Glenn Turman speaks during his Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony

Variety

Transcript

00:00There's a saying, a poem, a sonnet that when in school I was drawn to, written by Mr. Shakespeare, William Shakespeare.

00:12And I'm going to use just a little bit of it, and I've kind of bastardized it, but it goes,

00:20When, in disgrace with fortune in men's eyes, I all alone beweep my outcast state and trouble deaf heavens with my bootless cries.

00:40And then I added, then God rewards me with a day like today, and I wouldn't trade my state with kings.

00:50I want to thank the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce for including me in its most prestigious ceremony, the Hollywood Walk of Fame,

01:01and being placed, this is crazy, being placed next to my mentor, Sir Sidney Poitier, as the icing on the cake.

01:14Thanks to the city of Los Angeles, my home now for over 50 years, for allowing my family, friends, fans to join me safely

01:26on one of the most famous boulevards in the world.

01:34That you deem me worthy of such an imposition is an honor, and I thank you.

01:40I want to thank my producing partner and friend, Junie Smith,

01:51who planted the seed, the idea, in the fertile minds of the chamber,

01:56that this day should yield and celebrate the fruits of my labor.

02:02Thank you, Jun.

02:03Just like you don't see the work that I do as an actor before I get to the screen or the stage

02:13to show you what's going on.

02:17I was blown away by how much goes into bringing this celebration to you,

02:22so I would be remiss if I did not thank my producing team.

02:29My daughters, Dee and Lisa, thank you with their amazing crew

02:37for putting together all the pieces of the puzzle

02:41while juggling their very busy days and their busy lives.

02:47Love all of you for finding the time and making this happen.

02:52It's true, kismet has a lot to do with forming and maintaining a successful career,

02:59but without the proper orchestrators in place,

03:03a career may never take off or at least be short-lived.

03:08I want to thank my manager, Marnie Rosenswee,

03:13whom I credit with starting this glenissance.

03:16Jonathan and Josiah at Innovative.

03:25My dear and one of my oldest friends here in Hollywood, in California,

03:29Robert Scheibel, my lawyer and friend of many years

03:34and the man who makes sure my money is right, Dan's a sellie.

03:42Ava, Don,

03:45you guys don't really know what you guys mean to me

03:51in terms of resurrecting feelings in me

04:00that was instilled in me at an early age

04:05of what an artist is supposed to be.

04:08My mother had some magnificent friends

04:12as we grew up, where I grew up in Greenwich Village,

04:15Lorraine Hansberry being one of them,

04:20and James Baldwin being another,

04:25and Odetta being another,

04:32and these Eartha Kitt being another game-changing talents.

04:41They were warriors with their talent.

04:47They were there to change the outcome of their lives.

04:53And that's the kind of courage that you, Don, Ava,

05:01that's what you do with your work.

05:03You are warriors with your work.

05:07And for me to be associated and attached to some of the projects

05:11and to merely know you as warrior artists

05:15helps me stay on course

05:19so it comes from a deeper place

05:23than just being a fan.

05:25You remind me of family.

05:31Mayor Karen Bass,

05:34thank you for those kind words.

05:37Former Senator Diane Watson,

05:40I'm always, always glad to see you, my love.

05:45Commercewoman Maxine Waters.

05:47Oh!

05:49Uh-oh.

05:50Uh-oh.

05:52Where you at?

05:53Oh!

05:54I can't even tell you.

05:58But, hey, talk about a champion.

06:00I'm a champion.

06:02A champion for her.

06:04She's,

06:05she's helped our family in ways you all will never know.

06:12Trust me.

06:13Because it ain't all crystal stare.

06:16At any rate,

06:19I want to take some special friends,

06:21Ralph and Melba Farquhar,

06:24thank you so much for your,

06:25your help,

06:26because it's expensive to become a legend.

06:32Shit!

06:33Stan,

06:36Maggie,

06:37thank you all.

06:40Jim,

06:41Gina,

06:42y'all did it again,

06:45thank you.

06:49Aaron,

06:50my buddy Aaron Kaplan,

06:52thank you so much,

06:53my brother.

06:54Oh, yeah.

06:55And, uh,

06:56Ricky,

06:58from Bentley Pasadena,

07:00y'all gotta see how cool I'm gonna look.

07:03You see,

07:03if you like the way I look coming,

07:05wait till you see how I look leaving.

07:06And,

07:13y'all gonna,

07:15y'all gonna have a good time,

07:17those who hang around,

07:19because Brother D. Nice is gonna kick us off.

07:31Hey,

07:31over,

07:32over,

07:33it's over here.

07:34It's been a long road to hoe,

07:39and along the way,

07:40there have been many,

07:41many obstacles.

07:43And getting to this day,

07:44doesn't happen,

07:45without the help,

07:47of my wife,

07:48Joanne.

07:58She,

08:00helps nourish my body,

08:02and my soul.

08:05She sees to it,

08:07that I get up,

08:08and keep going,

08:09even when all in me,

08:11says that's enough,

08:11I can't do no more.

08:14And she's always there,

08:15to say yes you can.

08:18So,

08:19I keep on,

08:21keeping on.

08:23Whew.

08:25And so far,

08:26so good.

08:27I love you,

08:29woman.

08:29I love you,

08:29woman.

08:34To my siblings,

08:37who are here from far and near,

08:39and to my daughters,

08:42and my son,

08:44and my grandchildren,

08:45and my great-grandkids,

08:50and to my family-in-law,

08:56but no less in love.

08:58I'm sure this will mean something different to each of you.

09:07It'll be here,

09:08when you're in the mine to visit it.

09:10And I'm sure,

09:11I'll catch many different versions of the reactions over the years.

09:15Hopefully,

09:15most of them,

09:17are remembering me kindly.

09:22Fans,

09:22you've been a major part of this long journey.

09:27Some of you know me from way back,

09:29in the days of J.D. Walker,

09:32Cooley High,

09:33Gremlins,

09:34or a different world,

09:35and social media tells me that I've made a thousand new friends on the neighborhood,

09:41and with Percy Jackson and Olympians,

09:43and with Straw,

09:46has made me the villain of the year.

09:50Who knew?

09:52To y'all,

09:54I say,

09:55come on,

09:55boy,

09:55keep on coming on the Glenship train,

09:57because y'all ain't seen nothing yet.

10:12To my cowboy and cowgirl partners,

10:14and that includes the Bill Pickett and Camp Giddy Up guys,

10:18and you guys have made this journey absolutely the best,

10:21adding a color to my story that makes it hard to believe.

10:26And I tell some of my best lies down at the Cigar Lounge.

10:29There's a lot of good buddies here from a couple of places,

10:34spots I go to,

10:35V,

10:35the state,

10:36whatever.

10:43I think I found a new spot to fire up.

10:47Any of y'all want to come along,

10:49just fire up right here on the corner.

10:50We can stand right here.

10:56This is my spot.

11:01Ty,

11:01Ty Jones,

11:02I know you don't live too far from here.

11:03I expect to see your ass over here.

11:07Larry J,

11:07my brother,

11:09my brother.

11:10Wait till y'all see what me and Larry J got cooking for y'all.

11:15Yeah,

11:15yeah.

11:16Where's my road dog,

11:17Reggie D?

11:18Reginald T.

11:19Reginald T.

11:21Dorsey.

11:24My brother from another mother,

11:25that's who he is.

11:27Michael T.

11:31Eddie Olmos.

11:32Oh,

11:35hey.

11:37Me,

11:37me,

11:37me and Omar,

11:39we just found out that we're related.

11:42So,

11:42today,

11:43he's going to meet half his family,

11:45just like I'm going to meet half his family,

11:47because our family have come in from everywhere.

11:51Well,

11:51I don't have much more to say other than thank you so much.

11:56Let's get out this heat,

11:57and God bless you.

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