July 19, 2016 elvagreen123

Eddie Green The Rise of an Early 1900s Black American Entertainment Pioneer

Ok, let’s see, how can I put this? I AM A PUBLISHED AUTHOR. Eddie Green The Rise of an Early 1900s Black American Entertainment Pioneer is now available for public consumption. Of course, I let family members know first and now I am announcing to my wonderful blogging family. Woo hoo!!!

On November 12, 2014 I wrote these next two paragraphs on my first post on my brand new laptop:

Bestsellng author, Dean Koontz said, “I really believe that everyone has a talent, ability or skill that he can mine to support himself and to succeed in life.”

I found this quote while doing some research for a book I will eventually complete. I began my research in about 1998 because my then small grandson’s favorite words seemed to be “I can’t”. Usually in regard to why he did not finish his homework. His homework was always too hard. I came up with the bright idea to enlighten him on what a person can accomplish by telling him about, and by writing a book for him about my father, his grandfather, who was a black man born in poverty in 1896 and who rose to prominence despite many obstacles.

Well, it is now 2016 and eventually has arrived. My original idea of writing a book was small. I mean, you know, you gather the information and type it up and you have a little book. And then you give him, your grandson, this little book. Once I began the research my knowledge of the true progression of my father’s life from poverty to prominence grew. I knew Eddie was a radio star, had written a song, had made a movie, had appeared in a movie. But since Eddie died when I was three and he had only been married to my mom for five years, I never really learned half of the things my father had accomplished. My little book grew.

One thing I discovered which I could not share with my mom because she had passed on by 2010, was that my father lied about his age. She thought Eddie had been born in 1896, but according to his Social Security Application from 1937, Eddie was actually born in 1891. So when my twenty-two year old mother married Eddie he was actually fifty-four, not forty-nine. I learned that not only had Eddie written one song “A Good Man Is Hard to Find”, he wrote twenty-nine songs. Not only did he make one movie, he made wrote, produced, directed and acted in five all-black cast movies. He had appeared on and co-hosted radio shows, he had appeared on Broadway and on and on and on. My little book became a BOOK. And the progression has been documented on this blog.

I have loved every minute of sharing my journey here through WP, and I am very happy that I have a loyal group of followers (which I acknowledged in my book). This journey is not over. I have the job of marketing to do. I will continue to post regarding progress, and I will continue to share other items of interest to keep the spark of inspiration going. Thank you all so much for being a part of this journey. Check me out at http://www.bearmanormedia.com.

and we have a Facebook site for the book:

https://www.facebook.com/EddieGreenBook/?view_public_for=1134428443290744

As always, Thanks, for stopping by, and Spread The Word!

July 10, 2016 elvagreen123

Tooting My Own Horn

Hi, this post will be short and sweet. This is me, Elva Diane Green. This is the photo that will be used on one-page brochures, postcards and flyers by the publisher of the biography I have written on my father Eddie Green. To announce, report, notify, no Broadcast that by the end of this year this visage will be visible all over! Me. Who woulda thunk it?

Must be in my genes. Eddie being a songwriter, movie, Broadway and radio star with his picture in the papers back in the day, and my mom pictured alongside of him all dolled up. 3rd set with new pictures 277 Maybe it was inevitable that I write the book and have my picture added to the mix.

Stay tuned, more to come.

Thanx, for stopping by.

July 3, 2016 elvagreen123

Me, Tarzan

egamosnandy — Eddie Green (third from left) and radio cast of *Amos n Andy*

jesteramosnandytv — Front row third from left Jester Hairston *Amos n Andy* TV show

Ok, so you are probably wondering what Tarzan has to do with Eddie Green and Jester Hairston. Well, keep reading and be amazed.

Recently, I saw an article in the news about the current Tarzan movie, The Legend of Tarzan. The article spoke of this new Hollywood movie depicting a lingering racist mentality, because it shows a White man having to step in and help the African people out of trouble. The article mentions that the movie does make a limited attempt to show a sophisticated view of African society. Looking back now I can see that in the old Tarzan movies the African natives were depicted in a less than civilized manner. Of course the original book was written back in 1912 and unfortunately that was how some White people saw Africans. But instead of zeroing in on a racist element in this new movie, why not just enjoy the movie.

As a kid, what I saw when I watched Tarzan movies was Johnny Weismuller swinging from a tree with a monkey friend and a girlfriend named Jane. Yelling Ahahaahaha!

As a youngster I thought he was cool. He was on television and I could watch and enjoy the show and learn the call. I don’t know if Edgar Rice Burroughs was a racist or a cook, if he was simply a writer of a story or if he was trying to make a point. Even after I grew I really didn’t care. Of course, I grew out of those old Tarzan and Jane movies but then I found George of the Jungle. george George, George, George of the Jungle, watch out for that…..Treee!! As an adult I actually watched the cartoons because they were fun.

Jester Hairston and my father Eddie were friends, who worked on some of the same programs in the 1940s. Eddie started out in Vaudeville wearing Blackface because you could not get on stage with a White person if you did not wear Blackface, and went on to become a filmmaker, movie and Broadway star and a composer.

Jester Hairston who was born in 1901 and who lived to be 98 years old had a long career in show business. In his early career Jester got bit parts as a native in the old Tarzan movies. He said he ran naked yelling ‘Bwana, bwana!” through more Tarzan movies than he cared to remember. According to Wikipedia, Jester said “We had a hard time then fighting for dignity,” he once said of his early roles. ” . . . We had no power. We had to take it, and because we took it the young people today have opportunities.

I like to focus on those actors (in this case Black actors) who helped the careers of today’s Black actors. Jester Hairston was the grandson of a slave, born in Belews Creek, N.C. Through his long career he appeared in movies like Lady Sings the Blues, To Kill A Mockingbird, and he appeared in television on the show That’s My Mama, and Amen with Sherman Hemsley. jesteramencase

Jester Hairston also had a career as a music conductor. He collaborated with Dimitri Tiomkin for 30 years and he wrote and arranged spirituals for Hollywood films. Continuing to conduct choirs in his 90s, he crisscrossed the world as a goodwill ambassador for the State Department.

These oldtimers that were relegated to playing what seemed at the time to some to be demeaning parts, paved the way. They were men and women trying to make a living doing what they liked to do, living out their dreams. Taking their audience on adventures. They did not spend a lot of their time feeling sorry for themselves.

Eddie and Jester were two Black men who persevered and became successful.

Times have changed. Even so, it may seem like a difficult task to make a Tarzan movie today without it seeming racist. But, if we can just see it as what it is, a movie about a fictional character in the Congo fighting computer made lions, while also managing to have a love interest, then why not do that. Get some popcorn and some malted milk balls and a large soda and have some fun.

Thanks, for stopping by.

June 28, 2016June 28, 2016 elvagreen123

GOING PLACES

Eddie Green Cover Image composit — Eddie Green

I love this portrait. I found it online one day while looking for information for my book. At that time I had one head shot of my father that had been given to me by my mother for my 40th birthday, and a few pictures I had found at online auctions and in newspapers. I was so excited to see this portrait that I contacted the artist and thanked him. He sent me the portrait! He’s a fan. Well, this portrait will be featured on the front cover of my book, along with the title, Eddie Green The Rise of an Early 1900s Black American Entertainment Pioneer, and my name, of course.

The finished product is in the works as I write this.

I am fortunate to have a good number of followers of this blog, some for a long time and some very recent. For the more recent followers, this blog has pretty much been about my book writing journey regarding my father, Eddie Green who was a prominent moviemaker, film star, Old Time Radio icon and beloved comedian active in the early 1900s, but whose name became buried in the sands of time. I have spent years researching and in February of 2015 I bought my first laptop for the specific reason of writing my book which will be published this year. I will post a copy of the front and back covers on the book when I receive my completed copy.

The covers depict Eddie in white coat and black tie (he was always sharp), and it reminds me of the fact that he frequently emceed floor shows, also. Especially after he became famous as Eddie, the waiter on the Old Time Radio show Duffy’s Tavern. For instance, during the Spring of 1947 he emceed the 68th Anniversary of the leadership of Charlotta A. Bass of the California Eagle newspaper (In 1952, Bass became the first African-American woman nominated for Vice President, as a candidate of the Progressive Party.)

One of the performers in that floor show was Mabel Fairbanks, a Black ice skating star. Ms. Fairbanks performed in the 1930s through the 1940s, but because she was Black she was denied the chance to compete in the national qualifying events for the Olympics, though she did tour nationally. In 1997 she became the first African American to be inducted into the U. S. Figure Skating Hall of Fame. Today we have 19-year-old Simone Biles who has become the first woman to win four consecutive U. S. all-around titles in 42 years and who will be attending the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. It all blends together and becomes relevant to today’s generation.

All you wonderful people out there, I welcome comments, anecdotes or neighborly hellos, and tell your friends to check me out, cause we are going places.

Thanx, for stopping by, and keep coming back.

June 19, 2016 elvagreen123

DAD

1377285_408063912679921_1904812000674135875_n — Nathaniel Leroy Beasley

Nate was my second dad. About two years after my father, Eddie Green died, my mother met Nate. She knew the Beasley family already through other family members namely Odessa, Nate’s mom (Nana) and Dorothy, Nate’s sister (Aunt Dot).

I remember clearly the first time I saw Nate. He was standing on our porch on 2nd avenue in his Navy whites knocking on the door. Later, after we moved from 2nd Avenue in Los Angeles to 66th Street Nate was living with us. Mom told me to call Nate, Uncle Nate. Hmmm. Then she wanted me to call him Daddy. Well, even though I was a child I knew he was not my Daddy, so I chose to call him Dad. And he was my Dad until he passed away.

In this picture he looks like a gangster to me. Cigarette hanging out of his mouth, clean and smooth. Truth be told, when he got angry he would grit his teeth and talk like James Cagney. Then he started smoking cigars.

Still today I associate cigars with Dad. Cigars and a scratchy beard. Overtime his hair got thinner, his cigars got more raggedy because he chewed rather than smoked them and it seems to me that he never shaved. So when you had to give Dad a hug you got to smell his cigar and get your face all scratched up from his beard. Ewww!

Dad was a painter, he painted houses. So he also always smelled of paint. Or had paint on his hands and on his clothes and on his paint cap.

Dad was funny. His sister, Aunt Dot, thought he was the funniest man ever. I heard what I thought was the dirtiest joke from Dad, when I was twelve years old. Actually it only had one “bad” word. I had my ear to the door and was listening at one of their parties:

“A man fell off of a cliff but managed to catch hold of a branch. Hanging there he began to scream for help. Help!!! Help!!!!!!!!!!. A voice from out of the sky said “I will help you. Will you do anything I say?” I’ll do anything, anything! Just tell me what to do.””Okay. Let go of the branch.” And the man said…..”Shiiiit!!”.

Through Nate I gained a whole new family. And new father figures. Uncle Jim, his brother. Uncle Harry, his sister’s husband. Uncle Jim was a very kind man. Uncle Harry was a hard working guy.

Put these guys and the rest of the family members together on a Saturday night and watch out. You never knew what might happen.

On Father’s Day now when I look back I don’t see us giving Dad ties or tools or fixing him dinner (had to do that anyways). There was no big shaggy dog sitting by Dad’s chair. Our home life was a bit more chaotic.

But through Nate I gained a whole new family, a sister and three brothers and a family that stretches from L. A. to Philadelphia and points in between. I love my family.

Nate, Uncle Jim and Uncle Harry have passed on, but they are certainly not forgotten. Happy Father’s Day you guys.

Thanx, for stopping by.

June 8, 2016June 8, 2016 elvagreen123

This One is for Lorenzo

lorenzosincanula

Isn’t he cute? This photo was taken about five months ago. I chose to start this post off with Renzo because looking at him always puts a smile on my face, always. Lorenzo is my brother’s grandson. One of the newcomers to the family during the time I was writing my book, which is at the publisher’s now being prepared for introduction to the world.

Since sending my book off to the publisher, I seem to have become sluggish and sad. The fact that I will be a published author makes me want to jump up and down and laugh hilariously and do my dance. But I am trying to be cool. So I seem to have gone in the opposite direction.

I have a feeling that my father Eddie, in his rise to success in show business, did not spend much of his time being depressed because he propelled himself into being known and loved as a comedian, actor, movie producer, director and writer, owned two successful Harlem restaurants and was a hit with the ladies, according to my mother.

Yesterday, I received a copy of my publisher’s newsletter. In it was this:

We know our list of upcoming titles is amazing . . . every title.
Get a load of these subjects that are coming soon:

Columbo Under Glass (TV series review)
Are You Afraid of the Dark? (TV series review)
635 Things I Learned from The Sopranos
When War Returns (Book 3 in Wes Britton’s new sci-fi novel tetrology)
A Throne for an Alien (Book 4 in Wes Britton’s new sci-fi novel tetrology)
Over There (British films)
Seeing Stars Memoirs of a Celebrity Articles Writer
Barbara Nichols That Kind of Woman (biography)
No Strings (Bio and career review of Dick Jones)
Eddie Green (Biography of Eddie the Waiter on Duffy’s Tavern)
As you can see that is my book listed at the bottom. Hallelujah!!

This is great news! And I am now beginning the process of marketing my book, talking it up, emailing people, meeting people. It’s very exciting. Why, I ought to be thanking my lucky stars. Which is where Lorenzo comes in. Today my niece posted his picture and said that he likes cereal snacks. I went online an look what I found!:

Renzo

Haha! Cereal snacks for Renzo, Lucky Stars for me. I laughed out loud.

Thank you so much, for stopping by and being a part of this book writing adventure. Your participation inspires me.

May 30, 2016May 30, 2016 elvagreen123

In REMEMBRANCE

jubileeotr — Old Time Radio Program 1939-1945

During WWII the Armed Forces Radio Service (AFRS) decided to create a program specifically geared toward Black soldiers. Today it is said that some of the best jazz shows came out of this program with greats such as Fletcher Henderson, Lena Horne, Count Basie, Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington and Fats Waller.

Jubilee was conceived and programmed to present African-American artists and their music to the Armed Forces personnel of the United States and allied nations around the world.

During the history of the program, eventually other artists were invited to participate, but Jubilee is remembered as a showcase for African-American talent. In addition to big bands, small jazz groups and singers, many talented dramatic and comedic performers appeared on Jubilee. Aimed as a morale-building service for black troops and aired for military personnel, The show was hosted first by Dooley Wilson, the piano player in the movie Casablanca, then by Ernie “Bubbles” Whitman, a well-known comedian. Most of the shows were recorded before live audiences in Los Angeles.

By 1942 Eddie, my father, was fifty-one years old, too old to be drafted (although the government chose to sign up “men of a certain age” just in case), however, he was asked to perform his comedy routines along with Lena Horne in 1942, Ernie Whitman in 1944, and Hattie McDaniel in 1945, on the Jubilee radio program.

Here is one routine Eddie and Ernie did on a Jubilee program for the troops in October, 1944. Ernie introduces Eddie Green from Duffy’s Tavern. Eddie says he is bored and is looking for something exciting to do in his life. Ernie suggests Eddie become a volunteer fireman:

ERNIE: It’s Saturday morning at the station house and the alarm goes off. I can see you now, sound asleep up there in the firehouse.

EDDIE: So far, I like it.

ERNIE: Four in the morning the fire alarm rings, what do you do?

EDDIE: I get up. Then I take a sleeping pill and go right back to bed.

ERNIE: No, you don’t. You grab your fire hat, run to the pole and slide down.

EDDIE: OOOO!!

ERNIE: What’s the matter?

EDDIE: The pole is cold, I forgot my pants!!

Lucky me, someone sent me a CD with this Jubilee program on it, so I get to hear these shows.

In 1942 Memorial Day had become the popular title for a day to acknowledge all of our military personnel who died while in service.

This post is just a glimpse into how other citizens, along with our government, were helping to keep up the morale of our soldiers.

In Remembrance

May 19, 2016 elvagreen123

Laughter, Love and Respect

elj

In 1936 my father had been in show business for nineteen years. He was forty-five years old. He had done so well that one newspaper wrote: This brings up the subject of Eddie Green, the fine comedian who appears occasionally on the Rudy Vallee hour. Eddie who specializes in burlesques of famous plays and men of history, is one of the few people of color ever to win such radio recognition as a comic.

By 1937 Eddie was appearing on a radio program with Louis Armstrong which was announced in a local New York newspaper: Standard Brands Inc. (Fleischmann Yeast) through J . Walter Thompson Co. yesterday announced the full talent line-up of its all-negro show which will make its debut over 30 NBC-Blue network stations, April 9 at 9-9: 30 p.m. Eddie Green and Gee Gee James, a comedy team, with Louis Armstrong and his orchestra will be the regular talent.

In 1938 the papers reported: Eddie Green, well known Black comedian of the stage and screen, with a long line of appearances to his credit, jumped into screen favor last week when he was given a screen test for the role of ‘Pork’ in the 20th Century Fox production of Gone With The Wind.

In the 1939-1940 Eddie was making, writing, directing, producing and starring in his own movies. (Back then they were called ‘race’ movies, meaning everyone associated with the movie was Black, at least that is what it meant to Eddie.) The Eddie’s Laugh Jamboree poster was from 1947, but the movies were made earlier.

During the time Eddie came to Hollywood for the screen test he met my mom, Norma. In my last post I showcased Norma, as in Norma Amato Green Beasley Washington. Amato was her maiden name and Green was her first married name. For those who have just found my blog and for all of the newcomers in the Green Beasley Washington families I will just share a bit about Eddie and Norma’s marriage, back in the day. They met at Clifton’s Cafeteria in Los Angeles when mom was about seventeen. They were married in 1945. Mom was twenty-two, Eddie was fifty-four. One article in the paper read:

Eddie Green Takes Bride – LOS ANGELES – Coming as a pleasant surprise to even his closest friends, Eddie Green, former New Yorker and one of the Nation’s top-flight comedians, and a member of “Duffy’s Tavern” radio show eloped with attractive Norma Amato, concert vocalist, last Wednesday. The couple were married at Yuma, Arizona, where they spent a brief honeymoon before motoring back to Los Angeles.

They were married a little short of five years because Eddie died in September of 1950. Mom married two more times. The book I have written will introduce Eddie to all the members of all the branches of my family who have been born since 1950. My hope is that they can find Eddie’s life story of success relevant today, because as a Black man coming up in the 1920s, 30s, 40s and 50s Eddie’s life is a good example of personal achievement that I hope resonates with anyone, no matter what color, who thinks because of this or that obstacle they will never be able to fulfill their dream.

One piece of knowledge that Eddie found in regard to dealing with one’s colleagues and achieving success was, “you get respect if you know your business.”

Thank you so much, for stopping by.

May 7, 2016May 7, 2016 elvagreen123

A Truly Inspiring Mom

momatwedding (2) — Norma Anne Amato Green Beasley Washington – MOM

Hi there! Well I finally figured out how to get a more recent picture of my mom into one of my posts. Here she is dressed up for my niece’s black and white themed wedding. Knowing mom if she were still here she would probably laugh at me for taking so long. Mom died in 2010 but she made it to age 87. She is still an inspiration for me because before mom got sick this last time, she was an eight year breast cancer survivor. After the eight years, in 2007 she went into her first hospice after having an embolism, we were told that she would not survive if we took her off oxygen and that she would die either way. She survived. She told the hospice nurse that she had to go to the Laguna Hills Art Festival, and she went. I won’t go into her early health issues. Just know she was a survivor. This last illness was just too much but mom never complained. She did her crosswords and watched Jeopardy till the end. Mom had a full life.

In about 1998, mom was at the Central Library in downtown Los Angeles and she was looking at a book titled “Blacks in Blackface” by Henry T. Sampson, and she found a picture of my father, Eddie Green, standing on a stage in front of a microphone with the cast members of the Amos n Andy radio program from about 1946. She made a copy of the photo and brought it to me. Mom had lost most of her mementos from her life with Eddie in a fire back in the early 1970s, so she was happy to find the photo. This was the first picture that began my search for more information about my father’s show business career. This weekend I will be sending the manuscript with photos to my publisher for them to edit.

Finding info and more photos of Eddie and also finding photos and finding additional info about mom that I was unaware of, has helped fill the void that was left when she died. It is what I would call a true blessing.

Thanks very much, for stopping by.

April 25, 2016 elvagreen123

ANTICIPATION

eddieinoffice — Eddie and his secretary signing talent

Hi. So I have posted a picture of my father, Eddie in his office back in 1939 greeting young ladies who showed up for a chance to appear in one of his movies, produced by his Sepia Art Pictures Company movie studio. Eddie’s office was located on 7th Avenue in New York, which is where a good part of his career took place. He spent some time in Hollywood during 1936-38 appearing on various radio programs, but he did not have a home in California until 1945. Sepia Art Pictures had gone out of business by 1945, but that did not mean his movie making days were over.

Eddie was signed on to play “Eddie, the waiter” in a new radio program titled Duffy’s Tavern in 1941, and when Paramount decided to produce a movie version of the radio program in 1945, Eddie was signed for the role in the movie. Eddie’s movie making money had run out, but I do believe financial difficulties took a turn because he married my mom in 1945, bought his house in Los Angeles and started a new movie/television studio on Western Avenue in 1946.

Today I decided to make this a short post about Eddie because I want to write about me and my book writing journey. I have a writer friend who is well versed in the etiquette of book writing. Meaning this friend has offered to help make sure I have not printed material that might show someone in a bad light. So my friend is reading my book. The book about my father is the first book I have ever written so I take all the help I can get. But……..the waiting is difficult. Even though I am perfectly aware of the time frame called for. My book is approximately 48,000 words in length. And people have other things to do. My friend has a family, a job, book signings. I am blessed to have this help. I am sharing this because maybe someone else is having the same issue. Learning how to wait with anticipation.

I was reminded today of the last opera I saw with my mom. It was Madama Butterfly. In one scene Madam Butterfly is waiting for her love to come back from the sea. She sits on the floor and waits. waiting 3 And waits. And waits. Pretty soon some of the people in the audience at the Dorothy Chandler Pavillion start getting a little fidgety. Madame Butterfly hasn’t moved. She’s waiting. After a while we, the audience, begin to understand that we have been invited to participate in order to understand how long Madama Butterfly waited for this man. We were waiting too. By the time her wait was over I had begun to question whether the producer of this play was a genius or a nut for making the audience wait so long. And when I thought of this today while I was standing on the bus stop, I laughed out loud. Which relieved some of the pressure that had begun to build up in me.

After all, judging by the past few years of this endeavor, everything I have needed I have received. I have no complaints. My grandson told me to remember, that no matter how things turn out, to remember that I said I was going to write a book and I did. I just need to sit back, relax and be prepared for the next phase of marketing this bad boy. Thank you, Jeremy.

Hey, thanks, for stopping by.