Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs should have been as big as John Travolta

[GARFIELDKOOL]

He's just as talented, he an excellent actor, and he's good in leading roles. I seen him in numorous roles. I also seen him starring in this movie, "L.A. Heat" playing a detective. He was good in the movie as well as playing Joe Jackson in "The Jacksons". How come he didn't blow up as big as John Travolta in the mid-seventies?

[hatwink]

Originally Posted by GARFIELDKOOL

He's just as talented, he an excellent actor, and he's good in leading roles. I seen him in numorous roles. I also seen him starring in this movie, "L.A. Heat" playing a detective. He was good in the movie as well as playing Joe Jackson in "The Jacksons". How come he didn't blow up as big as John Travolta in the mid-seventies?

I have often wondered the same thing myself (and also about Robert Hegyes, but that 's another story).I've come to the conclusion that that Lawrence was in the right place at the wrong time and also that his role in "Welcome Back Kotter" stereotyped him to the point where he couldn't get roles.And then, there is the usual scandal that makes many directors back off from an actor if the situation is bad enough.

When Lawrence was real big, in the Mid-Seventies, there were not many big time black actors, at least in the area of film.If your name wasn't Billy Dee Williams, you were not getting a lot of major film roles, at least not the ones where you have many choices.There were a lot of strong black actors like John Amos, Roscoe Lee Browne, James Earl Jones, and Moses Gunn, who, like Lawrence, came out about 15 or twenties years later, would be huge.Unfortunately, due to the times they were major in, they would not get the roles or respect that they deserved.Hollywood was not ready to give black actors any major, real major play like now, and it's sad.I'm convinced that many people of this generation wouldn't know who Moses Gunn and Roscoe Lee Browne are and there are many others who don't come to memory that fall in this category.

Back in the day, "Welcome Back Kotter" had a huge following( as we well know ), and if the audience and other people identify you with one character, that's a major blow to one's career sometimes. Many people will always remember Lawrence as "Boom Boom Washington" and though it's not as bad as say, Jimmie Walker, it's close enough. And if the people like directors and other filmmakers look at him like this, it's very bad.

When an actor is involved in a scandal, that could potentially ruin him, especially if he's black.As far as I know, Lawrence has been pretty clean with the exception of the incident with his girlfriend a couple years back.So that should not be the case.Even though he's been off the radar for a time.


The one thing I respect about Lawrence is that he has a fighting spirit.I remember "Entertainment Tonight" did a "Where are they now" piece a few years back and they interviewed him and Ron Pallilo.Basically, Lawrence was saying that for a time after the show ended it was a drag, but he mentioned that, just because you don't get the job, move on, don't let it bother you, establish your own hustle.I'm hoping for the day that someone will recognize they made a major oversight and will give him a major role that long overdue.

[Brian Damage]

John Travolta made it big because he was a teen heart throb.

[Mr. Television]

I always like Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs. I always thought he was so cool but Travolta was the big star of the show and its hard to have 2 teen heart throb's from the same show.

[alienkattuk]

what role he played?

i can't recalled him

[hatwink]

Originally Posted by DallasCowboysFanatic

I always like Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs. I always thought he was so cool but Travolta was the big star of the show and its hard to have 2 teen heart throb's from the same show.

It's hard to have 2 heartthrobs, but if it was a different era, Lawrence would have blown up in his own right.

[TVFactFan]

Lawrence Hilton-jacobs has done well as a actor after WBK. He played Poppa Joe in the Jacksons Movie

[hatwink]

He did good considering the obstacles he had to face.