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Rex Ingram (actor)
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<h2 id="early-life-and-career">Early life and career</h2> <p>Ingram was born near <a href="/facts/Cairo,_Illinois/MNR7hofu">Cairo, Illinois</a>, on the <a href="/facts/Mississippi_River/RduarPzj">Mississippi River</a>; his father was a steamer fireman on the riverboat <i><a href="/facts/Robert_E._Lee_(steamboat)/2oGIB2el">Robert E. Lee</a></i>. Ingram graduated from the <a href="/facts/Northwestern_University/4dunJHBf">Northwestern University</a> medical school in 1919 and was the first <a href="/facts/African-American/pTgcAdo8">African-American</a> man to receive a <a href="/facts/Phi_Beta_Kappa/5TkV3tLw">Phi Beta Kappa</a> key from <a href="/facts/Northwestern_University/4dunJHBf">Northwestern University</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:3" href="#fn:3"><sup>3</sup></a> He went to Hollywood as a young man where he was literally discovered on a street corner by the casting director for <i><a href="/facts/Tarzan_of_the_Apes_(1918_film)/dQ8tX69p">Tarzan of the Apes</a></i> (1918), starring <a href="/facts/Elmo_Lincoln/K5fTRsyu">Elmo Lincoln</a>. He made his (uncredited) screen debut in that film and had many other small roles, usually as a generic black native, such as in the <i>Tarzan</i> films. </p><p>With the arrival of sound, his presence and powerful voice became an asset and he went on to memorable roles in <i><a href="/facts/The_Green_Pastures_(film)/Qm188noP">The Green Pastures</a></i> (1936), <i><a href="/facts/The_Adventures_of_Huckleberry_Finn_(1939_film)/B7dX7qmM">The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn</a></i> (the 1939 <a href="/facts/MGM/sQdE9Kg2">MGM</a> version, opposite <a href="/facts/Mickey_Rooney/uFDPTNuc">Mickey Rooney</a>), <i><a href="/facts/The_Thief_of_Bagdad_(1940_film)/vt1DbMru">The Thief of Bagdad</a></i> (1940—perhaps his best-known film appearance—as the <a href="/facts/Genie/pclTyKdb">genie</a>), <i><a href="/facts/The_Talk_of_the_Town_(1942_film)/hucfmyKV">The Talk of the Town</a></i> (1942), and <i><a href="/facts/Sahara_(1943_American_film)/6UklJ7lc">Sahara</a></i> (1943).<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:4" href="#fn:4"><sup>4</sup></a> </p><p>From 1929, he also appeared on stage, making his debut on <a href="/facts/Broadway_theatre/6USkK8x9">Broadway</a>. He appeared in more than a dozen Broadway productions, with his final role coming in <i><a href="/facts/Kwamina/utJkYnSX">Kwamina</a></i> in 1961. He was in the original cast of <i>Haiti</i> (1938), <i><a href="/facts/Cabin_in_the_Sky_(play)/tkgvKqYa">Cabin in the Sky</a></i> (1940), and <i><a href="/facts/St._Louis_Woman/cMM0TMnE">St. Louis Woman</a></i> (1946). He is one of the few actors to have played both <a href="/facts/God/EITpdL9t">God</a> (in <i>The Green Pastures</i>) and the <a href="/facts/Devil/4FBx2qpz">Devil</a> (in <i>Cabin in the Sky</i>). In 1966 he played Tee-Tot in the movie <i><a href="/facts/Your_Cheatin%27_Heart_(film)/5g5EpjSd">Your Cheatin' Heart</a></i>. </p><p>Ingram was arrested for violating the <a href="/facts/Mann_Act/n7qFeXNq">Mann Act</a> in 1948.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:5" href="#fn:5"><sup>5</sup></a> Pleading guilty to the charge of transporting a teenage girl to New York for immoral purposes, he was sentenced to eighteen months in jail. He served just ten months of his sentence, but the incident had a serious effect on his career for the next six years. In the interim, he invested in the Club Alabam, a famed nightclub located in the <a href="/facts/Dunbar_Hotel/AzQI6rxC">Dunbar Hotel</a> in South Central Los Angeles, with partners Joe Morris and Clarence Moore, reopening it as a jazz club.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:6" href="#fn:6"><sup>6</sup></a> </p><p>In 1962, he became the first African-American actor to be hired for a contract role on a <a href="/facts/Soap_opera/oddx9g1n">soap opera</a>, when he appeared on <i><a href="/facts/The_Brighter_Day/oXQ9EyTn">The Brighter Day</a></i>. He had other minor work in television in the 1960s, appearing in an episode each of <i><a href="/facts/I_Spy_(1965_TV_series)/blGgKMyC">I Spy</a></i> and <i><a href="/facts/The_Bill_Cosby_Show/fn90Mefb">The Bill Cosby Show</a></i>, both of which starred <a href="/facts/Bill_Cosby/WYA2hpcU">Bill Cosby</a>, who used his influence to land him the roles. </p> <h2 id="death">Death</h2> <p>Two weeks after filming a guest spot on <i><a href="/facts/The_Bill_Cosby_Show/fn90Mefb">The Bill Cosby Show</a></i> on September 5, 1969, Ingram died of a <a href="/facts/Myocardial_infarction/xoGw0qcG">heart attack</a> at the age of 73.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:7" href="#fn:7"><sup>7</sup></a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:8" href="#fn:8"><sup>8</sup></a> </p> <h2 id="complete-filmography">Complete filmography</h2> <table><tbody><tr><th>Year</th><th>Film</th><th>Role</th><th>Notes</th></tr><tr><td rowspan="2">1918</td><td><i><a href="/facts/Tarzan_of_the_Apes_(1918_film)/dQ8tX69p">Tarzan of the Apes</a></i></td><td></td><td>Uncredited</td></tr><tr><td><i><a href="/facts/Salom%C3%A9_(1918_film)/thuAjeaj">Salomé</a></i></td><td></td><td>Uncredited</td></tr><tr><td>1923</td><td><i><a href="/facts/The_Ten_Commandments_(1923_film)/qfHsnmTX">The Ten Commandments</a></i></td><td>Israelite Slave</td><td>Uncredited</td></tr><tr><td>1927</td><td><i><a href="/facts/The_King_of_Kings_(1927_film)/lsIfruPP">The King of Kings</a></i></td><td>Minor Role</td><td>Uncredited</td></tr><tr><td>1929</td><td><i><a href="/facts/The_Four_Feathers_(1929_film)/MX2gND4d">The Four Feathers</a></i></td><td>Fuzzy Wuzzy Native</td><td>Uncredited</td></tr><tr><td>1933</td><td><i><a href="/facts/The_Emperor_Jones_(1933_film)/rJPJA8kI">The Emperor Jones</a></i></td><td>Court Crier</td><td>Uncredited</td></tr><tr><td>1934</td><td><i><a href="/facts/Harlem_After_Midnight/mfGFmant">Harlem After Midnight</a></i></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>1936</td><td><i><a href="/facts/The_Green_Pastures_(film)/Qm188noP">The Green Pastures</a></i></td><td><a href="/facts/Adam/nM1GQfk8">Adam</a> / <a href="/facts/God_in_Christianity/L00rNhTu">De Lawd</a> / Hezdrel</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>1939</td><td><i><a href="/facts/The_Adventures_of_Huckleberry_Finn_(1939_film)/B7dX7qmM">The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn</a></i></td><td><a href="/facts/Jim_(Huckleberry_Finn)/mveKkbWW">Jim</a></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>1940</td><td><i><a href="/facts/The_Thief_of_Bagdad_(1940_film)/vt1DbMru">The Thief of Bagdad</a></i></td><td>Djinn</td><td></td></tr><tr><td rowspan="2">1941</td><td><i>Hoola Boola</i></td><td>Narrator</td><td>Short</td></tr><tr><td><i>The Gay Knighties</i></td><td>Narrator</td><td>Short</td></tr><tr><td rowspan="2">1942</td><td><i>Jasper and the Watermelons</i></td><td></td><td>Voice, Short</td></tr><tr><td><i><a href="/facts/The_Talk_of_the_Town_(1942_film)/hucfmyKV">The Talk of the Town</a></i></td><td>Tilney</td><td></td></tr><tr><td rowspan="3">1943</td><td><i><a href="/facts/Cabin_in_the_Sky_(film)/PopowKFx">Cabin in the Sky</a></i></td><td>Lucifer Jr. / Lucius Ferry</td><td></td></tr><tr><td><i><a href="/facts/Sahara_(1943_American_film)/6UklJ7lc">Sahara</a></i></td><td>Sgt. Major Tambul</td><td></td></tr><tr><td><i><a href="/facts/Fired_Wife/aYYPwNtY">Fired Wife</a></i></td><td>Charles</td><td></td></tr><tr><td rowspan="2">1944</td><td><i>Jasper's Paradise</i></td><td></td><td>Voice, Short</td></tr><tr><td><i><a href="/facts/Dark_Waters_(1944_film)/FXeNufgg">Dark Waters</a></i></td><td>Pearson Jackson</td><td></td></tr><tr><td rowspan="4">1945</td><td><i>Hot Lips Jasper</i></td><td></td><td>Voice, Short</td></tr><tr><td><i>Jasper Tell</i></td><td></td><td>Voice, Short</td></tr><tr><td><i><a href="/facts/A_Thousand_and_One_Nights_(1945_film)/u4sLuLqu">A Thousand and One Nights</a></i></td><td>Giant</td><td></td></tr><tr><td><i><a href="/facts/Adventure_(1945_film)/A9YgMngY">Adventure</a></i></td><td>Preacher</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>1947</td><td><i>Shoe Shine Jasper</i></td><td></td><td>Voice, Short</td></tr><tr><td>1948</td><td><i><a href="/facts/Moonrise_(film)/wjfStyvN">Moonrise</a></i></td><td>Mose</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>1955</td><td><i><a href="/facts/Tarzan%27s_Hidden_Jungle/DH1bze2q">Tarzan's Hidden Jungle</a></i></td><td>Sukulu Chieftain</td><td>Uncredited</td></tr><tr><td>1956</td><td><i><a href="/facts/Congo_Crossing/R2dE6zpc">Congo Crossing</a></i></td><td>Dr. Leopold Gorman</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>1957</td><td><i><a href="/facts/Hell_on_Devil%27s_Island/zsn0yrIb">Hell on Devil's Island</a></i></td><td>Lulu</td><td></td></tr><tr><td rowspan="2">1958</td><td><i><a href="/facts/God%27s_Little_Acre_(film)/YhxHQE8L">God's Little Acre</a></i></td><td>Uncle Felix</td><td></td></tr><tr><td><i><a href="/facts/Anna_Lucasta_(1958_film)/gE5y4m3h">Anna Lucasta</a></i></td><td>Joseph Lucasta</td><td></td></tr><tr><td rowspan="2">1959</td><td><i><a href="/facts/Escort_West/yxUQNjud">Escort West</a></i></td><td>Nelson Water</td><td></td></tr><tr><td><i><a href="/facts/Watusi_(film)/UeSNMq8P">Watusi</a></i></td><td>Umbopa</td><td>Alternative title: <i>The Quest for King Solomon's Mines</i></td></tr><tr><td rowspan="2">1960</td><td><i><a href="/facts/Elmer_Gantry_(film)/zvvlfdSW">Elmer Gantry</a></i></td><td>Preacher</td><td>Uncredited</td></tr><tr><td><i><a href="/facts/Desire_in_the_Dust/CEX5AJud">Desire in the Dust</a></i></td><td>Burt Crane</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>1964</td><td><i><a href="/facts/Your_Cheatin%27_Heart_(film)/5g5EpjSd">Your Cheatin' Heart</a></i></td><td>Tee-Tot</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>1967</td><td><i><a href="/facts/Hurry_Sundown_(film)/xM1VY1Cp">Hurry Sundown</a></i></td><td>Professor Thurlow</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>1968</td><td><i><a href="/facts/Journey_to_Shiloh/vuB8SCtM">Journey to Shiloh</a></i></td><td>Jacob</td><td></td></tr></tbody></table> <h2 id="partial-television-credits">Partial television credits</h2> <table><tbody><tr><th>Year</th><th>Series</th><th>Role</th><th>Notes</th></tr><tr><td>1956</td><td><i><a href="/facts/Climax!/hjuMLejz">Climax!</a></i></td><td>Petraca</td><td>1 episode</td></tr><tr><td>1958</td><td><i><a href="/facts/Whirlybirds/EnSsb5rN">Whirlybirds</a></i></td><td>Joe</td><td>1 episode</td></tr><tr><td>1959</td><td><i><a href="/facts/Black_Saddle/J80oj2t5">Black Saddle</a></i></td><td>Alex Booth</td><td>1 episode</td></tr><tr><td>1961</td><td><i><a href="/facts/The_Rifleman/aeoBRg0W">The Rifleman</a></i></td><td>Thaddeus</td><td>1 episode</td></tr><tr><td>1962</td><td><i><a href="/facts/Sam_Benedict/GfuUtKTH">Sam Benedict</a></i></td><td>Judge Larkin</td><td>1 episode</td></tr><tr><td>1965</td><td><i><a href="/facts/I_Spy_(1965_TV_series)/blGgKMyC">I Spy</a></i></td><td>Dr. Bingham</td><td>1 episode</td></tr><tr><td>1966</td><td><i><a href="/facts/Branded_(TV_series)/plVIGkCe">Branded</a></i></td><td>Hannibal</td><td>1 episode</td></tr><tr><td>1967–1968</td><td><i><a href="/facts/Daktari/9xW9g8qd">Daktari</a></i></td><td>NatomaChief Makuba</td><td>2 episodes</td></tr><tr><td>1968</td><td><i><a href="/facts/Cowboy_in_Africa/UonMh8XU">Cowboy in Africa</a></i></td><td>Dr. Tom Merar</td><td>1 episode</td></tr><tr><td rowspan="2">1969</td><td><i><a href="/facts/Gunsmoke/ovr7t5TL">Gunsmoke</a></i></td><td>Juba</td><td>1 episode</td></tr><tr><td><i><a href="/facts/The_Bill_Cosby_Show/fn90Mefb">The Bill Cosby Show</a></i></td><td>George</td><td>Episode: A Christmas Ballad; posthumous release (final television appearance)</td></tr></tbody></table> <h2 id="further-reading">Further reading</h2> <ul><li>Maltin, Leonard (2015) [First published 1969]. "Rex Ingram". <i>The Real Stars : Profiles and Interviews of Hollywood's Unsung Featured Players</i> (softcover) (Sixth / eBook ed.). Great Britain: CreateSpace Independent. pp. 145–157. <a href="/facts/ISBN_(identifier)/15AdSPa9">ISBN</a> 978-1-5116-4485-3.</li></ul> <h2 id="external-links">External links</h2> Wikimedia Commons has media related to Rex Ingram (actor). <ul><li><a href="https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/46218">Rex Ingram</a> at the <a href="/facts/Internet_Broadway_Database/BwBDHXna">Internet Broadway Database</a> </li> <li><a href="https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0002270/">Rex Ingram</a> at <a href="/facts/IMDb_(identifier)/uWrqVYVy">IMDb</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/2027">Rex Ingram</a> at <a href="/facts/Find_a_Grave/oRU854B1">Find a Grave</a></li></ul> <h2 id="references">References</h2> <ol> <li id="fn:1"><p>"Rex Ingrain, the Actor, Dies in Hollywood at 73. His Portrayal of De Lawd in 'Green Pastures' Hailed. Medical School Graduate". New York Times. September 20, 1969. Retrieved 2012-11-17. <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/1969/09/20/archives/rex-ingrain-the-actor-dies-in-hollywood-at-73-his-portrayal-of-de.html" target="_blank">https://www.nytimes.com/1969/09/20/archives/rex-ingrain-the-actor-dies-in-hollywood-at-73-his-portrayal-of-de.html</a> <a href="#fnref:1" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:2"><p>"Rex Ingram, 20th Century Actor". African American Registry. Retrieved 2012-11-17. <a href="http://www.aaregistry.org/historic_events/view/rex-ingram-20th-century-actor-stage-films-and-tv" target="_blank">http://www.aaregistry.org/historic_events/view/rex-ingram-20th-century-actor-stage-films-and-tv</a> <a href="#fnref:2" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:3"><p>Bogle, Donald (2001). Toms, Coons, Mulattoes, Mammies, and Bucks: An Interpretive History of Blacks in American Films (4 ed.). Continuum International Publishing Group. p. 69. ISBN 0-8264-1267-X. <a href="0-8264-1267-X" target="_blank">0-8264-1267-X</a> <a href="#fnref:3" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:4"><p>"Rex Ingram, 20th Century Actor". African American Registry. Retrieved 2012-11-17. <a href="http://www.aaregistry.org/historic_events/view/rex-ingram-20th-century-actor-stage-films-and-tv" target="_blank">http://www.aaregistry.org/historic_events/view/rex-ingram-20th-century-actor-stage-films-and-tv</a> <a href="#fnref:4" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:5"><p>"Rex Ingram is Released for Hearing on Oct. 4th". The New York Age. September 28, 1948. p. 3. Retrieved December 4, 2015 – via Newspapers.com. <a href="https://www.newspapers.com/image/40655895/?terms=%22John%2BMarriott%22" target="_blank">https://www.newspapers.com/image/40655895/?terms=%22John%2BMarriott%22</a> <a href="#fnref:5" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:6"><p>Variety, October 25, 1951 <a href="#fnref:6" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:7"><p>"Rex Ingrain, the Actor, Dies in Hollywood at 73. His Portrayal of De Lawd in 'Green Pastures' Hailed. Medical School Graduate". New York Times. September 20, 1969. Retrieved 2012-11-17. <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/1969/09/20/archives/rex-ingrain-the-actor-dies-in-hollywood-at-73-his-portrayal-of-de.html" target="_blank">https://www.nytimes.com/1969/09/20/archives/rex-ingrain-the-actor-dies-in-hollywood-at-73-his-portrayal-of-de.html</a> <a href="#fnref:7" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:8"><p>"Veteran Actor Rex Ingram Died of Heart Attack". Jet. 36 (26). Johnson Publishing Company: 56. 1969-10-02. <a href="#fnref:8" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> </ol>