ONE AFTERNOON while working out, whom did I run into at the weight room in the 12th Street Gym? None other than actor Glynn Turman, perhaps best remembered as Col. Taylor on the NBC-TV show "A Different World."
I asked him what he was doing working out at the 12th Street Gym and he told me that he was in Philadelphia to perform in the Wilma Theater's production of "My Children! My Africa!"
"Cool," I said. I'm a fan of the courageous South African playwright Athol Fugard, and also of Philadelphia's own Wilma Theater, which has consistently and bravely produced some of the most avant-garde, provocative and thrilling moments I've experienced in the theater.
Nearly every day I would see Turman working out, and one day I requested an interview and he agreed.
I knew that Turman was a veteran screen actor who had starred in the cult classics "Cooley High" and "J.D.'s Revenge," and most recently played Mayor Clarence Royce in the HBO hit show, "The Wire." However, I was blown away to discover that he is also a stage talent and a recipient of the NAACP's Lifetime Achievement Award for Theater.
Like me, you may be surprised to know that Turman made history from the start of his career, with his Broadway debut in 1959 in "A Raisin in the Sun," written by Lorraine Hansberry and directed by the late Lloyd Richards and which starred Sidney Poitier and Ruby Dee.
Last week I had a wonderful chat with the charming Turman about the theater, world politics and fitness. Here are snippets of our conversation:
Q. When did you know you wanted to be an actor?
A. You know, I started very young. I was in my first production at the age of 12. I was in the original production of "A Raisin in the Sun."
Q. Wow, that's awesome! You guys made history. If my memory serves me correctly, that was the first African-American play to appear on Broadway. Cool. Are you a native New Yorker?
A. Yes, I was born in Harlem and grew up all over Manhattan, and I attended the New York High School for the Performing Arts.
Q. Were your parents also in show business?
A. No, they were not. I'm an only child of a single parent. It was just my mother and I. My mother worked at the post office.
Q. Wow, she must be so proud of you. That really is extraordinary. So, what do you prefer doing, theater or film?
A. I prefer the theater. I love the immediate feedback. Theater is an actor's medium, film is a director's medium, and television is a writer's medium.
Q. Do you also teach theater?
A. I taught theater for 15 years at the Inner City Cultural Center in Los Angeles.
Q. I think a lot of people think acting is easy. How important is it for an actor to be physically fit?
A. It's extremely important to stay physically fit as an actor. You know, we work with our bodies. It is our instrument. Our voice especially - if you are on stage. It is very demanding. When I go into a role, I go into training.
Q. Tell me more about your training. What is your routine?
A. It's basically a routine I adapted from the Boy Scouts. You've seen me here at the gym. It's mainly a free-weight routine. I believe in keeping the body toned and in shape because I'm also a professional rodeo performer.
Q. Really? Now, that looks like some real hard work. Are you saying you do this competitively? Like, if I'm looking at a program on ESPN, you might be on one of those rodeo shows?
A. Yes. I've done that for many years. It was a dream as a kid, and when I ended up in California I was able to get a ranch. On the ranch I do a lot of farm work.
Q. Well, it seems to have served you well. You seem to have stayed pretty consistent with your size throughout your career.
A. I may be blessed with a high metabolism, but I also haven't gained more than about 5 pounds throughout my career.
Q. So, how old are you?
A. I ain't telling. Don't even try it, Kimberly. [The Web says he's 60.]
Q. Well, you're still handsome as ever. What advice would you give to young aspiring actors?
A. Keep your body in shape and prepare for the long haul; it's a long-distance race.
Q. How did you prepare for the demanding role of Mr. M in "My Children! My Africa!"
A. You saw me here at the gym almost daily. I have to maintain my workouts, and also I have to make sure I eat enough to get me through the show, but not too much or I'll be groggy.
Q. What's most fulfilling about this role?
A. This play asks us to look outside of the bubble that we live in. You know, some of us don't even look around the corner. This play deals with so many things that are relevant today. Issues that are difficult to look at, but we must.
Q. Yes, sort of like 9/11. Prior to 9/11, we thought we were immune to terrorism.
A. Umm-hmm. *
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you can see Glynn at www.myspace.com/glynnturman
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