European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - November 29, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse Plenty of Worth in the production of a Malcolm a a by Bernard Weinraub the new York times the film Malcolm Xis As everyone knows the creation of Spike Lee. But it has also been the 25-year obsession of Marvin Worth. Worth the producer of the movie said last sunday that the Box office grosses for the films first few Days had left him stunned. Malcolm a which stars Denzel Washington opened nov. 18 to generally positive reviews. It was expected to Gross about $10 million Over the weekend. The film came in third at the Box office after Tomc alone 2, which grossed a huge $30 million and Bram Stoker s dra Eula with about s15 million. A a it a fantastic unbelievable a a Worth said by Telephone. Quot it surpasses our wildest whether Malcolm a will emerge As a Long team commercial Success that will Appeal to White As Well As Black audiences remains Uncertain. But Worth in a recent interview in his office made it evident that the fact that he had actually made the film was enough for him. A even if this movie does no to make 20 cents its still history a he said. A a it a something 1 had to do. My memories of this Man go so far Worth first met the teen age Malcolm on 52nd Street in new York in the 1940s. At 15, Worth was hanging out at jazz clubs and managing musicians. Malcolm a then called Detroit red because of his Reddish hair a was hustling drugs. A the was Selling grass a Worth said. Quot he was 16 or 17 but looked older. He was very witty a funny Guy and he had this extraordinary Charisma. A great dancer and a great Dresser. He was very Good looking very very tall. Girls always noticed him. 11c was quite a special Worth is one of the More colourful producers in town an intense bespectacled 67-Ycar-old with shoulder length Gray hair a nervous new York Pat o % a % Witt not Hios Angela Bassett Denzel Washington Star in Malcolm a an Early Box office smash at stateside Heaters. Ter and a fondness for expensive super trendy clothes by the designer Gianni Versace. His office at the Warner Bros. Hollywood studio is not your typical producer s office with sleek furniture southwestern decor and a bowl of perfectly ripened fruit. Instead it is like an amusement Arcade with an assortment of Bowling pins and toy soldiers a Small sofa with a Marilyn Monroe print and huge purple Green and Black paintings by his wife Joan. Behind Worth s flamboyance however he has gained a reputation As an often serious and successful producer. His most successful films include Lenny the powerful 1974 Bob Fosse drama starring Dustin Hoffman As the tormented nightclub comic Lenny Bruce. Worth was bruces manager for years he also produced the Hose with Bette Midler in her starring debut As a doomed Rock Star Hatty a Carst the 1988 Paul Schrader drama about the newspaper heiress kidnapping and the 197 1 Black comedy classic where s Poppa Worth said his obsession with making a film about the life of Malcolm x was based in Large part on his conviction that the Story of the Black Leader was a peculiarly american Saga. A a it a such a great Story a great american Story and it reflects our society in so Many ways a Woith sail. A a Here a a Guy who essentially led so Many lives. He pulled himself out of the Gutter lie went from country boy to hipster and Semi hoodlum. From Thucie he went to prison where he became a Muslim. Then he was a spiritual Leader w to evolved into a although Worth is proud of the film the Pio Durei says he w wishes that the lighter Side of Malcolm xes personality could have emerged. Quot when i knew him he w As such a charmer Quot he said a very gregarious a Guy who was a lot of fun and in a not sure that a asked about fee who has a reputation for being abrasive Anil difficult Worth laughed. Quot nobody can explain Spike a he said Quot very difficult to understand. Very tube that needs to tone up its ethnic scheme by Lynn Elfr Quot a television writer do not adjust your television set. This programming is in Black and White. We re not talking about an exercise in to nostalgia. Its the nearly Complete Lack of hispanic and asian performers that has rendered the television landscape duotone. Blacks wince at being played strictly for laughs in sitcom after Jivey sitcom bitterly denouncing stereotyping and their segregation from Many dramas. During his induction last month into tvs Hall of Fame Bill Cosby implored Industry leaders to Stop the a horrible massacre of images Quot being put on the screen. But other minorities done to even get the Chance to be insulted. Quot its very frustrating to be invisible in your own country a said Esther Renteria executive director of the National hispanic Media coalition. Name the hispanic actors with continuing network series roles this season and you la come up with Only a handful including a Martinez of . and comedian Cheesch Marin of Golden Hal ice. The rest of americans melting pot a chinese food delivery Man did Hen up a event Seinfeld As an Accident victim. Foxes the Simpsons downright wallowing in cartoon multiculturalism offers those Cray Quot two tvs from Kabul restaurateurs and Indian convenience store operators. On cd so Northern , set in Alaska amet mean Indian cast regulars Are called on for Moie than local color in such atypical Indian topics As a Sweet would be film auteur. And through the years a few series with non Black minorities As the leads have popped up. A Bce a . Pablo about a Young 1 hispanic comedian and his extended family ran for less two months. Trial and error a lbs comedy about two buddies from the East in its Angeles Barrio was a Blip on the screen in March 19k8. Most successful was no cd a Chico and the Man which ran four seasons. The screen actors Guild offers the following numbers in 1984, in both television shows and feature films hispanics represented 3 percent of performers asians 2 percent. In 1991, hispanic performers held steady at 3 per cent with asians slipping to 1 percent. The latest . Census figures show that 9 percent of the population is i hispanic with asian or Pacific islanders at about 3 percent. But its not just a numbers game. More is not enough better is the goal say minority actors and activists. Diversity is the key. In to land hispanics Are gang members drug dealers maids. Asians Are Well to incs food delivery men. Quot you in the Shadow in the background seism a Contee a laments Veteran actress Arnern Zapata. Her frustration with Sui h Toles she says drove her out of i Hollywood and into founding a i of Angeles Community theater. A a i he studios incl works producers Aie 30 years behind the tune. T hey re not really aware of where we Are in the country a said . Quot we Are an upwardly Mobile Community. And we re not being represented that it s not just minorities who end up being cheated Quot the importance of having visibility is this my children need the self esteem of seeing themselves on to a Sard Renteria. A your children need to see them to know How to interact with them to know we re All different but we re All the same to eliminate the fear of the Martinez who came to i. A. Law after making his Mark As a soap opera heartthrob on Quot Santa Barbara a recalls Early fan Marl confiding Quot you re one of the first hispanic people i Ever rooted for in a
