Soft-spoken writer Antwone Fisher, known for the semi-autobiographical 2002 film, Antwone Fisher, is set to direct a documentary on the life of Leon T. Garr. Garr, now 96, is an entrepreneur and philanthropist who built a real estate business in his home state of Louisiana into the foundation of many investment ventures in Los Angeles, where he is considered “The Godfather” of black business.
From S & A:
Mr. Garr bought real estate and developed raw land successfully for over 60 years. He built motels, apartment complexes, shopping malls and other commercial properties with his own money. In the 1980s he used some of his real estate holdings to develop a chain of Garr Learning Centers and in 1990, at the age of 76, he purchased the failing Founders Savings and Loans and transformed it into Founders National Bank, the only commercial bank owned by an African American in southern California.
He’s considered “The Godfather” of black business in the Los Angeles area and, at 96, he’s still active in the community.
The film will be based on Garr’s autobiography, The Millionaire Chronicle: Let’s Go To Work!, which was written with Bobby Glanton Smith.
“I’m elated that a Hollywood personality of the stature of Antwone Fisher is willing to use his extraordinary talents on a film project that will expose a much wider audience to my journey from builder to banker,” Garr says.
No word yet on a release date. For updates on the film, check Fisher’s official website.
How do you think Fisher will handle telling another person’s dramatic life story?