Thursday, January 7, 2010
PRINCESS ANNE, MD – The stage is set for “A Night of Stars” on the University of Maryland Eastern Shore campus. Patty Duke and Dionne Warwick have joined Lou Gosset Jr., Clarence Clemons, B.B. King, Herschel Walker and Lee Elder for the star-studded event. “The Magnificent Seven” are scheduled to land on campus for the UMES Gala on Saturday, March 6, 2010.
Accomplished actress Patty Duke is the recipient of an Academy Award, two Golden Globes and three Emmy Awards. She has made exceptional contributions to the field of acting and is an internationally recognized stage, film and television actress. At 16, Duke became the youngest person to ever win an Academy Award. As best supporting actress in her role as Helen Keller in the feature film that was based on the Broadway version of “The Miracle Worker,” she made an indelible mark on the industry. A role in her own sitcom immediately followed, cementing her success. Her show, “The Patty Duke Show,” lasted three seasons and earned her one of what would eventually amount to nine Emmy nominations. Several award winning roles later, Duke became president of the Screen Actors Guild, where she served until 1988. In 1987, she wrote her autobiography “Call Me Anna,” which was made into a TV movie, and “A Brilliant Madness: Living with Manic Depression Illness” in 1992. She received an honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from the University of North Florida for her work in advancing awareness of the mental health issue.
The legendary Dionne Warwick has established herself as a musical icon and a humanitarian. Her life’s work has also established that she is a songwriter, an actress and an activist, as United Nations Global Ambassador for the Food and Agriculture Organization and former United States Ambassador of Health. Over an illustrious four-decade career, she has won five Grammy Awards. Her reputation as a hit maker has been firmly etched into public consciousness; as a performer, she has charmed and entertained audiences on every continent, amassing a worldwide audience. With her own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, she continues to work tirelessly with various organizations dedicated to empowering and inspiring others. In 1997 she was awarded the Luminary Award by the American Society of Young Musicians. While her awards are many, most characteristic of her contribution to the industry is her November 2001 History Maker award from the History Makers Organization of Chicago. In 2002, Warwick was honored by The Recording Academy with the 2002 New York Chapter’s Heroes Award. In 2003, she received a lifetime achievement award from the R&B Foundation, and she was selected as one of the 2003 Top Faces of Black History.
For more information about the UMES Gala, call Dr. Veronique Diriker at 410-651-7773 or Andrea Sims at 703-589-7400.
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Suzanne Waters Street, director, UMES Office of Public Relations, 410-621-2355, sstreet@umes.edu.
