- Title: USA: 'THE PREACHER'S WIFE' PREMIERES IN THE U.S.
- Date: 30th December 1995
- Summary: NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK/ FILM LOCATIONS (RECENT AND FILE) (RTV - ACCESS ALL) (FILM CLIPS MUST COURTESY TOUCHSTONE PICTURES - NOT FOR LIBRARY USE) NEW YORK CITY (RECENT) (RTV - ACCESS ALL) ( ** BEWARE FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY **) EXTERIOR OF PREMIERE THEATRE/ ZIEGFELD THEATRE COURTNEY VANCE AND FIANCEE, ACTOR ANGELA BASSETT JENNIFER LEWIS ARRIVES AT THE PREMIERE LION
- Embargoed: 14th January 1996 12:00
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- Location: NEW YORK CITY, UNITED STATES AND FILM LOCATIONS
- Country: USA
- Reuters ID: LVAE1FL2BSBWJ45XAQJPKIY9PFJ6
- Story Text: Soul diva Whitney Houston continues her acting career by teaming up with Oscar-winner Denzel Washington in the new romantic comedy-drama "The Preacher's Wife." Former "Laverne and Shirley" star Penny Marshall takes the director's chair in this remake of the 1947 classic "The Bishop's Wife." Houston stars as the gospel-singing wife of Reverend Henry Biggs, played by Courtney Vance, a good man who is doubting his ability to make a difference in his troubled community and home.
Help is on the way in the form of an angel named Dudley, played by Washington, who soon becomes both the source of and solution to their problems.
The additional problems come when Dudley starts falling for Houston's charater, Julia. This causes strains in the Biggs household, especially with Julia's mother Marguerite, a sharp talking woman who tries to keep the whole house in order.
Washington says he's been looking for a lighter role after playing very intense, emotional parts lately, including the tormented military man in this past summer's "Courage Under Fire." His other roles include his Oscar-winning performance in "Glory," the thriller "Crimson Tide," and the critically-acclaimed "Devil in a Blue Dress." This is Whitney Houston's third big-screen role. She previously starred in last winter's drama "Waiting to Exhale" and the romantic thriller "The Bodyguard" with Kevin Costner.
Her biggest accomplishments come in the field of pop --her soundtrack album from "The Bodyguard" sold over 33 million copies, and garnered a slew of international awards, including three Grammys. Her single from the album "I Will Always Love You" became her 10th number one and is the largest selling commercial single in history.
Through her mother, gospel star Cissy Houston -- who also has a small part in this film -- Whitney was exposed to gospel music since birth.
A member of the New Hope Baptist Junior Choir in Newark, New Jersey, Whitney developed into a soloist by the age of 11. In fact, she considers her gospel singing in "The Preacher's Wife" to be a welcome return to her roots.
In the film, she sings with the Georgia Mass Choir, one of the most popular and successful gospel groups of its kind in the world. Founded in 1983, the Macon, Georgia-based group boasts a membership of nearly 200 talented singers and musicians. A smaller portion of the group was selected to perform on screen with Whitney.
Courtney Vance was recently seen in "Dangerous Minds" with Michele Pfeiffer and "The Last Supper" with Cameron Diaz. His other screen roles include Mario Van Peebles' "Panther," and the HBO film "The Tuskegee Airmen" alongside Laurence Fishburne and Cuba Gooding, Jr.
Also in the cast of "The Preacher's Wife" are Houston's "Waiting to Exhale" co-stars Gregory Hines and Loretta Devine.
Oscar and Grammy-winning singer and songwriter Lionel Richie makes an appearance in his first big-screen role as the owner of a jazz club where Houston's character Julia used to perform before marrying Reverend Biggs.
Penny Marshall made her feature film directorial debut with "Jumpin' Jack Flash" staring Whoopi Goldberg. She also directed Tom Hanks to an Oscar nomination in "Big" and Robert DeNiro and Robin Williams in "Awakenings" which was nominated for Best Picture of 1990. Her other films include "A League of Their Own" and "Renaissance Man." - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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