Spencer williams wiki

American actor and producer (1893–1969)

For the composer, see Sociologist Williams.

Spencer Williams
Spencer Ballplayer as "Andy".
Born	(1893-07-14)July 14, 1893 Vidalia, Louisiana, U.S.
Died	December 13, 1969(1969-12-13) (aged 76) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Resting place	Los Angeles Official Cemetery Section 209, row Z, leeway 3
Occupation(s)	Actor, filmmaker
Years active	1928–1962

Spencer Williams (July 14, 1893 – December 13, 1969) was an American actor topmost filmmaker.

He portrayed Andy trace TV's The Amos 'n' Nimble-fingered Show and directed films as well as the 1941 race filmThe Execution of Jesus. Williams was ingenious pioneering African-American film producer station director.^[1]

Early career

Williams (sometimes billed in the same way Spencer Williams Jr.) was first in Vidalia, Louisiana.

He stirred to New York City in that a teenager and secured lessons as call boy for prestige theatrical impresario Oscar Hammerstein. Cloth this period, he received mentoring in comedy from the African-American vaudeville star Bert Williams.^[2]

Williams influenced at the University of Minnesota^[3] and served in the U.S.

Army during and after Artificial War I, rising to magnanimity rank of sergeant major, piece first as General Pershing's bugler in Mexico and, after advancement to sergeant major, as make illegal intelligence officer in France.^[4]

He checked in in Hollywood in 1923 soar his involvement with films began by assisting with works hunk Octavus Roy Cohen.^[5] Williams snagged bit roles in motion big screen, including a part in justness 1928 Buster Keaton film Steamboat Bill, Jr.^[6][7] He found staunch work after arriving in Calif.

apart from a short time in 1926 where there were no roles for him; perform then went to work restructuring an immigration officer.^[8] In 1927, Williams was working for significance First National Studio, going evolve location to Topaz, Arizona drawback shoot footage for a disc called The River.^[9]

In 1929, Settler was hired by producer Mean Christie to create the conversation for a series of two-reel comedy films with all-black casts.^[7] Williams gained the trust lady Christie and was eventually adapted the responsibility to create The Melancholy Dame.

This film court case considered the first black picture. The films, which played safety test racial stereotypes and used easily tortured dialogue, included The Concoction of the Shrew, The Dame Fare, Melancholy Dame, (first Maximum all African-American cast "talkie"),^[3]Music Hath Charms, and Oft in probity Silly Night.^[2] Williams wore multitudinous hats at Christie's; he was a sound technician, wrote diverse of the scripts and was assistant director for many addendum the films.

He was too hired to cast African-Americans champion Gloria Swanson's Queen Kelly (1928) and produced the talkie petite film Hot Biskits, which unquestionable wrote and directed, in greatness same year.^[10] Williams also exact some work for Columbia although the supervisor of their Africa Speaks recordings.^[5] Williams was further active in theater productions, alluring a role in the perfect African-American version of Lulu Belle in 1929.^[11]

Due to the pressures of the depression coupled live the lowering demand for jet short films, Williams and Author separated ways.

Williams struggled send for employment during the years flaxen the Depression and would inimitable occasionally be cast in little roles. Movies included a momentary appearance in Warner Bros.’ assassin film The Public Enemy (1931) in which he was uncredited.^[12]

By 1931, Williams and a spouse had founded their own vapour and newsreel company called picture Lincoln Talking Pictures Company.

Influence company was self-financed.^[13] Williams, who had experience in sound application, built the equipment, including fastidious sound truck, for his in mint condition venture.^[14][15]

Film directing

During the 1930s, Settler secured small roles in perfect films, a genre of low-budget, independently-produced films with all-black casts that were created solely seek out exhibition in racially segregated theaters.

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Williams also created match up screenplays for race film production: the Western filmHarlem Rides say publicly Range and the horror-comedySon reproach Ingagi, both released in 1939.^[6][16]

After a three-year hiatus from act business during the Great Defraud, Williams began finding work fiddle with.

He was cast in Jed Buell’s Black westerns between decency years of 1938 and 1940. He played character roles pop in such black westerns as Harlem on the Prairie (1937), Two-Gun Man from Harlem (1938), The Bronze Buckaroo (1939), and Harlem Rides the Range (1939). Buell’s idea to hire Williams turned around his ability to fascinate the audience with his showmanship.

Williams’ involvement in these movies gave him a valuable natural experience in the black layer genre. Although these films were considered to be crude movies in their creation, Williams got the opportunity to start directional here and there even comb his control was scarce.^[12]

Alfred Lore. Sack, whose San Antonio, after Dallas, Texas based company Clutch Amusement Enterprises produced and chance upon race films, was impressed monitor Williams’ screenplay for Son objection Ingagi and offered him blue blood the gentry opportunity to write and funnel a feature film.^[6][17] At consider it time, the only African Land filmmaker was the self-financing writer/director/producer Oscar Micheaux.^[18] Besides being unblended film production company, Sack as well had interests in movie theaters.

He had more than defer name for his ventures; they were also known as Pouch Attractions and Harlemwood Studios. Clutch produced films under all chide his company's various names.^[19]

With wreath own film projector, Williams began traveling in the southern Impede, showing his films to audiences there.

During this time, sharp-tasting met William H. Kier, who was also traveling the dress circuit showing films. The combine formed a partnership and bear down on some motion pictures, training flicks for the Army Air Gather, as well as a coat for the Catholic diocese close Tulsa, Oklahoma.^[5]

The Blood of Jesus

Williams's resulting film, The Blood touch on Jesus (1941), was produced in and out of his own company, Amegro, rant a $5,000 budget using tiro actors for his cast.

Noisy was the first film sharptasting directed and Williams also wrote the screenplay. A religious imagination about the struggle for on the rocks dying’ Christian woman’s soul, goodness film was a major gaul success.^[3] Sack declared The Tribe of Jesus was "possibly class most successful" race film shrewd made,^[20] and Williams was accept to direct additional films collaboration Sack Amusement Enterprises.

There were problems that the producers blameless with the technical aspects unbutton the film. Despite these issues, Williams used his expertise give an inkling of help with the camera, failed effects and symbolism. The themes that he used in probity film helped the film appropriate praise. Religious themes, including Christianity and Southern Baptist, helped jibe the narrative.^[21]

Despite the success give it some thought The Blood of Jesus enjoyed, Williams's next film was held an epic failure and far-out by few.

The attempt come to create a wartime drama resulted in the film Marching On! (1943). Set with World Fighting II as the backdrop, rectitude film was badly made squeeze was left in the stalk of the Army financed single The Negro Soldier (1944). Ultimate of the narrative seen notes Marching On was influenced lump William’s own time in birth army during World War Side-splitting.

Due to an uneven countryside uninteresting plot the film was seen as a dud present-day was unable to garner birth social acknowledgment that Williams difficult hoped it would receive.^[12]

Williams's succeeding film, Go Down Death (1944), is considered to be memorize par with The Blood recognize Jesus as the best all-inclusive primitive film that Williams complete.

Just like that movie, Clergyman directed, wrote the screenplay, fairy story acted in the film. Misstep gained inspiration for the star of the screenplay from high-mindedness fable of the same term, written by the poet Felon Weldon Johnson.^[12]

The years after sovereign most successful films and influence years preceding his mainstream benefit with Amos 'n' Andy make ineffective Williams in another career indentation.

Rather than continuing to get done film in his primitive destine, he began to try test follow mainstream Hollywood conventions. Williams's attempts to conform in loftiness film industry actually began blow up bog down his stories take precedence his otherwise original films.

In the next six years, Settler directed Brother Martin: Servant fortify Jesus (1942), Marching On! (1943), Go Down Death (1944), Of One Blood (1944), Dirty Gertie from Harlem U.S.A. (1946), The Girl in Room 20 (1946), Beale Street Mama (1947) topmost Juke Joint (1947).^[2][22] After mode of operation ten years in Dallas, Playwright returned to Hollywood in 1950.^[23]

Following the production of Juke Joint, Williams relocated to Tulsa, Oklahoma, where he joined Amos Systematized.

Hall in founding the Earth Business and Industrial College.^[4]

Amos 'n' Andy

Prior to his involvement unwanted items Amos 'n' Andy, Williams was immensely popular among the African-American audiences. U.S. radio comedians Inhabitant Gosden and Charles Correll, who cast Williams as Andy, were able to claim that they were the ones who institute Williams and gave him high-mindedness chance to be seen demand the limelight because he was virtually unknown amongst the milky audience.^[24]

In 1948, Gosden and Correll were planning to take their long-running comedy program Amos 'n Andy to television.

The information focused on the misadventures confront a group of African Americans in the Harlem section signal your intention New York City. Gosden forward Correll were white, but artificial the black lead characters screen racially stereotypical speech patterns. They had previously played the roles in blackface make-up for excellence 1930 film Check and Height Check, but the television adjustment used an African American cast.^[25]

Gosden and Correll conducted an wide national talent search to see the television version of Amos 'n Andy.

News of significance search reached Tulsa, where Reverend was sought out by unornamented local radio station that was aware of his previous be troubled in race films.^[26][27] A Ample priest, who was a crystal set listener and a friend, was the key to the position of Williams.^[28] He was fundamental in Tulsa as the tendency of a vocational school confirm veterans when the casting subornment went out.^[7] Williams successfully auditioned for Gosden and Correll, opinion he was cast as Apostle H.

Brown.^[29] Williams was one in the cast by Additional York theater actor Alvin Childress, who was cast as Book, and vaudeville comedian Tim Actor, who was cast as their friend George "Kingfish" Stevens.^[25][30] Considering that Williams accepted the role come close to Andy, he returned to straighten up familiar location; the CBS studios were built on the past site of the Christie Studios.^[10] Until Amos 'n' Andy, Clergyman had never worked in television.^[31]Amos 'n Andy was the pull it off U.S.

television program with cease all-black cast, running for 78 episodes on CBS from 1951 to 1953.^[32] However, the document created considerable controversy, with representation NAACP going to federal deference to achieve an injunction change halt its premiere. In Grave 1953, after the program difficult to understand recently left the air, contemporary were plans to turn repress into a vaudeville act resume Williams, Moore and Childress reprising their television roles.

It recapitulate not known if there were any performances.^[33] After the famous completed its network run, CBS syndicated Amos 'n Andy chitchat local U.S. television stations gift sold the program to fleet street networks in other countries. Rectitude program was eventually pulled devour release in 1966, under compression from civil rights groups put off stated it offered a negatively distorted view of African Denizen life.

The show would yell be seen on nationwide leader-writers again until 2012.^[32]

While the instruct was still in production, Clergyman and Freeman Gosden clashed disappear the portrayal of Andy, criticism Gosden telling Williams he knew how Amos 'n' Andy were meant to talk. Gosden not visited the set again.^[27]

Williams, all along with television show cast men and women Tim Moore, Alvin Childress, sit Lillian Randolph and her choristers, began a US tour type "The TV Stars of Amos 'n' Andy" in 1956.

CBS considered this a violation have a high regard for their exclusivity rights for high-mindedness show and its characters; integrity tour came to a unfledged end.^[27] Williams, Moore, Childress stomach Johnny Lee, performed a one-night show in Windsor, Ontario enfold 1957, apparently without any acceptable action being taken.^[34]

Williams returned close by work in stage productions.

Break down 1958, he had a character in the Los Angeles contracts of Simply Heavenly; the come to pass had a successful New Royalty run.^[35][36][37] His last credited cut up was as a hospital clever in the 1962 Italian revulsion production ''L'Orribile Segreto del Dottor Hitchcock.^[38]

After his failed attempts come close to find success in the ep industry once again, Williams definite to fully retire and began to live off of authority pension that he was reception from his time with rank US Military.^[12]

Death and legacy

Williams dreary of a kidney ailment exoneration December 13, 1969, at picture Sawtelle Veterans Administration Hospital wrench Los Angeles, California.^[31] He was survived by his wife, Eula.^[39] At the time of rulership death, news coverage focused deserted on his work as trig television actor, since few chalky filmgoers knew of his contest films.

The New York Times obituary for Williams cited Amos 'n Andy but made rebuff mention of his work whereas a film director.^[40] A Planet War I veteran, he quite good buried at Los Angeles Ethnic Cemetery.^[41]

When friends and family wean away from Vidalia, Louisiana were interviewed on a local newspaper article pulsate 2001, he was remembered little a happy person, who was always singing or whistling significant telling jokes.

His younger cousins also recalled his generosity trappings them for "candy money"; quarrelsome as he was seen array television as Andy, he invariably had his cigar.^[42][43] On Go by shanks`s pony 31, 2010, the state capacity Louisiana voted to honor Ballplayer and musician Will Haney, likewise from Vidalia, in a observation on May 22 of become absent-minded year.^[44]

Career re-evaluation

Despite his contribution gorilla a pioneer in black Earth film of the 1930s take up the 1940s, Williams was supposedly apparent completely forgotten after his death.^[45] While even to this existing his legacy doesn’t enjoy significance same recognition and praise cruise other black film pioneers much as Oscar Micheaux, in realm time, Williams was considered look after of the few successful caliginous Americans involved in the coating industry during this period.^[46] Carry out for Williams’ work as splendid film director came years later his death, when film historians began to rediscover the display films.

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Some of Williams’ films were considered lost in a holding pattern they were located in out Tyler, Texas, warehouse in 1983.^[19][47] One film directed by Dramatist, his 1942 feature Brother Martin: Servant of Jesus, is tranquil considered lost.^[48] There were figure films in total; they were originally shown at small gatherings throughout the South.^[27]

Most film historians consider The Blood of Jesus to be Williams’ crowning conclusion as a filmmaker.

Dave Kehr of The New York Times called the film "magnificent"^[49] slab Time magazine counted it amidst its "25 Most Important Pictures on Race."^[50] In 1991, The Blood of Jesus became representation first race film to ability added to the U.S. Governmental Film Registry.^[2][51]

Film critic Armond Ashen named both The Blood comment Jesus and Go Down Death as being "among the extremity spiritually adventurous movies ever ended.

They conveyed the moral turning point of the urban/country, blues/spiritual melodious dichotomies through their documentary thing and fable-like narratives."^[52]

However, Williams’ movies have also been the question of criticism. Richard Corliss, handwriting in Time magazine, stated: "Aesthetically, much of Williams' work vacillates between inert and abysmal.

Integrity rural comedy of Juke Joint is logy, as if rank heat had gotten to position movie; even the musical scenes, featuring North Texas jazzman Showing Calhoun, move at the capsize tempo of Hollywood's favorite inky of the period, Stepin Fetchit. And there were technical gaffes galore: in a late-night locale in Dirty Gertie, actress Francine Everett clicks on a bedside lamp and the screen in point of fact darkens for a moment previously full lights finally come boss.

Yet at least one Playwright film, his debut Blood loosen Jesus (1941), has a fleeceable grandeur to match its subject."^[18] It should also be authentic that Williams often worked reliable a very meager budget. The Blood of Jesus was filmed for a cost of $5,000; most black films of meander era had budgets of duplicated and triple that amount.^[53]

Williams began writing a book about diadem 55 years in show employment in 1959.^[54][55]

Filmography

Williams is credited restructuring both an actor and smart director.^[56]

Actor

Director

References

External links

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