Sheila Guyse Appreciation

From Prince.org

Singer and actress (of the stage and screen), Sheila Guyse was born Etta Drucille Guyse to Wilbert and Ethel (Williams) Guyse on July 14, 1925 in Forest, Mississippi. Along with being an entertainer, she was also the wife of a man named Joseph Jackson (who passed away in 2012) and the mother of two daughters and a son.

From 16 Stone Vintage

Sheila Guyse (Jackson) passed away on December 28, 2013 of Alzheimer's disease in Hawaii. 

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Sheila Guyse Appreciation

This is Sheila Guyse 

(Album - Amazon MP3)

Boy! What a Girl! (1947)

[Youtube]

Sepia Cinderella (1947)

[Youtube]

Miracle in Harlem (1948)

[Youtube]

16 Stone Vintage

[More photos/magazine covers]

IMDb Profile

Wikipedia

(Where information was obtained)


*POC in Classic Film posts*
(added 5/24/2014)

Celebrating Women's History Month

Sheila Guyse News


*MORE INFORMATION*

William Yardley of The New York Times recently wrote an obituary for Ms. Guyse, with information provided by her daughter. Please click here to check out the article.

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Personal Thoughts

All of my love and my prayers go out to the family of this lovely woman. Of course, I didn't know Ms. Guyse personally, but there are just some people--celebrities, friends of friends, anyone--who just "stick" with you from the first moment you see them from afar or in a photo. Ms. Guyse was one of those people. 

Over the past year or so, I've come across many new names and faces, and gave up on searching for information about them. Not Sheila Guyse. I don't know what it is or what it was, but there was just something about her that kept me typing her name into Google every other month or so. As I've stated before (in another post and in reply to a commentator), although she played the role of the girl-next-door in movies like Sepia Cinderella and Miracle in Harlem, a genuine kindness and sweetness resonated from the screen.

When we look at beautiful things or people, sometimes, the word "beautiful" just isn't sufficient. We say "lovely". When we call someone or something "lovely", a small sigh or gasp usually comes before or after it. He/She/It is breathtaking--so beautiful, be it internally or externally--they actually throw us off, make us do double takes. Sheila Guyse was lovely. Not even just for her physical beauty, but for the beauty that shone through her from my TV and computer screens like rays. 

I completed my first screenplay during my junior year of college (just last year). The screenplay followed the life and career of an aspiring Black actress in 1930s/1940s Hollywood. As I wrote and re-wrote, deleted and erased, I'd drawn inspiration from many entertainers--from Theresa Harris to Dorothy Dandridge, Fredi Washington to Hazel Scott; Evelyn Preer, Alice B. Russell (wife of Oscar Micheaux). Still, I envisioned my character as one person in particular--I heard her voice; I saw the way she dressed, the way she wore her hair, etc.. From the very beginning--I'm talking the outline--I envisioned my lead character as Sheila Guyse. 

Your light was that bright, Ms. Guyse (Jackson). This is my way of saying "Thank You" for it. 

--Adrienne