Scott County Times from Forest, Mississippi • 11

Second Section Scott County Times Wednesday, September 8, 1976 SCOTT COUNTY TIMES IB Sheila Guyse Jackson, Once Famed As Singer Moving Back To Scott A petite artist who was a famed vocalist and actress for 25 years in New York, Boston and elsewhere, is coming back to Scott county to enjoy retirement years with her husband and children. She is Sheila Jackson, who at 51 looks hardly older than the Sheila Guyse (her maiden name) who starred in two movies, the TV spectacular "Green Pastures," and the great Broadway Musical, "Lost in the Stars." Her movies were "Sepia Cinderella" and "Miracle in Harlem." She also had bit parts in two others. Her face was on covers of national magazines. The Forest native who attended the old Scott County Vocational School was also on TV's Hallmark Hall of Fame, she won an Arthur Godfrey talent scout show, and was a guest on the Jack Paar show and the Tex and Jinx McCrary show. She sang on the same Arthur Godfrey show as the McGuire Sisters.

At the beginning of her singing career, she was labeled by critics as "Lena Home's newest rival." She and her husband of 18 years, Joseph Jackson, who is retiring from a civil service job in New York, are building a new home at Harperville, where her mother, Mrs. Ethel Vlverett, still lives. With them they have two children, Michael 13, a student at Scott Central, and Deidre 17, a high school graduate who is undecided about furthering her education or going to work. Mrs. Jackson has another daughter, by her first husband, Sheila Miller Anderson, married to Joseph Anderson and living in New York.

Mrs. Anderson is one of the top fashion models of the nation, and has appeared in several TV commercials. She is in the Bic lighter commercial where a man in a limousine says, "When I want my chick, all I have to do is flick my Bic Then Mrs. Anderson is shown coming over to him. Sheila Guyse Jackson retired in 1959 AROUND COSTON TV Lharmer Sheila She started with Rollos S.

Vest, who is now in Detroit, but later switched to William Morris, the nation's biggest theatrical agency. She auditioned successfully for a big part in the stage musical, "Memphis Bound," with Bill(Bo-Jangles) Robinson. In the play she sang, danced and acted. "It ran for only 42 performances, but it put me in position for bigger parte." Because of her eventual popularity, she was paid to give public endorsements of Chesterfield cigarettes, Ballentine Beer, and Pepsi-Cola. Seventeen years after retirement and 36 years after she won the amateur show in Harlem, Sheila Jackson has changed very little.

She is about ten pounds heavier, at 119, from her per forming weight of 109 to ill Her height is the same five, five. In describing Sheila, who sang popular and semi-classical, the William Morris Agency used these paragraphs: "Sheila Guyse has a singing style that is excitingly different She delivers a song in a manner that completely captivates an audience whenever she performs. "From the moment she appears on the scene, she is queen of all she sur- veys. Her dynamic personality and performance commands your devoted attention. "Sheila radiates a natural charm that is both enchanting and heart warming.

A symbol of rare loveliness, her cameo features have graced the covers of more than twenty national magazines, many billboards, and in full page advertisements for Ballentine Beer, Chesterfield Cigarettes, etc. "Sheila has appeared In featured roles in many Broadway shows. Added to her laurels was the 'Outer Circle Critics Award' which she won for her stirring performance in the Broadway musical, 'Lost In the "Her singing and dramatic talents have gained her prominence via motion pictures and television as well Along with TV and movies, she has appeared in many clubs in the United States and Canada. "Sheila now is under contract to song on MGM Records where she will soon record an album for subsequent release." In the Boston Daily Record issue of March 27, 1958, entertainment writer W. Clarke wrote: "We were at Blinstrub's Tuesday night to see and hear Sheila Guyse, one of the brightest new stars ever to appear here.

There is a nominal charge to see Sheila this time around. Next time it'll be different, for she's a cinch to be a big, big star. She is a true rival of Lena Home, Dorothy Dandridge, and all the rest." and gave up her lucrative career "to concentrate on being a Christian wife and mother." On August 8, 1960, she and her husband were given Immerson baptism by Jehovah's Witnesses, the faith they embraced, during an assembly in Boston. Religion, she admits, was the motivation for retiring from acting and singing. "I was playing the large night clubs and some of the material written for me was too sophisticated, and had double meanings.

It Just couldn't reconcile with Christianity." She meets regularly with the Jehovah Witnesses in Forest, at their temporary home in the old Scott County Times building on West Main, Sunday morning Tuesday evening at 7 p.m., Thursday evening at 7 p.m. Although she sings with the congregation loud and clear as a mezzo-soprano she will not sing solo. Neither will she accept invitations to sing. Her retirement, she said, is complete and unconditional. Sheila DruciUe Guyse was born in Forest July 14, 1925.

Her parents, Mr, and Mrs. Wilbert Guyse, separated and then divorced shortly after she was born. Her mother moved to Harperville and her father eventually moved to New York. Her mother's second husband, A. J.

Vlverette, died a few years ago. Sheila was reared by grandparents, Charity and Fred Guyse, so she could attend school in Forest. Her talents were quickly discovered and one of her most enthusiastic boosters was the late Professor E. T. Hawkins.

"I was called the school soloist," she said. "And sometimes I sang with Harold Lamb. We used to do duets together at school programs." She was Just IS when she decided to head for the big time. Her father had remarried and had a home on Long Island, New York. She stayed with her father and stepmother, Mrs.

Dagmar Jackson Guyse, while she considered her next steps. They learned about an amateur night in Harlem, Sheila went for an audition: She was told that if she could sing "It Can't Be Wrong," from a Humphrey Bogart movie, she could appear on the program, broadcast over radio. "I had heard of the song but never sang it before. But I said I could do it. I made two mistakes in the lyrics but nobody seemed to notice." During the hour-long show, the audience voted by applause.

Some unfortunate performers were chased off stage by men pointing pop-guns. It was a big night for Sheila. She won the contest, and her career was ched. Agents sought to represent her. Hopes for Emmy By GEORGE W.

CLARKE Sheila Guyse famed vocalist as she looked at 21. i SHE WANTED A DRESS she had seen In a store window, so she took part in an amateur show at New York's famous Apollo Theater, won the first prize the twenty-five. Jollart she needed and that was her Introduction to show business. So now, a few years later, Sheila Guyse, one of tha most beautiful girls ever to appear in Boston, li aweating it out at waiting for tonight when the Emmy Awards -will be made, sweating it out because she had a principal role in George Schaef- er'i television production of "The Green Pastures one of the favoritesfor the top If the show wins the eoveted honor, and there ara many who believe that it can't lose, if won't be a great personal triumph for her she played Zeba, the temptress but it will be a source of profound satisfaction. "I do hope it wins," she said, "but even if it doesn't, I'm proud to have been in it!" Has Dot en Jack Paar Show She has, however, won other award, the Outer Circle award, for instance, for the role she played for more than a year in the Maxwell Andeison-Kiirt Weill masterpiece, "Lost in the Stars." "I became so lost in the part," she tr.yf.

"that I wound up in a San Francisco But it was worth it." She was here in Boston when practically a kid In pig tails, playing in "Memphis Bound," the musical ahow John Wildberg and Vinton Freedley fashioned out of Gilbert and Sullivan's "Pinarore." Most will remember that Bill Robinson was the atar. NoW she's a recording artist of considerable emi- nence, with a bright new album in the works for M-G-M and with a date on the Jack Phr 'Tonight' ahow right after she leaves Boston. Comparisons with Lena Home are inevitable, and Miss Guyse doesn't suffer in the comparing. She's truly gorgeous, and, more important, every song is an emotional experience, both for her and the audience. Opening night there was a testimonial for Rep.

Bill Keenan, of Dorchester, with all the political big-vngj In attendance. You can take it from here that Miss Guvtt'e political standing as of now is A-l. Her best song is one about kisses loneliness, lovely song beautifully performed. She was born, Incidentally, in a little town in Mississippi and her rise to fame and fortune is further evidence of the fact that opportunity is fi te to all who are prepared to fight for it Old newspaper clippings, programs reflected the popularity of Forest-born Singer Shelia G. Jackson iiiC.te'iv,.:J 17 years after retirement as she looks today at 51.

Sheila Guyse Jackson 'PxeAeatCay, SOUTH AU4CAN. MUSIC AN9 SHOW Ut tAYI SheiiaUuyse Heads SibW; Boylston and Tremont streets show on hand and South Ameri-u) ilc aa unc ui iric ucbi yiaxu ijii.qu iiiuaic Jieyer tuvcr CnargFw the city for dining and dancing. 'and popular prices at all times, or tailing ill-lar- Revere Clubs Stay Open Trolter, THE MM ALP, IfONTKKAL Egs. EXTRA SPECIAL ijr Eruno ENGAGEMENT lager irpe I that (if" I 1 CABARET CIRCUIT 24 Thru Apr. 4 tv-s Social IL MOROCCO ntils lor SHEILA GUYSE i i 8 I I ln Paw.

IMi vrn: ran caat mt CW CaaMMf; stun Sheila Guyse ntakM a hit wit the taeal night rlafc sea try a this, fcvr first visit to Monlreil The petite linger mora or lew itaali the current El show with a Uoep lectio at aumben otftrad casual, relawd Awanf ihe mi ft ire a dafr tvatftlaa af Let There Be mmi aa equally baaarr wrusi or All Of Ne. Balk aaabcra eara la a-rwraasfr aa raiaaia eateuat af applaaar. She jto introduce a calypso-type tow titled Han Done Gew aad Went turh tuns nut to be part Caribbean Inrehrr and part comedy. liurnUe rravrdk ta of which way you cauider IL Stir of TV'i Spdeulr "Tlit Green And lrodwy'i Gnat Musical 1 "Lost in th Stan" N.Y. Dramatic Cril'tct Say.

Shell Guyit Frint D'Amort Diet Duin Nin Rout Pmel Dtnnii Blinitrub't Bradlord ett fiolit Skow-iof Sttubtn'i 57 Li 1 5h it Ln Horn'i Ntw.it Rival" 1 inianctaa far Skills Oiyst's Esgsgsatat I "S2.S0 Mon. fnr Fri. $3.00 Sot. TOM fotr.M I III C0VEI CHARGE aT alTTIHE TWO-on-tlio-AISLE i By Richard Waits larijr admired a beautiful girl name1. Shetla Guyte, who hand-aomei carries on the Horna- Pandiidjr tradition of lovalincn Nkiatl Ssyltrrs Ires, far Daaetac 1 is I 0F, J.r Ky Gn Sir ii Jot Shtrnff W.lb.

CrovlorJ Flo Gilmtn tfil Km. ttawa lew, Hull, Doe. II. SfwfU OmM. coMdam Jai i By SAM BEREXSON The star of the Blinstrub show this week is Sheila moVintr hof Rnctnn Hphllt shp was the Star BROADWAY Winner: 'Outer Circle Critics Award' for "Lost In The Stars" TELEVISION Co-Starred: NBC-TV Spectacular "The Green Pastures" 11 I 1 of the TV hit "Green Pastures," and also a bit nit in the I Sheila Gum ioeae Hke tek gamine.

iptcU a eeuntrM and lings Ilka a caaacltaUaae pas-farm, tr with lawjr aad aorke pipe, which ska baa. la tha Ottawa Kouaa'a Clmu Lavage Mtaa Guyat kavao ae coraer af tat room aa-aara af bar aklatag praamea and givta tra evldeaeo at bar chirp SHOW-BAR fine musical "Lost in lnc feiars, you're bound to like Sheila, lor heie is a gal who sure can sing: And it's Jimmy Durante start-z April 5th, better make your rMoxyations now another gala xSHOWSav4- Manager Jimmy tf-m ii. that 1 patrorirfniiuding loudly shovrtaVe Revere Beach Frol- DIRECTION: MGM WILLIAM MORRIS AGENCY INC. RECORDS PERSONAL MANAGEMENT: GARY ROMI -LiriCIll ICVUC WIIIVH u.w t. -J9 -av.