngsters were even climbing up on the chain link fence above my head to see me. The growing crowd pushed me against the fence while they tried to get a better view. Some were running across the school yard because they thought there was a fight going on. But it was just me, praying. When I finished I stood up to the curious or mockers for my belief.

Now it is dangerous in certain places in the world where

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Christians are in danger of losing their lives for their faith.

But there is a saying that if you deny God, you will be denied when the time comes. And when the time comes I want to hear, "Well done my servant". That will be the greatest award of all.

I am only two years away from the age that my mother was when her life was claimed by breast cancer. Because my mother sacrificed her own life so mine could be better I have remained in perpetual gratitude to her. On a secretary's salary she put me through one of the most prestigious universities in the United States of America, the University of Southern California ,USC. My mother, Juanita Zara Espinosa Uddin and my friend from England, Basil Swift, a writer for whom I worked for awhile, both insisted that I attend the reception at USC Fisher Art Gallery. I could not understand what was so urgent about me being there. Lo and behold to my surprise my art professors presented me the Ross, Spayne Perry art award which also included an art scholarship for a semester at USC. What a blessing. That was part of the pattern I became accustomed to. Beginning in elementary school I

Lady of Humanity photo and title named by Pasqual Bettio FRPS, recipient of Humanitarian of the Year award, 2010 Civic Leader 2011 Entertainer of the Year 2014 from the Southern California Motion Picture Council became the class artist , then was selected to represent the Jr. High in the 8th grade when I was sent to Otis Art Institute to study under noted artist Joe Magnani. At Otis Art Institute I later met Charles White, famed American artist of African descent who wanted me to be an artist model for his class. I was honored but did not accept the invitation.

transported the winners of the Bicentennial art contest who placed 1st, 2nd and 3rd to pick up their awards in the only gold limousine in town at the time. Our client, Smokey Robinson, had used the limousine the day before when he did a concert with Stevie Wonder , Teena Marie and Pattie LaBelle, all household names.

Also L.A. High School selected me to represent the school during a Theatrical workshop at Hollywood High School.

I started out working on the sets for the performances , then switched to dancing but wound up singing "Tonight" from Westside Story with the orchestra, all made up of students who were selected for their musical ability. That production was the grand finale in the auditorium attended by the community.

My journey alongside figures of note began early as a youngster when I watched my mother and step-father Shiraj Uddin, become hosts to prominent guests such as the Ambassador of India in our large home near Berkeley Square. My mother became a member of American wives of India and at age 9 or so I learned how to dance Hindu Manipuri style from famed dancer Bhupesh Guha , a good friend of my step-father who wanted to give me a scholarship when I became a young adult but I declined in order to pursue teaching school. Later I would perform that dance in a movie entitled "Brando Unauthorized" about Marlon Brando starring Damian Chapa produced

by Peter Allman. I also sang in the Bengali language which was recognized by the observers who witnessed my performance of that dance on the borderline of Pakistan,

Little did I know this would form the foundation of my creative life as an adult. In turn after being awarded so many times I became an award winning art educator for L.A. Unified School District leading my students to honors and art scholarships. At one time Pittman Limousine service co-owned with my husband, Jerry Pittman,

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paintings by Carmelita Pittman

Tree of Life. Created at Artists for a Better World art festival on a blank canvas

Redd Foxx portrait oil painting 18x24. seen on his interview on Robin Leach Rich and Famous tv show

the country of origin of my step father. That location was part of my trip sponsored by my mother along the Marco Polo silk route in China where I was amongst the first Americans to visit remote parts.

A globe trotter , I taught the Mongolian soldiers how to rap when I was Ms C Rappin' Pittman, the Rapping School Teacher. Recordings including the School of Cool and my husband's production of me singing "Rosebud" and "Isn't it Lonely". all made the top 40 charts. Two of those recordings are now rare collectibles in Northern England, Australia, Japan and fetched as much as $2,000.00 per vinyl single by avid collectors.

My status as a fine and performing artist, composer, producer, dancer , actress expanded over the years with several credits. I stayed the course as a supporter and committee member of Vonny Hilton Sweeney's Pre-Grammy Music Industry celebrations since the 80's. 1998 I sponsored and chaired the event at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel which attracted attendance of at least 1,000 in black tie and elegant gowns and flashy outfits. I was invited the 3rd year on the production and participated all 23 years which were a launching pad for the "sung and unsung heroes" as Vonny used to say. Grammy nominees and aspiring 28 • HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY

Dionne. Warwick portrait oil painting 18 x24

talent were in attendance. She taught me how to walk on faith. Our events grew a reputation nationwide and hosted and awarded many household names. I had to stay strong however when my mom was preparing to make her transition and graduated from the planet Nov 16, 1997.

Because my mother loved roses and because of her dream of the mythological Phoenix Bird which became the name of "Phoenix Rising Antiques and Art" shop in the Antiquaries building near Doheny, I used both symbols to represent The Rose Breast Cancer Society. The organization is arts based and is a 501.c3 non-profit which has produced several "Rose Variety Art Shows", all themed events which have blended the Fine and Performing Arts with the Wellness Community. It has served "EDU-tainment", a word I coined to present an Art & Wellness Expo in inspiring locations.

The 14th Rose Variety Arts Show was presented on six and a half acres on the grounds of the Virginia Robinson Gardens just North of the Beverly Hills Hotel. I believe these have occurred with the guidance of my mom from above. Each one have been mini miracles. Dr. Cherilyn Lee who I met in our little shop was introduced to me by Loray White, Sammy Davis's first wife. Dr. Lee has since become a top Honorary member of several years and keynote speaker of the organization.

Juanita Zara Espinosa Uddin on the cover of the 14th Rose Variety Arts Show souvenir booklet

Still life painting as a demonstration partially painted in front of art students in the classroom.

Katrina Hope painted following the hurricane in Louisiana to portray hope following disaster. Oil on canvas 30 x40

Portrait of Juanita Zara Espinosa Uddin. 18x24 oil painting/ collage of roses from her garden and gold leaf

Portrait of Michael Jackson oil painting/ collage 30 x40 Carmelita Pittman standing with Michael Bush designer of Michael Jackson’s military style HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY • 29

Seen in the photos are samples of my art as well as the beginnings of the Gardens of Life/ Alley-O-Graphy mural started 2015. Senior Senator Pasqual Bettio FRPS and Debora Gillman co-founded ARTery USA and are associates of the project sponsored by The Rose Breast Cancer Society which is being developed by talented artists such as Katherine Arion of Romania, Emmy Lu of Uganda and Armand Michael Sears Jr.. On the line-up to join the project is Gustavo Vasquez and others. As art director and visual artist I have also put my hand into the project and will return to it as soon as I complete my next portrait. There is scientific evidence that the arts can heal. Currently the Mid-City neighborhood and Longwood Conveslescent Hospital where the mural is developing in the alley are enjoying the fruits of our labor and have expressed deep appreciation and respect for the project. Please consider contributing to the cause. www.rosebreastcancersociety.org.

My journey has been long but space here short so may the accompanying photos help describe my journey. As a talk show host of Carmelita's Corner on http://www. ezwaybroadcasting.com since 2016 I invite you to tune in Monday mornings to hear my wonderful guests which have also included household names. The topics are varied and meant to inform , inspire, and entertain. My show is a segment of Radio Boomers Live hosted by Jim Zuley and Reatha Grey of Betty White's Off Your Rocker. which airs 10:00 a.m. pst. http://www.ezwayradio.com iHeart radio.

Presentation of check from The Rose Breast Cancer Society at Eric Zuley’s birthday event in Anaheim.

Photo by Doug Ferguson

Gardens of Life/ Alley -O-Graphy mural

By Katherine Arion of Romania “Pasqualized” with mirrors

by Pasqual seen here with appreciative neighborhood children. Photo by Tom Porter

By Armand Michael Sears Jr. Photo by Tom Porter 30 • HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY

By Emmy Lu of Uganda.

Photo by Tom Porter

Victorian Interiors co-owned Iron Eyes Cody and Juanita with Marlynn Northcutt in Zara Espinosa Uddin the Antiquarius building

Elaine Young’s wedding. Elaine’s book, a million dollars down tells the story of her days as a premiere realtor of Beverly Hills with clients like Elizabeth Taylor, Elvis Presley, tragically OJ Simpson, Nicolle Simpson and Sharon Tate. Seen next to Elaine is her husband Sal Valachi on the right is mom and I.

Janeese Bland Johnson of Chicago at the Phoenix Rising Antiques and Art shop in the Antiquaries building between Doheny and Robertson

Princess Karen Cantrell with Carmelita Pittman at the Royal Society’ of St. George event at the Peninsula Hotel, Beverly Hills. Photo by Ralph Jarrells

Sammy Davis’s first wife Loray White introduced me to Dr. Cherilyn Lee who became a close friend and top Honorary member of The Rose Breast Cancer Society

Member of the http://www.ezwaywalloffame.com and contributing author of the best seller The Influence Effect.

Please visit http://ericzuley.com/book

On March 8th, 2020, Carmelita Pittman received an award from the International Woman’s Day event which was produced by Natalya Korol and Lana Gutman.

HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY • 31

THE GLORIA BERLIN STORY

by Carmelita Pittman January 9, 1928 a beautiful mom was supportive of her baby girl named Gloria Rios dream however her stepfather made her way onto the earthly thought all movie stars were stage in El Paso, Texas near whores and tried to discourage Mexico. Gloria recalls scenes her. Yet her dream prevailed from her life as she mused and she arrived by train to back to the times she sat on Hollywood, California while still her father’s lap. She was the in her teens, At the time she eldest of three girls and four stayed with her brother, Frank boys. Her father who was of Rios.

Spanish descent taught her how to read and by the age She studied journalism which at of two she read to her elders. an early age led to a career at She later had a step-father the Herald Express where she from New Mexico. Her mother developed a column, “Express of French descent was from Views”. She interviewed and Gloria’s press photo in 1955 Chihuahua near Nogales, wrote about notables such as Mexico. During the early days Gloria recalls Clark Gable, Betty Grable, and Harry James.

President Truman. She also recalled the fear One of her most memorable subjects was the instilled by the threat of Hitler to take control of infamous “Ol” Blue Eyes” , also affectionately the world. She was about eight or nine years of named “Chairman of the Board”, Frank Sinatra, age during that time. one of Hollywood’s most enduring stars. At only sixteen years of age, Gloria was also She also recalls El Paso (the passage) which well endowed and Frank Sinatra thought her stands on the Rio Grande river as being mostly bosom was over exposed. Apparently she had an agricultural town. It also has a rocky history a charming effect however on him. He waited during the days of gambling, saloons, colorful for her to reach age 21 as she recalled before ladies of ill repute and gun slingers which engaging her to become his dance partner. He has been glamorized by the Western movies, subsequently took her to Las Vegas where she several of which were made in El Paso. sang for Harry James. Frank Sinatra knew all of the movers and shakers including names like One of the most unique attractions during Louis “Satchmo” Armstrong, famed trumpeter Gloria’s childhood was the crocodile pond and singer. She became a cigarette girl for which was fenced off. Those who dared the awhile until she captured the attention of a land crocodiles actually stood on the fence. But baron who owned land on which casinos were Gloria’s thoughts took her to Hollywood where built who wanted her to show people land she dreamed of becoming a movie star. She around Las Vegas. There were only five casinos heard the streets were paved in gold. Her in existence at the time.

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Frank landed a lucrative paying singing job at the Sands which included room and board in a penthouse suite plus the access to Gloria of her choice of any dress she wanted from the Hotel. She had full command since Frank was rarely there. During the time he was also dating Marlene Dietrich. That did not bother Gloria. She thought it was business as usual. Meanwhile Frank told her to hang on to the job and left for Beverly Hills, California for a recording job. Gloria had a feeling he would not return after learning that he was seeing Ava Gardner. But apparently she was not too sad because she also dated Marlon Brando. Somewhere along the line Elvis Presley also became her date.

Gloria is in the lower left corner looking up at Frank Sinatra during one of the shows she did with him.

She was hired by the Hotel in Beverly Hills to escort the Prince of Saudi , Arabia. She said the Prince wanted to get into her pants. According to his culture women are considered subservient. The younger Prince was not quite like that. Both the Prince and younger Prince liked her a lot. They share women so she dated both. However she sabotaged both at the Beverly Hills Hotel by not sleeping with them.

She attended an event in Palm Springs where she was in the company of Gary Cooper, Tyrone Power, Marilyn Monroe and other notables.

More parties were to follow. The producer of a Halloween party covered four tennis courts with tents and invited guests like Debbie Reynolds who attended as a clown.

Gloria bicycled one day in Palm Springs and recognized Frank Sinatra’s car. When she was close enough to peer through the steamy windows she discovered Frank Sinatra and Ava Gardner making out. Gloria was unnoticed and remained supportive of Frank after his heartbroken marriage to Ava Gardner, one of the most glamorous actresses on screen.

Eventually, another Hollywood legend, Mickey Rooney much shorter than Ava Gardner married her. Jokes were made about Mickey climbing a ladder to reach Ava.

Gloria Berlin at the Valentine Ball.

Photo by Carmelita Pittman HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY • 33

Sir Keith Holman co-creator with Michael Jackson of the Swarovski crystal covered white glove and other attire worn

by Michael Jackson, also the 3 million dollar diamond and precious stone studded turban for Elizabeth Taylor and costumes for other celebrities. In the center is Gloria Berlin, on the right Carmelita Pittman. Photo by Rachel Yates

Carmelita Pittman, founder of The Rose Breast Cancer Society, international recording artist, Gloria Berlin at the Valentine Ball produced by Natalya Korol and Lana Gutman both of the Ukraine. Photo by Bob Delgadillo 34 • HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY

Frank Sinatra told Gloria he could not be alone and she wound up living with him two years in Rancho Mirage. After a month he unexpectedly climbed into her bed. She saved his life a couple of times when his depression over the loss of Ava Gardner led him to attempts to end his life. Somehow she managed to get him to the emergency room at the local hospital which she had to keep a secret. But she also saw the entertaining glamorous days of the “Rat Pack” when Frank Sinatra hosted his famous dinner parties of 20 guests. He always wrote and sang songs at those gatherings. He toughened up and became a man for all seasons, no longer collapsed like a wet noodle.

She also did her best to help keep his career afloat during his acting days. He was notoriously late showing up to the set after a long night of carousing with his friends. Usually going to bed at 4:00 a.m. after drinking wine and liquor nightly somehow he appeared perfectly sober when he awoke. Gloria would drive him to Samuel Goldwyn studio. where they were caught sneaking in late. His tardiness caused the film to run over budget and he was chastised. He wanted the leading role in Guys and Dolls but that went to Marlon Brando followed by Jean Simmons, Frank Sinatra and Vivian Blaine in that order of billing which angered him. He later went to MGM where he was requested to dance with Judy Garland.

After awhile Gloria wanted her independence so she and Frank went separate ways. She lived in a tiny apartment on Little Santa Monica in Westwood. She was discovered by Joseph Michael Schenck , co-founder and head of 20th Century Fox, one of the most powerful and influential people in the film business, who had her cast in both films for 20th Century Fox as well as MGM. As a Hollywood starlet she appeared in 100 films. For awhile Gloria’s acting career landed her roles in films such as “Cowboy” with Glenn Ford, Dick York, “Interrupted Melody” with Glenn Ford.

One day a young lady sat next to her in the waiting room and said “I am Marilyn Monroe”, who became her good friend. She got Gloria a

little part in “There’s No Business like Show Business” but her part was cut. But she is still seen in the beginning of the film. She says she used to have lunch with Marilyn in the cafeteria. “There was not a single day that Marilyn did not come in late”. She says Marilyn had a sleeping problem and although the call time was 6:00 p.m. she would come in at 9, 10, or even 11:00 p.m.

Gloria Berlin’s beauty attracted the attention of Kurt Fringe who also had an interest in Marilyn Monroe and Elizabeth Taylor. He chose Elizabeth Taylor and put her under contract with MGM. According to Gloria they worked Elizabeth Taylor nearly to death. But Elizabeth came from a family of actors in England and her mother wanted her to be a movie star. During Gloria’s acting days she somehow managed to maintain her hand as a writer and penned articles for the Hollywood Reporter. During one of those times Morton Berlin who had an agency was smitten with her and pursued her which she rebuked at first. She told him she could not accept his overtures because she was busy writing. But, one night , he got his way and she was “swept off”her feet. The result was marriage and Morton William Berlin Jr. who still resides in their Lake Balboa home. Gloria however became a widow.

time as a Beverly Hills realtor. Another Beverly Hills realtor who sold to the famous and infamous was Elaine Young whose clients included Elvis Presley, Elizabeth Taylor, both Ojay and Nicole Simpson, and the tragic Sharon Tate whose life was shattered by the Charles Manson clan. By chance both Gloria Berlin and Elaine Young knew one another and both became involved with The Rose Breast Cancer Society. She has also been involved with the Thalians founded by Debbie Reynolds and Ruta Lee. She has always kept a compassionate and loving nature.

Her love of the Lord and contagious smile and light in her eyes continues to shine. Elaine has since departed from the planet but Gloria will soon be celebrating another birthday. May her glamorous, adventurous exemplary life serve to inspire others.

Gloria studied real estate so her career took a new turn which eventually landed her one of the greatest sales of all time, which became “Neverland” to Michael Jackson. She met Michael as the result of her son’s friendship with the Jacksons who were neighbors at the time.

She has written a book about her friendship with Michael entitled” In Search of Neverland” and how she wound up selling the ranch to him. One of her accounts was of how spiritual he was. She said he would walk along and bless the flowers. At one time she looked around and he had disappeared only to find him up in a tree.

Gloria Berlin also is the mysterious lady dressed in black who in a horse drawn carriage regularly visited the resting place of Rudolph Valentino, another Hollywood legend. And she also sold the Forever Cemetery in Hollywood during her

Cover of "In Search of Neverland" , the personal account of the friendship with Michael Jackson and her sale to him written by Gloria Rhoads Berlin.

HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY • 35

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