Actor Whoopi Goldberg

Paper Summary:

This paper explains that Whoopi Goldberg (real name, Caryn Elaine Johnson) grew up in a New York housing project, became a single, teenage mother and dropped out of high school because she was convinced that she was not able to understand basic lessons. (Later she found out that she had dyslexia.) The author points out that, in 1983, Goldberg's career took off when director Mike Nichols attended her show at the New York's Dance Theater Workshop and immediately signed her for a one-woman Broadway show; Steven Spielberg chose her to play the lead in "The Color Purple" for which she received an Oscar nomination and a Golden Globe Award. The paper concludes that Goldberg represents a true pioneer in the motion picture industry not only because of her groundbreaking roles, which place her at the forefront of the black female actors in America today, but also because Goldberg's portrayal of white actors created an environment that breaks down social barriers while tacitly acknowledging and reinforcing others.

Table of Contents
Introduction
Review and Discussion
Background and Overview
Analysis of Selected Goldberg Roles
Conclusion

From the Paper:

"Goldberg endured the unendurable for several months ("I had this caseworker who was nasty as hell"), which makes her reaction to her initial success more understandable. Even though she's won a Grammy, a Golden Globe Award and received an Emmy nomination, Goldberg reports that absolutely nothing in her life has come close to the sense of accomplishment that she felt when, after five years on public assistance, she was able to support herself through acting: "The greatest thing I ever was able to do was give a welfare check back. I brought it back to the welfare department and said, 'Here. I don't need this anymore.""

More papers on Actor Whoopi Goldberg:

• Essay # 84218 : "A Career as an Actor"
• Book Review # 119801 : "Bee Season" by Myla Goldberg"
• Essay # 57457 : "Actor Boris Karloff"

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