Louis Gossett Jr. had already established a long, enviable career in movies by the time he won the Best Supporting Actor Oscar for his remarkable performance as the drill instructor in the 1982 film An Officer and a Gentleman. However, that achievement did little to divert him from the path of racism, poor health and self-destructive habits. Gossett has now released his memoirs, titled An Actor and a Gentleman and weaves a remarkable story about overcoming prejudice, drug abuse and even health problems related to mold in his home.
Here is the description of the book from Amazon:
"Louis Gossett Jr. is one of the most respected African American
stage and screen actors, who rose to fame with his Emmy-winning role in
the television miniseries Roots and Oscar-winning performance in An
Officer and a Gentleman. Now he tells the story of his
fifty-plus years in the entertainment world—from his early success on
the New York stage appearing with Ruby Dee and Sidney Poitier in A Raisin in the Sun, through his long Hollywood career working
alongside countless stars, including Marilyn Monroe and Dennis Quaid. He
writes frankly of his struggle to get leading roles and fair pay as a
black man in Hollywood, his problems with drugs and alcohol that took
years to overcome, and his current work to eradicate racism and violence
and give our children a better future.
- Includes
revealing stories and reminiscences involving famous performers,
including Sidney Poitier, Paul Newman, Shirley Booth, Sammy Davis Jr.,
Steve McQueen, Richard Gere, Maggie Smith, Halle Berry, and Gena
Rowlands
- Spans half a century of American theater and film
history, people, and performances
- Highlights the problem
of racism in Hollywood and the challenges faced by African American
actors from the 1950s and 1960s onward
An
Actor and a Gentleman penetrates the celebrity glitz and glamour to
offer an honest, heartfelt portrayal of the African American experience
both in Hollywood and the New York theater world, as told by one of the
nation's most enduring and highly esteemed actors."
To watch a video about Gossett's career on Amazon and to order the book, click here
