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 Cooley High ‘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 just a few years ago, he redeemed himself. After getting out of prison, Rick 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.'”

Eventually, Jackie offered Rick a job as an actor in the theater’s plays, which were very successful in Chicago. He went on to star in dozens of plays there. Last we heard, he was also still residing in his Chi-town neighborhood, which is now a mixed-income area. A while back, Rick 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.’ “

We’re not certain of what Rick Stone is doing these days, but his story was definitely a happy ending to a tragic situation. May Rick’s friend and Cooley High co-star, Norman Gibson, continue to rest peacefully.

Source1, Source2, Source3

The post Prison, Murder And More: These “Cooley High” Stars Faced Serious Tragedies After Fame 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.

Source1, Source2, Source3

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

Cooley High is one 70s film that will forever be remembered as a straight up classic! Not only were the main characters, “Cochise” and “Preach,” the most memorable, but so were their many supporting cast mates, including “Brenda,” “Preach’s” girlfriend in the film.

Actress, Cynthia Felton (formerly Cynthia Davis) played her role well and ever since we’ve covered what she’s been up too lately, many within our ILOSM fam’ sent us messages asking if Cynthia has any kids. So, for those of you curious about Cynthia’s offspring, here’s the answer: Yes, she does have a daughter, who is just as gorgeous as her mother during her 1975 Cooley High days.

Meet “Brenda’s” Daughter

Her name is Samantha and she’s the product of her mother, Cynthia, and her mother’s significant other, Frank “Red” Felton.

Although Cynthia went down in history as an actress who’s face was one of the most recognizable in the mid 70’s, her daughter chose a different route. Samantha has a job in the healthcare industry, as a patient care associate at a Michigan hospital.

Her other full time job is as a devoted mother to the young daughter she has with her boyfriend, Brian – a Michigan-based tattoo artist…

As we previously reported, Cynthia “Brenda” Felton couldn’t be more proud of her daughter and grandbaby and she wastes no time expressing that on Samantha’s and Brian’s social media pages.

As far as what ‘Brenda’s’ doing for a living these days, you can check her out here.

Now pardon me while a take a break to go watch ‘Brenda’ do her thing in one of my all-time favorite movies ever…well, except for the ending when “Stone” and “Robert” killed “Cochise.” I still get a lil’ misty eyed over that every time…don’t judge me fam.’ Peace.

The post Daughter Of “Brenda” From “Cooley High” Is Just As Gorgeous As Her Mother 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.

Source1, Source2, Source3

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

Actress, Cynthia Felton (formerly Cynthia Davis) played her role well and ever since we’ve covered what she’s been up too lately, many within our ILOSM fam’ sent us messages asking if Cynthia has any kids. So for those of you curious about Cynthia’s offspring, here’s the answer: Yes, she does have a daughter, who is just as gorgeous as her mother during her 1975 Cooley High days.

Meet “Brenda’s” Daughter

Her name is Samantha and she’s the product of her mother, Cynthia, and her mother’s significant other, Frank “Red” Felton.

Although Cynthia went down in history as an actress who’s face was one of the most recognizable in the mid 70’s, her daughter chose a different route. Samantha has a job in the healthcare industry, as a patient care associate at a Michigan hospital.

Her other full time job is as a devoted mother to the one year old daughter she has with her boyfriend, Brian- a tattoo artist who owns a Michigan based tattoo parlor…

As we previously reported, Cynthia “Brenda” Felton couldn’t be more proud of her daughter and grandbaby and she wastes no time expressing that on Samantha’s and Brian’s social media pages.

As far as what ‘Brenda’s’ doing for a living these days, you can check her out here.

Now pardon me while a take a break to go watch ‘Brenda’ do her thing in one of my all-time favorite movies ever…well, except for the ending when ‘Stone’ and ‘Robert’ killed ‘Cochise.’ I still get a lil’ misty eyed over that every time…don’t judge me fam.’ Peace.

The post Daughter Of ‘Brenda’ From “Cooley High” Is Just As Gorgeous As Her Mom appeared first on I Love Old School Music.

Cooley High – The Classic Film

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 Street Dudes Land “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…

https://www.instagram.com/p/BiDwDrNgT53/

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.

Next Page: The Real Life Tragedies And Murder Are Heart Wrenching >>>

The post These “Cooley High” Stars Faced Extreme Tragedy After Fame appeared first on I Love Old School Music.

With his contributions to “Good Times,” “What’s Happening,” “The Jeffersons,” “Sanford and Son,” “The Cosby Show,” and the classic movie, “Cooley High,” Monte’s talent definitely speaks for itself. But, despite his obvious talent, unfortunately, he wasn’t compensated properly. According to him, the execs stuck him for his paper, but we never would have guessed things had gotten THIS bad for him…

EXTREME HARDSHIPS & SMALL SALARY

During a previous interview with “Soul Train,” Monte revealed he had to take legal action to be compensated for “Good Times.” In 1977, he filed a lawsuit due to contract discrepancies with the show. But, even after winning a settlement, he still didn’t receive all he deserved.

Monte won a million-dollar settlement (crumbs in comparison to the show’s profits) and get this- he was only awarded 1% of the royalties from the show- a show that is still in regular syndication 40+ years later, mind you. Ain’t that a blip?!!

Eric Monte on lawsuit settlement: “The settlement was for $1,000,000 and one percent of ‘Good Times.’ I also get a portion of the royalties of ‘Good Times’ on DVD. I asked about ‘Sanford and Son,’ ‘The Jeffersons,’ and ‘What’s Happening.’ They said, ‘nothing.'”

BUT U WON’T BELIEVE WHERE MONTE ENDED UP AFTER THIS

After winning the settlement, Monte decided to invest his money in other projects. He used the funds to promote his play “If They Ever Come Back.” However, things didn’t go according to plan because the public’s response was nothing like he expected. Unfortunately, the stage play flopped.

In addition to the failed project, it was widely reported by various media outlets, that Monte ended up suffering bouts with crack cocaine abuse back in the day and had no choice but to file bankruptcy due to the lack of earnings from his show creations. And here’s where it gets even worse: In 2005, Eric Monte- the man who is responsible for creating TV shows/movie that gave us some of our most treasured old school memories EVER- found himself living in a Salvation Army shelter paying $300.00 a month for shelter, food, and counseling. That’s just sad and wrong on SO many levels.

THE UNLIKELY PERSON WHO HELPED HIM

After years of struggling due to all of the disheartening events that occurred during his career, Monte received a major opportunity from an unlikely person. During an interview with The Los Angeles Times, Illinois state Rep. Ken Dunkin explained how he coordinated a small fundraiser to help Monte. After growing up watching so many memorable shows Monte contributed to, he explained how Monte impacted his life. He wanted to return the favor.

“We want him here in Chicago,” said Dunkin. “This man should not be going out like this. I grew up on ‘Good Times.’ That’s me. I grew up in the ’70s looking at that show. Our family gathering, bonding moments were around that show. That was our building.”

Dunkin also explained why he believes so many people should be able to relate to Monte:

“He’ll be living in an affordable home with social services geared to help folks who are rebounding,” Dunkin said. “He’ll get a key to a lovely studio with a nice kitchen in an area where most people in Chicago can’t afford to live,” he said.”His story is profound in a number of ways. We are all one or two months away from being an Eric Monte.”

At least there was a beautiful ending to an unfortunately ugly story of deception, outright thievery, and injustice. Wishing Eric Monte continued success and positive energy as he continues to rebuild his life and career.

The post “Good Times” Show Made Millions But Many Surprised By How Much The Show’s Creator Was Paid appeared first on I Love Old School Music.

The post Wow! Put Her Death Rumors To Rest, We FOUND “Brenda” From ‘Cooley High!’ appeared first on I Love Old School Music.

According to JET magazine, there’s a remake of Cooley High in the works but this time Michael Schultz and Steve Krantz  won’t be directing the classic Blaxploitation film. This time, DeVon Franklin and Common have teamed up with Steve Krantz’s son, Tony, to revitalize the movie with the help of MGM.

At this point, the film is still in the planning stages as producers work with Seth Rosenfeld to bring the script to life. It’s been 41 years since the iconic film was released in the summer of 1975 and the legendary cast revealed just how all the film has impacted their careers and lives.

“This thing is beautiful. I mean the film is a powerful film,” said Robert Townsend. “It gives you a slice of life that you rarely see on screen. So when people think about Cooley High, it’s on everybody’s top ten list of classic movies, you know they wanna say Black movies, but I think it’s just a great movie overall.”

Most old schoolers probably agree with the famed actor and producer and hope the remake is just as iconic as the original film. Right now, there’s no definite release date for the upcoming film but we’ll certainly keep you updated!

The post Cooley High Remake In The Works, Look Who They Cast In Movie appeared first on I Love Old School Music.

It’s been over three decades since this song was released and most of us never even knew Rick James and Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs a.k.a. “Cochise” from Cooley High a.k.a. “Boom-Boom” from Welcome Back Kotter a.k.a. “Joe Jackson” in The Jacksons: An American Dream had this one thing in common:

They both sang on Super Freak. Yep you read that right, “Cochise” can sing and he sang the background vocals on Rick’s song. That’s crazy right? How come this wasn’t publicized more back then? We verified the credits on Ricks album and Lawrence’s name is actually listed in the credits. Who knew?!!

Here’s another surprise: Lawrence released THREE R&B albums back in the day and they actually were pretty good. Check out one of his songs on the next page. Okay now this the last shocker (to some folks) about this “Super Freak” song…guess who else sang on that record? The legendary Temptations!

Wow! Many of us knew this, but a lot of us didn’t. At one point I couldn’t have imagined the Temps singing the lyrics: “That girl’s a super freak”? But after I found out I could, because the proof is in the pudding. It’s definitely them singing along with “Cochise” on that joint. Remember when Rick screamed “Temptations sing” on the record? That flew right over a lot of our heads back then. Rick sure knew how to put together an interesting bunch, didn’t he?

Now listen closely and see if you can here all of their voices on Super Freak…

Flip the page to check out one of Lawrence’s songs from his 1978 self titled album and see what he’s doing now.

The post Guess Which Popular Song We ALL Know That “Cochise” Sang Background On? appeared first on I Love Old School Music.