Guillaume a life

237 Pages·2002·3.535 MB·English

by  Guillaume, Robert;Ritz, David

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Also by David Ritz
Biographies
DividedSoul:TheLifeofMarvinGaye
FaithinTime:TheLifeofJimmyScott
Autobiographies
BrotherRay(cowrittenwithRayCharles)
InsideMyLife(cowrittenwithSmokeyRobinson)
TheRhythmandtheBlues(cowrittenwithJerryWexler)
RagetoSurvive(cowrittenwithEttaJames)
BluesAllaroundMe(cowrittenwithB.B.King)
GuidetoLife(cowrittenwithSinbad)
FromTheseRoots(cowrittenwithArethaFranklin)
TheBrothers(cowrittenwiththeNevilleBrothers)
Reach(cowrittenwithLailiAli)
Novels
SearchforHappiness
TheManWhoBroughttheDodgersBacktoBrooklyn
Dreams
BlueNotesunderaGreenFeltHat
BarbellsandSaxophones
FamilyBlood
PassionFlowers
TakeItOff!TakeItAllOff!
Lyrics
“SexualHealing”
“BrothersintheNight”
“LoveIstheLight”
“ReleaseYourLove”
“CanYouTellMeWhotheHeroesAre?”
u u
illa me
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ife
A L
Robert Guillaume
wit David Ritz
University of Missouri Press
Columbia and London
Copyright©2002by
RobertGuillaumeandDavidRitz
UniversityofMissouriPress,Columbia,Missouri6655220111
PrintedandboundintheUnitedStatesofAmerica
Allrightsreserved
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Guillaume,Robert
Guillaume:alife/RobertGuillaumewithDavidRitz.
p.cm.
Filmography:p.
ISBN097-88-2062-8-1246226--26161-2
1.Guillaume,Robert. 2.Actors—UnitedStates—Biography. I.Ritz,David.
II.Title.
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For Donna

Contents
Preface....ix
Acknowledgments....xiii
TwoWomen....
1
BedrockofMyRebellion....9
MorningGloriesandPigs’Snouts.... 9
1
“Boy,OneofUsHastoGo. . .”....27
JeannetteWilliams(1880–1951) ....40
KarinBerg....48
Karamu....59
TheCity....65
ActingasThough....75
GoldenOpportunities....82
Pilgrims’Progress.... 5
11
“HeHadSpecters. . .”.... 2
1 1
ThePrimaryIssue.... 29
1
FayeHauser.... 35
1
StoneLove.... 42
1
DinnerforFour.... 47
1
PatCarpenter.... 54
1
Brother,Sister,Mother.... 59
1
IntellectualArmor.... 66
1
DonnaBrownGuillaume.... 72
1
vii
viii W Contents
BeCarefulWhatYouWishFor.... 79
1
“HeWasBrokenforMe”.... 87
1
“ThisIstheMoment”.... 94
1
StrokeofFate....200
FilmographyandDiscography....207
Index....2 3
1
Preface
I’ve never collaborated with anyone as candid as Guillaume—not
RayCharles,notEttaJames,noteventheastoundinglycandidMar-
vinGaye.Guillaume’scandorisstraightup.Somecelebritiesseecan-
dor as a means to shock or impress. Guillaume’s candor comes out
of a desire for self-understanding. He speaks the truth to learn the
truth.Heapproachesself-examinationwithtough-mindedtenacity.
WhenGuillaumestartsfoolinghimself,he’sthefirsttobusthimself,
the first to tell you. He never backs off from self-confrontation, no
matterhowdelicateorindictingtheissues.
Guillaume’s great gift is detachment. He holds himself—and the
events of his remarkable life—at arm’s length. Most stars regale you
withself-aggrandizingwarstories.Guillaumegoestheotherway.He
presumesyouknowthegoodstuff.Asanautobiographer,he’slook-
ing for the real stuff, the hidden stuff, the stuff that, when it was
happening, was too hot to process. In the cool light of day, in the
time we take to reflect upon his life, he’s eager to process it all. As
hedescribeshisgutsycareer—hisaspirationstosingopera,hissteely
determination to make it on Broadway, his unexpected triumph on
network television—he’s far more interested in the ironies than the
successes.
IencounterGuillaumesometenmonthsafterhe’ssufferedastroke.
I like him immediately. He’s an enormously affable man. He walks
with a cane, and his speech is slightly slurred. His mind is quick
and his banter stimulating. He voices concern about the impact of
thestrokeonhiscareer.Asalifelongstutterer,I’meagertocompare
speechimpediments.TurnsoutthatGuillaumeandItakethesame
ix