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MY'STORY

The MOVE Fire

This is a personal recollection on the Move fire on May 13, 1985 Philadelphia police fired thousands of rounds at the MOVE house, city officials approved dropping an explosive device on the roof, the resulting fire was allowed to burn, 11 people—including five children—died, and 61 homes were destroyed. Philadelphia City Council later called it a “brutal attack carried out by the City of Philadelphia on its own citizens” and acknowledged that no individual faced criminal consequences for the bombing. One timeline correction worth preserving for the BHP record: the major previous MOVE-police confrontation was August 8, 1978, about seven years before the bombing, not a year or two earlier. Officer James Ramp was killed, other police and firefighters were wounded, nine MOVE members were later convicted, and television cameras recorded police beating Delbert Africa during his arrest. The 1985 MOVE Commission later specifically criticized city planners for failing to adequately use lessons from that 1978 confrontation. And that actually strengthens the point you’re making: 1985 did not happen without precedent or institutional memory. There had already been a deadly confrontation with MOVE, years of conflict, negotiations and police involvement before Osage Avenue.

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BLACK FACTS
The Truths They Never Taught You...

Shirley Chisholm — Unbought and Unbossed

In 1968 Shirley Chisholm became the first Black woman elected to the United States Congress. In 1972 she launched a campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination, breaking another political barrier.

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Wikipedia

Elizabeth Hoffman (actress)

Elizabeth Hoffman
Hoffman in Fear No Evil (1981)
Born(1926-02-08)February 8, 1926
Corvallis, Oregon, U.S.
DiedAugust 21, 2023(2023-08-21) (aged 97)
Malibu, California, U.S.
OccupationActress
Years active1980–1998
Children2

Elizabeth Hoffman (February 8, 1926 – August 21, 2023) was an American actress. She was best known for her regular role as Beatrice Reed Ventnor (mother of the sisters played by Swoosie Kurtz, Sela Ward, Patricia Kalember and Julianne Phillips) on the NBC drama series Sisters (1991–1996).

Early life

[edit]

Elizabeth Hoffman was born in Corvallis, Oregon on February 8, 1926.[1][2]

Career

[edit]

Hoffman first appeared on television in a recurring role on Little House on the Prairie (1980–1981) before making her feature film debut in Frank LaLoggia's supernatural horror film Fear No Evil (1981), being cast in a leading role. In 1983, Hoffman portrayed Eleanor Roosevelt in Dan Curtis's historical miniseries The Winds of War.[1] She had a supporting role opposite Barbra Streisand in the drama Nuts (1987),[3] and subsequently reprised her role as Eleanor Roosevelt in the miniseries War and Remembrance in 1988.

Hoffman next appeared in Monte Hellman's horror film Silent Night, Deadly Night 3: Better Watch Out! (1989).[4] From 1991 to 1996, she portrayed Beatrice Reed Ventnor, mother of the titular sister characters played by actresses Swoosie Kurtz, Sela Ward, Patricia Kalember and Julianne Phillips) on the drama series Sisters.[5][6]

Hoffman guest-starred in a number of television shows and mini-series such as Little House on the Prairie, War and Remembrance, Matlock and thirtysomething, and well as several movies including playing "Grandma Ruth" in Dante's Peak.[7] She also played the role of Catherine Langford in 2 episodes of Stargate SG-1.[8]

Personal life

[edit]

Hoffman had two sons.[1]

Death

[edit]

Hoffman died at her home in Malibu, California on August 21, 2023, at the age of 97.[9][1]

Filmography

[edit]

Film

[edit]
Year Title Role Notes Ref.
1981 Fear No Evil Mikhail/Margaret Buchanan [8]
1985 Do You Remember Love Lila Television film
1987 Nuts Dr. Johnson [3]
1989 Elvis and Me Mother Superior
1989 Silent Night, Deadly Night 3: Better Watch Out! Granny [4]
1989 Born on the Fourth of July Passerby [8]
1991 The Great Pretender Rose Outland
1994 The River Wild Gail's Mother [2]
1995 Superfights Runner
1997 Dante's Peak Ruth [8]

Television

[edit]
Year Title Role Notes Ref.
1980–1981 Little House on the Prairie Miss Mason 3 episodes [8]
1982 The Greatest American Hero Margaret Detwiller 1 episode
1983 The Winds of War Eleanor Roosevelt Miniseries [8]
1983 The A-Team Mother Superior 1 episode
1984 Blue Thunder Mrs. Moynihan 1 episode
1985 Hunter Mrs. Thelma Atkins 1 episode
1988 Roseanne Beverly Harris 1 episode (Unaired pilot)
1989 L.A. Law Jeanne Rubens 1 episode
1988–1989 War and Remembrance Eleanor Roosevelt Miniseries
1989 Star Trek: The Next Generation Premier Bhavani Episode: "The Price"
1989–1990 Matlock Judge Mary Russell 5 episodes
1989–1991 Thirtysomething Eleanor Krieger 5 episodes
1991–1996 Sisters Beatrice 'Bea' Reed Ventnor 127 episodes [8]
1997–1998 Stargate SG-1 Catherine Langford 3 episodes "Torment of Tantalus", "There But For The Grace Of God", "Out of Mind" as flashback [8]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c d Barnes, Mike (October 23, 2023). "Elizabeth Hoffman, the Mother Bea on 'Sisters,' Dies at 97". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on September 13, 2026.
  2. ^ a b Baker, Jeff (April 30, 2014). "17 actors you (maybe) didn't know were from Oregon". The Oregonian. Portland, Oregon. Archived from the original on November 3, 2017.
  3. ^ a b "Nuts - Full Cast & Crew". TV Guide. Archived from the original on September 13, 2026.
  4. ^ a b DuPée, Matthew C. (2022). A Scary Little Christmas: A History of Yuletide Horror Films, 1972-2020. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland & Company. p. 37. ISBN 978-1-476-64540-7.
  5. ^ Szul, Barbara (May 5, 1991). "New 'Sisters' TV Series Explores The Tangle Of Family, Relationships". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved June 8, 2013.
  6. ^ O'Connor, John J. (May 4, 1996). "After 5 Years of Family Fractiousness, 'Sisters' Exits Elegantly". The New York Times. Retrieved June 8, 2013.
  7. ^ Kempley, Rita (February 7, 1997). "'Dante's Peak': Lava Among the Ruins". The Washington Post. Retrieved June 8, 2013.
  8. ^ a b c d e f g h "Elizabeth Hoffman: Credits". TV Guide. Archived from the original on February 16, 2016. Retrieved June 8, 2013.
  9. ^ Petski, Denise (October 23, 2023). "Elizabeth Hoffman Dies: 'Sisters', 'Winds Of War' Actress Was 97".
[edit]
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Wikipedia

Elizabeth Hoffman (actress)

Elizabeth Hoffman (February 8, 1926 – August 21, 2023) was an American actress. She was best known for her regular role as Beatrice Reed Ventnor (mother of the sisters played by Swoosie Kurtz, Sela Ward, Patricia Kalember and Julianne Phillips) on the NBC drama series Sisters (1991–1996).

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Wikipedia

Elizabeth Hoffman

Elizabeth Hoffman may refer to: Elizabeth Hoffman (actress) (1927–2023), American actress Elizabeth Hoffman (professor) (born 1946), a.k.a. Betsy Hoffman, vice president of Iowa State University, former president of the University of Colorado Elizabeth C. Hoffman (1942–2007), a.k.a. Betty Hoffman, New York politician Elizabeth Hoffman, winner of Miss South Dakota Teen USA 2008 Elizabeth Maud Hoffman (1927–2009), Australian indigenous rights activist

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Wikipedia

Elizabeth Rodriguez

Elizabeth Rodriguez is a Puerto Rican actress. She began her career appearing in films Fresh (1994), Dead Presidents (1995), I Think I Do (1997) and Blow (2001). She played Detective Gina Calabrese in the 2006 film adaptation of Miami Vice. Rodriguez received a Tony Award nomination and won an Outer Critics Circle Award and a Theatre World Award for her performance in Stephen Adly Guirgis' 2011 play The Motherfucker with the Hat. On television, Rodriguez starred as Aleida Diaz in the Netflix comedy-drama series, Orange Is the New Black (2013–2019). In 2015, she starred in the first season of AMC's post-apocalyptic horror drama series Fear the Walking Dead. She also had recurring roles in Power, Power Book II: Ghost and Shameless and was a regular cast member in Prime Suspect and East New York. She also appeared in films The Drop (2014) and Logan (2017). She co-wrote and starred in the 2022 comedy-drama film, Allswell in New York.

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Wikipedia

Bridget Hoffman

Bridget Hoffman (born 1961/1962) is an American voice actress, voice director and ADR script writer who has provided voices for a number of English-language versions of Japanese anime films and television series, usually under an alias such as Ruby Marlowe. Prior to her involvement in anime, she had some on-screen acting roles in films and television including Hercules: The Legendary Journeys and other media produced by Sam Raimi. Some of her major voice roles are title characters such as Belldandy in Ah! My Goddess: The Movie, Mizuho Kazami in Please Teacher!/Please Twins!, Mima Kirigoe in Perfect Blue, and Lain Iwakura in Serial Experiments Lain. She also voiced lead ensemble characters as Rune Venus in El Hazard, Miaka Yuki in Fushigi Yûgi, Raquel Casull in Scrapped Princess, Fuu Hououji in Magic Knight Rayearth, Shinobu Maehara in Love Hina, Nia Teppelin in Gurren Lagann, Kanae Kocho in Demon Slayer, Irisviel von Einzbern in Fate/Zero. She served as the ADR director for the Fushigi Yûgi series and films, Ah! My Goddess: The Movie and a series of shorts called The Adventures of Mini-Goddess. She also provides background voices in a number of animated films recorded in the Los Angeles area, including Frozen, Epic, and Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2. In video games, she provides the voice of KOS-MOS in the Xenosaga series as well as Atoli in the .hack//G.U. series.

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TOPIC OF THE DAY

Greenwood / Black Wall Street

Before the 1921 destruction of Tulsa’s Greenwood District, Black residents had created a remarkable center of business and community life. The district included stores, professional offices, entertainment venues and homes owned by Black citizens. Understanding Greenwood means learning what was built—not only what was burned.

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TRIVIA QUESTION OF THE DAY

Who became the first Black woman to travel into space?

Mae Jemison, aboard Space Shuttle Endeavour in 1992.