Yes I can

You know, I've been trying for over 30 years to somehow make it in the film industry. I've trained my self to be a special Effects make-up artist, a sculptor, a writer..... I've written scripts, detailed budgets, had contacts at Panavision and several film labs in Cali and Colorado, put together business plans, set up LLCs, built websites, made some contacts, worked on "real' movie sets as a security guard, approached several big hitters, including LionsGate, and so far, no real success. Some success but in the grand scheme of things, nothing to write home about. My biggest success was when I landed a gig sculpting dinosaurs for the Jurassic Park ride at Universal Studios, Cali. 2 years of living a part of the dream, getting closer to Hollywood, or so I thought. I even had a side deal in development with Universal to make dinosaur hand puppets to be sold at the park... I did the Phantom of the Opera make-up on a singer for his CD cover, delivered a Pinhead foam latex make-up to some guy who had the money to pay for it. and many other interesting low level accomplishments. Still, here I am working a 9 to 5 trying to keep the dream alive. Why do I keep trying?

Because of Sammy Davis jr. The things that Sammy went through makes the complains and sorrows of the rest of us appear pretty insignificant. The unfairness of the film industry compared to being a black man trying to break into the white man's world during a time when blacks still could not go into the casinos of Vegas or stay at the hotels. Dealing with prejudice at every turn. Sammy had the goods, but he was black. He was also smart enough to know that you can't force change if you can't change their minds, so that's what he did. He didn't complain about his situation, he changed their minds about him and others. THEN when it seemed like all was well in his world, he gets into a car accident and loses one of his eyes! Talk about being cast in a movie about the Book of Job.... Sammy died in 1990 as one of the greatest men in the entertainment industry.

The point is that Sammy never gave up. Never quit. He saw what the problems were and he dealt with them. The problems were there and he acknowledged them but he never used them as an excuse for not getting what he wanted out of life. I never met Sammy Davis jr but I consider him one of the two most influential people in my life.

I haven't quit.
I don't think I can.
It isn't in me.


.........for those who don't get the reference, Yes I Can is Sammy Davis's autobiography published in 1965. He did a follow up autobiography published in 1989 called Why Me?.


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Speaking of Sammy, I just bought a copy of the movie version of Porgy and Bess. As far as I know there are no good copies around. As a matter of fact, I'm betting the copy I bought off Ebay is probably bootleg.. You know, when I was in junior high back in the 70's we got to watch Porgy and Bess. 16mm... Sammy plays Sportin' Life.. Wow, it's been over 40 years since that day in junior high. I can't wait for the movie to arrive this weekend.
 
Did you know that Sammy died broke. Yep. He left his wife with a multi-million dollar IRS bill. Sammy was never good with money. He earned a lot but spent even more...
 
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