If you’re from the old school era, you probably remember actor, Stoney Jackson and his jheri curl. We were over here wondering what happened to the dude from the ’70s show, White Shadow, so we did a lil’ digging and wanted to share this quick update on him.

Many of you may recall that Stoney also starred in and/or made a appearances in several other TV shows throughout the ’80s and late ’70s, such as 227, M*A*S*H, The Jefferson, Eight Is Enough, and others. Two of his most memorable roles were as in White Shadow and as “Travis Filmore” in 227. He also appeared in TV shows like Everybody Hates Chris, Tales from the Crypt, Walker Texas Ranger, The Hughleys, Modern Family, Psyche and more.

One of his biggest film roles was in Disney’s Angels in the Outfield, which was a hit at the box office.

And who could forget about his hilarious role as “Wacky D” in CB4, alongside, Chris Rock?

Stoney is 61 years young now and he’s pretty much stayed out of the public eye since the mid 2000’s, but it is his current role in REAL life that may be just as fulfilling to him – his job as a basketball referee in the Southern Cali area. It’s been reported that Stoney is presently working as a high school and collegiate-level basketball referee and has apparently been doing so for several years.

Stoney hasn’t completely hung up his acting hat though. Just last year (2015), he co-starred in the Spanish language TV series, Sangre Negra. That’s right our main man Stoney is versatile.

Here’s an old school fun fact about Stoney: He and actor, Mykelti Williamson (the guy who played Lela Rochon’s drunken, obnoxious boyfriend in Waiting To Exhale) have been good friends for several decades.

Also, Stoney is from Virginia, but he got his start in Hollywood after his family moved to Cali in 1976 and opened up a family medical facility there. He then hired an agent and the rest is old school history.

By the way, who remembers the 80’s jam, “I Can Dream About You” from the movie, Streets of Fire? That song was classic and the in the video, Stoney was lip syching the lead part, with Robert Townsend, Mykelti Williamson lip synching the background vocals. Everyone just knew that was Stoney singing for real, but it wasn’t, it was singer, Dan Hartman. The song and video was still off the hook though. Check it out…

The post Ever Wonder What Happened To This ’70s/’80s Actor? We’ve Found Him appeared first on I Love Old School Music.

ILOSM fam’ remember the gangsters, ‘Robert’ and ‘Stone’ from the 1975 classic film, Cooley High? They were the classmates who took ‘Cochise’ and ‘Preach’ for a joyride in a stolen car after leaving a house party. Then they were arrested, released, and eventually caught Cochise, beat him, and left him for dead underneath the train tracks.

Now here’s what you didn’t know about the real life of the two cats who played the gangsters.

Friends & Criminals In Real Life

‘Stone’ was played by Rick Stone and ‘Robert’ was played by Norman Gibson. They were actually friends in real life, but the reason they were so convincing in their Cooley High gangster roles was because they were also gangsters in real life. They were stick-up men who robbed folks around town for a living.

How Did 2 Then-Street Dudes Landed “Cooley High” Role

So, how in the hell did two street cats from Chi-town end up in one of the most iconic Black films in history? The director of the Eric Monte written film, was Michael Shultz, who was in town searching for authentic characters to fill the gangster roles at that time. After getting a tip from Chicago police, who knew all about Rick’s and Norman’s criminal ways, Michael sought them out. What happened next is very interesting…

They Initially Planned To Rob “Cooley High” Cast & Crew

Rick Stone (“Stone”) revealed, in an interview with N’Digo Eye On Chi, that he and Norman were walking down the street, when Michael rolled up on them in a limo, asking them to read for the parts. Their instant reaction was to go to the set so they could rob everybody in the building! Long story short, thankfully that didn’t happen because they ended up getting the role.

The Real-Life Tragedies And Murder Are Heart-Wrenching

They Weren’t Really Acting, “Cooley High” Actor Speaks Out

Rick Stone also revealed that he and Norman were not really acting in the film. After the director saw how well they improvised their audition after he’d told them to just be themselves, he then encouraged them to improvise throughout the entire movie, by simply reacting to whatever was happening in the scenes. Shultz wanted their true reactions and not the scripted ones, since they weren’t actors, but instead real life gangsters. And bada bang bada boom, it worked!

However, although their faces were now known to the masses, Norman and Rick were still living their realities in the streets and the tragedies that struck next were heartbreaking…

“Cooley High Actor, Norman Gibson, Suddenly Passed 1 Year After “Cooley High”

Sadly, on September 29, 1976- just one year and three months after Cooley High was released- Norman succumbed to gun wounds at age 25, after an incident in his Chicago neighborhood. He was reportedly robbed by other stick-up men during a dice game.

“Cooley High” Actor, Rick Stone, Served Lengthy Prison Term

After the film, Rick ended up getting busted for armed robbery and ended serving eight years in the pen.’

“Cooley High” Co-star Helped Stone Get His Life On Track

The most beautiful part of Rick’s story is that in recent years, he has redeemed himself. After getting out of prison, he was down on his luck, so an unlikely Cooley High cast-mate came to the rescue- his friend/actress, Jackie Taylor, who played “Johnnie Mae,” (“Cochise’s” girlfriend) in Cooley High. She first gave him a job as a janitor at her Black Ensemble Theater (she owns it):

Via NPR: “Taylor called that day and said ‘Ricky, what you doing?” I said ‘nothing.’ And she said, ‘Come on down to the Black Ensemble Theater. I’ve got something for you.'”

Then Jackie gave Rick a job as an actor in the theater’s plays, which have been very successful in Chicago. He’s now starred in dozens of plays there and is still going strong. He also still lives in his Chi-town neighborhood, which has now a mixed-income neighborhood. He jokingly revealed this to NPR:

“I got white neighbors now,” Stone says. “A white guy and his wife knocked on my door, they had a cake and were like ‘Welcome to the neighborhood!’ I didn’t have the heart to tell them that I’d been over here all my life. I was like ‘Thank you.’ “

A happy ending to a tragic situation. Wishing Rick Stone much continued success. May Norman Gibson continue to rest peacefully.

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The post Prison, Murder And More: These “Cooley High” Stars Faced Severe Tragedies After Fame appeared first on I Love Old School Music.

If you grew up in the 60’s, 70’s, 80’s, or early 90’s, chances are you know actress, Rosalind Cash, because her career spanned each of those generations. Some of her most memorable roles were in films like Uptown Saturday Night, The Monkey Hustle, The Omega Man, and also in TV shows, like General Hospital, Different World, Barney Miller, Good Times and What’s Happening, and more.

Although many know her work, what many didn’t know (because it wasn’t widely covered in mainstream media) is that Rosalind passed away years ago

Rosalind Cash’s Illness & Her Absolute Refusal To Be A Stereotype

Rosalind Cash passed away from cancer on October 31, 1995. She was 56 years young, but it was never publicly revealed what type of cancer she succumbed to. She kind of passed away under the radar, so we wanted to pay homage to her well deserved legacy.

 

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Cash is best known as an actress, but behind the scenes she was also known as a woman of great integrity, who did not hold her tongue for nobody. She often referred to herself as a “one woman movement.” She had a rep’ for being one of the most outspoken actresses of her era and she always refused to degrade herself on film, television, or in her theatrical performances. That’s why she consciously refused to conform to any ‘Hollywood standard’ she deemed as being stereotypical for African Americans.

She NEVER WANTED TO BE LIKE PAM GRIER, HERE’S WHY…

Cash was once quoted as stating the following about the lack of respect African Americans get in film and television:

“I think blacks are looked upon in this country in a very peculiar way where I don’t think we are taken seriously as a group that has something to say in film and theater. As I said before, I think musically we’re more apt to be accepted and in comedy. But there’s great drama in our lives, in our past, in our culture, and in our Africanisms- I’d like to see more of that portrayed. See, people are frightened of that because its so powerful.”

Cash also revealed she wanted to be nothing like Pam Grier and made that clear to Hollywood big wigs:

“I was told when I would go for a role, right around the black exploitation genre, that they really wanted Pam Grier because they wanted a sex object. So I was never deemed a sex object. I began to do films where I wasn’t always in a glamorous light. I was reprimanded for that by several people saying that if you’re going to be in movies always look sexy and beautiful.”

“There was a whole train of thought that if you stayed beautiful as long as you could, it would ensure you’re working, but if you began to do roles that were less than glamorous you would get typed as an ugly. And they were saying, “How could you do that part and not wear make-up?” I wasn’t concerned with those issues because I work from inside. But…I became aware that I was not considered the glamorous Black woman who was there to assuage all their fantasies about a hot Black woman. There are Black actors that they consider ‘tits and a$$.’ And I wasn’t one of them.” [via scholarworks.umass.edu]

In today’s entertainment climate of reality TV show ratchetness, women who self-proclaim to be bitc&es and twerk to music and artists who call them ‘hoes, ‘ the world desperately needs more actors/actresses like Rosalind Cash.

Ms. Cash did not have children and she wasn’t married at the time of her passing. She was survived by her brother, Col. John A. Cash, who was a very prominent figure in the Army (he later passed away in 1998); another brother, Robert; and a sister, Helen Cash Jackson. Her time here only lasted a little over five decades, but her legacy will last many generations to come. May she continue to rest peacefully.

The post This Legendary Actress Passed Away Years Ago But Many Fans Never Knew Why appeared first on I Love Old School Music.

When the legendary “What’s Happening” star, Shirley Hemphill, passed away from kidney failure in 1999, not only did she leave a major impact on her millions of fans, she also left a major impact on the many celebrities she generously helped. One of those celebs is comedic actress, Rosie O’Donnell. Rosie explained the beautiful things Shirley did for her when she was broke -or like the old schoolers used to say- ‘when she didn’t have a pot to pee in, nor a window to through it out of.’

Why Rosie Will Be Forever Grateful To Shirley

Rosie met Shirley after she became a household name on the 70’s sitcom, “What’s Happening.” Rosie said that Shirley Hemphill was the first celebrity she’d ever met. At that time, Rosie was a broke and struggling teen comedian, hoping she’d one day be able to reach the level of success Shirley had. Then Shirley did this:

Via Playbill: Her [Rosie O’Donnell’s] first big break came when she was a teenager. She would do stand-up in comedy clubs and get in using her neighbor’s fake ID. She actually was introduced as her neighbor for her first three times since that was the only ID she had! One night Shirley Hemphill saw Rosie do her set and told the shocked owner she wanted Rosie to be her opening act. Rosie was still incredibly green but Shirley wanted to support a new comic, especially a female, and told the owner not only would he have to use Rosie as her opener [each week], he would have to pay her! Rosie wound up making $25 for each gig which, for her, was an incredible amount of money.

What Happened Next…

Being the opening act for Shirley’s (who drew large crowds at the comedy club) stand-up shows, increased Rosie’s popularity and led to her being scouted by the national TV show, Talent Search, which which won for seven weeks straight. Rosie was eliminated in the semi-finals, but had garnered enough hype around her name to land her first TV gig on the 80’s sitcom, Gimme A Break, starring Nell Carter. After her appearance on Gimme A Break, Star Search called her back to the show. So that’s why Rosie is forever grateful to Shirley Hemphill, because she was first celebrity to take a chance on her out of the kindness of her heart. And Shirley’s kindness led to a domino effect of success for Rosie O’Donnell.

Rosie O’Donnell’s Touching Tribute After Shirley’s Passing

After Shirley passed away, Rosie gave an emotional tribute to her on her talk show, “The Rosie O’Donnell Show,” that following Monday. As photos and a video clip of Shirley played behind her, Rosie told her audience and millions of TV viewers this:

Via NYPost: “You know, when I started my career, the first famous person I met was Shirley Hemphill,” Rosie said on her show, just before showing Shirley in a clip from “What’s Happening!” Rosie told the story of how Shirley persuaded the owner of a comedy club to give Rosie, then 16, a shot at performing on an open-mike night. “It was my first paid gig,” Rosie said, “and it was because of her. … I loved her very much and she was a great lady.”

Many comedians have come forward throughout the years, with their own recollections of Shirley’s generosity toward them, including Martin Lawrence. Rest on Shirley, beautiful job done.

The post Rosie O’Donnell’s Forever Grateful To Shirley For Helping Her When She Was Struggling & Unknown appeared first on I Love Old School Music.

If you were watching 70’s TV shows back in the day, or even if you weren’t and can spot a true legend when you see one, then you probably recognize the “Get Christie Love” TV show star- the beautiful singer turned actress, Teresa Graves who was known for her infamous line, “You’re under arrest shugah.” Teresa’s another one of our gems in entertainment, who made an impact on mainstream media, but who is oftentimes forgotten by mainstream media and that’s why we’re shedding a well deserved spotlight on her short, yet impactful life today. Although Teresa made history in 1974 when she became the first African American actress to star in her own one hour TV drama, she spent her later years incognito, living in her Inglewood, Ca. home caring for her ill mother, for years and those who knew her later in life, never knew she was a star…she never told them and they only found out after her tragic death…

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-ILoveOldSchoolMusic, old school news with a new point of view

The post This 70s Actress Lived A Great Life, But See How She Died A Tragic Death appeared first on I Love Old School Music.

If you remember the 70’s era of TV and film, you probably remember actress, Judy Pace, from appearing in episodes of “Good Times,” Sanford and Son,” “What’s Happening,” “Shaft,” “That’s My Mama,” “I Dream of Jeannie,” “I Spy,” and many more. In 1970 she was dubbed ‘the most beautiful African American woman in Hollywood’ and today at 73 years young, Ms. Judy Pace has proven that she is like a fine wine – only getting better with time.

Before we go any further, check out this clip of Judy Pace from back in the day in case you need a reminder of who she is…

The post Good Lawd! Remember This 70s Actress? She’s 73 But U MUST See Her NOW! appeared first on I Love Old School Music.

Now that we refreshed your memory on who “Miss One” is, we thought we’d share with y’all some interesting facts about her, being that many of us never really knew who she was, nor had seen her outside of her “Wiz” Costume.

1. “Miss One” was played by actress/jazz singer, Thelma Carpenter. She’d been singing since she was 7 years old, but her big break came during her high school years in 1939, after she was discovered by the same record exec who discovered Billie Holiday and Count Basie. Here are some shots of Ms. Carpenter at a young age…
2. Carpenter passed away in 1997 at the age of 77 after suffering a massive heart attack. She was never married and didn’t have any children. She said this about her lack of having a husband: “Yes, I’ve never married, though you might say, that I’ve done lots of heavy rooming and light housekeeping in my time. Honey, I like life.”
3. Thelma fell on hard times after her Mother passed away in 1962 leading her into a deep depression that left her bedridden for about a year. She then couldn’t find work and her career kind of faded in throughout the rest of the 60’s era, causing her to live as a regular citizen again and work as a file clerk for the  Mott’s apple sauce corporation. Thelma said this about how she handled that downfall in her career: ”My grandaddy taught me something I’ve never forgotten. What you need is so much more important to you than what you want. Anyway, I’ve never aspired to be a superstar. You talk about stardom, well, your nose bleeds up there. I got close enough to know. Suddenly there were people I’d never seen, telling me I owed them something. Listen, I’ve given my money away, where I thought it would help, but I don’t want ‘yes’ people around me. Basically I’m a loner.”
4. Aside from The Wiz film in 1978, Ms. Carpenter performed at the Apollo Theater, in many popular Broadway plays and she’s also had roles on “The Cosby Show” and in the film, “The Cotton Club” in 1978.

Thelma Carpenter is one of our unspoken gems in the entertainment industry. Stars like her, unfortunately oftentimes go unnoticed in mainstream media, but to us she is someone who made a great impact on the Old School culture through roles such as her phenomenal performance in a an iconic CLASSIC like The Wiz. So for her many contributions to entertainment we wanted to properly salute Ms. carpenter and then her after a job well done here on earth.

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