The First Time Dance Room Instrumental

Dance Room Instrumental comes from the season 5 episode "The First Time".

Download MP3

Carol Mayo Jenkins Knoxville History Project Interview 2019

 

Carol Mayo Jenkins was Interviewed by The Knoxville History Project about her home town in 2019.

The Article is titled Carol Mayo Jenkins An Oral History Converrsation.

Read Interview

Carol Mayo Jenkins in Don't Ask Me Ask God 1983

Carol Mayo Jenkins features in a short segment from Don't Ask Me Ask God from 1983 

Quote of the Week - Graham Jarvis

Carol Mayo Jenkins Blithe Spirit Interview 2021

 

Carol Mayo Jenkins Interview 2021 with Clarence Brown Theatre - Theatre Thursdays on Blithe Spirit. 

Straight To The Heart Teri Desario - Song of the Week

"Straight To The Heart" comes from the season 5 episode "The First Time" where it was performed by Nia Peeples.

The original is performed by Teri Deasrio from the 1984 "Overnight Success" album. Written by Teri DeSario & Richie Zito.

Picture of the Week

Carol Mayo Jenkins and Jesse Borrego

Quote of the Week - Page Hannah

Ken Erhlich Season 3 Press Release

Outside Myself (Inside Your Love) Stevie Woods - Song of The Week

"Outside Myself (Inside Your Love) comes from the season 5 episode "The First Time" where it was performed by Nia Peeples and Jesse borrego.



Written by Richard Ash, George Elian and Barbara Rothstein, it was originally recorded by Stevie Woods on his 1983 "Attitude" album and then later by Bobby Womack.

Jesse Borrego Article 1985

View on Website

Crew Member of the Month - Otis Sallid - Choregrapher/Co Producer/Guest Star

Otis Sallid is a choreographer, actor, writer, director and producer.

Otis was born on April 17th 1949 in Harlem New York. He was drew to dancing at an early age and studied with the Harlem Youth Unlimited, then went to the High School for Performing Arts and then later Julliard.

He started his career working on Broadway shows like The Wiz and Purlie and also founded The New Art Ensemble Theatre Company where he worked with Debbie Allen.

His varied and distinguished career has found him working on in every field of the entertainment business:

Commercials for products like Coca Cola, Sprite, McDonalds and Ford;

Music Videos for the likes of Faith Hill, Prince and Aretha Franklin;

Choreography for Shows like the Super Bowl and Academy Awards;

Film Choreography for Sister Act 2, School Daze and Malcolm X;

Theatre where he created the show Smokey Joe’s Café.

TV Shows like Suddenly Susan, Head of the Class, Living Single and A Different World.

 In 1982 Debbie Allen invited him to be her assistant choreographer on the second season of “Fame” where he worked on 50 episodes in seasons 2, 3 and the first few episodes of season 4. 6 of those episodes he was the main choreographer.  He also appeared in the episode “U.N. Week” as a guest star and had a Co Producer credit on the Heart of Rock n Roll concerts in 1984. As well as assisting Debbie with the Choreography for the Fame Concert Tours.

Otis viewed Fame as one of his creative homes. Under Debbie Allen’s tutelage, he learned to direct and choreograph for film.

Otis continues his work in the Arts as well as running his production company Creative Otis Inc. He also spends his time speaking and teaching in colleges, universities and arts programs around the world, The Boston Conservatory, Berklee School of Music, Pace University in New York City, The Broadway Dreams Foundation and Perry Mansfield in Steamboat Springs in Colorado just to name a few.   

Interview Part 1


Interview Part 2


Director Choreographer Show Reel.

Picture of the Week

Cynthia Gibb and Carol Mayo Jenkins

Cynthia Gibb Season 3 Press Release

 

Quote of the Week - Nia Peeples

Fame on Television Chapter Six

After The Fire - Loretta Chandler - Song of the Week

"After The Fire" comes from the season 5 episode "The First Time". Written by Diane Louie it is performed by Loretta Chandler.

Download MP3

William Blinn Season 3 Press Release 1983

Lee Curreri Season 3 Press Release 1983

The First Time - Full Production Credits - Trivia of the week

Executive Producer:  Patricia Jones and Donald Reiker

Supervising Producer:  Christopher Seiter

Consulting Producer: David De Silva

Creator: Christopher Gore

Written  by Carol Mendelsohn

Director: Robert C. Thompson

Producer Claylene Jones

Coordinating Producer: Denny Salvaryn

Executive Script Consultant: Ira Steven Behr

Creative Consultant:  Carol Gary

Executive Story Editor: Michael McGreevey

Story Editor: Frank South

Associate Producer: Frank Merwald

                                     Randall Torno

Choreography: Jaime Rogers

Assistant Choreographer: Tony B. White

Director of Photography: William W. Spencer A.S.C.

Art Diretor: Ira Diamond

Editor: John P. Farrell

Unit Production Manager: Denny Salvaryn

First Assistant Director: Leslie Jackson    

Second Assistant Director: Tony Mason    

Set Director: Sam Gross

Producer’s Coordinator: Robert Caplain

Property Master:  John Kilma

Costumer:  Nanrose Buchman

Script Supervisor: Bob Gary

Make Up: Jack Wilson  

Hair Stylist: Gloria Montemayer

Sound: Christopher Ramsey

Sound Editor: Harry M. Cheney

Online Editor: Joe Bella

Rerecording Mixer: Fred Tator

Music Editor: Leslie Allison Whitfield

Music Producer: Gary Scott

Music Supervisor: Harry V. Lojewski

Music Coordinator: Maureen Crowe

Score: John Denby

Fame Theme: Michael Gore

                           Dean Pitchford

Casting: Meg Liberman Casting

                Irene Cagen

Original Casting: Mary Goldberg (New York)

                                Linda Francis (Los Angeles)

Capezio Dancewear provided by: Ballet Makers Inc

Some Wardrobe and Accessories provided by George Marciano for Guess?

Promotional Consideration by:

                                                       Casio – EMI Division

                                                           Fender Musical Instruments

                                                       Roland Corporation

                                                       Tandy Corporation/Radio Shack

                                                      Schafer and Sons, Pianos & Organs

                                                           Selmar Musical Instruments

National Advertising Sales:     Lexington Broadcast Service

Post Production Facility: Complete Post Inc

Produced by M.G.M

In Cooperation with: RAI Radiotelevisione Italiana TV2

Keyboards: Michael Whetherwax    

Colorist: Trent Johnson

Sound Mixer: Michel Stone

Lead Man: Kenneth Milfred

Dancers:

              Randy Allaire

  Paula Brown

  Christophe Caballero

  Shaun Earl

  Melissa Hurley

  Ken Molina 

  Regan Patno

  Dwayne Phelps

  Trish Ramish

  Cynthia Sarmiento

              Bronwyn Thomas           

              Rocker Verastique        

              Debra Verna

              Michelle Whitney Morrison

Picture of the Week

Jesse Borrego, Carol mayo Jenkins and Valerie Landsburg

Elizabeth Sherwood - Character of the Month

Elizabeth Sherwood is an elegant and sophisticated middle class woman in her late 30s who teaches English at the School of the Arts. It is very important to her that her student write and speak English properly and often is looking for ways to keep her students motivated.  She has a passion for teaching and is very precise about what she expects from others but is kind and compassionate and always willing to give help and advice.

Hailing from a large Southern family, Elizabeth lives alone in an Apartment in New York City. She is in frequent contact with her mother by phone.

In college in the 60s, where she majored in English and minored in Drama, Elizabeth was active in rallies and sits ins protesting social injustice. We discover in “Hail To The Chief” that one such sit in led to her being arrested, although the charges were later dropped.     

She passionately fights for democracy and equality and in “Tomorrow’s Children” even goes as far as quitting her job for the sake of her principals. In “The Strike” we discover that she is also the union rep for the school.  

At times she does have a bit of a temper and as in “The Crazies” where she swaps classes with Miss Grant, she will accept a challenge without thinking it through.

In “But Seriously Folks” we see that she jogs to school as part of her keep fit regime.

Before we meet Elizabeth we discover that she was married and divorced and In “And The Winner Is” we discover that her ex Husband Nick, died of cancer. It is implied that Elizabeth has very little contact with her in laws as none of them even informed her that Nick was ill.  

In “Blizzard” we discover at some point she was pregnant but had a miscarriage.

With her passion for English and reading, Elizabeth enjoys writing novels and poetry.  In “Such Good Friends” we discover that she has spent 4 years working on a historical Novel but struggles to get it published. We also discover that her favourite colour is yellow, well until she keeps getting yellow rejection slips from publishers.  After some advice from Mrs Berg she decides to start writing a trashy romance novel.

In “Back to Something New” we discover that Elizabeth has left the School of the Arts and relocated to Maine after the success of her first book “School of Desire”.

Elizabeth returns to visit for Alumni week at the end of that school year.   

Quote of the Week - Carrie Hamilton

Season 3 Cast Crew Information 1983

Carol Mayo Jenkins Autographs

The First Time - Broadcast Dates - Trivia of the Week

Broadcast Dates for Spontaneous Combustion

USA                 11th January 1986

U.K.                 Early 1993

France            24th February 1996

Let us know the Broadcast dates for your Country

Carol Mayo Jenkins - Cast Member of the Month

Carol Mayo Jenkins

Carol Mayo Jenkins was born on 24^th November 1938 under the sign of Sagittarius. Sagittarians have been described as optimistic, restless, progressive and adventurous.

Born and raised in Knoxville Tennessee by her parents Dr Harry Jenkins  and Varina Mayo Jenkins. Starting out as a dancer Carol soon realised that acting was where her heart lay: “I guess I always wanted to perform and I wanted to be a great actress”.

Aged 18 Carol moved to the U.K. for 6 years and studied acting at Central School of Speech and Drama in London. Returning to America she started making regular appearances in Theatre productions around the Country. Carol made her Broadway debut as Natasha in William Ball’s production of Chekhov’s Three Sisters.

In 1977 she moved to television and appeared in the Soap Opera “Another World”.

In 1981 she was playing a teacher in a play in New York and that led to getting the audition for “Fame”. 

After an initial audition she was called back.  “I went and read a scene with Gene Anthony Ray. The first time I’d ever met him. It was wonderful. He was... , He was spectacular and he made it easy and fun and we had a good time, and I think that’s how I got the role.”   

Carol played firm but fair English Teacher Elizabeth Sherwood for 5 seasons from 1982 to 1986 starring in 95 episodes and then returning for the final episode in 1987 making it 96 episode appearances in total.

Carol stated:  “A lot of Elizabeth Sherwood is me. We’re not very different. We’re not very different at all!”

Referring to “Fame” as her fifteen minutes of fame, Carol said “It’s a wonderful memory and I wouldn’t have missed it for the World. It was a great chapter in my life.”   

After “Fame” she continued appearing in TV shows like Models Inc, Matlock and Max Headroom whilst also returning to the Theatre.

In 2000, after a long and distinguished acting career, she decided to return home to Knoxville to care for her Mother, until she died in February 2018 aged 102.

Carol also took a job as an artist in residence at the University of Tennessee teaching acting, where She also frequently appears on stage at the Clarence Brown Theatre.

To know that our (Fame) stories did make a difference in so many lives, all over the World makes me very grateful.”

“Fame was about something important. It was about young people daring to dream and daring to follow their dreams and because you the fans understand and support that it means you’re very special people and we are so grateful to have you in our lives.”