Leigh Whipper
Born: 1876-10-29 in Charleston, South Carolina, USA
Died: 1975-07-26
Known For: Acting
Biography
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Leigh Rollin Whipper (October 29, 1876 – July 26, 1975) was an American actor on the stage and in motion pictures. He was the first African American to join the Actors' Equity Association, and one of the founders of the Negro Actors Guild of America. He is best known for creating the role of Crooks in the original Broadway production of Of Mice and Men, which he reprised in the 1939 film version. Educated at Howard University Law School, he left in 1895 and never practiced as a lawyer. Without any dramatic training, he made his first Broadway appearance in Georgia Minstrels. His first film role was in the 1920 silent film The Symbol of the Unconquered. During the Second World War, Whipper was a member of the steering committee of Negro Division the Hollywood Victory Committee.
Filmography
1957
- The Young Don't Cry as Doosy
1955
- The Shrike as Mr. Carlisle
1947
- Untamed Fury as Uncle Gabe
1946
- Undercurrent as George
- Young Widow as Nate (Uncredited)
1945
- The Hidden Eye as Alistair
- The Negro Sailor as Editor
1943
- The Ox-Bow Incident as Sparks (uncredited)
- Mission to Moscow as Haile Selassie (uncredited)
- Happy Land as Old Ben (uncredited)
1942
- White Cargo as Jim Fish
- The Vanishing Virginian as Uncle Josh
- Heart of the Golden West as Rango
1941
- Bahama Passage as Morales
- Road to Zanzibar as Scarface
- Robin Hood of the Pecos as Kezeye
- King of the Zombies as Momba
- Virginia as Ezechial
1939
- Of Mice and Men as Crooks
1920
- Within Our Gates
- The Symbol of the Unconquered as Tugi - an Indian Fakir