John Amos’ Halley’s
Comet
Created and Written by
John Amos
You know him from his Emmy
Award nominated performance as
the heroic adult Kunta Kinte in the
ground breaking mini-series
ROOTS, or as James Evans, the
indestructible father from the hit
television sitcom GOOD TIMES.
You were delighted by his
hilarious performance opposite
Eddie Murphy in the box office
blockbuster COMING TO
AMERICA. Whether he was
performing with Sylvester Stallone
in LOCK UP or co-starring with
Bruce Willis in DIE HARD II,
John Amos has always delivered
outstanding performances.
Most recently you watched him on
ABC’s MEN IN TREES, and
previously on the Emmy Awardwinning drama THE WEST WING
as Admiral Percy Fitzwallace,
Chairman of the Joint Chefs and
last season Ethan Baker, mayor of
Washington, DC on the CBS series
THE DISTRICT. He has also
appeared on the hit comedy series
FRESH PRINCE OF BEL-AIR
and IN THE HOUSE. He now
presents yet another astonishing
character portrayal in his own
extraordinary creation, John
Amos’ HALLEY’S COMET.
This remarkable tour de force is
the hilarious and moving story
of an 87 year old man who
shares the memories of a
lifetime with the famous Comet
he saw 76 years earlier as an 11
year old boy. He sets out in the
wee hours of the morning,
returning to the mountaintop
where he first met the Comet,
and explains to his old friend
“that things sure have changed
sine the last time you passed
this way.” He takes the
audience on a whirlwind
adventure back in time,
beginning at the turn of the
century when the world was full
of dreams and the promise of
wonderful things to come. The
audience experiences a roller
coaster ride through world wars,
romance at a barnyard dance,
fast food restaurants, the golden
age of radio, brutality during the
early civil rights movement, and
the joys of childhood.
John Amos’ performance is
truly incredible. He transforms
himself into a parade of
characters, including the
enchanting 87 year old
universal patriarch, a tough
young man in the middle of a
blood chilling WWII battle in
the pacific, a newly freed
Liberian slave who heads out
West as a cattle driver into
Comanche territory to witness
first hand a truly astonishing,
magical event.
John Amos’ HALLEY’S
COMET is a fascinating,
incredibly funny, thought
provoking theatrical experience
you will want to share with
everyone. Don’t miss this
remarkable experience.
"A universal story that
reaffirms Anne Frank’s
life affirming suspicions:
that in spite of the
horrors we can inflict on
one another, we are, after
all, good at heart."
-- Los Angeles Times
"Destined to become a
classic."
-- Metro Weekender,
London
masters in live action film who has
been nominated for a Grammy for best
direction of a country music video.
His daughter Shannon is an
independent producer and is vice
president of marketing at Sony.
Sharing the same passions, Amos and
his children produced and released a
film together called The Watermelon
Heist, a story passed through
generations of his family, that will be
released in local theaters soon.
Cover story
Story by Lori Denman
TODAY Magazine Writer
Photos by Adam Latham
Many celebrities carry great stage
presence, yet few attain a true star
quality that shines of brilliant
authenticity. Actor John Amos is a
humble man with a heart of gold who
lives his life sailing the seas of
charity, while still granting audiences
the pleasure of his presence.
Amos will be taking the stage of Santa
Clarita's Vital Express Center on the
evening of February 5 for his show of
"Halley's Comet." Created by Amos
14 years ago, this humorous
performance features a character at
the age of 86 who shares his memories
of witnessing Halley's comet twice in
his life, now and at the age of 10. The
core of the show lies in the adventures
along the way, packed with drama
and dreams. The play has received
exceptional reviews worldwide.
To Amos, who has played many
famous roles in productions including
Good Times, Coming to America, Die
Hard II and the miniseries Roots,
"Halley's Comet" is a dream come
true. Amos enjoys the simplicity of it,
for the stage will only feature a tree
stump and himself with no explosions,
which leads the audience to use their
imagination. Amos also cherishes the
folk tale flavor of the play, a feeling
that is familiar, found within his own
family.
Born and raised in New Jersey with an
emphasis on family values, Amos has
continued with the tradition, as he is a
grandfather and a father of two. His
son, K.C., is a director with his
Amos is grateful for a life that is full
of love and endless opportunities. He
acknowledges those who are less
fortunate, including at-risk youth, as
he founded and continues his work
with the Halley's Comet Foundation.
This non-profit organization provides
positive alternatives to young people
through its nautical and maritime
programs, often in conjunction with
the United States Coast Guard.
"The Halley's Comet Foundation is
what really drives me in my life at this
point," Amos said during an awards
ceremony held in his honor this past
November. "I have had a blessed
career and have made my living doing
drama, comedy and more. I do not
wish to pursue an Oscar or other type
of award. What drives me now is
using my celebrity status and my love
of sailing to change the lives of young
people. This is not an original idea,
there have been many programs like
this since sailing began. What makes
this different and personal for me is
that the flagship for the foundation is a
boat, the first sailing vessel I bought
that I donated to the foundation. It is
called Halley's Comet and it is a 68foot boat that resembles a pirate ship.
The whole experience is very
therapeutic."
making this lifestyle possible. It
makes them feel really good to see
someone over the holidays."
Whether it is the holiday season or
not, Amos is always spreading cheer
and looks forward to his visit to Santa
Clarita.
###
Amos has discovered a wise tactic that
keeps children's attention called,
"edutainment," a cross between
education and entertainment. "The
pirate ship gets their imagination,"
Amos said. "We are trying to let the
children know that there is a world
called the maritime industry that
exists. Maybe they would like to be a
doctor or a computer technician.
Maybe they don't want anything to do
with us. But when they come on
board a vessel and I tell them that I
need to go below for a few hours
sleep, and that they have got the boat.
I tell them I want to wake up dry and
on course. The kid automatically has a
feeling
of
independence
and
responsibility. To be 40 miles out to
sea, you become very small and
insignificant. The macho attitude is
thrown off the deck. I take them under
my wing for 10 days, I show them
celestial navigation, wave action, how
to read cloud formations, longitude
and latitude and the ocean's
creatures."
Amos explained the importance of the
Halley's Comet program that has sites
in over 400 American cities and four
foreign countries. The play was the
primary fund raising machine for the
foundation. On the evening of
November
20,
Amos
was
acknowledged for his efforts by
KJAZZ 88.1 FM with a special
performance by the Ray Charles
Quintet. The music was outstanding
and one could sense the history and
experience lingering in the air.
The crowd praised Amos and the
band with applause. It was well
deserved. Amos recently returned
from the Republic of Uganda where
he is assisting with education and
with their film industry development.
A tour of military bases in
Guantanamo, Cuba and Honduras is
next on his agenda. It was a mission
that
Amos
called
essential,
"regardless of a person's political
position. These men and women are
Veteran Actor Amos Graces Cadet AT
By Staff Sgt. Raymond Drumsta
138th MPAD YOUNGSTOWN
Veteran actor John Amos talked tough about career, success and survival to western region Corp of
Cadet members recently, affirming that making it takes more than talent and luck. "I'm an ex-garbage man,
I'm an ex-street sweeper from the city of East Orange New Jersey," said Amos, whose credits include the
landmark miniseries "Roots", and films such as "Die-Hard 2." "I've worked on the Ford Motors assembly
line, I've worked on the General Motors assembly line. I've had jobs that, by the end of the first week, I had
no fingerprints left, because I left them on the assembly line."
Amos spoke to the cadets at Old Fort Niagara in late June, where the cadets gathered for three-day
annual training filled with activities like marching, team-building exercises, rappelling, raft races, boat rides
on a U.S. Coast Guard boat, and historic demonstrations. Against the backdrop of ancient cannons, castles,
and gray fortress walls, Amos shared his work history, a resume of real-life roles including writer, social
worker, and National Guard soldier.
"There are a great, great, many former military people who began their filmmaking careers in the
service," said Amos, "as photographers, as military journalists; and then, after coming back into civilian life,
took those very skills and transformed them, and carried those skills into the private sector in either the
entertainment industry, or some form of advertising."
As a soldier, Amos said he learned a sense of responsibility, which he took with him to Hollywood.
"Very often, since I've been in the entertainment industry, I've looked back on those days and those months
in the guard, and even in the Boy Scouts, and said 'this is what my sergeant was talking about' or 'this is what
my commanding officer was talking about.'" Amos summed up the value of the military and the Corps of
Cadets as "discipline, discipline, discipline."
"Again, I am stressing to you every moment you spend here in the program is an investment in your
future. I am sharing with you a little bit of advice, because at one point in my life I had mentors who shared
advice with me." Amos said his fame paled next to the cadets' local heroes. "So some of your folks, your
parents, and your guardians, and your mentors may not be movie stars, but they perform the Herculean task
every day of making sure you've got enough food to eat, and putting clean clothes on your back. So as far as
I'm concerned, they're the real heroes." After receiving a gift of a black beret, applause and a chorus of
rousing hoo-ahs' from the cadets, Amos, with Lt. Col. David Slocum, director of the New York CounterDrug Program, judged sketches acted out by cadets.
Talent was also on display in the drill and ceremony competition, a regular feature of annual training.
With halftime show precision, the cadets strutted their own discipline, teamwork, originality, and sometimes
street-wise style. Cadet Capt. Casey Craumer, 127th Regiment, Jamestown, said the competition was hard
work, but worth it. "It helps people work together better," Craumer said. "It lets them know they can do
GUARD TIMES: Pg. 2
things together and not necessarily be individuals." Cadet 2nd Lt. Travis Weiler, 127th Regiment, called
annual training a learning experience, and said he enjoyed the boat ride and Old Fort Niagara. He said the
Corps of Cadets gives him discipline. "I'm actually staying out of trouble," said Weiler. Western region
Corps of Cadets staff chose Old Fort Niagara for annual training to show the cadets local history and give
them a taste of colonial life. History class began when the cadets arrived at the 300 year-old fort. Fort tour
guides, dressed in Revolutionary War clothing, demonstrated cannon and musket firing, and put the cadets
through Revolutionary War close order drill. The cadets also prepared their own dinner colonial soldiers' fare
of stewed meat and vegetables cooked in black iron cauldrons over blazing wood fires. Cadet Sgt. Tiffany
Wilson, 209th Regiment, Rochester, said that even though school was over, it was important for cadets to
learn the historic value of Old Fort Niagara and that the varied experiences made this year's annual training
better.
"I hope we get more regiments involved in this," Wilson said. Wilson said the truth ladder and trust
circle, run by Western New York United Against Drug and Alcohol Abuse, were a basis for this year's
annual training. "Without trust you have nothing. The only important thing in life is being on a team you can
trust in," said Wilson. Cadet leadership was emphasized this year as cadets were given rank and
responsibility over other cadets. For Wilson, promoted to sergeant just before annual training, leadership was
a personal challenge. "It felt like an honor," Wilson said. "I felt good about myself. I wanted to prove I could
hold the position without losing it." Cadet Lt. Col. Amanda Cruz, 174th Regiment, Buffalo, also called the
Corp of Cadets a learning experience.
"It's definitely hard work, and you have to earn everything you get." A cadet for the last seven years
and this year's annual training cadet commander, Cruz recently graduated from high school and will be
leaving the program and the 174th Regiment. She said described the regiment as a family, and said she is
both happy and sad about leaving. "You need to build from where you finished, said Cruz. Amos spoke
about the Young Mariners of America Program, which was founded under the auspices of Amos' Halley's
Comet Foundation. Amos said the program provides at-risk youth the advantages and experience of learning
how to sail and work on a crew where crewmembers' lives are interdependent on each other. In July, Halley's
Comet Foundation will be starting a resident program at Camp Smith, which will act as a pilot program.
"We'll be giving the kids tutorials in various aspects of sailing, navigation, celestial navigation,
weather, that sort of thing," Amos said. He added that Corps of Cadets members will be acting as mentors in
the pilot program. "Kids have a tendency to listen to their own peer group much more than gray-bearded
dinosaurs like myself," joked Amos. "I know it is an overused cliche, " Amos said, "but [youth] are the most
valuable resource we have. If we don't save the next generation of kids and I say that not just as a parent but
as a grandparent then we're all going to be in big, big trouble." Amos said he has learned of Corps of Cadets
members, once "written off by society," who have gotten a boost of self-esteem and empowerment, and "are
thinking about things as exotic as becoming doctors in space medicine." "They're beginning to realize their
potential is unlimited, "he said. Amos said he sees the Corp of Cadets being recognized by congressional
funders and the private sector as "a viable program that has proven that it can not just save youth, but turns
their lives around."
"I would envision the program expanding, succeeding and just getting better as time goes by," said
Amos. Part of that expansion will be the formation of a cadet regiment in Niagara Falls, which is to be
announced. The Corps of Cadets has been part of the Western New York community since the program's
inception in 1991. Western region cadets routinely take part in activities such as Memorial Day, veterans'
day, and community beautification events.
###
: Interview: John Amos
The first dad of Black life telling it like it is
Interviewed by Margretta Browne
When I think of John Amos, my memory automatically pulls from two scenes, of course his
famous role as James Evans in Good Times, and his role as the father to Eddie Murphy's love
interest in Coming to America. Both father roles portrayed
someone who could be very excitable, and overbearing at times.
When sitting down with John Amos, I found that unlike those
two roles, he is quite the opposite. He is a man of quiet
confidence but approachable, and more than willing to share his
vast experiences. There are no boastful airs about him, only an
unmistakable dignity that accurately reflects his many
accomplishments. He is a man of achievements both on and off
stage that all link and come full circle to a career anyone would
be proud of.
Amos started in the business as a writer for television on the
Leslie Uggam's Show, a one-hour variety show, as a result of the
Watts riot in 1968. From there he went on to acting, and starred in a great many television shows
and several movies. It was his role as James Evans though in the series Good Times that
presented a pivotal point in his career. Though there was a shift in art form, he could not
completely leave behind his experiences as a writer. Amos brought with him his skills and
creative ideas.
Within these ideas lay his judgments and worries about the stereotypical nature of the
characters on Good Times, a sitcom about a Black family's struggles living in an urban ghetto,
and the impact they could have. This brought a lot of tension. These differences on the set led to
what some predicted would be Amos's demise. He explains: "It was something other than
dramatic and creative differences, it was an ongoing struggle to say no, I don't want to be a part
of the perpetuation of this stereotype. I was hired as an actor. Despite the fact that I had a writing
background, they didn't want to accept whatever ideas I had as a writer. They wanted to take the
ideas I had as an actor, take credit for it and the compensation. So when I would pose arguments
about J.J.'s role being too stereotypical, I was regarded as a negative factor.
It ultimately reached a point where it was inflammable, I mean, spontaneous combustion
could happen at any minute. They killed my character off and as God would have it, just when
they told me I would never work again, I got cast in a little program called Roots, and as they
would say, the rest is history. I could have begged and they made it obvious to me that if I
wanted to come back and be a good boy... but I'd rather say 'Toby be good nigger' in Roots than
'Toby be good nigger' on Good Times."
What could have ended in bad times for Amos led to good times. Amos went on to star in one of
the most powerful and influential mini-series on television, Roots. He played the adult role of
Kunta Kinte, a figure that embodied the beginning of history for Blacks in America. His
excellent portrayal of Kunta Kinte pulled him an Emmy nomination.
Amos is an accomplished actor not only on camera but on stage as well. He has starred in
numerous critically acclaimed productions here in the states and abroad. His current theatrical
production, Halley's Comet, is winding down its last year out of a ten-year world tour. It is a oneman show written, directed, and of course acted by Amos. Amos plays an 87 year old man who
at the age of 11, witnesses Halley's Comet and then gets the same opportunity 76 years later to
see the comet again. He shares his observations of history over the 76 years with the comet
through a plethora of rich anecdotes with a mixture of drama and humor.”
Out of this one man show has come another facet of Amos's life,
Halley's Comet Foundation. An organization Amos has founded to
expose at-risk children to sailing. He spoke very passionately about the
mission of his foundation, "a passion that comes from being both a father
and a grandfather." He has a, "68ft vessel that looks like a pirate
ship...and captures children's imagination." Amos's goal is just that, to
grab the attention and interest of the at-risk child. By at-risk he means,
"those kids that society says you have one last shot to clean up your act,
or it's going to be some type of penal situation. That's the kind of kid I
want...society has just about had enough of him and he has just about had
enough of life." He hopes by engaging them in teamwork and making
them responsible for the hard work of a successful sail, that it will, "instill knowledge in that kid
of who and what he/she can be...prove to them that their potential is unlimited.”
Amos's artistic abilities have garnered him success in the arenas of film, television, and
theater. His career has spanned successfully over the past three decades and continues. He
currently has a recurring role on NBC's The West Wing as Admiral Percy Fitzwallace and is
working on two new films. Amos has proved that talent, hard work, and a true passion for one's
craft can only lead to one thing, success.
To find out more about John Amos's one man show, log on to halleyscomet.com.
###
Veteran TV theater actor to stage own one-man production
John
Amos
brings
"Halley's Comet" to the Bowlus
Fine Arts Center at 8 p.m. Jan. 20,
1998.
He's got a Santa Claus
rumbling kind of laugh, deep down
and hearty, one that makes you
feel good just to hear it. And he's
got a heart as big and full as St.
Nick's pack.
But, John Amos the actor,
former football player, producer,
director and one-man show chooses to spread his good will
and warm feelings in a different
way from the seasonal gent.
What's more, he does it all year
long.
A Shakespearean actor,
he portrayed Sir. Toby Belch in
"Twelfth Night" with Joseph Papp's
Shakespeare Festival and was
nominated for his first Emmy for
his performance as Kunte Kinte in
Alex
Haley's
televised-series,
"Roots."
Today, armed with awards
that date back to his theatrical
debut in the Los' Angeles
production of "Norman, Is That
You?" which won him the L.A.
Drama Critics Award for best actor,
and a host of other awards for
such classics as "Tough to Get
Help; "Split Second" and "The
Emperor Jones," he has more
irons in the fire than Santa's elf
who's in charge of reindeer shoes.
It is readily apparent that his
greatest love, of all his present
aspirations, is "Halley's Comet,"
the one-man show he has written
and presented all over the world to
great acclaim.
Born in Newark, N.J.,
Amos and his sister, Terri, were
raised by their mother in East
Orange
after
their
parents
divorced. He graduated from
Columbia Junior High and East
Orange High School before
earning a degree from the
University of Colorado, a college
that the muscular six footer chose
for, among other reasons, the
opportunity to be visible to pro
football scouts.
Despite his performance
on the field as a running back, or
maybe because his team never
had a winning season throughout
his college career, he faced a
number of setbacks, after
One-man production
graduation. The actor now
looks back on that time and
chuckles over it. "I was cut
from 13 teams in. three
years. I was cut from the
Kansas City Chiefs not only
once, but twice. Can you
believe that?" he said.
Amos can make the
transition from comedy roles,
such
as
Gordy,
the
weatherman, in the "Mary
Tyler Moore Show," or the
lovable but opinionated dad
in "Good Times" to the
blockbusting Kinte of "Roots"
fame, easily enough, but he
readily admits the comedic
roles are the more difficult.
All the years in nightclubs,
writing his own material,
putting on his own standup
acts, coupled with a lifetime
of experiences, was the
foundation
for
"Halley's
Comet."
He recalls seeing an
elderly man looking up at the
comet on its once in-76-years
passage and smiling. "There
were his kids and grandkids
all around him, and it looked
like he was telling the comet
all about them. That's when I
thought, wow, why can't I do
a piece about a man telling
Halley's Comet everything
that happened since its last
visit?" Amos said.
So he did. Amos
wrote "Halley's Comet" after
the comet appeared in 1986,
then acted out all the
personalities
his
main
character recalls.
First presented in
1989 at the American Stage
Company, Amos and his oneman show have traveled the
globe to acclaim awards and
encores.
The story's main
character, an elderly man
who
remains
nameless
during the entire 90-minute
performance, recalls that he
had seen the comet on its
early century traipse around
the world and wanted to fill it
in on the details of his life
during the intervening 76
years until its most recent
orbit.
The story is filled with
humor, pathos, poignancy,
fear, hope, joy and every
other emotion that would fill a
man married three times, with
14 children, two killed in two
different wars, the advent of
fast food, television, man on
the moon, women's lib, air
travel and technology.
When this old man
talks about his color and the
ecology, he blends the
forcing people of all ages,
races and passions to put
things in proper perspective.
A favored line from his
portrayal has him pondering
whether the human race will
ever reach a point when we
will all be more humane. His
character thinks aloud: "If we
don't get together and forget
about our different paint jobs
and fix this hole in the ozone,
we'll all be the same color,
black and crispy."
How much of John Amos is in
the
"Halley's
Comet"
character?
"Oh, a good deal,"
the actor-writer says. "But
I've only had two wives, not
three, and I only have two
children, not 14.
Looking back on his
success and his failures,
Amos is appreciative of the
failures. About those 13
football team rejections, he
says, "They prepared me for
this field: you don't get any
more rejections than you get
in the theater."
About his ambitions
he says, "You can go
anywhere you want to go and
be anything you want, to be.
Just don't limit yourself on
your dreams."
Tickets for the Iola
performance
can
be
purchased at the Bowlus
Center office by calling (316)
3654765 or at Iola Pharmacy
two weeks prior to the
performance
Star of Roots and Die Hard Brings Halley’s Comet to Springfield
The Springfield Arts Council brings beloved movie and television actor John Amos, known to millions for his Emmy Award
nominated portrayal of Kunte Kinte in the mini-series Roots, to the stage
of downtown Springfield's Clark State Performing Arts Center at 300 S.
Fountain Avenue in an extraordinary one-man tour de force that has been
bringing audiences to their feet around the world. Presented on Saturday,
January 17 at 8:00 p.m. and Sunday, January 18 at 2:00 p.m., the hilarious
and moving Halley's Comet takes the audience on a spectacular journey
from the turn of the century to the present day as Amos transforms
himself into a parade of characters to show how very much the world has
changed through the eyes of an 87 year-old grandfather. Performances are
made possible through the support of Media One, Lite 99.9 and WDPRWDPG FM Fine Arts Public Radio.
Also known for his unforgettable role as the lovable but hardnosed father of the hit TV mini-series Good Times, John Amos first tried a
career as a professional football player and then as a copywriter. In a "root canal of a decision" the father of two chucked his 9 to 5
job at a Los Angeles ad agency and gambled on his gifts for comedy and drama, scooping up a nomination for Best Actor by the Los
Angeles Drama Critics on his very first theatrical venture in Norman is That You.
The gamble paid off again and again. The versatile actor appeared in Broadway productions, winning the NAACP Award
as Best Actor for Split Second, dabbled in Shakespeare as Sir Toby Belch in Twelfth Night at Joseph Papp's prestigious New York
Shakespeare Festival, and received critical accolades and ovations at England's venerable Bristol Old Vic in the exceptional new
work The Life and Death of a Buffalo Soldier. His commanding list of motion picture credits include co-starring roles in the blockbuster Die
Hard II with Bruce Willis, the box office smash Coming to America with Eddie Murphy, and Lock Up with Sylvester Stallone and Donald
Sutherland. Out of a lengthy list of television credits, he considers his role as Gordy the Weatherman on The Mary Tyler Moore Show
as being among his favorites, most recently appearing in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and In the House on NBC
Halley's Comet opens with Amos as an 87 year-old man setting out from his home in the early hours of the morning for an
isolated area in the woods to rendezvous with the comet he saw once before as an
11 year-old boy. Since that last meeting, the world has seen great evil and
great progress: nuclear bombs and super-sonic jets, designer jeans and the
McDonalds hamburger, the civil rights movement and the greenhouse effect. With
gentle humor and electric storytelling, the "play asks longingly if things will ever
be the way they used to be." (Akron Beacon Journal)
The inspiration for Halley's Comet came as Amos was watching the
comet make its spectacular reappearance in 1986. Says Amos, "I was struck by
the sight of an elderly man standing near me who kept chuckling to himself as he
stared into the sky. It was as if he had found a long lost friend in the comet, and I
guessed that he had seen the comet when it appeared the last time in 1910. I started to
imagine all that the man must have lived through in-between sightings"
Performances of Halley's Comet are dedicated to Alex Halley, a close friend
of Amos. Halley, who passed away recently, is best known for his Pulitzer Prize-winning
book Roots that provided a powerful human view of slavery. Says Amos, "Alex
said that each time an elderly person dies it's like a library burning down and that
information is lost for all time." Through his unnamed central character Amos preserves
a universal elder Everyman, an African griot (elder who recites history), who can
remind mankind of the lessons, dreams, and values of the past, and guide him to a
future filled with hope.
SPRINGFIELD
NEWS-SUN
John Amos
speaks to
Halley's
Comet
during his
Performance
at Kuss
Auditorium.
News-Sun
Photo by Sarah
Halley's Comet lights upstage
with humor, wisdom
BY Lawrene Calder
Trump
News-Sun Writer
We never got
his name, but 1.200
people
won't
be
forgetting the old man
we met in the woods
Saturday night.
In a two-hour
one-man show few
could pull off in a venue
the size of Kuss
Auditorium, actor John
Amos played not to the
crowd, but to each one
in it.
With nothing
but a tree stump and a
backdrop of the night
sky, Amos was an
amused and arthritic old
man, come to a hilltop
to see Halley's Comet
for the second time in
his life.
Amos,
who
wrote Halley's Comet
after watching an elder
man witness the comet's
passing Earth in 1956,
is better known for his
Emmy-nominated role
as Kunta Kinte in the
TV miniseries Roots,
and for co-starring
movie roles in Die Hard
2, Coming to America
and others.
From
his
opening scene snorting
awake in a rocker, to his
parting
prayerful
admonishment
that,
when the comet returns,
"I hope you all got it
right," Amos' character
recounted his life in a
changing world.
The griot, an
African elder charged
with
keeping
the
family's oral history,
had
fathered
14
children and buried
four of them, each lost
in successive wars,
including the battle for
civil rights.
He
had
married and buried two
wives before marrying
his third, the woman
who had kissed him
and called him a fool
as he set out for the
hilltop.
The oak tree he
remembered there as a
boy was only a stump.
upon which he eased
his creaking bones to
speak to the comet
overhead.
The
elder
remembered with a
wheezing laugh his
great-granddaughter’s
wheedling $50 from
him to buy a ripped-up
pair of designer jeans.
He recounted with
blazing horror his son's
last letter from Two
Jima, where brown,
white
and
black
soldiers' skin turned red
with the blood of
Japanese paratrooper’s
shot from the sky. Thecomet's 76-year orbit is
about the span of a
man's lifetime, the griot
noted.
Puzzled
over
Yuppie insensitivity and
materialism,
and
shocked at the rise of
neo-Nazi
sentiment, he
wondered why
people did not
learn from the
past.
"They say he
who dies with the most
toys, wins. Well, he
who dies...dies. If you
haven't left the world a
better place than you
found it, you ain't won
nothing,"
he
said,
before kneeling to plant
a seedling a few feet
from the stump.
Amos has been
performing
Halley's
Comet for five years,
and
dedicated
his
performances to his
friend, Roots author
Alex Haley. Haley died
four years ago. before
he had a chance to see
Amos' play.
The Springfield
Arts Council presents
Halley's Comet again at
2 pm today in Kuss
Auditorium.
Tickets
from $15 to $32.50,
available at 324-2712.
John Amos stars in "Halley's Comet" this Friday
Battle Creek SHOPPER NEWS, Delivered Free to Over 50,000 Area Homes -- January 22, 1998
"Halley's Comet"; starring John Amos, comes to the W.K. Kellogg Auditorium on Friday, January 23,
at 8:30 p.m. The National Touring Network of Battle Creek and the Kellogg Expert in Residence Program are
proud to bring to the Battle Creek area an artist and performance that will indeed by a once in a lifetime
experience.
Amos takes the audience on a spectacular journey by transforming himself into a parade of characters to show
how the world has changed over a span of 76 years.
John Amos wrote and directed "Halley's Comet". Amos explains what inspired this production. "As I
was watching the comet make its appearance in 1986,1 was struck by the sight of an elderly man standing near
me who kept chuckling to himself he stared into the sky. It was as if he had found a long lost friend in the
comet, and I guessed that he had seen the comet when it appeared the last time in 1910.I started to imagine all
that the man must have lived through in-between sightings." The one-man play is a story about one man's
journey through life as he gazes back upon his past,
recalling the significant events that changed him
forever.
Amos is best known for his Emmy Award
nominated portrayal of Kunte Kinte in the
miniseries "Roots", and his unforgettable role as
the lovable but hard nosed father of the hit TV
series "Good Times". He has performed in
numerous feature films including "Die Hard2/Die
Harder", Eddie Murphy's "Coming to America",
and "Lock Up" with Sylvester Stallone.
On Saturday, January 24, the day following
the performance of "Halley's Comet", Mr. Amos
will meet with area drama students at the Discovery
Theatre where he will talk about the craft of theater
and being in the acting business. These students
will have been invited to attend his performance
free of charge.
"Halley's Comet" will be performed
Friday, January 23, at 8:30 p.m. at W. K. Kellogg
Auditorium. Tickets are $15 and $10, and are
available at the Community Box Office located at
the Discovery Theatre, 966-2560, at all
Ticketmaster locations, and will be available at the
door the night of the show.
John Amos fashioned the character in his
one-man show on the spirit and experience of his
parents. "My mother was an actress (when the
landlord came to collect the rent). She had a great
sense of humor, and her timing was flawless. My daddy was a great storyteller." The experience of their many
years influenced him in writing, "Halley's Comet", putting race and ecology into perspective
John Amos right at home with his One-Man Show.
Since writing and starring
in the nostalgic one-man show
"Halley's Comet," actor John
Amos has received standing
ovations from audiences as far
away as England.
But the most passionate
applause may come when the
Hunterdon County resident
returns to Raritan Valley
Community College in the North
Branch section of Branchburg
to perform his moving play on
Saturday.
Best
known
for
his
television roles in "Roots" and
"Good Times," Amos will
donate all proceeds from the
$30 tickets to Kelsey Kirchner,
a 5 year-old Bridgewater girl
who is battling cancer.
"It makes it so satisfying
for me, because I wrote
'Halley's Comet' to entertain
people but also to remind
people
how
things
were
simpler," Amos says. "If a
neighbors' house burned down,
they'd have a barn raising or
help raise a new house. Any
type of personal tragedy with
family and neighbors, folks
would come from all over and
get the crops in. I'm proud of
the fact that I've met people
who've
shown
enough
sensitivity and community spirit
to help this girl long before I got
involved."
For the past two years,
Central Jerseyans have come
to the aid of Kelsey, whose
case of neuroblastoma is so
rare that the Food and Drug
Administration consider her
treatments experimental. As a
result, they are not covered by
her family's medical benefits.
Amos' performance has been
underwritten
by
Sterling
Mortgage Ltd. Last year, the
Raritan-based
company
organized
a
charity
golf
tournament that raised $25,000
for the child.
"Halley's Comet," which
Amos will perform in Raritan
Valley's 900-seat Edward Nash
Theater, also is expected to
raise a generous amount, says
Bruno Viscariello, Sterling's
senior loan officer.
"Words can't describe
how excited I am about Mr.
Amos joining forces with us," he
says. "The play reflects on all
the changes from the last
appearance of the comet to
when the play takes place, the
changes in technology and the
way people have changed. With
everything changing, everyone
so conscious of making money,
we're stepping back, saying,
'Hey, these people need help.'"
If you go
WHAT: "Halley's Comet" with
John Amos.
WHERE:
Raritan
Valley
Community College in the
North Branch section of
Branchburg.
WHEN: 8 p.m. Saturday.
TICKETS: $30. All proceeds
will benefit Kelsey Kirchner, a
Bridgewater 5-year-old who is
battling a rare form of cancer.
Kelsey's
father, Jim
INFO: (908)
7253420
Kirchner, says he thanks
someone every day for their
support.
He says he is surprised that a
busy actor is among them. "He
saw
her
picture
and
immediately wanted to help,"
Kirchner says. "It's very heartwarming to know that there are
people out there willing to give
of themselves. I appreciate it."
A bright star
Amos,
who
has
performed "Halley's Comet"
twice before at the college,
was inspired to write the play
after watching the return of
the comet in 1986 at the
Delaware Water Gap in
Pennsylvania.
The recollections of
an elderly gentleman, who
was witnessing the comet's
76-year orbit for the second
time, reminded the actor of
his father and grandfather.
"It was if he had
found a long-lost friend in
the comet," says Amos, who
ages more than 50 years in
the role. "I started to imagine
all that the man must have
lived through in between
sightings. The character
offers a lot anecdotes that
are really based on my dad
and granddad and a whole
bunch of other figures I've
met throughout my life."
Since
Amos
debuted
"Halley's Comet" in 1990 at
Englewood's John Harms
Theater, where he serves as
artistic director, he has
performed the one-man
show all over the world.
Along
with
the
upcoming production, the
actor says he is most proud
of
performing
for
the
crewman and wives of the
U.S.S. John F. Kennedy two
years ago.
"They allowed me to
take the helm," he says.
"Here's this kid raised in
East Orange, N.J., born in
Newark,
an
ex-garbage
man, social worker, wouldbe football player standing at
the helm of the JFK aircraft
carrier, bringing it into the
Port of New York. It was a
good feeling."
A week after the
RVCC performance, Amos
will present "Halley's Comet"
to several television contacts
in the hopes that one will be
interested in a series
adaptation. Amos says he is
confident
about
the
possibilities, because his
audience is as diverse as it
is responsive.
"I'm
not
offering
'Halley's Comet' to solve the
world's problems, but no
matter where I perform -Bermuda, New Jersey, the
Bedford Stuyvesant section
of Brooklyn - the response to
the piece has come from
every ethnic background,"
he says. "I've had all kinds of
people come up to me and
say, 'This character reminds
me
of
my
dad,
my
grandmother.' I knew I struck
the right nerve the first time I
performed it. A little girl
came up to me with her
grandmother on a walker.
She was well into her 80s. I
said, 'This is my audience.
It's perfect.'"
- By Robert Makin CourierNews Staff Writer