St. Paul recorder. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1953-12-04

them have talent, Others think
sessed of the driving determir
recently of Minneapolis, MINI
New York City.
Miss Chivers arrived in Man
haitian not so many weeks ago
with her luggage and the very
definite idea that she was going
to read Negro poetry on the Ford
Foundation Omnibus" television
show. OF course that ambition
isn't exclusively the property of
Miss c. 1t wouldn't be too much
of an exaggeration to say that
practically every actor in New
York would like to go before the
Omnibus television cameras
even if to do nothing more than
wriggle his ears and then dis
appear in smoke, Mr.. Orson
Welles, who is not overly gifted
with that Godfrey-inspired quail
ity known as humility" was so
happy at having been allowed to
appear on Omnibus" that he re-
portedly requested the opportun-
ity for return engagement
sometime in the future.
Miss c., without a contact to
her name, got settled in a room
at Spellman Hall of the YWCA in
Greenwich Village. Then she Sc
cured clerical job in the unit
control section at Hetch's depart
ment store. Not satisfied with that
she took another part-time job,
teaching in a nursery school
Steady employment outside of the
theatrical field is looked upon as
an almost unforgiveable sin by
most members of the acting pro-
fession who prefer slow starvation
during their periods "at liberty
On the advice of Milton Will
iiams, veteran Harlem actor now
doing frequent "bit" roles on
television, Connee got hold of the
Ross report. a complete listing of
agents and producers in the thea
trical, radio and television field
Also, at the suggestion of VIII
liams, whom she met through
friends, she went to a theatrical
photographer and had 200 com
posite" photos taken to send out
to agents and producers listed in
the Ross report. Composite"
photos are a series showing var
ious moods.
For eleven dollars. Connee
found she could have the photos
mailed out with list of her
credits" mimeographed on the
back.
She selected ten producers for
special attention, among them the
producer of Harlem Detective"
a new Negro television show To
date she has received answers
from all of the producers, EX-
CEPT the gentleman producing
Harlem Detective" Harlem
Detective unsponsored so far,
could use some acting talent.
Among the producers Connee
heard from were Saint Subber,
who viii put Truman Capote's
House of Flowers" into produe-
ton soon with cast of thirty
There will be roles in the show
for Negro actors. She also had a
reply from Eric Danielle. who will
produce Fancy Dancer" with the
talented Negro actor, Juan Her
nandez in a lead role. The locale
viii be in a mining town so there
will be number Of roles open for
Negroes in the cast of forty.
During the time Connee was
contacting other producers,
she was concentrating on the
producers Of Omnibus. She
wrote twice to Robert Banner.
one of the top producers of the
show and then she also wrote to
Andrew Mccullough. the young
est Of the Omnibus producers.
Within a week, she received a
cali from McCulloughs secretary
asking her to see him at his Of
flee at CHS television studios.
For a newscomer TO show business
TO get a personal call from the
producer OF a top show is almost
unheard OF.
connee admits that she asked
for and received helpful advice
from McCullough's secretary be-
fore she went inside for the talk
with the producer. Secretaries and
receptionists are important peo-
pie in show business. fact which
most newcomers and even many
veterans fail 10 appreciate An
assist from a secretary can often
mean the difference between get
ting past the portals 20 the inner
sAncium or eooling the chair out
side
IN. tntsr,se,v .dtb McCuIloush