A LEGACY OF EXCELLENCE

A Presence That Defines Entertainment

By Dr. Jerome Dorn 

Some photographs invite you to pause. This one invites you to remember.

A character whose presence stayed with you long after the credits rolled. A television comedy that brought familiar voices into your living room. A performance that made you appreciate the discipline behind the applause. Behind those experiences are artists whose contributions become part of our own stories.

Together on this InDaHouseMedia cover, Hawthorne James, Dr. Christine Houston, Carl Gilliard, and Obba Babatundé represent distinct paths through entertainment, united by a commitment to storytelling. Their shared portrait offers an opportunity to celebrate both the work audiences recognize and the people who made it possible.

Hawthorne James: The Power of a Memorable Character

For many movie lovers, Hawthorne James remains inseparable from Big Red Davis, the formidable character he portrayed in The Five Heartbeats. His screen credits also include Sam, the bus driver in Speed, and George, the library night guard in Seven. These roles place him within markedly different cinematic worlds, each calling for a different kind of presence. 

That is part of the character actor’s art: making a person feel specific enough to belong to the story and memorable enough to remain with the viewer. James’s work invites appreciation for performers whose expressions, timing, and delivery help make a film’s world convincing.

On this cover, the celebration extends beyond a familiar screen persona to the artist behind it.

Dr. Christine Houston: A Story That Began Close to Home

Dr. Christine Houston’s contribution begins with the written word. Her play Two Twenty Seven, rooted in her childhood in Chicago, became the foundation for the television sitcom 227. The journey from a personal sense of place to a story shared with television audiences is central to her creative legacy. 

Houston’s story offers a powerful lesson to aspiring writers: the people, conversations, and communities around you can hold the beginnings of meaningful work. Familiar experiences deserve careful observation. Everyday lives deserve imagination, attention, and a place on the page.

Celebrating her also means recognizing the writer’s essential role in entertainment. Before a cast gathers or a camera rolls, someone must see the possibility of a story and commit to telling it.

Carl Gilliard: From Brother Minister to a Broader Creative Legacy

Carl Gilliard’s career encompasses acting, producing, directing, writing, and education. His credits include Coach Carter, Red Eye, and Inception, reflecting a body of work that spans film and television. 

For viewers of The Family Business, Gilliard is also recognized for his portrayal of Brother Minister. The role adds another distinctive character to his screen résumé and gives audiences another reason to celebrate the veteran actor’s continuing contribution to television.

His influence also extends beyond performance. Gilliard’s involvement in youth media education through the Bill Duke Media Foundation’s Youth Media Camp connects his professional experience with opportunities for emerging talent. 

Those different responsibilities reflect the collaborative nature of filmmaking. An actor serves a character; a director considers the whole story; a producer helps create the conditions for the work to happen. An educator carries experience into a room where someone else is just beginning.

From his portrayal of Brother Minister to his work behind the camera and with aspiring creatives, Gilliard’s place in this gathering celebrates both artistic accomplishment and the value of sharing knowledge.

Obba Babatundé: Artistry Across Stage and Screen

Obba Babatundé’s body of work connects musical theater, television, and film. He originated the role of C.C. White in Broadway’s Dreamgirls, earned an Emmy nomination for Miss Evers’ Boys, and portrayed Motown founder Berry Gordy in the television miniseries The Temptations. 

Moving between those forms requires sensitivity to different rhythms of performance. The stage asks an artist to sustain a character before a live audience. The camera can make a small gesture or a moment of stillness carry an entire scene.

Babatundé’s range gives this cover another dimension: a reminder that versatility grows through practice, preparation, and respect for the demands of each story.

A Shared Legacy Worth Celebrating

These four careers cannot be reduced to a single photograph or a handful of credits. The image can, however, encourage us to look again—to revisit the performances, recognize the writing, and appreciate the creative labor behind the memories.

For InDaHouseMedia, this special edition is an invitation to give accomplished artists their flowers with intention. Say their names. Explore their work. Introduce their contributions to someone discovering them for the first time.

Hawthorne James. Dr. Christine Houston. Carl Gilliard. Obba Babatundé.

Four distinguished talents. One unforgettable moment. A shared legacy in television and cinema.