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[[image: black and white photo of Avon Long on stage]]

AVON LONG

AVON LONG (Windy) was born in Baltimore, where he planned to enter the ministry. But when he was confronted with the scholarship he had won for a theological school, he decided that the life of a cleric was not for him. He journeyed to Boston, and soon found friends who helped him  to enter the Conservatory of Music to study singing, and to take dancing lessons with Alexander Kosloff, of the Russian Ballet. He wanted to train for the stage, but, finding the usual skepticism on the part of producers regarding untried actors, he made his professional debut in a Boston night club. He proved popular in the field, and appeared in several Cotton Club revues, being featured in one of them with Lena Horne. Then came a short-lived production of "Porgy and Bess" on the West Coast, followed by a period of inactivity and discouragement. But, when things looked darkest, he was offered the role of Sportin' Life in the Cheryl Crawford-John Wildberg presentation of "Porgy and Bess." For three seasons he appeared in it on Broadway and on tour, everywhere rating glowing notices for his characterization. This spring, he was a headliner at Cafe Society. For a number of summers, he was seen in productions at the St. Louis Municipal Opera. He played the leading male role in "La Belle Helene" at the Country Playhouse, Westport, Conn.

[[image: line drawing of show boats on river]]