Early black films and actors

Early black films and actors

African Americans in the American motion picture industry features a rather complex and complicated history. The early African American onset images were primarily influenced by the demeaning stereotypical depictions of people of colour. The first decades of the 20th century are characterized by different eras of black films and television that demonstrate the struggles and success of African Americans in the media industry. From the “Race Film” to the ” Blaxploitation” era’s, the paper attempts to analyze the history of African-Americans in the movie and television industry. The paper aims at analyzing the transitioning roles played by African American casts in Hollywood and the overall American motion industry over the years. Further, the paper presents an analysis of five African American pioneers that paved the way for other blacks to succeed in the film industry. As articulated in the paper, pioneers actors and actresses are Sidney Poitier, Louise Beavers, Nina Mae McKinney, Canada Lee and James Earl, Jones.

Early black films and actors

Early black film, produced between about 1910 and 1950, are some of the most complicated and absorptive film productions of all times. What was popularly known as “Race Film”, the black films constituted a Distinct” community “of filmmakers generating films meant for African- American audiences. Based on the work of scholars, the race films have been designated to emerge in the early 1920s, inspired by the African-American “uplift “movement and it’s most influential Exponent, Booker T. Washington. Black films produced during this historical moment were “actualities”. With the likes of Tuskegee (1909), John Henry at Hampton (1913), and A Day at Tuskegee (1913), majority of these race films were produced by the Hampton and Tuskegee Institutes (Posner, 2018). While this community of filmmakers largely contributed to the history of black film, very few of their productions still survive. Evidence of these filmmakers prominently exists in other paraphernalia developed by the industry such as theatre programs, posters or handwritten notes of these filmmakers’ associates.

In consent with the Hampton/Tuskegee films, there rose another group of African American filmmakers with a desire to invest in the African -American audiences by producing black films. With entrepreneurship at its verge, William Foster, a journalist and filmmaker, founded the Foster Photoplay Company in 1913. The Foster Films also dwelled on the uplift movement, with one of their masterpiece being of a Pullman Porter (The Railroad Porter, 1913). As African-Americans proved to be avid filmgoers, more production companies joined this form of production. Some of these production companies included the Hunter C. Haynes Photoplay Company, the Afro-American Film Company, and the Peter P. Jones Photoplay Company. For the entrepreneurial-minded producers, they capitalized on both African-American and white audiences as theatres were segregated during this era.

One of the most controversial early Race films is D.W. Griffith’s Birth of a Nation (1915).The Birth of a Nation is considered as a masterpiece of political propaganda, especially with the intense riots and controversial it caused throughout America. As articulated by Posner ( 2018), the film provoked African American intellectuals, writers and filmmakers. The film was hugely racist, especially with the bad image it inflicted upon African -Americans. African Americans were portrayed as brutish and dangerous.

In contrast, the film praised the Ku Klux Klan by portraying them as heroes who saved the South from the reconstruction Era-eminence of Blacks in Southern public life. As expected, the Birth of A Nation resulted in several film responses with the most prominent one being Birth of a Race (1918). What was perceived as a direct response to Griffiths film, Birth of a Race gave meaning to the African American’s onscreen image. The film largely contributed to the growth of black film production, especially by providing entrepreneurial-minded producers with a purpose to restore the African -American image on media. While controversial may argue that these producers only saw the long term profits that were linked with black entertainment, the benefits it brought to the black society was revolutionary. The Lincoln Motion Pictures Company of 1916 and the Micheaux Film Corporation of 1918 would be a great example of black owned race films production companies. Micheaux Film Corporation, founded by filmmaker Oscar Micheaux, featured some of the favourite and most popular racial films of the era. For instance, The Homesteader (1918) turned out to be a tremendous success, farming down the attention of both blacks and white audience (Bowser, 2016). Another Oscar Micheaux’s films was Within Our Gates (1919) that featured some of the “all-star coloured casts, “of the era.

Regardless of the positive reception towards Micheaux and Lincoln films, race films encountered multiple challenges; directed towards African -American films. These challenges happened to revolve around financial obstacles resulting from inadequate funding. As Posner, (2018) Suggests, the Lincoln Motion Picture Company could only dedicate it’s resources to one film at a time, unlike white-oriented production companies that had funds to support simultaneous film production. The ongoing segregation regulation was another major obstacle that faced film producers during the period. Segregation resulted in poor “mainstream” press attention towards race films (Bowser,2016). The African American film producers rarely acquired funding to leave alone in exhibition venues. In the early decades of the twentieth century, the motion-picture industry was characterized by unequal development opportunities, which regulated the growth and development of black films and black actors.

Early black actors

As much as the race films attracted multiple audiences, it functioned silently in the marketplace. The Silence of the race film directly impacted on the popularity of African American actors and actresses of this era. The history recordings only mention a few actors and actresses of this era, specifically those that appeared as extras in the white Hollywood. Posner, (2018) confirms that majority of the American silent films used white actors in make-up in place of the minorities.

further, In cases where actual blacks were cast, roles were limited. The African Americans, like any other minority groups, were assigned highly offensive tasks that negatively spoke of the black identity and character. African American casts played stable hands, bellboy, or maids in these silent films. Majority of the early films depicted blacks as being highly offensive, lazy and brutal.

Some of the few black characters that were pictured in the early film include Everlyn Preer, Tim Moore, Charles R. Moore, Dora Dean, Ernest “Sunshine Sammy” Morrison, and Samuel “Sambo” Jack. With the rise of race film, more black cast came to the limelight, although they were only famous among African American audiences. The 1920s features an increase in the number of blacks actors that included the likes of Evelyn Ellis, Fredi Washington, Allen ‘Farina’ Hoskins, Mildred Washington, Nina Mae McKinney among others. Some of the earliest films that featured black casts included Aladdin Jones (1915), Two Knights of Vaudeville (1915), Money Talks in Downtown (1917) and A Natural Born Shooter (1918). A common feature about these early films is that they were produced in studios ran by white producers making them vulnerable to racial stereotypes. For instance, in Aladdin Jones (1915), the cast Jimmy Marshall played a lazy drunkard with an autocratic wife, played by Florence McClain. Two Knights of Vaudeville (1915) involved two buffoonish theatre-goers who invade the vaudeville show.

Meanwhile, in Money Talks in Downtown (1916), McCain plays the role of a greedy woman in search of a rich white husband. In all these films, the blacks are depicted as illiterate conniving fools who aspire to live the lives of a white man. Early black films did not only undermine black actors but also undermined the black identity and black culture.

Black films and actors in Hollywood

After the realization of the potential profits race film was able to generate from its black audiences, Hollywood started to embrace black films production. The ’30s and ’40s were characterized by an increase in black film production and black casts. With a much larger budget, Hollywood began to produce all-black casts films via the Hollywood Black cinema. At the same time, black films were now being played among white audiences. Now, the general image and roles of black casts had been improved. Black filmmakers had stated to produce “message movies” that aimed at addressing race in a more sensitive manner, specifically meant for the white audiences. Even though roles of African Americans had slightly improved, and now they cast as loyal servants, mammies, and butlers. Among the most successful black actors in the forties was William D. Alexander, who played an exceptional work in major racial movies. By the late ’40s, Oscar Micheaux and Spencer Williams had accomplished a lot in directing and producing their final films, as the next decade ushered in an era of Black Cinema struggle.

The success of black film production was short-lived as the independent black cinema was demolished after World War II. Black Film remained in the shadows until the 1960s and 70’s when a new generation of black filmmakers was reborn; an era that came to be known as Blaxploitation. For those who lived in the ’70s,the term “Blaxploitation” would remind them of an era that ushered in groundbreaking cinema created and starred by African Americans. Blaxploitation films included all sorts if subgenre films ranging from Revenge films to Horror. The Ossie Davis’ Cotton Comes To Harlem (1970), and Melvin Van Peebles’ Sweet Sweetback’s Baadassss Song (1971) were the first films of this era. These films were believed to set the main theme for several other Blaxploitation films that was about “Fighting The Man”. Sweetback gained a significant following mainly because it inspired black writers, and filmmakers to create their own kinds of cinematic expression in support of the ongoing Black Empowerm9ent movement of that time. “The Man” was a phrase that represented all brutal White fanatics (Manley, 2018).

Another all-time Blaxploitation film was Gordon Parks Sr. directed Shaft (1971) starring Richard Roundtree. The tenacious, independent private investigator in the film ended up being a great inspiration to the Black audiences. The 1972 “Super Fly ” film directed by Gordon Parks Jr was a film about the life of a criminal that featured great tracks like “Pusherman”, earning both the casts and producers positive commentaries and reviews (Manley, 2018). The comedian side of Blaxploitation featured a collaboration between Oscar winner Sidney Poitier and comedian Bill Cosby to create groundbreaking films like Uptown Saturday Night, A Piece of The Action, and Let’s Do it Again. In general, the Blaxploitation era gave the American’s a collection of raw and soulful films and casts that proved that African Americans were equality capable and talented.

Similarly, the early days’ television featured black actors in stereotypical roles, primarily as maids or comic clowns. The first television sitcom to depict black people was “Amos ‘n Andy” which involved two white actors portrayed as blacks. With a rise on controversial regarding racial stereotyping, all-black television was burned until the ’70s. The 70’s ushered a series of black sitcoms that included, That’s My Mama, What’s Happening!!, and The Jefferson’s. These sitcoms faced multiple criticisms claiming that they were promoting an image of segregation and creating a wider rift between Blacks and whites. Ironically, the 80’s sitcoms such as The Cosby Show, and A Different World received the same controversial regardless of the appearances of white characters.

African American Pioneer Actors and Actresses

Black history in the American entertainment industry recognizes the contributions of early black actors who paved the way for any other black person in entertainment to access roles in any genre of film or television. If it weren’t for actors like Louise Beavers and Sidney Poitier struggling and suffering from extreme prejudice and hardships to access and excel in acting roles, there would be no Denzel Washington or Halle berry today. In fact, in one of his interviews, Sidney Poitier claimed that his forerunners faced a more terrible and harsh phase where they could only feature as maids, stable people or butlers (Snead, 2016). Regardless, these pioneers Seemed to break cinematic stereotypes, paving ways for today’s actors and actresses to shine in Hollywood. Among the most recognized pioneers, actors and actresses are Sidney Poitier, Louise Beavers, Nina Mae McKinney, Canada Lee and James Earl, Jones.

Sidney Poitier

Recognized for his work in “Lillies of the Field,” Sidney Poitiers is an icon in the history of black films and television. Sidney Poitier’s exceptional acting capabilities and steadfast acting roles drove the attention of white audiences towards black talent. He was a masterpiece and a great advocate against racism in the movie industry. His significant roles in the acting industry had made him the first-ever black man to win an Oscar for Best Actor and an Academy Awards.

Sidney Poitier was a hitmaker with some of his most famous films being “Uptown Saturday Night”, and the “Stir Crazy.” that turned out to being the highest-grossing black movie for a long time. Poitier also served as a board of directors at The Walt Disney Company from 1988 to 2003 (Snead, 2016). Up to date, Sidney Poitier remains relevant in the movie industry by mentoring actors like Jammie Foxx.

Louise Beavers

Louise Beavers acting career was a unique one as it was considered an” imitation “of her real life. Working as a maid to actress Leatrice Joy, Beavers found herself consign to playing servants and maids roles. Some of her most prominent films include “melodrama” where she played the role of a housekeeper-cook, as Delilah Johnson; “Holiday Inn” of 1942 and 1948’s “Mr Blanding’s Builds His Dream House.” Beavers also played as the baseball player’s mother In the 1950 biopic “The Jackie Robinson Story,”. She also featured on TV in the 1950s sitcom “Beulah.”. Although her “imitate of life” failed to improve her roles, Beavers ended up being one of the busiest black actresses in Hollywood. Her acting career was short-lived following her death in 1962 from a heart attack.

Canada Lee

Canada Lee turned to acting after winding up his boxing career in 1933. Lee proved to be a passionate actor in his stage roles such as in Alfred Hitchcock’s 1944 thriller “Lifeboat” where he played as Joe and the 1947’s boxing classic “Body and Soul” where he was given an opportunity to re-live his boxing career. In addition to his great success in both boxing and acting, Lee was a vocal civil rights activist. His involvement and association with several left-wing groups ended up destroying his image in Hollywood. While Hollywood remained reluctant to hire Lee, his contribution to the African American movie industry as a vocal civil-rights activist helped shape up today’s Hollywood.

Nina Mae McKinney

Nina Mae, a singer-actress is among the few black actresses to feature in popular Broadway films in the African-American film history. Unlike other Black actresses who were relegated to maids roles, Nina played musical roles. She appeared in the Broadway revue “Blackbirds of 1928.” , “Hallelujah” film of 1929, 1931’s “Safe in Hell” and 1935’s “Reckless (Snead, 2016). Like Josephine Baker before her, Nina paved the way for today’s African American singers-actresses to get leading roles in the Broadway shows.

James Earl Jones

James Earl Jones’s voice, as well as his acting skills, was a clear revelation that he was an outstanding actor even without appearing on screen. Among his best acting roles that earned him popularity was Mufasa in “The Lion King” and Darth Vader in the “Star Wars” franchise. Jones started his acting career in theatre in Michigan in 1953, where he rose from a stage carpenter position to a stage manager. Jones stage career was so successful that he won two Tony Awards for his work in “The Great White Hope.” in 1969 and “Fences.” in 1987. “The Great White Hope.” had also earned him an Oscar nomination in 1974 and later a nomination for an Academic Award (Snead, 2016). Jones has continued to act in distinct roles over the years, with his most recent awards being an honorary Oscar in 2011 for his Beneficence to the motion picture arts.

Conclusion

The early roles for African Americans in the films confirmed the stereotypic belief that the designated social position for the Blacks was that of a servant commuted to his or her white masters. Regardless of the multiple constraints, race films articulated the African American identity in area and soulful form that moved both black and white audiences then and continue to inspire today’s audiences. Finally, If it weren’t for actors like Louise Beavers and Sidney Poitier struggle and hardship to access and excel in acting roles, there would be no Denzel Washington or Halle berry today.