Did you know Dexter Gordon was in the AWAKENINGS ?

[Dmitry]

Just caught it after about 10 years since I saw it last. Gordon played a Parkinsons patient in a two or three scenes.

I had no idea...

[tonym]

That was a sad, sad film (I knew a couple of sufferers).

When I left the cinema my wife was crying. 20 minutes later when I had pulled over to order a pizza, I got back into the car and she was still crying.

Can't remember Dex though.

tonym

[robviti]

Yes, Gordon plays a musician named Rolando. It's a small part, but I recall that he plays piano in one of the scenes. I like this film a lot. It was produced by Penny Marshall and features great performances by Robin Williams and Robert DeNiro.

Edited February 22, 2004 by jazzshrink

[Pete C]

Yeah, I dug the film too and remember Dex.

And a search on IMDB reveals that he also had a role in a 1968 Swedish film, Jag älskar, du älskar.

[Dmitry]

Movie's pretty good, but I want to touch upon something else.

Dex looked really frail. He looked like he lost a foot of height and a hundred pounds. And he was thin and bony. That's why at first I hesitated for a second whether it was him.

He died on April 25, 1990. Film was released December 20, 1990, 8 months after his passing. These must have been his last days and this footage is perhaps the last footage of Dexter Gordon.

Edited February 23, 2004 by Dmitry

[brownie]

Yes, it was sad to see how Dexter looked in that movie.

Dexter Gordon also had a part in a 1955 movie 'Unchained' (directed by Hall Barlett) which was filmed at the Chino prison at the time he was an inmate there.

Never caught that one.

More about that film:

http://uk.imdb.com/title/tt0048762/