' R ap p ap Q rqt
'I'm Not Rappaport' co-star Ossie Davis shares his thoughts
o n career, family and working with Walter Matthau.
SUZANNE CHESSLER SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH NEWS
PHOTOS BY ADGER COWANS
Howard University, communicates his beliefs through
the arts and family commitments.
Author of several plays including Purlie Victorious, he re-
cently completed his first novel, Just Like Martin, which is
about the civil rights movement and reactions to nonvio-
lence.
Married to actress Ruby Dee, he speaks proudly of their
three children — a son who is an actor/musician and two
daughters, one an assistant principal and the other a re-
Men.
"Not only did it present the medial reading specialist. The whole family demonstrated
problem, but it also discussed together for causes they believed in.
"Ruby and I both grew up know-
what Nat (the other
ing that we had to have an educa-
main character)
tion, that we had to struggle to
of talking. There was more singing in the thought was the so-
Stuart N. Rappaport
secure our rights and that the
lution
—
the
social-
play and it seemed more lively, but Wal-
Southfield
struggle would never end," Davis
ist
ideology
to
which
ter Matthau can't do anything
Sales
said. "We had a lot going for us in
a
lot
of
people
in
this
wrong! And it was really fun meet-
terms of similar points of view.
country
were
com-
ing all those other Rappaports.
I thought Ossie Davis and
`The fact that we were working
mitted.
Walter Matthau were per-
in the same industry was not an oc-
"It
seems
to
me
Rating: 2 bagels
fect in their roles. Very be-
casion for competition but for in-
that even though so-
lievable.
tense cooperation. We took our
cialism no longer Walter Matthau, as Nat, wears his ever-
Jeffrey Rapoport
children into our lives and into our
claims the attention present beret. He was Herb Gardner's
Rating: 2 1 /2 bagels
Farmington Hills
activities.
of Americans, a lot first choice for the role.
Builder
'During my recent visit to Detroit,
of important people
I
was
glad
to
see
people
getting
together to defend the fam-
believed,
and
I
think
they
de-
Raymond N.
The beginning of the movie was
ily, the black family in particular, because it has been under
serve
some
salute
to
their
Rapaport
slow, but it made me think about
courage in affirming their be- attack from economic, social and cultural forces."
Waterford
growing older. Great casting.
In I'm Not Rappaport, Davis and co-star Walter Matthau
lief."
General Contractor
also present issues confronted by individuals from minority
Davis,
who
began
his
dra-
Rating: 3 bagels
I liked it very much.
matic career while attending groups, in this case a black man and a Jewish man. The play
Ron Rappaport and his
SEE REVIEW page 88
and movie explore the effects of the American dream on
people often on the outside looking in.
4 bagels daughterJacqueline.
Davis has another current project with Matthau, an-
other sequel to the Grumpy Old Men films.
Linda Rapoport Eaton
"I've known and admired Walter for a long time," Davis
Farmington Hills
said. 'We've worked on the stage together, and his chil-
Teacher /Sales
dren and my children went to the same summer camp.
"Working with Walter in I'm Not Rappaport was some-
The acting was excellent. The movie left
what like old home week, and I enjoyed the work partic-
me with a lot to think about — aging is
ularly because it was with Walter."
scary.
All in all, Davis considers himself very lucky.
"Ruby and I did not set out to be role models for what
3 bagels
went into a perfect marriage," he said. "We saw each oth-
er, liked each other, loved each other, married each oth-
er, had children together, had a career
Ronald Rappaport
Ossie Davis
together and ultimately had a life together.
Algonac
reprises his
"As to the causes, certainly there were
Homemaker
stage role of
things
that I can't understand or explain
Midge in the film
that worked, but thank God they worked
I enjoyed Ossie Davis and Walter
version of I'm
in our favor." ❑
Matthau, but it was too long with a lot
Not Rappaport.
ctor/producer/writer Ossie Davis is no stranger to I'm
Not Rappaport, and he is no stranger to Detroit.
A decade before playing Midge in the soon-to-be-re-
eased film, Davis played the same role in the Broad-
way production. During that New York run, he spent many
of his weekly days off flying to and from the Motor City, where
he involved young people in an anti-violence arts program.
For) a. la co rt
PHOTO BY GLENN TRIEST
'
Just a few weeks ago, Davis was again in town on be-
half of young people. He was the keynote speaker at Black
Family Development's Third Annual Presidents' Dinner.
"I like I'm Not Rappaport because it deals with the prob-
lems of a society that doesn't pay too much attention to
the needs of those of us who are beyond our productive
years," said Davis, who, at 79, is about to begin acting
in a new film, Twelve Angry