Page 10
The Pan the
August 25,1980
Burton Promotes “The Hunter”
Clark Colege’s Lysteria Archie and Jerome Gwinn attended Ohio University’s Annual Yearbook
Workshop August 10th - 13th, along with Howard University Yearbook Editor, Debra Holey and
Mississippi State University Staff member Crystelle Jones. (Photo by Jerome Gwinn)
BY ROZELL CLARK
Special to The Panther
Levar Burton approaches his
“overnight fame'' with a profes
sionalism, and a sense of reality
that, enhances the fact that the
22 year old actor has achieved in
a little over a year what many ac
tors wait a lifetime for.
The young actor has risen from
drama classesattheUniversityof
Southern California to a co-starr
ing role with one of Hollywood’s
most respected leading men,
Steve McQueen, in his new
movie, “The Hunter”.
Burton’s acting debut,
“Roots”, whirled him into acting
prominance. He was featured on
the cover of Time magazine,
nominated for a TV Emmy, and
consequently made several
movies for television. He made
his first feature film debut
"Looking for Mr. Goodbar."
Currently, Burton is on a
nation-wide promotion tour for
"The Hunter” in which he plays a
lone black bandit captured by
"Papa Thorson (McQueen). He
becomes a trusted friend of the
unusual Thorson and quickly
joins his entourage of trusted
cronies.
Sitting in the top suite of the
fashionable Atlanta Regency
recently, Burton openly dis
cussed his movie life with a
group of inquisitive reporters
gathered to talk about his latest
movie venture. Burton reveals
that the character was originally
written "for a white kid” but
upon McQueen's request he
"was cast into the part.”
He hopes the character will
give the public “a better percep
tion of blacks, showing that
"even if you’ve done something
wrong, you can repent and be
treated as a human being.”
In describing this, his second
movie attempt, Burton admits
“The Hunter” is centered
around McQueen, saying
"Tommy is just another
character Ralph Thorson came
into contact with, but adds that
"because of my acquaintance
with Steve, and the opportunity
to perform beside such an ac
complished actor, it was not hard
for me to accept the role.”
"People will watch the movie
and say 'Steve McQueen
thought I was talented enough to
be in his film', which istrue,butl
hope the movie will show that
blacks are human beings with
feelings,” Burton said, using
vivid hand gestures to get his
point across. "Hopefully, the
public will get a wider perspec
tive of blacks,” he added.
"The Hunter” is the true story
of a man who makes his living
hunting down fugutives - a
bounty hunter named Ralph
"P’pa” Thorson. With a love for
antique things his prize posses
sion a 1951 Chevrolet
convertible
"The Hunter” is the true story
of a man who makes his living
hunting down fugutives - a
bounty hunter named Ralph
“Papa” Thorson. With a love for
antique things (his prize posses
Levar Burton discusses his new motion picture “The Hunter” during
(Photo by Jerome Gwinn)
Clark College - A Talent
Hotspot of the 80’s
BY RICHARD DARDEN
Panther Staffwriter
Clark College is the talent
hotspot among Atlanta black
colleges in the 80’s. To be a part
of Clark College is being a part of
a great black talent explosion.
Students at this college are
colorful with plenty of
personality and pizazz! 11 Some
of Atlanta’s bestsingers, dancers,
actors, musicians, disc jockeys,
and other entertainment
personalities attend and have
graduated from "C.C." as it is
called.
Let’s take a look at some of the
supertalented people who have
graduated or attended the talent
- town of C.C. Multi - talented
Hamilton Bohannon is a
graduate of Clark. The Atlanta
based singer » songwriter »
producer hasjust started his own
recording label entitled Phase II
Records. Spectacular songstress
Fred! Grace is also a former
Clarkite. The former Miss Clark
College 1975 has been tearing
the roof off of Atlanta clubs with
her dazzling act. Miss Grace can
presently be heard as a back up
vocalist on Atlanta’s own S.O.S.
Band’s hit Take Your Time Do It
Right. One of Atlanta’s most
recognized disc jockey’s is
WIGO’s Tippy Calloway. If you
See CLARK 14
sion a 1951 Chevrolet
convertible), an entourage of
friends including hookers,
policemen, priests, and ex-cons,
he tracks down fugitives from
small town farms to urban cities
like Chicago.
Thorson tracks down Tommy
Price (Burton) in a tavern in a
southwest city. They eventually
become friends, with Thorson
proceeding with his life of
danger and violence. "It’s a story
about an essential thing in life,
Burton said, "this man, and his
relations in life,” Burton said
when asked to describe the pic
ture.
Bu rton got the part due to his
acquaintance with Hollywood
leading man, Steve McQueen,
whom he met through a mutual
his recent visit to Atlanta.
acquaintance. "We were friends
before the movie, Steve’s son
and my manager are very good
friends. When Steve found out
he was gonna do “The Hunter”,
he suggested I play the role of
Tommy," he said.
In describing his acting
experiences since I play the role
of Tommy," he said.
In describing his acting
experiences since "Roots”,
Burton revealed that roles for
black actors are mostly limited
"to the black experience”, but
hopefully “that will change
when more black producers
come on the Hollywood scene,”
he predicted.
The young actor prefers movie
work over television work, yet he
cites advantages in both
mediums. He enjoys "the more
relaxed atmosphere” of the
movie set to the “tighter
schedules” of television work.”
As for his own career, Burton
indicated he would like to do
more movies, in addition to
expanding the work he is doing
with the Public Broadcasting
System’s "Behop”. "With the
Show ‘Behop’, I get a chance to
write a little, produce in addition
to my acting.”
What is the possibility of
Burton doing another dramatic
series comparable to "Roots”?
"It’s hard to imagine doing
another T.V. production as in
fluential as ‘Roots’ again,” said
Burton realistically. "I was just
getting into college, when the
'Roots’ part came up, I didn’t
know it would be as big as it
was.”
STEPHANIE /MILLS
To hear it is to feel it.
She brought you "What Cha
Gonna Do with My Loving’,”
"Put Your Body in It" and "Feel
the Fire" on her first album.
Now Stephanie Mills reaches
out and touches you again
with her new album and single
"SWEET SENSATION." A very
moving experience.
STEPHANIE MILLS
Sweet Sensation
Appearing
Saturday, August 30, at the Omni
