a flashback

So last night, for whatever reason, I had the movie Fame in my head. I freaking LOVED that movie. The television series? Not so much. But the movie and the soundtrack. Loved it. Wished to God I'd been born taller and thinner and much more agile, so that I could have gone to a performing arts high school.

Instead, I became a graphic designer who knows roughly three guitar chords and the only songs I can really dance to are all by Howard Jones.

That said, YouTube came through, as it always does when you have a strong need to live in the past, and I went looking for the clip where Leroy, played by the late Gene Anthony Ray, gives his racy little audition. But I never knew that Ray had died from a stroke in 2003. That's just so sad to me.

Anyway, in the spirit of auditioning for a spot at performing arts high schools everywhere, enjoy this amazing dancer's coolest scene ever:

Comments

[mary]

Why are there no comments? That made my day,in sort of a naughty way. I used to just listen to that soundtrack over and over again..........

[Anastasia]

Dang...that is sad. LeRoy was my favorite character. A stroke at 41...wow. Thanks for the for the flashback! I loved the music and the whole concept of the movie. I once had great aspirations of being a singer. Remember my name...Fame!

[karlalala]

i agree.... why ARE there no comments!! made my day too!! course you make my day every day!!!

enjoy your day gurl!!

[Keely]

Thanks for the memories! I loved that movie. still have the soundtrack in vinyl :(

[Glee Scrap]

I'm gunna live forever...what a blast from the past... Thanks for the memories,CZ!

[D@nielle]

oh yeah I dreamed I was good enough to go to a school like that. Unfortunately I'm wasn't even good enough to get an audition LOL. I loved the movies, loved the series, loved LeRoy.... thanks for the flashback.

[jenwcom]

now THAT is ridin' dirty

[Melissa]

I am now officially ROFLMAO!!! That was hysterical. Oooh, and LOVE the Wonder Woman leotard thingy.

[Gina]

I saw that movie about a thousand times. Did you know that Isaac Mizrahi is in it? He's playing the piano in a very brief scene. I didn't know that Gene Anthony Ray died. I wonder what happened to the rest of those people. Paul McCrane was on ER for a while, but I don't think I've seen any of the others. (Although they've probably all been on Law & Order at some point.)

[Julie Mitchell from Canada]

We're the same age and I too LOVED Fame. I had the album and could probably still sing to every song. Unlike you, I was tall thin and agile!!! pouhahahaha. Seriously I was thinking a while back if I could get my hands on the soundtrack. I did throw out all my old albums. A slice of life.
Julie

[Lisa H]

Love it- I am going to have to go to iTunes and see if they have the sound track-loved the movie and the TV show!

[maryjo materazo]

i'm w/ ya sista. love the movie & leroy was coooool. i didn't now he passed either. very sad. the video put a smile on may face tho. mj

[Janine]

wow I never knew that Gene Anthony Ray had died. Like you I wish I had been taller and was a dancer and I lived in the USA. Thanks for the flashback. I used to own the soundtrck but as you do you throw these things out. What was I thinking???

[Gina.Maria]

I used to watch that show religiously just to see Leroy dance. Thanks for the flashback.

[Jenny in Wellington, NZ]

I loved the movie and I really enjoyed the series - but only when Doris sang. She wasn't the prettiest - but she had by FAR the nicest sounding voice... :) Just wasn't into the big trilling voice in those days - still not, really. Unless it's Christina Aguilera.. now there's a girl that can SING!

BTW: the song Fame is easy to play on the piano :)

[Melanie S.]

My sister Paula attended (and then graduated from) New York's High School of Performing Arts, the school FAME was based on at the time the film was made and released (1980s). My sister was at Performing Arts for theater, though she now works in finance. The school was pretty serious business, a period of acting, a period of dance, and a period of voice daily in addition to academics. A few of Paula’s school friends had parts in FAME, most notably the lazy dancer. The summer FAME was first released I went to see it with Paula and a group of her friends, some of whom are now recognizable names and faces on tv and screen. Like Esai Morales (not in the film, but a classmate of Paula's) who was on NYPD Blue. I actually dated him once.

[michele]

All I can say is......Thank you Cathy!!!!!

[Chiara]

Thanks for the flashback. I live in NY and wanted to go to that school so bad but was no where good enough. I did know he died it was so sad

[JanScholl]

Gene Anthony had a long history of drugs, crime, and other horrible things but if only we could turn it all back for him and others. He was the most talented of any of the students in Fame-one of the most exhuberent films ever. And that soundtrack is a classic. No similar film has come close but Save the Last Dance was fun for the dancing as was Flash Dance (again another soundtrack keeper) Leroy will live in the joy of digital heaven.

[Paula]

Whew! What a scene (oops, I accidentally typed "scent" -- ha). I was so lucky to have danced my whole life, then to have taught at a performing arts high school. Very intense, but rewarding (both dancing and teaching). I'm happy to have done it, and sometimes long to return to the days when I was thinner, stronger and limber-as-Gumby. Now at 43, I have some dancing hopes for my 4-year-old daughter, but try to keep that under control. ;) Maybe I can at least dig up an old oversized-off-the-shoulder-flashdance-esque sweatshirt that I used to wear back in the day. On second thought... maybe not.

[Mimi2Quads]

Thanks for the memories. Fame was back in the day - along with another fave - Flashdance! On a totally different note I saw the poster that you designed as a gift for Stacy Julian on Simple's blog. Couldn't help but notice the contrast between the dark covers at the top and the later lighter colored issues at the bottom. On all the issues the "Simple Scrapbooks" titles are all aligned - put the photos on some of the darker issues are tilted. The photos on all the lighter colored issues are straight. Was this a sign of SS "before Cathy" and "after Cathy"?? Couldn't help but laugh and wonder if all those tilted photos on the darker colored issues drove you nuts! I LOVE to tilt photos on my layouts and do it often. But many of my scrapping friends can't bring themselves to do it. And in all sincere kindness (No insult meant at all - I promise!) I tell them they have "CZ disease". LOVE your blog - you make me laugh every day. I have both of your books (1 that you autographed) and I love your style - even if you don't like tilted photos!

[kim in Camas - ScrapToMyLu]

OMG! I saw that movie at least 20 times. Irene Carra......I'm sure I spelled that wrong. Love her too.

[Valerie]

Awesome Cathy - thanks for this most excellent flashback to high school in the 80's!
Val in NJ

[Nanette]

How did that girl dance in those platform shoes?!?!

[ThatOtherSharon]

WICKED!!!

Some people haven't been paying attention. We've seen a number of the actors from Fame in various bit parts over the years. The award for 'most changed' defniitely goes to the white-guy-with-an-afro. If only I could remember his name, and the role he's now famous in. I didn't realize it til I saw him on a talk show.

[Julie]

Now that was a major trip - I had to go to utube and have spent the better part of half an hour just watching and singing!!

[stephanie]

such a wonderful movie. says so much about what i loved about growing up in the 80's. and mr. ray, such a talented performer. thanks for taking me back!

[margie]

we ARE sisters....
LOVE you...
kiss kiss
m

[Madeline]

OMG! ouch. What amazing timing. I was just singing "maniac" to someone to refer to her passionate sheep shearing, and it made me want to rent both "Flashdance" and "Fame" again. I was one of these kids, but with less talent and no performing arts high school in Boston. Thankyou for this! Such sad news about this actor.

[jennifer]

man, i wished i was coco growing up! gotta love fame! :)

[Beth Rang]

Thank you for the memories! I had the biggest crush on Bruno, but I haven't thought of Fame in ages.

[Angie]

That's frightening. Very frightening.

[essensevibez]

New York Times
Monday, April 7, 2008

Gene Anthony Ray, who starred as Leroy, a street-smart urban teenager, in the 1980 movie ''Fame'' and the later television series, died on Friday in Manhattan. He was 41.

The cause was complications of a stroke he had in June, and he was also H.I.V. positive, said Jean E. Ray, his mother.

Mr. Ray was a natural fit when he was cast as Leroy in the film, which won Academy Awards for best song and original score. Like his character in the film, Mr. Ray had never had professional dance training but had a raw talent that dazzled choreographers.

The actors who performed in the movie and in the television series ''Fame'' portrayed students at New York's High School of the Performing Arts, which Mr. Ray attended for a year before being kicked out. ''It was too disciplined for this wild child of mine,'' Mrs. Ray said.

His journey into the spotlight began at Julia Richmond High School. He performed in a dance class there and later auditioned for Louis Falco, the choreographer for the film ''Fame.'' He skipped school the day of the first tryout, and ''Leroy Johnson was born,'' Mrs. Ray said.

Mr. Ray also played Leroy in the NBC television series ''Fame,'' which made its debut in 1982. It was canceled by NBC because of poor ratings but was later picked up by MGM Television, which distributed it in syndication from 1983 to 1987.

Born on May 24, 1962, in Harlem, Mr. Ray lived on on West 153rd Street. After he gained stardom for his roles in ''Fame,'' Mr. Ray left school to pursue his career.

In 1982 he toured Britain, to perform with other ''Fame'' cast members in 10 concerts. ''The Kids From Fame,'' a television special about the tour, was broadcast in the United States a year later. His other film credits include ''Out of Sync'' (1995), which was directed by his ''Fame'' co-star Debbie Allen, and ''Eddie'' (1996), which starred Whoopi Goldberg.

According to Selma Rubin, who managed Mr. Ray for 24 years, his last video project is a one-hour BBC ''Fame'' reunion documentary, ''Fame Remember My Name,'' which was taped in Los Angeles in April 2003 but has not yet been shown.

Correction: November 22, 2003, Saturday An obituary on Wednesday about Gene Anthony Ray, featured dancer in the movie ''Fame,'' misspelled part of the name of the Manhattan high school where he auditioned. It was Julia Richman High School, now part of the Julia Richman Educational Complex (not Richmond).