ERIC MONTE'S CONTRIBUTIONS TO TV & FILM HISTORY...
Eric Monte recommended Redd Foxx to studio executives after
seeing the featured film "Cotton Comes to Harlem."
Norman Lear & Bud Yorkin had never herd of Redd Foxx,
until Eric Monte told them about him.
Eric Monte created Hank and Louise Jefferson for Mike Evans--
who played the original Lionel Evans on "All in the Family".
Hank's name was eventually changed to George.
"The Jeffersons" became a hit show.
The iconic 70's hit sitcom "Good Times" is Eric Monte's masterpiece,
based on his family and friends growing up
in the Cabrini Green Projects in Chicago, IL.
Eric and Mike Evans are credited as
co-creators of "Good Times."
Eric Monte won a prestigious NAACP Image Award for
writing the screenplay of "Cooley High." "Cooley High" is based on Eric Monte's
high school. It is considered an American classic, and considered
one of the best featured films on all time.
Eric Monte wanted to do a TV show for Mike Eisner and ABC
based on the hit movie "Cooley High." The show was supposed to be
produced under Eric Monte's production company. However studio exectutives
brought in Saul Turtletaub, Bernie Orenstein, and Bud Yorkin
(TOY Productions). Eric Monte never received a dime.
Eric Monte had meetings with executives Mike Eisner, Marcy Carsey, and
Tom Werner and told them how to do a show without degrating black mothers. Most TV shows depicted black mothers as dumb, overweight and unintellegent.
The show was based on his mother who was beautiful and smart.
Mike Eisner/ABC gave Marcy Carsey, and Tom Werner the rights to produce "The Cosby Show" under their production company.
Eric Monte sent Toni Morison an original copy of his manuscript for "The Prophet" (Copyright #TXU 90-972), an epic story about the life of the slave revolter Nat Turner. In Monte's novel, there was a woman that killed the baby rather than letting it be a slave. Toni Morison read Monte's book and turned it down. Toni Morison's
"Beloved" features a mother that kills a baby than rather letting it become a slave.
Today, Eric Monte is the proud author of a book entitled "Blueprint For Peace."
The book is a political philosophy for the 21st Century to end
war, eliminate taxes, and reduce crime by 70%.