Jay Weston on Lady Sings the Blues

[jobeterob]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jay-we..._b_829674.html

[midnight johnny]

Rob....thanks for posting this link! A fascinating article about the film.

[Ollie9]

Many thanks for posting this. It is always interesting reading of how this film project found it's way on to the big screen. It seems as if the film, with the chosen actors was meant to be no matter what. Although Diana's mentor, it does seem as if their was a lot of self interest as regards Gordys involvement in Diana's film career. It's madness that she had to wait until November of 74 until cameras would roll once again on a new film. A film project Berry Gordy would ultimatley seize control of, possibly to the detriment of it's star.

[Philles/Motown Gary]

Thanks, jobetetrob. It was very interesting, hearing about it from Jay Weston's perspective. Seems like everybody's got a story to tell when it comes to Motown.

[jobeterob]

I liked the part about "he still gets a cheque".

I wonder if it really is her most popular movie. Whether I like it or not, The Wiz may have replaced it.

[milven]

Thanks, jobetetrob. It was very interesting, hearing about it from Jay Weston's perspective. Seems like everybody's got a story to tell when it comes to Motown.

Good to see another perspective, but he makes it sound like Billy Dee and Pryor were unknowns and that Billy did not even have an agent. I recall Pryor having successful albums and Billy starring in Brian's Song a year before LSTB. Billy has a lot of credits going way back to black and white TV. How did he get all that work if he didn't even have an agent when Jay met him?

Here is a clip of Billy Dee on the soap GUIDING LIGHT. [[starts at about 2:35)