Rihanna‘s “Pon de Replay” is completely different from the campy, Gothic vibes of Beetlejuice. Because the world is full of surprises, Beetlejuice still managed to inspire Rihanna’s first hit. The “We Found Love” singer also took some ideas from a tune Gwen Stefani covered.
Rihanna’s ‘Pon de Replay’ was inspired by a Jamaican song in ‘Beetlejuice’
“Pon de Replay” was co-written by Alisha “M’Jestie” Brooks. During a 2020 interview with Vulture, Brooks explained how a famous musical sequence from Beetlejuice inspired the song. “The scene where they sing ‘Come, mister tally man, tally me banana’ [from Harry Belafonte’s 1956 song ‘Day-o (The Banana Boat Song)’], I used to rewind it all the time because it was so dope,” she recalled. “That song came into my head when I heard the track after a few hours of sitting there with the beat just repeating over and over again.”
“Day-o...
Rihanna’s ‘Pon de Replay’ was inspired by a Jamaican song in ‘Beetlejuice’
“Pon de Replay” was co-written by Alisha “M’Jestie” Brooks. During a 2020 interview with Vulture, Brooks explained how a famous musical sequence from Beetlejuice inspired the song. “The scene where they sing ‘Come, mister tally man, tally me banana’ [from Harry Belafonte’s 1956 song ‘Day-o (The Banana Boat Song)’], I used to rewind it all the time because it was so dope,” she recalled. “That song came into my head when I heard the track after a few hours of sitting there with the beat just repeating over and over again.”
“Day-o...
- 3/17/2024
- by Matthew Trzcinski
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Editor’s note: If you have watched the Netflix docu The Greatest Night in Pop, you saw the 40 biggest singers of the ’80s break into a spontaneous chorus of “Day-o” in tribute to Harry Belafonte for organizing the “We Are the World” global fundraiser that raised over $60 million to save starving, famine-stricken African families. So you understand why the late singer/activist/actor’s daughters were disappointed when an In Memoriam segment on the Grammys flashed his photo but omitted him from a special section honoring the giants. Here, daughter Shari reminds why her father meant so much to the world, and music.
Related: Harry Belafonte Dies: Actor, Singer & Civil Rights Icon Was 96
Being a woman of color and having been in the entertainment business literally All of my life, I’ve witnessed and have been exposed to many instances of what one would call “unjustified treatment.” But, don’t...
Related: Harry Belafonte Dies: Actor, Singer & Civil Rights Icon Was 96
Being a woman of color and having been in the entertainment business literally All of my life, I’ve witnessed and have been exposed to many instances of what one would call “unjustified treatment.” But, don’t...
- 2/9/2024
- by Shari Belafonte
- Deadline Film + TV
Harry Belafonte’s Daughters Criticize Grammys for Not Doing More to Recognize Singer During Ceremony
Harry Belafonte’s daughters, Shari and Gina, are calling out the Grammys for not doing more to recognize the late singer during the 2024 awards ceremony Sunday.
During the In Memoriam segment, Stevie Wonder, Annie Lennox, Fantasia Barrino and Jon Batiste took to the stage to perform emotional tributes for Tina Turner, Tony Bennett, Sinead O’Connor, Clarence Avant and more.
While they performed, images of other artists the music industry lost last year were displayed onscreen behind them, including Belafonte, while Batiste sang “The Best Is Yet to Come.”
But Shari and Gina feel the Grammys should have given the singer a special tribute, similar to the ones for Turner, Bennett, O’Connor and Avant.
“While the folks who had a bit more of a #shoutout on the #GrammyAwards this year were absolutely deserving of accolades, I’m a bit appalled that our father was not included in a #SpecialTribute and...
During the In Memoriam segment, Stevie Wonder, Annie Lennox, Fantasia Barrino and Jon Batiste took to the stage to perform emotional tributes for Tina Turner, Tony Bennett, Sinead O’Connor, Clarence Avant and more.
While they performed, images of other artists the music industry lost last year were displayed onscreen behind them, including Belafonte, while Batiste sang “The Best Is Yet to Come.”
But Shari and Gina feel the Grammys should have given the singer a special tribute, similar to the ones for Turner, Bennett, O’Connor and Avant.
“While the folks who had a bit more of a #shoutout on the #GrammyAwards this year were absolutely deserving of accolades, I’m a bit appalled that our father was not included in a #SpecialTribute and...
- 2/8/2024
- by Carly Thomas
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Harry Belafonte was a child when his mother sent him and his brother to live with relatives in Jamaica.
He was born in Harlem on the cusp of the Great Depression, and after his father left the family, Belafonte’s mom thought her children might fare better in her home country. She wanted to save them from the deleterious effects of her precarious immigration status and poverty. Harry, as he writes in his memoir My Song, was a difficult child, prone to fighting with other kids. His mother — single, newly devout in her faith and working tirelessly to make ends meet — thought this move would help her troubled son.
Salvation is a tall order, but Jamaica did leave its mark. In Kingston, among his mother’s people, Belafonte discovered the sounds on which he would base part of his artistry. Many of the songs he sang later in his career,...
He was born in Harlem on the cusp of the Great Depression, and after his father left the family, Belafonte’s mom thought her children might fare better in her home country. She wanted to save them from the deleterious effects of her precarious immigration status and poverty. Harry, as he writes in his memoir My Song, was a difficult child, prone to fighting with other kids. His mother — single, newly devout in her faith and working tirelessly to make ends meet — thought this move would help her troubled son.
Salvation is a tall order, but Jamaica did leave its mark. In Kingston, among his mother’s people, Belafonte discovered the sounds on which he would base part of his artistry. Many of the songs he sang later in his career,...
- 4/26/2023
- by Lovia Gyarkye
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The right song can take a movie scene from memorable to simply unforgettable, and few movie-music combinations have had the impact and staying power of Harry Belafonte's "Day-o (The Banana Boat Song)" in Tim Burton's "Beetlejuice." Belafonte's songs are all throughout the 1988 dark comedy about a ghost couple being haunted by an annoying living family that moved into their home, but "Day-o" is the big one, with the cast lip-syncing and dancing to the song during a bizarre dinner party. The moment is incredible, as new homeowners Charles (Jeffrey Jones) and Delia Deetz (Catherine O'Hara) invite over some of their fancy friends from the city, hoping to impress them with their large, oddly decorated house in the country. Instead, the home's original owners, Barbara (Geena Davis) and Adam Maitland (Alec Baldwin) decide to possess the dinner party in an attempt to scare them away and force the Deetzes to move out.
- 4/25/2023
- by Danielle Ryan
- Slash Film
Today marks a sad day for the entertainment industry at large. Singer, actor, civil rights activist, and humanitarian Harry Belafonte has sadly passed away at the age of 96. Belafonte will be remembered for a great many things, but he is also one of the only artists to have a hit with the same song across two different decades. In 1956, the year of Elvis, Belafonte burst onto the charts with the timeless ear worm "Banana Boat (Day-o)" to quickly become the "King of Calypso" and create a new dance craze across the nation.
Fast forward to 1988, and the surprise success of Tim Burton's "Beetlejuice" introduced the "Day-o" song to a new generation of kids when the track was featured in one of the most memorable scenes in the film. The decision to use the song for the now infamous ghostly singalong dinner scene started with a phone call to Belafonte...
Fast forward to 1988, and the surprise success of Tim Burton's "Beetlejuice" introduced the "Day-o" song to a new generation of kids when the track was featured in one of the most memorable scenes in the film. The decision to use the song for the now infamous ghostly singalong dinner scene started with a phone call to Belafonte...
- 4/25/2023
- by Drew Tinnin
- Slash Film
The ‘King of Calypso’ starred in ‘Kansas City’ and ‘BlacKkKlansman’.
US actor, singer, and activist Harry Belafonte, known for his role in Island In The Sun, has died at the age of 96.
Known as the ‘King of Calypso’, Belafonte made history with his third studio album Calypso (1956) which was said to be the first album by a solo artist to sell more than a million copies in the US and featured the beloved song ‘Day-o’ (The Banana Boat Song).
He earned his acclaim on the screen after he starred alongside James Mason, Joan Fontaine and Joan Collins in Robert Rossen...
US actor, singer, and activist Harry Belafonte, known for his role in Island In The Sun, has died at the age of 96.
Known as the ‘King of Calypso’, Belafonte made history with his third studio album Calypso (1956) which was said to be the first album by a solo artist to sell more than a million copies in the US and featured the beloved song ‘Day-o’ (The Banana Boat Song).
He earned his acclaim on the screen after he starred alongside James Mason, Joan Fontaine and Joan Collins in Robert Rossen...
- 4/25/2023
- by Ella Gauci
- ScreenDaily
On Tuesday, the world lost an icon in the legendary performer, civil rights activist, and humanitarian Harry Belafonte. The Emmy, Grammy, and Tony winner passed away at the age of 96. After starting his career in his native New York City as a jazz singer in the late 1940s and early ’50s, often backed by the likes of Charlie Parker, Miles Davis, and Max Roach, he released his first hit song “Matilda” in 1953. Then, a year later, he won the Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play for “John Murray Anderson’s Almanac.” His first album “Calypso” was released in 1956 and brought unquestionably the most enduring song of his career, “Day-o (The Banana Boat Song).”
Belafonte went on to regularly perform with the Rat Pack in Las Vegas throughout the years while also transitioning to the screen. During the 1950s, he starred in such films as “Carmen Jones,” “Island in the Sun,...
Belafonte went on to regularly perform with the Rat Pack in Las Vegas throughout the years while also transitioning to the screen. During the 1950s, he starred in such films as “Carmen Jones,” “Island in the Sun,...
- 4/25/2023
- by Matt Tamanini
- The Streamable
Harry Belafonte, beloved singer, actor, and Egot winner, has died at age 96 of congestive heart failure. Belfonte died at his New York home on Apr. 25, 2023, with his wife, Pamela, by his side. Four children and two stepchildren survive him, reported ABC7 New York.
Harry Belafonte died at age 96 of congestive heart failure on Apr. 25, 2023, | Gary Gershoff/WireImage Harry Belafonte was a native New Yorker
Harry Belafonte was born Harold Bellanfanti Jr. in Harlem, New York, on March 1, 1927. He lived with his grandmother in Jamaica from 1932 to 1940 before returning to New York City and serving in the U.S. Navy during World War II.
Following the war, Belafonte took acting classes at the Dramatic Workshop of The New School in New York City while also performing with the American Negro Theatre. He developed an appreciation for folk music while working as a club singer in New York to help pay for acting lessons.
Harry Belafonte died at age 96 of congestive heart failure on Apr. 25, 2023, | Gary Gershoff/WireImage Harry Belafonte was a native New Yorker
Harry Belafonte was born Harold Bellanfanti Jr. in Harlem, New York, on March 1, 1927. He lived with his grandmother in Jamaica from 1932 to 1940 before returning to New York City and serving in the U.S. Navy during World War II.
Following the war, Belafonte took acting classes at the Dramatic Workshop of The New School in New York City while also performing with the American Negro Theatre. He developed an appreciation for folk music while working as a club singer in New York to help pay for acting lessons.
- 4/25/2023
- by Lucille Barilla
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Harry Belafonte, a beloved Hollywood star, iconic singer, and prominent civil rights activist, died on Tuesday at his home in Manhattan's Upper West Side, The New York Times reported. He was 96 years old. That outlet noted that Belafonte's longtime spokesperson Ken Sunshine confirmed the actor died of congestive heart failure.
Belafonte rose to astronomical heights in the 20th century as one of the most renowned entertainers of his time, who blazed trails for other Black performers alongside icons like his late friend Sidney Poitier. The actor became known as one of the first Black leading men in Hollywood, starring in iconic films like 1954's "Carmen Jones," as well as many TV variety specials. Belafonte also forayed into film production with features like "The World, the Flesh and the Devil" and heist picture "Odds Against Tomorrow," both from 1959.
According to Variety, Belafonte then stepped back from the big screen for...
Belafonte rose to astronomical heights in the 20th century as one of the most renowned entertainers of his time, who blazed trails for other Black performers alongside icons like his late friend Sidney Poitier. The actor became known as one of the first Black leading men in Hollywood, starring in iconic films like 1954's "Carmen Jones," as well as many TV variety specials. Belafonte also forayed into film production with features like "The World, the Flesh and the Devil" and heist picture "Odds Against Tomorrow," both from 1959.
According to Variety, Belafonte then stepped back from the big screen for...
- 4/25/2023
- by Njera Perkins
- Popsugar.com
Singer, actor, producer and activist Harry Belafonte, who spawned a calypso craze in the U.S. with his music and blazed new trails for African-American performers, has died of congestive heart failure at his Manhattan home, reports ‘Variety’. He was 96.
An award-winning Broadway performer and a versatile recording and concert star of the 1950s, notes ‘Variety’, the lithe, handsome Harold George Belafonte, who grew up in New York and Jamaica, became one of the first black leading men in Hollywood. He later branched into production work on theatrical films and telepics.
He’ll be remembered forever for his ageless ‘Banana Boat Song (Day-o)’, which Tim Burton employed to bright effect in his 1988 comedy ‘Beetlejuice’, reports ‘Variety’. And Belafonte also provided early employment to a future folk icon: His 1962 album ‘Midnight Special’ featured harmonica work by Bob Dylan.
Among the most honoured artistes of his era, Belafonte won two Grammys (and...
An award-winning Broadway performer and a versatile recording and concert star of the 1950s, notes ‘Variety’, the lithe, handsome Harold George Belafonte, who grew up in New York and Jamaica, became one of the first black leading men in Hollywood. He later branched into production work on theatrical films and telepics.
He’ll be remembered forever for his ageless ‘Banana Boat Song (Day-o)’, which Tim Burton employed to bright effect in his 1988 comedy ‘Beetlejuice’, reports ‘Variety’. And Belafonte also provided early employment to a future folk icon: His 1962 album ‘Midnight Special’ featured harmonica work by Bob Dylan.
Among the most honoured artistes of his era, Belafonte won two Grammys (and...
- 4/25/2023
- by Agency News Desk
- GlamSham
The legendary Harry Belafonte, whose calypso music is still enjoyed to this day, has been confirmed by his longtime spokesman, Ken Sunshine, to The Hollywood Reporter that the Caribbean-American artist passed on Tuesday due to congestive heart failure at his home on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. Belafonte was also an actor who used his fame to garner attention to his causes which include shining a light on civil rights injustices around the world. Belafonte had received the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences back in November of 2014.
Belafonte’s hits, “Day-o (Banana Boat Song)” and “Jump in the Line” have found an immortalized place in pop culture thanks in part to their use in the popular movie Beetlejuice, which still connects with younger audiences today. However, the calypso singer would explode onto the billboard charts with his first album, Belafonte, in...
Belafonte’s hits, “Day-o (Banana Boat Song)” and “Jump in the Line” have found an immortalized place in pop culture thanks in part to their use in the popular movie Beetlejuice, which still connects with younger audiences today. However, the calypso singer would explode onto the billboard charts with his first album, Belafonte, in...
- 4/25/2023
- by EJ Tangonan
- JoBlo.com
Harry Belafonte, the three-time Grammy-winning Caribbean-American pop star and Carmen Jones actor, has died. He was 96. According to the New York Times, Belafonte passed away Tuesday, April 25, at his home in Manhattan. The singer’s longtime spokesperson, Ken Sunshine, confirmed the cause of death was congestive heart failure. Born on March 1, 1927, in New York City, Belafonte started his music career in the 1940s, performing as a club singer in NYC to pay for acting classes. He helped ignite the craze for Caribbean music with his breakthrough 1956 album Calypso, which featured the hit records “Day-o (The Banana Boat Song)” and “Jamaica Farewell” and spent 31 weeks at the top of the Billboard album chart. He went on to release five more Top 5 albums. Everett Collection His success as a singer led to movie roles, with Belafonte becoming the first Black actor to achieve major success as a Hollywood leading man. He also...
- 4/25/2023
- TV Insider
Harry Belafonte, a singer and civil-rights activist who made frequent television appearances throughout his long career, died Tuesday of congestive heart failure at his home in New York City.
Belafonte’s publicist confirmed the death via a statement to TVLine.
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An actor and singer from a young age, Belafonte became synonymous with Caribbean music; his album Calypso, which included hits like “Day-o (The Banana Boat Song” and “Jamaica Farewell,...
Belafonte’s publicist confirmed the death via a statement to TVLine.
More from TVLineWWE Hall of Famer Terry Funk Dead at 79 - Ric Flair and Mick Foley Pay TributeAnother World's Nancy Frangione Dead at 70Ahsoka Pays Tribute to Ray Stevenson in Series Premiere: 'For Our Friend, Ray'
An actor and singer from a young age, Belafonte became synonymous with Caribbean music; his album Calypso, which included hits like “Day-o (The Banana Boat Song” and “Jamaica Farewell,...
- 4/25/2023
- by Kimberly Roots
- TVLine.com
Harry Belafonte, the civil rights and entertainment giant who began as a groundbreaking actor and singer and became an activist, humanitarian and conscience of the world, has passed away. He was 96.
Belafonte passed away Tuesday due to congestive heart failure at his New York home, his wife Pamela by his side, said Paula M. Witt, of public relations firm Sunshine Sachs Morgan & Lylis.
With his glowing, handsome face and silky-husky voice, Belafonte was one of the first Black performers to gain a wide following on film and to sell a million records as a singer; many still know him for his signature hit “Banana Boat Song (Day-o),” and its call of “Day-o! Daaaaay-o.” But he forged a greater legacy once he scaled back his performing career in the 1960s and lived out his hero Paul Robeson’s decree that artists are “gatekeepers of truth.”
He stands as the model and...
Belafonte passed away Tuesday due to congestive heart failure at his New York home, his wife Pamela by his side, said Paula M. Witt, of public relations firm Sunshine Sachs Morgan & Lylis.
With his glowing, handsome face and silky-husky voice, Belafonte was one of the first Black performers to gain a wide following on film and to sell a million records as a singer; many still know him for his signature hit “Banana Boat Song (Day-o),” and its call of “Day-o! Daaaaay-o.” But he forged a greater legacy once he scaled back his performing career in the 1960s and lived out his hero Paul Robeson’s decree that artists are “gatekeepers of truth.”
He stands as the model and...
- 4/25/2023
- by Divya Goyal
- ET Canada
Harry Belafonte, the actor, singer and civil rights trailblazer, died Tuesday of congestive heart failure at his New York home, with his wife Pamela by his side. He was 96.
Belafonte is considered among the most successful Caribbean-American music stars of all time and one of the first Black leading men in Hollywood, making a name for himself during the 1950s and ’60s. An activist and social campaigner by nature, he was an early supporter of the Civil Rights movement and became a major figure in the American social and political history of the 20th century.
He was a confidant of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and backed many historic political and social causes and events, including the anti-apartheid movement, equal rights for women, juvenile justice, climate change and the decolonization of Africa. He was one of the organizers of the 1963 March on Washington, leading a delegation of Hollywood including best friend Sidney Poitier,...
Belafonte is considered among the most successful Caribbean-American music stars of all time and one of the first Black leading men in Hollywood, making a name for himself during the 1950s and ’60s. An activist and social campaigner by nature, he was an early supporter of the Civil Rights movement and became a major figure in the American social and political history of the 20th century.
He was a confidant of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and backed many historic political and social causes and events, including the anti-apartheid movement, equal rights for women, juvenile justice, climate change and the decolonization of Africa. He was one of the organizers of the 1963 March on Washington, leading a delegation of Hollywood including best friend Sidney Poitier,...
- 4/25/2023
- by Jesse Whittock
- Deadline Film + TV
Harry Belafonte, the legendary singer, actor, and civil rights activist, died Tuesday, April 25, Rolling Stone has confirmed. He was 96.
Belafonte died at his home on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, with longtime spokesman Ken Sunshine adding the cause was congestive heart failure.
Related Harry Belafonte: Five Essential Songs Songwriter Keith Gattis, Whose Songs Were Cut by Kenny Chesney and George Strait, Dead at 52 Len Goodman, Longtime 'Dancing With the Stars' Judge, Dead at 78
Belafonte rose to prominence in the Fifties when his interpretation of calypso music popularized the sounds...
Belafonte died at his home on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, with longtime spokesman Ken Sunshine adding the cause was congestive heart failure.
Related Harry Belafonte: Five Essential Songs Songwriter Keith Gattis, Whose Songs Were Cut by Kenny Chesney and George Strait, Dead at 52 Len Goodman, Longtime 'Dancing With the Stars' Judge, Dead at 78
Belafonte rose to prominence in the Fifties when his interpretation of calypso music popularized the sounds...
- 4/25/2023
- by Jason Heller
- Rollingstone.com
Harry Belafonte, the actor, producer, singer and activist who made calypso music a national phenomenon with “Day-o” (The Banana Boat Song) and used his considerable stardom to draw attention to Martin Luther King Jr., civil rights issues and injustices around the world, has died. He was 96.
Belafonte, recipient of the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in 2014, died Tuesday of congestive heart failure at his Manhattan home on the Upper West Side with his wife, Pamela, by his side, longtime spokesman Ken Sunshine told The Hollywood Reporter.
A master at blending pop, jazz and traditional West Indian rhythms, the Caribbean-American Belafonte released more than 30 albums during his career and received a Lifetime Achievement Grammy from the Recording Academy in 2000.
Calypso, which featured “Day-o” and another hit, “Jamaica Farewell,” topped the Billboard pop album list for an incredible 31 weeks in 1956 and is credited as...
Belafonte, recipient of the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in 2014, died Tuesday of congestive heart failure at his Manhattan home on the Upper West Side with his wife, Pamela, by his side, longtime spokesman Ken Sunshine told The Hollywood Reporter.
A master at blending pop, jazz and traditional West Indian rhythms, the Caribbean-American Belafonte released more than 30 albums during his career and received a Lifetime Achievement Grammy from the Recording Academy in 2000.
Calypso, which featured “Day-o” and another hit, “Jamaica Farewell,” topped the Billboard pop album list for an incredible 31 weeks in 1956 and is credited as...
- 4/25/2023
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Singer, actor, producer and activist Harry Belafonte, who spawned a calypso craze in the U.S. with his music and blazed new trails for African-American performers, has died of congestive heart failure at his Manhattan home. He was 96.
An award-winning Broadway performer and a versatile recording and concert star of the ’50s, the lithe, handsome Belafonte became one of the first black leading men in Hollywood. He later branched into production work on theatrical films and telepics.
As his career stretched into the new millennium, his commitment to social causes never took a back seat to his professional work.
An intimate of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., he was an important voice in the ’60s civil rights movement, and he later embarked on charitable activities on behalf of underdeveloped African nations. He was an outspoken opponent of South Africa’s apartheid policies.
Belafonte was set to receive the Motion Picture...
An award-winning Broadway performer and a versatile recording and concert star of the ’50s, the lithe, handsome Belafonte became one of the first black leading men in Hollywood. He later branched into production work on theatrical films and telepics.
As his career stretched into the new millennium, his commitment to social causes never took a back seat to his professional work.
An intimate of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., he was an important voice in the ’60s civil rights movement, and he later embarked on charitable activities on behalf of underdeveloped African nations. He was an outspoken opponent of South Africa’s apartheid policies.
Belafonte was set to receive the Motion Picture...
- 4/25/2023
- by Carmel Dagan
- Variety Film + TV
Harry Belafonte, the pioneering Calypso singer, actor, and civil rights leader, has died at the age of 96.
According to The New York Times, Belafonte passed away on Tuesday from congestive heart failure.
Born on March 1st, 1927 in Harlem, New York to Jamaican-American parents, Harold Bellanfanti, Jr. served in the Navy in World War II before becoming enamored with the stage while attending shows at the American Negro Theater with close friend Sidney Poitier. Eventually, he began performing at the venue after taking acting classes at The New School and won a Tony Award for the 1953 musical revue John Murray Anderson’s Almanac.
Belafonte began his musical career performing in nightclubs as a way to afford his acting classes. In 1953, he signed a recording contract with RCA Victor and released his debut single, “Matilda,” ahead of his breakthrough album Calypso. The 1956 LP topped the Billboard album chart for 31 weeks and spawned...
According to The New York Times, Belafonte passed away on Tuesday from congestive heart failure.
Born on March 1st, 1927 in Harlem, New York to Jamaican-American parents, Harold Bellanfanti, Jr. served in the Navy in World War II before becoming enamored with the stage while attending shows at the American Negro Theater with close friend Sidney Poitier. Eventually, he began performing at the venue after taking acting classes at The New School and won a Tony Award for the 1953 musical revue John Murray Anderson’s Almanac.
Belafonte began his musical career performing in nightclubs as a way to afford his acting classes. In 1953, he signed a recording contract with RCA Victor and released his debut single, “Matilda,” ahead of his breakthrough album Calypso. The 1956 LP topped the Billboard album chart for 31 weeks and spawned...
- 4/25/2023
- by Eddie Fu
- Consequence - Music
35 years since its release on March 30, 1988, what continues to stand out the most about Tim Burton's macabre and quirky film is its soundtrack — both the score by Danny Elfman and the inclusion of Harry Belafonte musical numbers. The eccentric mix of these sounds creates the ideal stage for Betelgeuse himself: the ghost with the most that teams up with the recently deceased Adam and Barbara Maitland (Alec Baldwin and Geena Davis) to haunt the pretentious, urbane Deetz family that moves into their New England-style home.
"Beetlejuice" was Tim Burton's first major feature after his breakthrough Pee-wee's Big Adventure. For the zany family film, Burton also collaborated with composer Danny Elfman, establishing a long-term creative partnership. But the "Beetlejuice" soundtrack that we all know and love almost never was.
The original screenplay by novelist Michael McDowell was decidedly grimmer, featuring a much darker alternate ending where Lydia sets herself on...
"Beetlejuice" was Tim Burton's first major feature after his breakthrough Pee-wee's Big Adventure. For the zany family film, Burton also collaborated with composer Danny Elfman, establishing a long-term creative partnership. But the "Beetlejuice" soundtrack that we all know and love almost never was.
The original screenplay by novelist Michael McDowell was decidedly grimmer, featuring a much darker alternate ending where Lydia sets herself on...
- 3/30/2023
- by Caroline Madden
- Slash Film
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