|
Spencer Williams (July 14, 1893 – December 13, 1969) was an American actor and filmmaker. He was best known for playing Andy in the ''Amos 'n Andy'' television show and for directing the 1941 race film ''The Blood of Jesus.'' Williams was a pioneer African-American film producer and director. ==Early career== Williams (who was sometimes billed as Spencer Williams Jr.) was born in Vidalia, Louisiana, where the family lived on Magnolia Street. As a youngster, he attended Wards Academy in Natchez, Mississippi. He moved to New York City when he was a teenager and secured work as call boy for the theatrical impresario Oscar Hammerstein. During this period, he received mentoring as a comedian from the African American vaudeville star Bert Williams.〔(【引用サイトリンク】title= Spencer Williams, )〕 Williams began his studies at the University of Minnesota, taking some time out to serve his country.〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=Spencer Williams )〕 Williams served in the U.S. Army during World War I, where he rose to the rank of sergeant. During the course of his time in service, Williams traveled the world, serving as General Pershing's bugler while in Mexico before he was promoted to camp sergeant major. In 1917, Williams was sent to France to do intelligence work there. After World War I, Williams continued his military career; he was part of a unit whose job was to create war plans for the Southwestern United States, in case they might ever be needed.〔 He arrived in Hollywood in 1923 and his involvement with films began by assisting with work on Octavus Roy Cohen material.〔 Williams began to snag bit roles in motion pictures, including a part in the 1928 Buster Keaton film ''Steamboat Bill, Jr.'' Though he had found steady work since arriving in California, Williams had a short period in 1926 where there were no roles for him; he then went to work as an immigration officer. In 1927, Williams was working for the First National Studio, going on location to Topaz, Arizona to shoot footage for a film called ''The River''. In 1929, Williams was hired by producer Al Christie to create the dialogue for a series of two-reel comedy films featuring all-black casts.〔 As Williams began to gain the trust of Christie, he was eventually appointed the responsibility to create ''The Melancholy Dame''. This film is considered the first black talkie. Due to the pressures of the depression coupled with the lowering demand for black short films, Williams and Christie separated ways. Williams struggled for employment during the years of the Depression and would only occasionally be cast in small roles. Movies included a brief appearance in Warner Brothers’ blockbuster film ''Public Enemy'' in 1931 in which he was uncredited.〔Cripps, Thomas. "The Films of Spencer Williams." Black American Literature Forum 12.4 (1978): 128-34. St. Louis University. Web. 5 Nov. 2014. The films, which played on racial stereotypes and used grammatically tortured dialogue, included ''The Framing of the Shrew'', ''The Lady Fare'', ''Melancholy Dame'', (first Paramount Studios all African-American cast "talkie"),〔 ''Music Hath Charms'', and ''Oft in the Silly Night''.〔 Williams wore many hats at Christie's; he was a sound technician, wrote many of the scripts and was assistant director for many of the films. He was also hired to cast African-Americans for Gloria Swanson's ''Queen Kelly'' and produced the silent film ''Hot Biscuits'' in the same year. Williams also did some work for Columbia as the supervisor of their ''Africa Speaks'' recordings.〔 Williams was also active in theater productions, taking a role in the all African-American version of ''Lulu Belle'' in 1929. By 1931, Williams and a partner had founded their own movie and newsreel company called the Lincoln Talking Pictures Company. The company was self-financed. Williams, who had experience in sound technology, built the equipment, including a sound truck, for his new venture. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Spencer Williams (actor)」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
|