'Apollo Ambassador' Billy Mitchell Shares Memories for Theater's 75th Anniversary

Billy Mitchell started working at the Apollo Theater as a teenager, running errands for the famous entertainers who headlined this historic Harlem stage. More than 40 years later, the sometime actor ('Malcolm X,' 'Law and Order') is known as the Apollo Ambassador, the man who leads tour groups through the theater seven days a week.

Spinner spoke with Mr. Mitchell about the Apollo's upcoming 75th anniversary celebration, to be held Monday, June 8, at the legendary theater. Tickets for the gala event, which is open to the public, are available at www.apollotheater.org, with proceeds to go to charity.

During the course of our conversation, Mr. Mitchell also reminisced about the vast and varied array of performers who have graced -- and sometimes disgraced -- the Apollo stage.

You've had a lifelong relationship with the theater.

Back in 1964, '65, I was the errand boy for all the performers, running to the store to get everybody's coffee, get their clothes out of the cleaners, et cetera. I thought it was the end of the world when the theater closed in '77. When [former Manhattan Borough President] Percy Sutton and his group reopened the theater in 1984, I was hired back as an usher. Since then, I've had practically every job in the theater. June 3rd I'm realizing a dream come true: I will be hosting the original Amateur Night at the Apollo.

Did you grow up in the neighborhood?

Actually, I was born and raised in Mount Vernon, New York, and then my family moved to the Bronx. I come from a family of 14 children. I started coming down to Harlem to visit relatives. I'd stand in the back of the theater, by the backstage door. The owner saw me there one day, and he asked me, "Hey, kid, what are you doing?" I said, "I'm just standing here, sir." And he asked me, "You want to make a couple of bucks?"

Was Frank Schiffman the owner then?

Yes, indeed. Mr. Schiffman was the owner then, and his son Bobby was helping run the theater at the time. Ralph Cooper was hosting Amateur Night, which he created. So I got to sit with him and hear him tell these stories, not knowing that I would be the tour guide at the Apollo one day, telling these accurate and factual stories about this history, from what I heard from Frank Schiffman, Ralph Cooper and Howard "Sandman" Sims, who was the guy that chased people off the stage.

Tell me how that tradition started.

It just happened. Norman Miller, a.k.a. Porto Rico -- not Puerto Rico but P-O-R-T-O, because he was portly -- he was a stagehand here at the Apollo. One day, he was watching Amateur Night, and some act came on that he thought was horrible. So he ran onto the stage waving his hand, like, Oh, that's terrible. He did that a few times, and the audience started laughing. Each time he would go out, he'd put on a big hat or sunglasses or something, to be a clown. And it took off real big. Rather than just waving his hand, he started using a stick with a hook on it. In the '80s, when Mr. Sutton reopened the theater, they hired Howard "Sandman" Sims to do that job.

Ever hear of anyone who went on to a successful career who got the hook on Amateur Night?

I know some people who were booed by the audience but not booed actually offstage. Lauryn Hill, five-time Grammy Award winner -- she was booed by some of the people. Luther Vandross was part of a singing group that was booed. Even James Brown -- the first time he did Amateur Night he was booed. Not because of his performance. He was booed because the audience didn't like the type of clothes he had on. This guy had just come up from Georgia. When he walked on the stage with those country garments, the crowd laid into him. The next week, James Brown borrowed a pair of pants and a shirt from one of our stagehands. He came back on with his New York shirt and pants, and he won the show.

What's the single greatest performance you ever saw?

One of the greatest performances I ever saw was not a singer -- it was a play. It was called 'Harlem Song.' It told the story of Harlem in dance and film and interviews by celebrities and the elders of the community. It had some incredible dancing and acting. Other performers that I've always admired were Stevie Wonder, the Temptations, who have always been my favorite group, and Smokey Robinson. I saw Stevie here at 14 years old -- I was 14, too -- when he was Little Stevie Wonder.

Tell me about the 75th Anniversary event.

I'm pumped up about it. It's being hosted by Steve Harvey. There will be performances by the wonderful Anita Baker and the O'Jays. Being inducted into the Apollo Legends Hall of Fame will be none other than Patti Labelle and Quincy Jones. Mariah Carey is going to present to Patti Labelle, and Jamie Foxx is going to present to Quincy Jones. We started an award called the Ruby Dee and Ossie Davis Arts and Humanitarian Award. It's an award given to a couple who do a lot in the arts and community-minded things. Last year we gave it to one of my dear friends, Denzel Washington, and his wife, Pauletta. This year we're honoring the great Bill and Camille Cosby.

Cosby must have performed many times at the Apollo.

Oh, sure. I remember Cosby before he did 'I Spy,' the TV show. I remember when the Apollo wasn't doing well in the '80s and he and his wife gave a million dollars and started this campaign to save the Apollo. Cos is very dear to the Apollo Theater.

What year did the state of New York take over the Apollo?

In '91. There's an agency of the state that owns the building, the Empire Development Corporation. And the Apollo Theater Foundation, a not-for-profit, we manage and run the theater. The theater is now a city, state and national landmark. We are charged with keeping the legacy going, and maintaining the upkeep of the theater. We're very community-minded. We have an internship program where we have high school students who learn every aspect of putting on a show. Just last week, they did a show that made me so proud, it brought tears to my eyes. Opportunities are here, and I'm a great example of that -- I started here as an usher, and now I'm the Apollo Ambassador and tour director.

You must get international tour groups -- tours where nobody speaks English.

That is true! We get people from Germany, France, Japan, Italy, Australia, Belgium, Spain -- I mean, everywhere. They've all heard of the Apollo Theater. But usually they've heard that this is a place where only African-Americans have performed. I have to let them know that every race, every culture, every ethnic group has been a part of this Apollo Theater history. The African-American experience has been the dominant experience, but we're not the only ones.

What's the most common misconception people bring when they come for the tours?

They're usually surprised that white people came here. The way it's been portrayed, they just focus on the African-American talent. They don't know that Tony Bennett used to sing duets with Billie Holiday. They don't know that Tom Jones performed here, or Rod Stewart. Annie Lennox. Morrissey. The Strokes. Korn. We recently had Elton John here with Elvis Costello. We also do ballet and symphony orchestras and theater. People don't know that. They think it's just R&B or jazz or hip-hop.

You hear stories about guys like Mick Jagger, for instance, coming to stand in the wings. And it's usually painted as if he was the only white guy in the building.

Yeah, and that's not the case at all. Just recently, Paul McCartney came by here at 8 o'clock in the morning, with his little girl. He just wanted to come in and show his daughter the place, when the Beatles first came to America, they wanted to see most of all. The security guard was sitting in the lobby, and somebody was tapping on the window. He said, "My God, that looks like Paul McCartney." I wish someone in management had been here so we could've talked to him about doing a gig here!

What were your most unusual requests when you were a runner?

Someone sent me to a restaurant owned by the great boxer Sugar Ray Robinson to get a meal. The cook put a half-pint of scotch in the bag. I thought that was kind of strange. As a kid, you don't know what the heck is going on [laughs]. But as long as those tips were coming in ...

James Brown was one guy who loved to flash his money, wasn't he?

Oh, James Brown took care of me and my family. He gave me such large tips, I could always go buy myself a couple pairs of pants, a couple of shirts, get my hair cut. I could also give my mother some money to put into the house, to get some food. Even up to 2006, the last time I saw him, he'd hug me and put $200 in my hand. James Brown is largely responsible for me working here. In the old days, when he gave me those tips, he also insisted that I buy a book. He said, "Billy, I didn't get a good education. I want you to read and learn how to speak well." Now I make a living by speaking. How do you like that?