The post Fans Stunned By Which “Roots” Actor Married And Has Kids With “Cagney & Lacey” Star appeared first on I Love Old School Music.

LeVar Burton, known for his role in the groundbreaking series “Roots,” as well as for his “Reading Rainbow” series, recently paid a heartfelt tribute to his co-star, the legendary late actor, Louis Gossett Jr. In a social media post, Burton shared an untold story about their bond and the impact Gossett had on his career.

Reflecting on his first professional audition, which happened to be “Roots,” Burton recalled the grueling, yet unforgettable weeks of location work in Savannah, GA. After the production relocated to Los Angeles, Burton had the chance to meet Gossett for the very first time. The veteran actor extended an invitation to dinner at his beach house, and what followed was an evening of profound connection and camaraderie:
“ROOTS was my first job in the business. It was in fact my first professional audition. When the production moved back to Los Angeles after 7 grueling, glorious, unforgettable weeks location work in Savannah GA, I met Lou for the very first time. He invited me to dinner at his beach house, to spend the night and just hang out, “ LeVar revealed.

As the crashing waves provided a melodic backdrop, Burton and Gossett spent hours talking and sharing their life stories. The experience forged a deep bond between them, transcending their roles as Kunta and Fiddler on screen. Burton recounts Gossett’s kindness and conscious effort to make a 19-year-old aspiring actor feel welcome—the mark of a true gentleman:

“We talked for hours, drinking wine, sharing our life stories with the crashing waves in Malibu as background music. By the time we got to set the next day the bond between Kunta and Fiddler was forever forged. He was a giant and a gentle man. His kindness and conscious effort to make a 19 year old kid feel welcome was indicative of his open heart.
Kunta & Fiddler…” – LeVar Burton

Fans and of both actors poured their love and support, acknowledging the impact of Gossett’s work and expressing their condolences. The comments section became a virtual space of shared memories and appreciation for their contributions to the entertainment game.

Louis Gossett Jr. – who passed away on March 29, 2024, at age 87 – leaves behind a rich legacy of talent and a body of work that will continue to inspire generations to come. His performances in “Roots,” “An Officer and a Gentleman,” and numerous other films and television projects have captivated audiences worldwide.

The untold story shared by LeVar Burton reminds us that beyond the screen lies a world of genuine connections and friendships. It is through these personal bonds that actors find inspiration, support, and the courage to bring their characters to life.

As we mourn the loss of Louis Gossett Jr., we also celebrate his incredible career and the indelible mark he left on the entertainment industry. His work will continue to touch hearts and captivate audiences for years to come. May his memory live on through the characters he portrayed and the stories he shared.

The post “Roots” Star LeVar Burton Pays Beautiful Homage To Louis Gossett Jr & Tells Untold Story About Him appeared first on I Love Old School Music.

John Amos a.k.a. “James” from Good Times recently explained how his life was almost cut short when he was bidding for the role of “Kunta Kinte” in the miniseries, Roots.

Let’s just say some folks took his preparation for the role VERY seriously…like life-threatening seriously. While competing for the role of “Kunta Kinte,” Amos wanted to make sure that he nailed it with the appropriate African accent, even though the casting directors presumably doubted he could pull it off at the time. To be sure he had it down, Mr. Amos went to Liberia and only spoke in the African accent he’d planned on using for the role, if he were to get the part. Check out what he said about that and how he got the “Kunta Kinte” role below…

John Amos: “I knew I had the handle on it [the African accent], not because of ego, but one time when I was living in Liberia I was out drinking with some friends of mine –local guys– and we went to one of the local shebeens, which is just a bar in somebody’s house where they make homemade brew or whatever. And my friend, Charles Mitchell –an indigenous Liberian– said to me, ‘John!’ I said ‘What Charles?’ …I had my back to the crowd…Charles is facing me and I see a look of alarm on his face. ‘I said ‘Charles what’s wrong?!!’ He said, ‘Oh John, one bad guy [with a machete] coming for us.’ I said, ‘WHAT?!!’ …

I turn around…and there’s  a guy, [he] gets up from the table and sure enough he’s got his machete out, and he’s with two or three of his friends –and they’ve got they’re machetes or clubs. … The guy looked at me and said, ‘I know you! I told you when you were in Bowman Hill Diamond Mine, that I coming for you one day and now the day!’ “

Amos explained that his potential attacker had mistaken him for a former security guard who’d mistreated him back in the day, when he was an imprisoned worker at a diamond mine in the area. So, John Amos had to think quick on his feet in order to save his life:

J.A.: “This guy (the security guard) had mistreated him so bad that he’d vowed he was gonna cut his head off. He said ‘Now I’m coming for your head!’ I said, ‘Woah! Wait one minute buddy!’ … [I] dropped the accent, pulled out my wallet, pulled out my California [license] *gesturing to himself* this is ME, I’m just a player!'”

Afterwards, the potential attacker was so shocked that John Amos wasn’t who he’d thought he was, that he treated him and his friend to “a lot of beer” and the rest is history!

John continued:

“So the question of ‘whether or not I had the right accent’ wasn’t up for discussion, it almost got me KILLED! LOL.”

That story John Amos told is something to laugh at now, but I’m sure there was no chuckling going on back then.

Amos also said that he experienced an extremely emotional, surreal breakdown moment on the set of Roots during filming, after what he explained as “hearing voices of his ancestors speak directly to him.” They had to pause the filming process because of it. Turn the page to watch the video clip of Amos detailing that ‘spiritual incident.’

Very interesting. I’m not sure if Amos was hearing his ancestors, or just becoming overwhelmed by the emotional beating and pain that starring in such a powerful, raw depiction, like Roots, could cause.

Either way, every actor did an incredible job. They had to dig from someplace deep down mentally, psychologically, and spiritually that they’d probably never tapped into before and I’m sure the realness of the script and the scenes they were portraying, must have taken a psychological/emotional toll on them at that time, understandably so.

Much respect to the the late, great writer of Roots, Alex Haley, for bringing to life the story of his REAL family and allowing us all to feel a piece of our own personal family history through the story of his.

The post Close Call: John Amos Detailed How Men Almost Killed Him Over “Roots” Movie Role appeared first on I Love Old School Music.

Remember when actress, Tyne Daly , played the tough “Detective Mary Beth” on the TV show, Cagney & Lacey? Well, what many of us didn’t know was that during that time, Tyne was married to a very popular actor who had a significant role in the Alex Haley TV miniseries, Roots. Tyne and this “Roots” actor were married for 24 years — a true feat for Hollywood couples — and have three children together.

Meet Tyne Daly’s Superstar “Roots” Ex-Husband & Kid’s’ Father

He starred as “Chicken George’s” (Ben Vereen) son, “Tom,” from the historic miniseries, Roots. You know him well, his name is Georg Stanford Brown (79).

Georg is also known for his roles in The Rookies, Stir Crazy, and most recently the FX drama, Nip/Tuck. He and the 77-year-old “Cagney & Lacey” veteran’s romance seems really unlikely, but their story is actually interesting.

They started dating in 1965 when they met at at American Musical and Dramatic Academy that they both attended. She was a privileged, White rich kid with the successful actor dad, James Daly, and Georg Stanford Brown was the financially poor Black kid from Harlem, who was working hard to pay his tuition, by being the school’s janitor. As you can see, they came from two different worlds, but they fell in love and as we mentioned earlier, had 24 years of marital bliss from 1966 to 1990.

Georg was born in Havana, Cuba to West Indian parents who didn’t have much money, but he said they always made sure to expose him to things that would spark his creativity with books, travel and music. “That gave me the vision and feeling that I wouldn’t settle for what surrounded me,” says Georg.

It sounds like their incredible passion for acting is what brought these two together and through their union, they produced three daughters, Alyxandra Brown (37), Alisabeth Brown (55), and Kathyrn Dora Brown (52), who is also an actress in film and television.

Meet Their Kids

Kathryne Dora Brown is a actress, who’s made appearances on television shows like “Private Practice” and “Reading Rainbow.”

Alisabeth Brown is a potter and glass worker.

Alyxandra Beatrice Brown

On a side note, our girl Tyne Daly also dated the man best known as Prince’s dad in the film, Purple Rain, Clarence Williams. They were an item for years and they started dating after her divorce from Georg Stanford Brown, but they’re no longer together.

The post Fans Stunned By Which “Roots” Actor Married And Has Kids With “Cagney & Lacey” Star appeared first on I Love Old School Music.

If you’re from the Old School, you’re pretty familiar with LeVar Burton. No matter which Old School era you come from, he was there- regardless of if you are most familiar with him from the powerful 70’s miniseries, Roots, or the 80’s era Reading Rainbow – you know him well. The thing you probably didn’t know about, is what happened when he found out that he had a son. It all started in 1980, when LeVar was at the height of his career.

The One Night Stand That Turned Into Lifetime Blessing

Long story short, LeVar Burton had a one-night stand with a woman he didn’t really know…no big deal right? Things happen and they were both consenting adults. The thing LeVar didn’t know was that he and the young lady had procreated during their one-night stand, and the result was the son you see in the above pic.

LeVar Burton’s son, Eian Ward Burton, was born in 1980, but apparently it wasn’t until three years later, in 1983, that he found out the child existed and what he did next is something I wish we could see more of.

What Burton Did After Finding Out About His ‘Son’

Instead of him denying the child, and forcing the mother of his son to have to take him to court, LeVar actually did what many men in that predicament unfortunately may not have done. He immediately took himself to court over this! Here are the details from the Washington Post:

Burton said he hadn’t even known of the child’s existence. But, according to his attorney, Gloria Allred, “after tests confirmed the child was, in fact, his, he decided to do everything possible to assume equal responsibility for his son.” He asked the Los Angeles Superior Court to grant him joint legal custody and visitation rights. He also volunteered to pay $600 a month child support[which was sufficient for that era]. “I grew up in a broken home, raised by my mother,” he explained. “I would like for (my son) to have the benefits of both parents.”

Now, if this doesn’t deserve respect I don’t know what does! So many times, women are the ones who are left with a child to raise on their own, with no father figure in the home. Typically I’d say a man should not get a pat on the back for being a father to his child and doing what he is supposed to do anyway, but in this case I’ve gotta tip my hat to LeVar. He had no clue that one night of adult fun had produced a child, but as soon as the paternity test proved the baby was his, he immediately stepped up to the plate.

See Where Their Relationship Lies Today…

LeVar and his son have been closer than close ever since they met in 1983, that’s evident from the pics below.

We just wanted to share this with you because this is one of those stories that proves it’s never too late to step up. Fellas (or ladies) if you have a child you have not seen in years, don’t let the fear, nor pain of what your child might make you feel –as a result of your absence from their lives– deter you from taking that next step toward making amends with your seed. It’s a beautiful thing to spend the rest of your days attempting to genuinely right your wrongs. It’s never too late family.

Here’s an Old School fun fact about LeVar Burton:
At the age of 13, LeVar entered a seminary to become a priest! It didn’t last though…he ended up dropping out of the seminary at the age of 17, because he started questioning some of the teachings he was receiving.

The post Many Were Stunned By What LeVar Burton Did When Tests Proved This Man Is His Son appeared first on I Love Old School Music.

John Amos a.k.a. “James” from Good Times recently explained how his life was almost cut short when he was bidding for the role of “Kunta Kinte” in the miniseries, Roots.

Let’s just say some folks took his preparation for the role VERY seriously…like life-threatening seriously. While competing for the role of “Kunta Kinte,” Amos wanted to make sure that he nailed it with the appropriate African accent, even though the casting directors presumably doubted he could pull it off at the time. To be sure he had it down, Mr. Amos went to Liberia and only spoke in the African accent he’d planned on using for the role, if he were to get the part. Check out what he said about that and how he got the “Kunta Kinte” role below…

John Amos: “I knew I had the handle on it [the African accent], not because of ego, but one time when I was living in Liberia I was out drinking with some friends of mine –local guys– and we went to one of the local shebeens, which is just a bar in somebody’s house where they make homemade brew or whatever. And my friend, Charles Mitchell –an indigenous Liberian– said to me, ‘John!’ I said ‘What Charles?’ …I had my back to the crowd…Charles is facing me and I see a look of alarm on his face. ‘I said ‘Charles what’s wrong?!!’ He said, ‘Oh John, one bad guy [with a machete] coming for us.’ I said, ‘WHAT?!!’ …

I turn around…and there’s  a guy, [he] gets up from the table and sure enough he’s got his machete out, and he’s with two or three of his friends –and they’ve got they’re machetes or clubs. … The guy looked at me and said, ‘I know you! I told you when you were in Bowman Hill Diamond Mine, that I coming for you one day and now the day!’ “

Amos explained that his potential attacker had mistaken him for a former security guard who’d mistreated him back in the day, when he was an imprisoned worker at a diamond mine in the area. So, John Amos had to think quick on his feet in order to save his life:

J.A.: “This guy (the security guard) had mistreated him so bad that he’d vowed he was gonna cut his head off. He said ‘Now I’m coming for your head!’ I said, ‘Woah! Wait one minute buddy!’ … [I] dropped the accent, pulled out my wallet, pulled out my California [license] *gesturing to himself* this is ME, I’m just a player!'”

Afterwards, the potential attacker was so shocked that John Amos wasn’t who he’d thought he was, that he treated him and his friend to “a lot of beer” and the rest is history!

John continued:

“So the question of ‘whether or not I had the right accent’ wasn’t up for discussion, it almost got me KILLED! LOL.”

That story John Amos told is something to laugh at now, but I’m sure there was no chuckling going on back then.

Amos also said that he experienced an extremely emotional, surreal breakdown moment on the set of Roots during filming, after what he explained as “hearing voices of his ancestors speak directly to him.” They had to pause the filming process because of it. Turn the page to watch the video clip of Amos detailing that ‘spiritual incident.’

Very interesting. I’m not sure if Amos was hearing his ancestors, or just becoming overwhelmed by the emotional beating and pain that starring in such a powerful, raw depiction, like Roots, could cause.

Either way, every actor did an incredible job. They had to dig from someplace deep down mentally, psychologically, and spiritually that they’d probably never tapped into before and I’m sure the realness of the script and the scenes they were portraying, must have taken a psychological/emotional toll on them at that time, understandably so.

Much respect to the the late, great writer of Roots, Alex Haley, for bringing to life the story of his REAL family and allowing us all to feel a piece of our own personal family history through the story of his.

The post That Was Close: John Amos Explained How Men Almost Killed Him Over “Roots” Movie Character appeared first on I Love Old School Music.

Remember when actress, Tyne Daly , played the tough “Detective Mary Beth” on the TV show, Cagney & Lacey? Well, what many of us didn’t know was that during that time, Tyne was married to a very popular actor who had a significant role in the Alex Haley TV miniseries, Roots. Tyne and this “Roots” actor were married for 24 years — a true feat for Hollywood couples — and have three children together.

Meet Tyne Daly’s Superstar “Roots” Ex-Husband & Kid’s’ Father

He starred as “Chicken George’s” (Ben Vereen) son, “Tom,” from the historic miniseries, Roots. You know him well, his name is Georg Stanford Brown (78).

Georg is also known for his roles in The Rookies, Stir Crazy, and most recently the FX drama, Nip/Tuck. He and the 76-year-old “Cagney & Lacey” veteran’s romance seems really unlikely, but their story is actually interesting.

They started dating in 1965 when they met at at American Musical and Dramatic Academy that they both attended. She was a privileged, White rich kid with the successful actor dad, James Daly, and George Stanford Brown was the financially poor Black kid from Harlem, who was working hard to pay his tuition, by being the school’s janitor. As you can see, they came from two different worlds, but they fell in love and as we mentioned earlier, had 24 years of marital bliss from 1966 to 1990.

Georg was born in Havana, Cuba to West Indian parents who didn’t have much money, but he said they always made sure to expose him to things that would spark his creativity with books, travel and music. “That gave me the vision and feeling that I wouldn’t settle for what surrounded me,” says Georg.

It sounds like their incredible passion for acting is what brought these two together and through their union, they produced three daughters, Alyxandra Brown (36), Alisabeth Brown (54), and Kathyrn Dora Brown (51), who is also an actress in film and television.

Meet Their Kids

Kathryne Dora Brown is a actress, who’s made appearances on television shows like “Private Practice” and “Reading Rainbow.”

Alisabeth Brown is a potter and glass worker.

Alyxandra Beatrice Brown

On a side note, our girl Tyne Daly also dated the man best known as Prince’s dad in the film, Purple Rain, Clarence Williams. They were an item for years and they started dating after her divorce from Georg Stanford Brown, but they’re no longer together.

The post Fans Stunned By Which “Roots” Actor Married And Has Kids With “Cagney & Lacey” Star appeared first on I Love Old School Music.

If you’re from the ‘70s and ‘80s eras, you probably remember the actress who played “Fanta” in the classic TV mini-series, “Roots.” She was “Kunta Kinte’s” (LaVar Burton) first love in the series. Her name is Renn Woods and just in case you missed “Roots,” you may recognize her from her many other roles, including roles in the films, “Car Wash,” “Hair,” and in TV shows like “What’s Happening,” “The Jeffersons,” “The White Shadow,” and many more. Well, we have some photos of Mrs. Woods that will blow your mind. It’s been a long time since we’ve seen her in “Roots,” talking to her TV Daddy, O.J. Simpson, and we are pleasantly pleased with what we see…

CHECK OUT “FANTA” NOW…AND SHE CAN SING

Wow! Check out Renn Woods at 64 years young! She’s just as beautiful as she was during her “Fanta” days! Like we said, Ren’s other passion is her singing career, which she still does to this day and from the looks of it, she LOVES it!

Before Renn Woods starred in “Roots” and “Car Wash,” she was actually singing, but her acting career just took off at that time. She released two albums- her first album, “Out of the Woods,” was originally supposed to be produced by Maurice White of Earth, Wind, and Fire in 1979. Due to some changes at EW&F’s label at the time, Maurice got tied up with other responsibilities and his EW&F band member, Al McKay, ended up producing that album.

Peep Renn’s latest EPK video below…

Prince also composed a popular single on Ren’s second album, “Azz Izz.” The single was called “I Don’t Want To Stop.”

FROM HOLLYWOOD TO HOUSEWIFE…BACK TO HOLLYWOOD

In an interview with the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Renn Woods revealed that in 2010, she tried really hard to step away from performing, away from Hollywood, and away from theater, but it just wasn’t her style. She moved with her husband to Pittsburgh in 2010, when he worked there and she said she tried to live an incognito life and leave the entertainer life behind. She kept her entertainment background away from those who were around her there, but soon, her natural instinct to perform came calling:

“I was trying to be a housewife, which I’m really bad at,” Renn said, laughing.

By 2013, she was back at it- on stage and performing in a musical stage play about her life. From there, she hasn’t stopped. Keep doing your thang Mrs. Woods, we see you!

The post Seen “Fanta” From “Roots” Lately? She Is Just As Beautiful As She Was Back In The Day appeared first on I Love Old School Music.

John Amos a.k.a. “James” from Good Times recently explained how his life was almost cut short when he was bidding for the role of “Kunta Kinte” in the miniseries, Roots.

Let’s just say some folks took his preparation for the role VERY seriously…like life-threatening seriously. While competing for the role of “Kunta Kinte,” Amos wanted to make sure that he nailed it with the appropriate African accent, even though the casting directors presumably doubted he could pull it off at the time. To be sure he had it down, Mr. Amos went to Liberia and only spoke in the African accent he’d planned on using for the role, if he were to get the part. Check out what he said about that and how he got the “Kunta Kinte” role below…

John Amos: “I knew I had the handle on it [the African accent], not because of ego, but one time when I was living in Liberia I was out drinking with some friends of mine –local guys– and we went to one of the local shebeens, which is just a bar in somebody’s house where they make homemade brew or whatever. And my friend, Charles Mitchell –an indigenous Liberian– said to me, ‘John!’ I said ‘What Charles?’ …I had my back to the crowd…Charles is facing me and I see a look of alarm on his face. ‘I said ‘Charles what’s wrong?!!’ He said, ‘Oh John, one bad guy [with a machete] coming for us.’ I said, ‘WHAT?!!’ …

I turn around…and there’s  a guy, [he] gets up from the table and sure enough he’s got his machete out, and he’s with two or three of his friends –and they’ve got they’re machetes or clubs. … The guy looked at me and said, ‘I know you! I told you when you were in Bowman Hill Diamond Mine, that I coming for you one day and now the day!’ “

Amos explained that his potential attacker had mistaken him for a former security guard who’d mistreated him back in the day, when he was an imprisoned worker at a diamond mine in the area. So, John Amos had to think quick on his feet in order to save his life:

J.A.: “This guy (the security guard) had mistreated him so bad that he’d vowed he was gonna cut his head off. He said ‘Now I’m coming for your head!’ I said, ‘Woah! Wait one minute buddy!’ … [I] dropped the accent, pulled out my wallet, pulled out my California [license] *gesturing to himself* this is ME, I’m just a player!'”

Afterwards, the potential attacker was so shocked that John Amos wasn’t who he’d thought he was, that he treated him and his friend to “a lot of beer” and the rest is history!

John continued:

“So the question of ‘whether or not I had the right accent’ wasn’t up for discussion, it almost got me KILLED! LOL.”

That story John Amos told is something to laugh at now, but I’m sure there was no chuckling going on back then.

Amos also said that he experienced an extremely emotional, surreal breakdown moment on the set of Roots during filming, after what he explained as “hearing voices of his ancestors speak directly to him.” They had to pause the filming process because of it. Turn the page to watch the video clip of Amos detailing that ‘spiritual incident.’

Very interesting. I’m not sure if Amos was hearing his ancestors, or just becoming overwhelmed by the emotional beating and pain that starring in such a powerful, raw depiction, like Roots, could cause.

Either way, every actor did an incredible job. They had to dig from someplace deep down mentally, psychologically, and spiritually that they’d probably never tapped into before and I’m sure the realness of the script and the scenes they were portraying, must have taken a psychological/emotional toll on them at that time, understandably so.

Much respect to the the late, great writer of Roots, Alex Haley, for bringing to life the story of his REAL family and allowing us all to feel a piece of our own personal family history through the story of his.

The post Close Call: John Amos Detailed How Men Almost Killed Him Over “Roots” Movie Character appeared first on I Love Old School Music.

Remember when actress, Tyne Daly (75), played the tough “Detective Mary Beth” on the TV show, Cagney & Lacey? Well, what many of us didn’t know was that during that time, Tyne was was married to a very popular actor who had a significant role in the Alex Haley TV miniseries, Roots. Tyne and this “Roots” actor were married for 24 years and have three children together.

Meet Her Superstar “Roots” Ex-Husband & Kid’s’ Father

He starred as “Chicken George’s” (Ben Vereen) son, “Tom,” from the historic miniseries, Roots. You know him well, his name is Georg Stanford Brown (78).

Georg is also known for his roles in The Rookies, Stir Crazy, and most recently the FX drama, Nip/Tuck. He and Tyne Daly’s romance seems really unlikely, but their story is actually interesting.

They started dating in 1965 when they met at at American Musical and Dramatic Academy that they both attended. She was a privileged, White rich kid with the successful actor dad, James Daly, and George Stanford Brown was the financially poor Black kid from Harlem, who was working hard to pay his tuition, by being the school’s janitor. As you can see, they came from two different worlds, but they fell in love and as we mentioned earlier, had 24 years of marital bliss from 1966 to 1990.

Georg was born in Havana, Cuba to West Indian parents who didn’t have much money, but he said they always made sure to expose him to things that would spark his creativity with books, travel and music. “That gave me the vision and feeling that I wouldn’t settle for what surrounded me,” says Georg.

It sounds like their incredible passion for acting is what brought these two together and through their union, they produced three daughters, Alyxandra Brown (35), Alisabeth Brown (53), and Kathyrn Dora Brown (50), who is also an actress in film and television.

Meet Their Kids

Kathryne Dora Brown is a actress, who’s made appearances on television shows like “Private Practice” and “Reading Rainbow.”

Alisabeth Brown is a potter and glass worker.

Alyxandra Beatrice Brown

On a side note, our girl Tyne Daly also dated the man best known as Prince’s dad in the film, Purple Rain, Clarence Williams. They were an item for years and they started dating after her divorce from Georg Stanford Brown, but they’re no longer together.

The post Fans Stunned By Which “Roots” Actor Has Kids With “Cagney & Lacey” Star appeared first on I Love Old School Music.