Michael St. John

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Michael St. John The Hollywood Legend and Powerful Source of Survival By Kimberly West

MICHAEL ST. JOHN

is a legendary actor, writer, and composer.

He is the author of the bestselling memoir, Hollywood Through The

Backdoor. 18 OASIS/Montagé • February 2020

Many have known him according to his A-List projects such as the Broadway Musical Carmen Jones starringDorothy Dandridge and his infuential impactonthe Hollywood circuit.

He is not only a trailblazer but also a mentor to several up-in-coming entertainers.

With numerous celebrity acquaintances such as the daughter of Judy Garland and close connections, he has made an impact in the southern region serving as a Director and Actor for the Oasis Montagé stage plays, Angels Palace, Women ShopTalk While Real Men Wait, and The Gift of Giving.

Michael St. John’s success was not always paved. It was created through a colorful pastwhile survivingthe odds ofbeingone ofthe frstAfrican-Americanmenin Hollywood and subjected to unimaginable trauma.

Oasis Montagé Magazine had the opportunity to learn more about his intricate past, present, and optimistic future.

If you weren’t famous, what would you be doing right now?

When thinking about the years growing up in the small town of Morton, Pennsylvania located about 10 miles outside of Philadelphia during the Second World War, the impact of that alone shaped much of my hopes and dreams for the future.

The black teachers representing the Phyllis Wheatly faculty were determined to allow the young students to get to know and understand what kind of world that young ambitious girls and boys of color must be aware of, especially when facing the myriad social and cultural limitations set since 1865, the freeing of the slaves.

Hearing the fascinating stories about Marian Anderson, Paul Robeson, Roland Hayes, Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Cab Calloway, Josephine Baker, Phyllis Wheatley and of course, Paul Lawrence Dunbar, Richard Wright, the poetry; music sprinkled the school day with the beginning of singing the Negro National Anthem “Lift Every Voice and Sing” I was seriously afected by these iconic voices representing the arts as well as contributions in science, literature and all the other intellectual challenges available. 20 OASIS/Montagé

Because I was so infuenced by Paul Robesonand Marian Anderson, music singing was at the top of the list of reaching some kind of achievement and acceptance. At age 12, I was aware of two wonderful shows, The Paul Whiteman TV Teen Club (WFIL-NBC) and radio show hosted by Stan Lee Broza (WCAU -CBS) was auditioning and there were no young people of color represented on the weekly shows. The Whiteman TV show was aired on Saturday and the Stan Lee Broza “Children Hour” was heard on Sundays. I decided to audition for both the TV and radio shows. Fortunately, I was accepted by both the radio and TV shows; resulting in my being seen and heard twice weekly. From that point the rest is history. However, ifthere had notbeenso many opportunities ofered inmy direction as a performer, I would have enjoyed becoming a fulltime teacher or professor in a public school or college.

Tell me, what was the inspiration behind your current project?

The inspiration behind my current project is based on my life challenge of survival in an industry that had and still does wave signs of NO ENTRANCE! My book Hollywood Through The Back Door being developed as a miniseries explores the efectofbeingraped atage six and meeting challenge of staying alive in one of the toughest businesses in the world. Bette Davis once told me, “If one door closes

shut”, simply kick another one open, simple as that!” Josephine put her arms around me when I visited her in her dressing after a show at the Earl Theater in Philly, “Darling!,” she laughed, “There will always be those who will wish you’d simply disappear, but that’s something one gets used to; you just have to turn and keep on trying to keep the audience laughing or crying.”

How has your infuence with the stage plays Angel’s Palace and Women ShopTalk While Real Men Wait made an impact on the play production?

Because I have since the beginning insisted on a level of reality when dealing with characters of color or other cultures involvingthe stage and defnitely the screen, fortunately, there have been several realistic portrayals of families or people of color in a very realistic, respectful way. This is why I was so impressed with the production of Angel’s Palace and Women Shop Talk While Real Men Wait. One can easily identify with many of the characters and feelings projected in the play. Then too, there was such a natural dignity and humanness which permeated the group which,

of course, made it very easy to have a special place for each of them in your artistic memory bag

In your previous memoir, Hollywood Through The Backdoor, you shared intimate details. Did this bring awareness to issues associated with entering the entertainment industry?

In writing my memoir Hollywood Through The Backdoor, it was important to unleash as much truth and reality possible because, after all, it represents your life and how you were able to survive. When I was forced to escape the ire and hatred ofthe KKKhuddled inmy frstyear, being voted the frstblackpresidentofa freshmenclass (Earlham College, Indiana), it was easy to handle much of the ensuing Hollywood experiences I eventually had to face and deal, simply based on the reason I ended up in the place where they recreated life on celluloid.

I quickly acknowledge that writing about my life was extremely difcult. I spentmuchtime attemptingto describe the rape scene involving an older man while my father, an alcoholic, simply continued watching it happen and emptying his bottle of booze. Another extremely emotional turnwas relivingmy frstmajor Hollywood party involving some of the most powerful and talented people in the industry i.e., Grace Kelly, Rock Hudson, Charles Laughton, and so many others. What happened at the party has left its mark, one which still evokes nightmares and tears. My favorite feel has always been The Corn is Green starring my dear friend and sponsor Bette Davis. The flmis about an Irish teach (Miss Davis) who comes to a small mining town and meets a very young boy with very high prospects of being selected for a scholarship to attend Oxford. The way she persuaded him to believe that he could achieve anything he wanted, deeply wanted and desired. Nothing was impossible – BELIEVING was a powerful force. By the end ofthe flm, I feltas ifI could conquer the world, simply because I believed itcould happen. Another flmfavorite has always been Orson Wells Citizen Kane. When meeting him I had tons of questions for this genius. I must admit Orson was quite taken with our session.

What impact do you want to leave on the world as you

mentor others in the entertainment industry? As I mentor other actors, writers, musicians, I try desperately to make them understand that even though you have a wealth of talent, it is still necessary to be as prepared as possible for the many challenges it takes to reach a level of industry acceptance. It requires knowing who you are and what you might need to become even better; in other words pure objectivity which something to handle at times.

As a very well known Hollywood actor, what would you like to remember most about you?

I hope people who respect and have a passion for music, theatre, flms, and writingwill rememberme as a straight shooter who had a passion for people who hunger to achieve and paint life in such shades, which can be a powerful force of survival.