Thursday, February 5, 2009

Before They Were Kiddie-Show Stars

On “Sesame Street,” Roscoe Orman has played the part of “Gordon” for more than 30 years. And a better black role model would be hard to imagine.

But shortly before Mr. Orman got that gig, he starred as a badass pimp in the 1974 blaxploitation flick “Willie Dynamite.”

So let’s double up on some Roscoe Orman this mornin’, shall we? YouTube style.

In the “pimp council” scene, also keep a sharp eye out for a “Sanford & Son” co-star. (Not to mention Robert DoQui, a charter member of the Black C-Listers Hall of Fame.)

12 comments:

bklyn6 said...

I remember that Gordon. Was he the second one? Holly Robinson Peete's dad played Gordon too.

Did you know that a parental advisory sticker was slapped on the DVDs of the early Sesame Street episodes? Something about same sex muppets sharing an abode, Oscar's anger management issues, Cookie Monster's bad eating habits, etc. Today's kids might be negatively influenced. :rolleyes:

Anyway, I loved Sesame Street!

floretbroccoli said...

Isn't this the actor who elicited so much surprise by appearing in the final season of The Wire?

Undercover Black Man said...

^ Surprised the hell out of me.

Undercover Black Man said...

Did you know that a parental advisory sticker was slapped on the DVDs of the early Sesame Street episodes? Something about same sex muppets sharing an abode, Oscar's anger management issues...

Oscar was outta control in those early years. One time he called Susan a cunt.

floretbroccoli said...

On an tangential but somewhat related note, I hear that Clarke Peters was on Damages last night, alongside John Doman.

I can never get enough Clarke Peters, especially after the teasing we got on U.S. Life on Mars.

The Obenson Report said...

Haha! Talk about a study in contrasts!

When I get home, I'll play both clips simultaneously at level 10, while getting high... fun times!

Thembi Ford said...

Omg first of all, thanks for the legitimization for the Black C-Lister concept. Robert DoQui is a PERFECT example. Just perfect. My heart is warmed.

Secondly, did you see Tropic Thunder? Either way, now that its an Oscar nominated role (somehow) don't you think Robert Downey Jr looked CRAZY like Robert DoQui in that blackface? I would want my estate to sue.

Thank you for putting this together.

@bklyn6

Matt Robinson was the original Gordon and Holly Robinson's dad: http://blog.wfmu.org/photos/uncategorized/2007/08/25/matt_robinson.jpg

bklyn6 said...

^Although I remember him, I could'nt picture him in my head. Thanks for the visual thembi.

*Tanyetta* said...

There's another problem..

MY Bitches!
You saying you can't control YO bitches?

You gotta collect-a-vize or you run!

UBM---OMG! I am rolling over here.---Pure Brilliance is all I can say.

p.s. who was the Sandford and Son co-star? I missed it.

Undercover Black Man said...

^ The cat who played Sugar ("Sweet.") is Nathaniel Taylor, a.k.a. Rollo.

Lenoxave said...

Damn! Who knew? I used to dig "Gordon" during my SS years. Wow.

Bob Bourne said...

"Did you know that a parental advisory sticker was slapped on the DVDs of the early Sesame Street episodes? Something about same sex muppets sharing an abode, Oscar's anger management issues, Cookie Monster's bad eating habits, etc. Today's kids might be negatively influenced."

Not sure how much of a hack joke you were going for there Bklyn6, but indeed there was a disclaimer on the DVDs before each episode about how the shows were for adults and their nostaliga purposes. It had mostly to do with some filmed sequences of children playing and running through rugged construction sites by themsevles.