J. Augustus Smith: Difference between revisions
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== Biography == |
== Biography == |
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[[File:Turpentine-poster-1936.jpg|thumb|Poster for the [[Federal Theatre Project]] production of ''Turpentine'' (1936)]] |
[[File:Turpentine-poster-1936.jpg|thumb|Poster for the [[Federal Theatre Project]] production of ''Turpentine'' at the [[Lafayette Theatre (Harlem)|Lafayette Theatre]] (1936)]] |
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Smith was born in [[Gainesville, Florida]], in 1891.<ref name=":0" /> He made his stage debut during childhood, playing in [[Minstrel show|minstrel shows]].<ref name=":0" /> |
Smith was born in [[Gainesville, Florida]], in 1891.<ref name=":0" /> He made his stage debut during childhood, playing in [[Minstrel show|minstrel shows]].<ref name=":0" /> |
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In 1911, Smith formed his own minstrel company, with which he toured the United States. He went on to have a career in acting and writing for theatre and film.<ref name=":0" /> |
In 1911, Smith formed his own minstrel company, with which he toured the United States. He went on to have a career in acting and writing for theatre and film.<ref name=":0" /> |
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Smith wrote and appeared in ''[[Drums O' Voodoo]]'' (1934) |
Smith wrote and appeared in ''[[Drums O' Voodoo]]'' (1934).<ref name="afi">{{Cite web|url=http://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/PersonDetails/16905|title=AFI|Catalog|website=catalog.afi.com}}</ref> The film was based on his play ''Louisiana'',<ref name="board">{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bsoUXGZSxZcC&pg=PA340&lpg=PA340&dq=%22augustus+smith%22+film#v=onepage|title=Within Our Gates: Ethnicity in American Feature Films, 1911-1960|first1=America Film Institute|last1=Staff|first2=Alan|last2=Gevinson|first3=American Film|last3=Institute|first4=American Film|last4=Afi|date=May 25, 1997|publisher=University of California Press|isbn=9780520209640|via=Google Books}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last=Johns|first=Vere E.|date=1934-05-19|title=In the name of art|pages=4|work=The New York Age|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/54439873/in-the-name-of-art/|url-status=live|access-date=2020-06-30}}</ref> which premiered in 1933 on [[Broadway (Manhattan)|Broadway]], starring Smith.<ref>{{Cite news|date=1933-02-19|title=At the Majestic|pages=53|work=The Brooklyn Daily Eagle|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/54439682/at-the-majestic/|access-date=2020-06-30}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|date=1933-02-21|title="Louisiana," a play of the South, at Majestic Theatre|pages=7|work=Times Union|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/54439811/louisiana-a-play-of-the-south-at/|access-date=2020-06-30}}</ref> The stage production featured an all-Black cast, members of the New Negro Repertory Theater Group, founded by Smith. The cast members reprised their roles for the film.<ref name=":1">{{Cite news|date=1934-04-28|title=Broadway stars prominent in voodoo talkie|pages=18|work=The Pittsburgh Courier|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/54440112/broadway-stars-prominent-in-voodoo/|access-date=2020-06-30}}</ref> |
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Smith co-wrote, co-directed, and co-starred in ''Turpentine'', a play about conditions in [[turpentine]] camps in the American South.<ref>{{Cite news|date=1942-10-11|title=Actor-author will appear at Gibbs High|pages=20|work=Tampa Bay Times|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/54440227/actor-author-will-appear-at-gibbs-high/|access-date=2020-06-30}}</ref> He also wrote ''Just Ten Days'', a folk-comedy that played at parks in [[the Bronx]].<ref>{{Cite news|date=1937-08-21|title=15,000 see Negro folk play on caravan|pages=9|work=The New York Age|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/54440328/15000-see-negro-folk-play-on-caravan/|access-date=2020-06-30}}</ref> |
Smith co-wrote, co-directed, and co-starred in ''Turpentine'', a play about conditions in [[turpentine]] camps in the American South.<ref>{{Cite news|date=1942-10-11|title=Actor-author will appear at Gibbs High|pages=20|work=Tampa Bay Times|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/54440227/actor-author-will-appear-at-gibbs-high/|access-date=2020-06-30}}</ref> He also wrote ''Just Ten Days'', a folk-comedy that played at parks in [[the Bronx]].<ref>{{Cite news|date=1937-08-21|title=15,000 see Negro folk play on caravan|pages=9|work=The New York Age|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/54440328/15000-see-negro-folk-play-on-caravan/|access-date=2020-06-30}}</ref> |
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Revision as of 17:10, 28 April 2021
J. Augustus Smith, also known as Gus Smith (born January 14, 1891),[1] was an American actor, playwright, and screenwriter.
Biography
Smith was born in Gainesville, Florida, in 1891.[1] He made his stage debut during childhood, playing in minstrel shows.[1] In 1911, Smith formed his own minstrel company, with which he toured the United States. He went on to have a career in acting and writing for theatre and film.[1]
Smith wrote and appeared in Drums O' Voodoo (1934).[2] The film was based on his play Louisiana,[3][4] which premiered in 1933 on Broadway, starring Smith.[5][6] The stage production featured an all-Black cast, members of the New Negro Repertory Theater Group, founded by Smith. The cast members reprised their roles for the film.[7]
Smith co-wrote, co-directed, and co-starred in Turpentine, a play about conditions in turpentine camps in the American South.[8] He also wrote Just Ten Days, a folk-comedy that played at parks in the Bronx.[9] Smith and Oliver Foster had the lead roles in the theatrical production Walk Together Chillun.[10]
Filmography
Actor
- Chloe Love is Calling You (1934)[2]
- Drums O' Voodoo (1934)[7]
- Murder on Lenox Avenue (1941) as Pa Wilkins
- Stolen Paradise (1941)[2]
- Sunday Sinners (1941)[2]
- Hi-De-Ho (1947 film) as Preacher
- Junction 88 as Chinka Lin[3]
- Boarding House Blues (1948) as Norman Norman
- Killer Diller (1948 film) as Stage Hand
Writer
- Drums O' Voodoo (1934)
References
- ^ a b c d "WPA Lafayette All-Negro Staff". The New York Age. 1936-08-22. p. 9. Retrieved 2020-06-30.
- ^ a b c d "AFI|Catalog". catalog.afi.com.
- ^ a b Staff, America Film Institute; Gevinson, Alan; Institute, American Film; Afi, American Film (May 25, 1997). Within Our Gates: Ethnicity in American Feature Films, 1911-1960. University of California Press. ISBN 9780520209640 – via Google Books.
- ^ Johns, Vere E. (1934-05-19). "In the name of art". The New York Age. p. 4. Retrieved 2020-06-30.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ "At the Majestic". The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. 1933-02-19. p. 53. Retrieved 2020-06-30.
- ^ ""Louisiana," a play of the South, at Majestic Theatre". Times Union. 1933-02-21. p. 7. Retrieved 2020-06-30.
- ^ a b "Broadway stars prominent in voodoo talkie". The Pittsburgh Courier. 1934-04-28. p. 18. Retrieved 2020-06-30.
- ^ "Actor-author will appear at Gibbs High". Tampa Bay Times. 1942-10-11. p. 20. Retrieved 2020-06-30.
- ^ "15,000 see Negro folk play on caravan". The New York Age. 1937-08-21. p. 9. Retrieved 2020-06-30.
- ^ Peterson, Bernard L. (May 25, 1990). Early Black American Playwrights and Dramatic Writers: A Biographical Directory and Catalog of Plays, Films, and Broadcasting Scripts. Greenwood Publishing Group. ISBN 9780313266218 – via Google Books.