Has anyone been watching Unsung Hollywood on TV One?
It’s a pretty solid show that aims to, as it says, “highlight subjects and stories
that have never or rarely been told… about ground-breaking artists and
entertainers who’ve  helped to elevate
and transform our world.“

Previous episodes have focused on Pam Grier, Dick Gregory and the gone-way-too-early-before-his-time comic, the great Robin Harris. 

But last week’s
episode on actor and director Bill
Duke was pretty fascinating.

The episode revealed
a lot about Duke – from his hard scrabble childhood, though his early career as a
stage actor (which he almost derailed due to drugs, before he found transcendental
meditation) to his early acting work in television (some of them not so great, like his first TV role as pimp in the
Kojak series, which must be seen to be believed), to eventually his career as a TV and film director.

It’s a well done, interesting and constantly informative episode about a real artist, who is always trying to find ways to
challenge himself, and is definitely worth taking a look.

Watch the full episode below: