Lena Horne

Lena Horne was discovered by MGM. Lena stipulated in her contract she would not get sterotypical African-American roles. In fact, MGM wanted her to look darker on screen, and so Max Factor invented "Little Egyptian" makeup for Lena to serve that purpose. Her first MGM role was uncredited, as a singer in a club in the 1942 Ann Sothern musical Panama Hattie. Some people believe Lena's segment to be the only bright spot in the picture. This appearence went over well, and so MGM gave her a spot in a big all-star revue, Thousands Cheer. There she sang one of her most famous movie numbers, "Honeysuckle Rose."  Her career suffered a setback in the 1950s when she was accused of sympathising with Communism and temporarily placed on a blacklist.

www.classicmoviemusicals.com/horne.htm 

UPDATE: Janet Jackson is slated to Executive Produce and play Ms. Horne in a TV movie slated to air May 2004.  The movie will be based off Ms. Horne's autobiography, "Lena" and will feature Janet singing several songs Ms. Horne made famous over the years.  Craig Zadan and Neil Meron of "Chicago" will produce via their production company, Storyline Entertainment.  Roy Campanella, of BET original movies fame, is set to Direct and also Exceutive Produce.

SHE WROTE THAT!

Highly notable "screenwriter Tina Andrews, who wrote and co-executive produced the highly rated, award-winning CBS miniseries Sally Hemings: An American Scandal. Her credits also include co-writing and co-producing the CBS miniseries Jackie Bouvier Kennedy Onassis, based on the book by Donald Spoto; and the Warner Bros. film Why Do Fools Fall in Love? (starring Halle Berry and Vivica A. Fox), based on the court battle between the three wives of singer Frankie Lymon. Andrews was the first African-American woman to win the prestigious 2001 Writers Guild of America Award."  Tina has most recently created "Sistas 'N The City', an African American animated series for "Urban Entertainment", you can check it out here:

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