Entertainment A10 Thursday, November 19, 1998 Actress Esther Rolle dies at 78 Police: Picky silver thief struck homes of famous By GREG TOPPO Associated Press Writer of New Jersey declined to comment Wednesday. In his 13-year criminal career, Nordahl never left fingerprints and never woke his victims as he pried or cut window panes from frames and crept inside, police said. "He was very meticulous and careful about how he entered the home," said Sgt. Mark Keenan of Lower Merion Township, Pa., police. "He took a great amount of time before he went in." Nordahl was last arrested in October 1996 outside a WalMart in Sparta, Wis., on warrants from Greenwich, Conn. The far-flung cases were consolidated under federal charges in New York City. Authorities in New York blamed him for $2.3 million in burglaries in 14 states. As part of a plea agreement, Nordahl had admitted to conspiracy to transport stolen goods in interstate commerce. He served 20 months in a New York prison and was released June 18. BALTIMORE — A man suspected of breaking into more than 100 homes — including Bruce Springsteen's — and plucking only the best silver candelabra, goblets, serving trays and jewelry was charged Wednesday with possessing burglary tools. Police said additional charges would be filed against Blane David Nordahl, 36. Prosecutors say Nordahl stole millions of dollars of fine silver in 14 states, including from the homes of Springsteen, Ivana Trump and sportscaster Curt Gowdy. Nordahl was arrested Tuesday in the Baltimore area. He is suspected of helping himself since July to more than $700,000 worth of silver goods in the area. "He knew what he wanted," said Lt. Jay Fisher. "He knew the difference between silverplated and solid silver, and that's all he took." Nordahl lawyer Robert Eisler Press-Republican she said. "I was proud of the family life I was able to intro^ duce to television." She left "Good Times" after three seasons because she^feli her TV son, played by Jiiflmie "J.J." Walker as a clownish dh'ar-T acter with the catchphrase ^ByK no-mite!," was a poor example' for black youth. But she waSfser-suaded to return for a year? The. show ran from 1974 to 1979^' . After "Good Times," Rolle^ap-. peared in TV movies, winning an Emmy for her performance i n "Summer of My German Soldier." She was also the movie "Rose:l wood" last year and played an Alzheimer's victim in "Down in-, the Delta," a movie that will ' come out on Christmas. Rolle was born in Pompano, Beach, Fla., the 10th of 18 children: Her father was a vegetable farmer. Her older siblings wrote - skitst h a t she performed for5 the. younger children. After 'high, school, she followed her actress, sister to New York and landed 1 Broadway roles. She w a s ^ a p pearing in Melvin Van Peebles', play "Don't Play Us Cbjeap?. when she won the role as Flprida, in "Maude." J-. . In 1990, she became th&'fifst • Best known for her roles on 'Maude' and 'Good Times' By MICHAEL FLEEMAN AP Entertainment Writer LOS ANGELES — Esther Rolle, who played the feisty maid in the hit 1970s sitcom "Maude" and the strong-willed mother who kept her ghetto family together in the spinoff series "Good Times," has died at 78. Rolle died Tuesday at a hospital in Culver City, her spokesman Larry Calhoun said. The cause of death was not determined, but she had diabetes and was undergoing dialysis, he said. Norman Lear, creator of "Good Times," said he cast Rolle because of her strong presence. "Wherever she was, you knew she was there," he said. "The woman had strong conviction. We may not have agreed on everything, but t h a t is what happens when you have two creative minds at work." Long a crusader against black stereotypes in Hollywood, Rolle was nevertheless best remembered in the role of a maid, and her stout build and stern demeanor reminded some of the "Mammy" roles of an earlier generation of movies. Her character Florida Evans erect to portray China's dowager was Bea Arthur's maid in empress. As Buck, Harper speaks in a "Maude" and a maid in "Good Southern accent and as Buck's Times," about a family strugmissionary mother, the accent is gling to make ends meet in ineven more Southern. Probably the ner-city Chicago. Rolle also played a servant in least successful accent is Will Rogers', as she quotes from his the TV movie "Summer of My newspaper article urging people German Soldier," a retired maid in the play "A Raisin in the Sun" to read "The Good Earth." Harper and co-writer Dyke Gar- and a long-suffering housekeeprison ease along the facts of er in the film "Driving Miss Buck's life by using telephone Daisy." She told The Associated Press conversations. And director Rob Ruggiero keeps Harper moving. in 1987 that she was intent on His direction is neither static nor shattering the image of a "Hollywood maid with the rolling of the too busy. The one big fault with "All Un- eyes" who doted on her white der Heaven" is that the cliffhang- charges b u t ignored her own er ending Act 1 — as Buck and children. Being a maid, she said, her sister hide from a Chinese was a reality for black Amerimob — isn't explained in Act 2. How did they survive? The play doesn't say. woman to receive the Valerie Harper portrays Pearl Buck By MARY CAMPBELL Associated Press Writer NEW YORK — Actress Valerie Harper has co-written a onewoman play about author Pearl Buck and performs the work with an impressive array of accents at off-Broadway's Century Theater. Harper portrays Buck and some 20 people in her life in "All Under Heaven," which opened Monday. ."White-gray hair pulled back to a knot, Harper presents Buck at age 79 in 1972, the year before her death, in her home office in Danby, Vt. Harper doesn't look 79 but her facial expressions are uncanny. ', Harper uses a different accent fpr each character. Bending her back-like a peasant who has carried heavy loads, her accent becomes that of Buck's loving Chinese nanny, in China. It's a much different accent as she stands 566-7185 I DOWNTOWN STRAND Times Good Today Only ::v ONE TRUE THING " "fa 7:30 PM TONITE End* Thuit, MERYL STREEP • RENEE ZELLWEGER • WILLIAM HURT THERE'S SOMETHING « ABOUT MARY S55 ° 7:30 PM TONITE ADM £• Thursday Prime Rib Nite Soup & Salad Bar h:*^^ "Cozy Adirondack Atmosphere" I We will be closed this eveningfor a private party. End> Thui». STARRING: CAMERON DIAZ • MATT DILLON - BEN STILLER $9.95 RESTAURANT & EKTOC, ml Ri.3,Plamburgh,NY Wlstrf 1-87, Exit 37 561-6420 MllDrCttdjlCiniiAOTpW AnnouncffitJ X TEDDY BEAR MFE Serving Dinner Daily starting at 4:30pm EXPRESS LUNCH l{ 697 Bear Swamp Rd. Serve Yourself Peru, NY Exit 35, Off I-87 643-0025 LU Happy Hour Tues.-Fri. 4-6 * Homemade Soup, & Breads * Hot Entree's * Boar's Head Deli Trays S Available Tutsday-Frkiay 11:30am- 1:30 pm Most Major Credit Cards Accepted s^ - W, M M, Tun lift I Hi iBl-UOl Book Holiday Parties Early AMERICAN LEGION POST NO. 29 Pratt St., Rouses Point, NY 12979 ANNUAL TURKEY DRAWING 20 ROUNDS OF FUN THANK YGU TQ ALL QF OUR GRE Harrison's Pharmacy West Liquor Delagar Grand Union Kathy's Furniture Grain Shed Ray's Appliances Chazy Market True Value Riley Ford Mountain Mart little Caesars Closed Thanksgiving Day 561-0120 WE'VE MOVED! No Personal Checks Please Come & See Our Beautiful New Location. 292 Cornelia St. Next to Stewart's BIG BIG 16" PIZZA Family Choice i (2) 12" Pizzas | (1) with up to 5 Toppings I - For the Adults j (1) with 1 Topping - For the Kids |M1 .Mer | I | | • . Good Daily 10:30 a m - 4 pm Exp. 12/10/98 Valid for a limited time at -. participating locations. ® 1998 Little Caesar Enterprises, Inc. Free delivery wjth restrictions. ., li'i? (4) 1 2 " PIZZAS wittiwpt$$ Crm 2 cans of Coka or Coka Products with 1 Topping On Each $ 19. Exp. 12/10/98 Exp. 12/10/98 Valid for a limited time at Valid for a limited time at participating locations. participating locations. ® 1998 Little Caesar Enterprises, Inc. ® 1998 Little Gaesar Enterprises, Inc. Free delivery with restriCttonS. j _ _F^eJeJiyajy^ithje^trljticjjij,, — j AP File Photo/CBS Actress Esther Rolle, the strong-willed mom on the hit television sitcom "Good Times," in 1974. Rolle died Wednesday at age 78. cans. When CBS was planning a "Maude" spinoff series in which she played a single mother, Rolle demanded t h a t her family be led THURSDAY IS SENIOR CITIZEN DAY SPECIAL DINNERS $7.79 NAACP Chairman's Civil Rights Leadership Award for helping raiseHthe image of blacks. *" She is survived by two sisters and a brother. <> > . Funeral arrangements were incomplete. by a father. That part went to John Amos. "I told theml I couldn't compound t h e he t h a t black fathers don't care about their children," HOYTS - ^ CINEMAS BARGAIN MATINEESCENTRE BEFORE S P.M. CHAMPLAIN 8 60 Smithheld Blvd "362.0101 5 10.95 Served from 12 noon Cream of Cauliflower Soup, Garden Salad, Breads, Roast Turkey with all the trimmings, Baked Virginia Ham, Italian Lasagna, Fried Shrimp, SweetPotatoes, Mashed Potatoes, Butternut Squash, Fabulous Dessert Table.
© Copyright 2024