A seventeen year old Lena
Beauty and talent
Lena with Count Basie
In later years
She shined brightly to the end
Alicia keyes slated to play Lena in a movie produced by Oprah WinfreySinger/actress Lena Horne died on Sunday night aged 92. She was also known as a civil rights activist and was passionate about equality for black people in the USA. Renowned for her beauty and sultry voice, Ms Horne battled racism to become Hollywood's first black sex symbol. In 1943, she played Selina Rogers in the all-black film musical Stormy Weather, the title song of which was to be a major hit and became her signature song.
Her career spanned more than 70 years. She won many grammies and other awards. She produced a large body of work in recordings and movies and also in television. Later she embraced activism and became a voice for civil rights in the US. By the 1960s, Lena was one of the most visible celebrities in the civil rights movement, once throwing a lamp at a customer who made a racial slur in a Beverly Hills restaurant and, in 1963, joining 250,000 others in the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom when Martin Luther King Jr. gave his "I Have a Dream" speech. Lena also spoke at a rally that year with another civil rights leader, Medgar Evers, just days before his assassination.
When asked about her success, Ms Horne once said: "I was unique in that I was a kind of black that white people could accept.
"I was their daydream. I had the worst kind of acceptance because it was never for how great I was or what I contributed. It was because of the way I looked."
In 1981, her one-woman show, the award-winning' The Lady and her Music', based on her life and career, ran for more than a year on Broadway and in London.
"I was their daydream. I had the worst kind of acceptance because it was never for how great I was or what I contributed. It was because of the way I looked."
In 1981, her one-woman show, the award-winning' The Lady and her Music', based on her life and career, ran for more than a year on Broadway and in London.
She was sultry, beautiful and talented but she could be passionately angry when it came to civil rights. She had a wonderful smile that encompssed people like sunshine and drew them to her. She will be missed.
Oprah is producing a biographical movie based on her life, starring Alicia Keyes as Lena. I think it is in production now. There is a resemblance between the two women. I hope Alicia can capture that bright spirit.
Lena was one of the all time greats, singer / actress and most of all she was a lady til the end.
ReplyDeleteI have a lot of her works, but Stormy Weather is one of my favorite works by Lena and we watch it ever so often.
I, like you and a lot of others, enjoyed her bright spirit.
What happen to the ladies of the era gone by ?
It's sad another icon has passed away. I love the old movies-Casablanca, The African Queen, etc.
ReplyDeleteActors like Humphrey Bogart, Lauren Bacall, Jimmy Stewart...they just don't exist anymore.
What we are stuck with are actors who think it's ok to cheat on their mates, who make bad movies/TV and still get paid grossly over exaggerated salaries and who think they can have whatever they want. And if they don't get it, they just take it.
Sad, I will miss this lady.
Lina
Hi PIC. Are you up and running??
ReplyDeleteHi PIC...How you doing? What you up too? Brian still being frisky...huh ? Is Nana still on her job, I know yes?
ReplyDeleteHi PIC...How you doing? What you up too? Brian still being frisky...huh ? Is Nana still on her job, I know yes?
ReplyDeleteYes on both counts.
ReplyDeleteI'm here, it's AOL thats having trouble.
ReplyDeleteI got busy and put 2 posts in drafts, just in case.
Brian is upset because he put on five pounds just from sitting around for two months. I told him to get on the treadmill.It can't hurt to walk fast.
ReplyDeleteToday I worked like stink cleaning closets and drawers. What got into me? Spring cleaning fever??
ReplyDeleteBoy the cake was good and Jill / Sha ate your piece and Gilly ate some of everyones.
ReplyDeleteHave you efver seen that show where these two English ladies go to filthy homes and walk around saying "nasty",or,"I believe that's excrement."Then, they give the people proper hell and they proceed to clean like mad???
ReplyDeleteYou are getting ready to tackle the boat. Hahaha
ReplyDeleteTell Brian it's good to know he's gaining and not losing and not to worry you will have him slim down in no time.
Tell Brian to stop pushng it, he had major surgery and he's doing really well, better than most people do in 6 /8 months, just ask his doctor.
ReplyDeleteDid the cake help to satisfy your strawberry craving?? That was a little weird that you dreamed of strawberries.
ReplyDeleteNo I haven't seen that one, sure would like to see it. When do they come on?
ReplyDeleteYes they helped in more ways than one, now my man don't have to sue the doctor. [giggles]
ReplyDeleteI do have some weird food craving sometime.
I can't think where I saw it,maybe A&E. If I come across it I'll take note and tell you.It's gross and yet it's satisfying when they clean these places up and tell the people off. Although you know the people will revert the minute those women are out the door.
ReplyDeleteI think I will have to bake another one tomorrow, dad put the last of it up and told Gilly that piece was for them, he told Gilly the sweet recipe lady sends him those recipes and my little man just laugh as if he knew what Dad was talking about.
ReplyDeleteI watch that Louisiana exterminator once in a while. You guys sure have some strange critters down there.
ReplyDeleteWas the twins busy from the time they got up in the morning to they went to bed?
ReplyDeleteI have a lot of nieces and nephews but I don't know shit about babies.
Jill was an easy baby,Gilly is never still.
Yes we do and he's located here in North Louisiana. In one of the small towns not far. Did you see the one with the rattlesnake?
ReplyDeleteA&E I'm going to check to see if the Jackson's are still on.
Sweet...I missed you last night.
ReplyDeleteSweet...I missed you last night.
ReplyDeleteThe twins never stopped moving. One went one way and the other went in the opposite direction. You never knew how to catch both of them.But they went to bed at eight and slept till six the next morning and never woke in the night.
ReplyDeleteI'm happy the cake was a success.It sounded very decadent. I chose it for the girls because it was all pink.
ReplyDeleteThere's nothing wrong with blogger, it's just me clicking twice.
ReplyDeleteI watched CSI:M ...I know they are cutting costs, but can't they buy DC another shirt, he's been wearing that shirt for 3 years.
Gilly sleeps good and if I put him down he will sing himself to sleep, but if he hears his daddy, he will yell and fuss until he get him and then they go to bed. When I go in there both of them just laying out.
ReplyDeleteI watched part of CSIM and thought DC looked like hell. I honestly think he won't live to be an old man. Apparently he won't let them change his wardrobe. I read that somewhere.
ReplyDeleteI watched the exterminator guy catch an angry raccoon and then he found a snake but I don't think it was a rattler.
ReplyDeleteNan says for you to hold tight, she has some stuff to tell about what she heard dad telling Sis, she pretended to be sleep on the coach, she has AOL also, she won't tell me because she wants to tell you.
ReplyDeleteJaye and Jakey both sang themselves to sleep. I think it's so sweet. I would adore Gilly.
ReplyDeleteI saw that one, it wasn't the one, they called him for the rattler, he was huge.
ReplyDeleteMaybe DC thinks you can't see how he's bloated he is, he really don't look good he looks ill.His eyes seems just like little dark peas stuck on his face.
I can hardly wait to hear what Nan's got up her sleeve.It's a pretty exciting saga taking place down there. Big G. founded a dynasty and he has been the head of it for a long time.It was very comfortable letting him handle all the difficult decisions but they never prepared themselves for when he stepped down.I wonder how it will end.
ReplyDeleteI told Gilly if he didn't behave I was going to sell him...he got quiet and I went looking for him and Jill had hid him under her bed.
ReplyDeleteThey looked just alike at that age, she keeps up with her baby and they love each other so much.
I wonder if his hair was going to be straight but it's curly like Jill's and her daddy...aunt Mae says they have nappy hair like Dad.
Dad says he don't care, he trusts Shirley and Lenny,Jr. to keep the one going in Reno and he has given this one his all and he told them he wasn't going to see his son lose his family because they didn't want to take care business.
ReplyDeleteDad had lose Gil's mama and just threw himself into the business.Dad's happy and don't care one way or the other, he says his grands will get what he has left.
Jill must have thought you meant what you said. It's lovely that they love each other. It's not necessary to have sibling rivalry. Does Sha Love him too?
ReplyDeleteDad is 82-years-old, has heart problems and had prostrate cancer and they say it's in remission for the last 5 /6 years. His Blood pressure is much better now.
ReplyDeleteIs Jill's hair long? Is it hard to manage?
ReplyDeleteYes Sha loves him and they are very protective of him, when Jill born, we told Sha she was her baby and now Jill has a baby.
ReplyDeleteNow if Jill get mad with some of the kids she won't let them play with Gilly , She'll just get him and go. Sha and Jill gets along well.
I see Lina paied a visit. Wonder if her weather in nice in southern California.
ReplyDeleteGetting out of that business will do Dad's heart more good than anything else.Less stress and the blood pressure will go down.
ReplyDeleteYes her hair has grown back since hshe gave herself a haircut. She mostly like it in a braid down the back or a pony tail. It's easy to manage, but you would think I was killing her sometime. They like to slick Gilly's hair down with water.
ReplyDeleteI keeps a jar of vaseline to put on my hands after I take off my gloves from doing yardwork..Jill /Sha got some and caught Dad asleep and slicked his hair down and I laughed.
It must make you happy to see your little family thriving and growing.
ReplyDeleteI hope your kids stay close all their lives.
The weather in California is nice 99% of the time, except for the earthquakes, mudslides and fires.
I bet that was funny to see Dad with his hair greased up. I would have creased myself, laughing.
ReplyDeleteI bet he has a good sense of humor with the kids.I'm sure at one time he didn't think he would have any grandkids so he feels fortunate now.
If Dad didn't have a cent, he wouldn't have anything to worry about, he has no expenses, he live and eat free and think think Sis is getting his money, Sis stuff was free and clear when we met them. We like the easy life, it's nice to go out but I like doing things at home and going out ever so often .
ReplyDeleteI feel sad about Lena. I always feel sad when we lose one of the great ones. Who do we have left from the golden era of Hollywood besides Liz Taylor?
ReplyDeleteThat's what Dad said he was very fortunate to have grands,and he's going to spend the rest of his life having fun and enjoying them for the time he has left and then he will go to Rosa and tell her about them.
ReplyDeleteBetty White is one and still going strong she's hosting "SNL."
ReplyDeleteI didn't like the way the Italians insulted you and your family. There was no call for that. You are not responsible for any decision Dad makes. He is a big boy and he would have pulled out soon anyway.He doesn't want any more responsibility at his age.And he doesn't want to leave a mess for Gil to deal with after his death.He just wants a clean break.Gil's trip to Reno was just the final straw.
ReplyDeleteI adore Betty white but she was never a great star of the silver screen.She was a great star of the Tv screen though.And she still has some get up and go.She did a great job on SNL.
ReplyDeleteShe did some nudey pictures when she was young. She had one great love in her life and never re-married.
Gil told him out of respect for his dad he wouldn't fuck his ass up, did I leave out what Gil told Charles and Henry?
ReplyDeleteWell that leaves us with just Liz.
ReplyDeleteIs Lauren Bacall stil living..how about Katherine Hepburn?
No you didn't leave that out but you said you would say more about Betts and you forgot.
ReplyDeleteI believe Lauren Becall is still alive but Katherine Hepburn is dead(she was one of the grat ones)
ReplyDeleteI have 2 posts in drafts , I was lucky to get on so I put them in drafts and will you post them for me...one is about cancer and the other is about the divorce.
ReplyDeleteBogart died in the sixties. I loved his work. Still watch them sometimes. Love vintage movies.
ReplyDeleteI just watched a new one this evening. Sherlock Holmes with Robert Downey junior, pretty good. A little unorthodox though, not how you imagine Sherlock.
Yes I did forget about old shithead, I will have to tell you about her now ahe running round sucking up to Nan, she told Nan I don't like her, Nan says what else is new I don't like anybody.
ReplyDeleteThey are not going to the hotel, Gil told them they will have to come to him and he has a large enough space for them,he told them they will have to meet him on his own tuft.
I'm watching 'The Hurt Locker ' tomorrow. That's supposed to be pretty good. Crazyheart was good too.
ReplyDeleteI will post your articles. do you want then both done tonight??
ReplyDeleteSweetie ...I think it's tomorrow or Thursday but you know I will be there, they will have to use the space Gil gave me for my meeting.
ReplyDeleteAunt Mae says we all is going to have to watch Leon /Gil because she don't like the way Gil was looking or acting, she said he looked like his daddy and she knew Jeon was going to back his play as the four of them was always on the same page.
That woman is a natural born suck-up. She must realize Nan don't want her. Maybe Aunt Mae told her to get lost
ReplyDeleteI 't care...do it as you want too, it will give some time to visit Dr. Rusty.
ReplyDeleteOn the divorce post add your saying you made the other one so much better.
Dad isn't worried. He knows Gil and Leon will come up with an airtight agreement. This is Gil's specialty.
ReplyDeleteDo you think the family will be reasonable now? No violence, no insults?
Have you nothice these bimbos ony go for married rich older men or young rich married fools, and when they get tired of boinking them they leak it to the media.
ReplyDeleteOkay,will do.
ReplyDeleteLet's call it a night Sweets.I still look forward to our time together, even after two years.So, I will see you tomorrow, God willing. Go snuggle up to Shank and put a nice cold hand on his junk. That usually makes Brian swear in his sleep...HA! We have to get our fun where we can.
Pleasure as always...sleep happy...PIC
Post Script: Yes, I have noticed that is the trend these days.You'd think the guys would get wise to it.But I suppose they think with their schmeckles.
ReplyDeleteI hope so...I think they was trying to see how far they could push them, I have come to find out from aunt Mae that my man is dangerous and will dance with them if they want him to, she says he has always kept a low profile and didn't want people to think he was connected, when his mama got sick, she asked him to promise her he would stay clean.
ReplyDeleteI think I'll come out better picking aunt Mae's brain.She get her snoot full and talk her ass off.
I like fun and It's nice to have fun with the same man all the time.
ReplyDeleteI will see you down at the old fishin' hole with bait and hook.
{giggles] I put ice in a zip lock bag and put it on the dangle and boy was that funny.
Goodnite sweetie and the Rock is going to poke you before morning...HA !
NITE....HUGS...LUV...PIC
Kiss the ROCK.