Honoring Harry Burney: Mary's Gift
In 2016, the CatEye Network under the direction of Vice President of Athletics Lynn W. Thompson produced Mary's Gift, featuring Harry Burney,who delivered one of the most powerful literary interpretations of Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune's last will and testament to date. Thompson and former CatEye Network Director Darian McCaskill, teamed up with Burney to bring the Last Will and Testament of Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune to life through the words of Mr. Brown, the fictional attorney for the estate of Dr. Bethune and this short film has been viewed by thousands of fans and supporters around the globe, giving them a glimpse of the life of the greatest female educator of the 20th century and the university which bears her name.
Thompson and Burney, longtime close friends whose family connections span generations, collaborated for decades sharing their expertise in the performing arts. Thompson has written and produced several of Burney's one man shows for the stage and television and in the past few years Burney's face and voice were featured on many CatEye Network projects for BCU athletics.
"Harry Burney was family, " said Thompson. "His mother and my father came from the same neck of the woods and all the kids in our family are heartbroken at the loss of Uncle Harry, this iconic giant. He was so full of passion and love for people and for the arts. We connected on so many levels including athletics because athletics is truly a form of the performing arts and he loved it."
McCaskill, now with the Mid-Easten Athletic Conference, appreciated the opportunity to work with Burney.
"I will always be thankful for Harry's contribution to my career," McCaskill said. "During the creation of Mary's Gift he took me under his wing and together we bought the project to life."
One student on the production crew was football team member Ryan Davis, who would go on to an NFL career and is currently with the CFL's Toronto Argonauts.
"I was blown away by Harry's voice," Davis said. "It just commanded the room. He brought that will to life."
Burney went to Glory Saturday, but his distinctive baritone and zestful approach to life lives on in our hearts, souls, and memories thanks to productions like this. In his honor, over the next week we will share some of the projects that feature this legendary performer as he utilized his gifts to enhance the university he loved so much.
