GBH Openvault

Say Brother; Evening with Eartha Kitt, An; Eartha Kitt talks about her early childhood

Part of Say Brother.

09/14/1979

In this clip Barbara Barrow-Murray interviews the vocalist and actress Eartha Kitt about her difficult childhood, her experience of not being a wanted child, and the pride she feels at having survived the prejudice of her childhood. Overall in the program, host Barbara Barrow-Murray speaks with vocalist and actress Eartha Kitt, in Boston with the production of Timbuktu! Topics include Timbuktu! as an extension of Kitt's Kismet, how long the show has been traveling, her role in Timbuktu! , the music in the production, interpreting her character Sahleem-La-Lume (which is not an essential one), her political positions and stance on the Vietnam War, and her difficult childhood. Program opens with excerpts from Kitt's interview with WGBH Radio FM's Ron Della Chiesa (host of the program Music America), and includes a studio dance performance of "Birds of Paradise" from Timbuktu! (performed by Martial Roumain and Cheryl Cummings), and a vocal performance by Kitt. Produced by Barbara Barrow-Murray. Directed by Brian Clarke.


License Clip
Series
Say Brother
Program
Evening with Eartha Kitt, An
Program Number

1000

Title

Eartha Kitt talks about her early childhood

Series Description

Say Brother is WGBH's longest running public affairs television program by, for and about African Americans, and is now known as Basic Black. Since its inception in 1968, Say Brother has featured the voices of both locally and nationally known African American artists, athletes, performers, politicians, professionals, and writers including: Muhammad Ali, Maya Angelou, Thomas Atkins, Amiri Baraka, Doris Bunte, Julian Bond, Stokely Carmichael, Louis Farrakhan, Nikki Giovanni, Odetta Gordon, Henry Hampton, Benjamin Hooks, Jesse Jackson, Hubie Jones, Mel King, Eartha Kitt, Elma Lewis, Haki Madhubuti, Wallace D. Muhammad, Charles Ogletree, Babatunde Olatunji, Byron Rushing, Owusu Sadaukai, and Sonia Sanchez. Series release date: 7/15/1968

Program Description

Host Barbara Barrow-Murray speaks with vocalist and actress Eartha Kitt, in Boston with the production of Timbuktu! Topics includeTimbuktu! as an extension of Kitt's Kismet, how long the show has been traveling, her role in Timbuktu! , the music in the production, interpreting her character Sahleem-La-Lume (which is not an essential one), her political positions and stance on the Vietnam War, and her difficult childhood. Program opens with excerpts from Kitt's interview with WGBH Radio FM's Ron Della Chiesa (host of the program Music America), and includes a studio dance performance of "Birds of Paradise" from Timbuktu! (performed by Martial Roumain and Cheryl Cummings), and a vocal performance by Kitt.

Asset Type

Clip

Media Type

Video

Subjects
African American musicians
Timbuktu! (Theatrical production)
Civil rights
African American actresses
Roumain, Martial
Kitt, Eartha
African American women
Segregation
Cummings, Cheryl
Della Chiesa, Ron
Genres
Magazine
Topics
Race and Ethnicity
Creators
Barrow-Murray, Barbara (Producer)
Clarke, Brian (Director)
Deare, Beth (Associate Producer)
Contributors
Gray, Randolph (Assistant Cameraman)
Valdes, Mario (Researcher)
Brennan, Susan (Audio)
Crane, David (Videotape Recordist)
Swan, Kim (Intern)
Rosenthal, Iris (Lighting Assistant)
Lewis, Webster (Theme Music)
MacDonald, Greg (Camera)
Harrison, Rich (Video)
LeCain, Larry (Camera)
McKenna, Jim (Stage Manager)
Wareham, Skip (Camera)
Mackles, Gene (Graphic Designer)
Heitman, Clint (Scenic Design)
Wong, Evelyn (Production Assistant)
Smith, Kathy (Switcher)
Sullivan, John L. (Lighting Director)
MacKnight, John (Videotape Recordist)
Hackshaw, Ademah (Assistant To The Producer)
Barrow-Murray, Barbara (Host)
Goldman, Elias (Video)
Johnson, Nat (Audio)
St. Onge, David (Videotape Recordist)
Kane, Pat (Videotape Recordist)
Pugliesi, Joe (Video)
Hill, Rebecca (Fashion Consultant)
Publication Information
WGBH Educational Foundation
Citation
Chicago: “Say Brother; Evening with Eartha Kitt, An; Eartha Kitt talks about her early childhood,” 09/14/1979, GBH Archives, accessed December 27, 2024, http://openvault.wgbh.org/catalog/V_0AAD5C847386411087A33CC1561AB7CC.
MLA: “Say Brother; Evening with Eartha Kitt, An; Eartha Kitt talks about her early childhood.” 09/14/1979. GBH Archives. Web. December 27, 2024. <http://openvault.wgbh.org/catalog/V_0AAD5C847386411087A33CC1561AB7CC>.
APA: Say Brother; Evening with Eartha Kitt, An; Eartha Kitt talks about her early childhood. Boston, MA: GBH Archives. Retrieved from http://openvault.wgbh.org/catalog/V_0AAD5C847386411087A33CC1561AB7CC
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