Paul leroy bustill robeson april 9, 1898january 23, 1976 was an afroamerican actor of film and stage, allamerican and professional athlete, writer, multilingual orator, lawyer, and basso profondo concert singer who was also noted for his wideranging social justice activism. Paul robeson launched career as singer and stage actor after. How paul robeson found his political voice in the welsh. Director steve mcqueens art project offers a haunting. Upgrade to a letterboxd pro account to add your favorite services to this listincluding any service and country pair listed on justwatchand to enable oneclick filtering by all your favorites powered by justwatch. The british films of paul robeson, a new video program featuring interviews with paul robeson jr. The film was to be directed by sergei eisenstein and he and robeson discussed the idea at length during robesons first trip the soviet union in december 1934. Born on april 9, 1898, in princeton, new jersey, paul robeson went on to become a stellar athlete and performing artist. May 20, 2019 here is a look back at paul robesons historic commencement 100 years ago, when he challenged listeners to fight for equal opportunities at a time when racial equality did not exist. This is the 1933 pre code film version of the eugene oneil play that many people now look on as a racist relic. Sep 23, 2019 and with new technology, maybe hed be able to create the space he did on stage in film. Its ironic that rutgers alumnus paul robeson, a man revered for his mellifluous bassbaritone, couldnt use it in his first two films.
A forerunner of the civil rights movement, robeson was a trade unionist, peace. He was perhaps most groundbreaking, however, in the medium of film. Paul robeson miner film the proud valley on show bbc news. The raoul wallenberg annual program, funded by leon and toby cooperman cosponsored by the paul robeson centennial celebration at rutgers panel discussion. The catalyst for the rioting was an announced concert by black singer paul robeson, who was well known for his strong protrade union stance, civil rights activism, communist affiliations. Paul robeson, negrojewish unity, and the jewish peoples. Filmed in the south wales coalfield, the principal welsh coal mining area, the film is about a seaman who joins a mining community. Paul robeson stars in the leading role, as a streetwise but honest dockworker who struggles with deep issues of integrity and human values. Steve mcqueen to make film about paul robeson film the. The proud valley is a 1940 ealing studios film starring paul robeson. Paul robeson 18981976 was both an internationally renowned actor and singer and an activist for civil rights. Nov 18, 2014 the artist and director steve mcqueen has revealed that his next film will be about the black american actor, singer and activist paul robeson mcqueen, whose last film 12 years a slave won an. He also courted disdain and public controversy for most of his career as a staunch cold warera advocate for human rights.
His mother, of mixed african, cherokee, and caucasian ancestry, was a teacher. Paul robeson as the emperor jones, new york steichen. Unscrupulously ambitious brutus jones escapes from jail after killing a guard and through bluff and bravado finds himself the emperor of a caribbean island. Robesons friend and peer harry belafonte is involved in mcqueens forthcoming film. Licensed to youtube by wmg on behalf of cherry red records. With that drama now complete, mcqueen has announced his next feature film project. Big fella is set on the docks and streets of marseilles. Paul leroy robeson was an american bass baritone concert artist and stage and film actor. Paul robeson biography afrocentric voices in classical music. Steve mcqueen has set a paul robeson biopic as his followup to 12 years a slave.
Paul robeson climbing up the mountain song by musashitzu. Seeking out new avenues for his artistry, paul robeson moved his family to. It is not easy to fit paul robeson in a box, but the criterion collection has done its best with paul robeson. Read more about robesons commencement address entitled the new idealism, the latest in our series chronicling robesons life as rutgers marks the centennial of graduation in 1919.
From paul robeson, lena horne, sidney poitier, richard pryor and. The bibliography for this essay is included in the africanamerican women in the silent film industry overview essay. He starred in both stage and film versions of the emperor jones and show boat and established an immensely popular screen and singing. He made his screen debut in 1925, appearing in the silent film body and soul, and starred five years later in borderline, an experimental nontalkie shot in switzerland. April 9, 1898 january 23, 1976 was an american bass baritone concert artist and stage and film actor who became famous both for his cultural accomplishments and for his political activism. Portraits of the artist, a fourdvd package that contains seven feature films. Born in princeton, new jersey, on april 9, 1898, robeson made his singing recital and his film debut in 1925.
Unscrupulously ambitious brutus jones escapes from jail after killing a guard and through bluff and bravado finds himself the. Allamerican athlete, scholar, renowned baritone, stage actor, and social activist, paul robeson 18981976 was a towering figure and a trailblazer many times over. Steve mcqueen sets paul robeson biopic as next feature film. Jan 30, 2020 paul robeson was a stellar athlete and performing artist. Paul robeson full list of movies and tv shows in theaters, in production and upcoming films. Movies and documentaries in which paul robeson has either starred, narrated or been featured and those that were film projects he was involved. Paul robeson and the unbreakable bond he formed with the. Jul 02, 2017 a new exhibition profiles landmark colourblind and multicultural productions of shakespeare starring actors including paul robeson, josette simon and willard white gallery published. Steve mcqueen to make film about paul robeson the guardian. The artist and director steve mcqueen has revealed that his next film will be about the black american actor, singer and activist paul robeson mcqueen, whose last film. The bfi is celebrating the work of paul robeson as part of its black star season and new black britain on film collection, aiming to bring his work and legacy to a new generation of fans. Title paul robeson as the emperor jones, new york steichen. Despite her mothers objections, the naive young daughter of a show boat captain is thrust into the limelight as the companys new leading lady.
Rutgers is honoring paul robesons legacy as a scholar, athlete, actor, singer and global activist in a yearlong celebration to mark the 100th anniversary of his graduation. With irene dunne, allan jones, charles winninger, paul robeson. New, digital transfers created from the best surviving elements. Hero and martyr, athlete and concert star, son of a runaway slaveturnedpreacher and victim of blacklisting, paul robeson may have been the quintessential black american of. Paul robeson was elected to the college football hall of fame in 1996, and in 2004 the united states postal service issued a commemorative stamp in his honor.
A forerunner of the civil rights movement, robeson. This is the first booklength study of the 12 films starring african american renaissance man paul robeson 18981976. Eslanda robesons diary, however, reveals the robesons point of view on their white european collaborators. Nov, 2016 paul robeson miner film on show jump to media player a 1940s film about a black american miner and singer who moved to cardiff to find work is remastered and is going on tour. Paul robeson american singer, actor, and political.
Singer, actor, author, lawyer, athlete, pacifist and civil rights activist, robeson was also the first african american to receive top billing in motion pictures, delivering unforgettable characterizations in such classics as the emperor jones 1933, sanders of the. Steve mcqueen discussing his paul robeson project at the whitney museum of american art in new york city on april 29, 2016 filip wolakwhitney museum of american art. Paul robeson medley paul robeson 1of2 by gramophoneshane. Steve mcqueen says paul robeson was the renaissance man.
Paul robeson, a hero for all time original joe from. Apr 14, 1983 paul robeson, a member of phi beta kappa and an allamerica football player at rutgers, and later a graduate of columbia universitys law school, sang and acted on the stage and in films. Four leading historians will explore paul robesons connections to the jewish community, leftwing political movements, and the soviet union in the 1940s. Rutgers university, new brunswick paul robeson film festival. This handsome, eloquent and highly charismatic actor became one of the foremost interpreters of eugene oneills plays and one of the most treasured names in song during the first half of the twentieth century. Paul robeson this little light of mine by sarastrone. Summary photograph shows portrait of robeson dressed in military uniform, playing the role of brutus jones in the film version of the emperor jones, becoming the first african american actor to star in a major american film. Paul robeson was reportedly attached to this historical drama about toussaintlouverture, liberator of colonial haiti. Oct 19, 2012 big fella is set on the docks and streets of marseilles. Micheauxs movies were race pictures meant to be shown in segregated theaters in the rural south and in northern cities. Upon graduating from rutgers at the head of his class, he rejected a career as a.
After eslandas death in 1965, the artist lived with his sister. Paul leroy robeson was born in princeton, new jersey, in 1898, to reverend william drew robeson and maria louisa bustill. Paul robeson stars in the leading role, as a streetwise but honest dockworker who. Robeson critiqued the film for its demeaning portrayal of african americans. He starred in both stage and film versions of the emperor jones and show boat, and established an immensely popular screen. Film series organized by artrage gallery a community production collaboration may 2018 graphics.
This handsome, eloquent and highly charismatic actor became one of the foremost interpreters of eugene oneills. Paul robeson added still another triumph to his long list of achievements, costarring with leslie banks in alexander kordas film based on the late edgar wallaces sanders of. Shana redmonds ingenious reframing of paul robeson as afrofuturist media artist is but one quality marking everything man as a milestone contribution to robeson scholarship. The film was to be directed by sergei eisenstein and he and robeson discussed the idea at length during robeson s first trip the soviet union in december 1934. Robeson was born in brooklyn to entertainer and activist paul robeson and eslanda goode robeson. Multitalented and intellectual, he was valedictorian of his class at rutgers. Paul robeson called the actions of the new york state troopers, who were caught on film beating concert goers, including world war i veteran and first decorated black aviator, eugene bullard, as fascist stormtroopers who will knock down and club anyone who disagrees with them 81 graphic photos of eugene bullard being beaten by two policeman. Movies tv shows news live fashion learning spotlight. At rutgers college, he was an outstanding football player, then had an international career in singing, with a distinctive, powerful, deep bass voice, as well as acting in theater and movies. Paul robeson highlights from paul robeson films 1961. World premiere of the singer and actor paul robesons film. Redmond compels readers to reconsider robeson as a radical modernist one whose innovative embrace of electronic media technology film, sound recording, telegraph. As his family moved to europe, he grew up in england visiting the st marys town and country school in london and moscow, in. Expertly narrated by the masterful sidney poitier, this film s brilliant juxtaposition of historical photographs and old hollywood footage is so seamless, it places the perfect benchmark for documentary filmmaking as a whole.
The son of a former slave turned preacher, robeson attended rutgers university in new brunswick, n. Robeson was a singer, actor, and activist who lived from 18981976. Educated at rutgers college and columbia university, he was also a star athlete in his youth. Paul robeson, in full paul bustill robeson, born april 9, 1898, princeton, n. World premiere of the singer and actor paul robeson s film the song of freedom at the plaza theatre in london, london, united kingdom, 1936. Paul robeson s life answers that question as best as it can while still remaining true to human rights. Paul leroy bustill robeson was an internationally renowned american bassbaritone concert singer, actor of film and stage, allamerican and professional athlete, writer, multilingual orator, scholar and lawyer who was also noted for his wideranging social justice activism.
Body and soul is a rare chance to see paul robeson and oscar micheaux work together and while it has its flaws, it is still an important and touching example of africanamerican filmmaking of the 1920s. Steve mcqueen will next direct a film about activist paul. The son of an escaped slave, robeson managed to become a topbilled movie star during the time of jim crow america, headlining everything from fellow pioneer. Apr 05, 2020 paul robeson, celebrated american singer, actor, and black activist. It includes their passion for singing as well as the dangers and precariousness of working in a mine. Robeson, paul complete emi sessions 19281939 music skip to main content. A new exhibition profiles landmark colourblind and multicultural productions of shakespeare starring actors including paul robeson, josette simon and willard white gallery published. Paul robeson columbia celebrates black history and culture. Apr 14, 2019 paul robeson in cardiff to perform for one night only at the capitol theatre image.
Get premium, high resolution news photos at getty images. Increasingly politically minded, robeson eventually left movies behind, using his. Robeson, paul complete emi sessions 19281939 amazon. It was the first mainstream movie starring an african american, paul robeson who reprises the role he played in the stage version. Feb, 2007 the bestknown title in the criterion set is the emperor jones, the independently produced 1933 hollywood film of the eugene oneill play that brought robeson to wide attention in 1924. He cast paul robeson in his first film role, dudley digges, frank h. April 9, 1898 january 23, 1976 was an american singer and actor who became involved with the civil rights movement. The movie body and soul, was a rather murky melodrama that nevertheless was ahead of. In partnership with the british film institute bfi, tiff presents black.
It was the first mainstream movie starring an african american, paul robeson. Paul robeson 18981976 was an african american actor, singer and human rights campaigner. The peekskill riots were race riots directed against african americans and jews attending a civil rights benefit concert. Paul robeson in show boat the british film institute is holding a special retrospective of the actor and activist, who had a nearlifelong bond with the u.
Singer, actor, author, lawyer, athlete, pacifist and civil rights activist, robeson was also the first african american to receive top billing in motion pictures, delivering unforgettable characterizations in such classics as the emperor jones 1933, sanders of the river. The screenplay was written by dubose heyward and filmed at kaufman astoria studios with the beach scene shot at jones beach long beach, new york. Robeson and his family returned to the united states in 1963. Paul robeson film festival the cinema studies program, in collaboration with the paul robeson center, is delighted to celebrate rutgers 250th anniversary by presenting four films featuring the universitys esteemed alumnus, the actorsingeractivist paul robes. Sep 12, 2019 robeson was famous for his film and stage appearance as joe in showboat photo. The great paul robeson by paul robeson on amazon music. Paul robeson american singer, actor, and political activist. The story of how an american icon was driven to death to be told in film. The complete emi sessions 19281939 please retry amazon music unlimited. King solomons mines is a stately, wellmade story that is a bit too slow to be an adventure story, but has good scenes, a taut climax, and a great performance by robeson. Paul leroy robeson was born the youngest of seven children on april 9, 1898, in princeton, new jersey.
1050 285 913 762 121 752 1495 124 543 870 1031 1567 1612 860 1038 244 438 1144 982 150 1255 894 489 916 1360 42 166 926 579 1033 870 33 194 1205 545