Melvin Van Peebles
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Melvin Van Peebles (born Melvin Peebles; August 21, 1932 – September 21, 2021) was an American actor, filmmaker, writer, and composer. His feature film debut, The Story of a Three-Day Pass (1967), was based on his own French-language novel La Permission and was shot in France, as it was difficult for a black American director to get work at the time. The film won an award at the San Francisco International Film Festival which gained him the interest of Hollywood studios, leading to his American feature debut Watermelon Man, in 1970. Eschewing further overtures from Hollywood, he used the successes he had so far to bankroll his work as an independent filmmaker. In 1971, he released his best-known work, creating and starring in the film Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song, which led to the creation of the blaxploitation genre. although critic Roger Ebert did not consider this example of Van Peebles' work to be an exploitation film. He followed this up with the musical, Don't Play Us Cheap, based on his own stage play, and continued to make films, write novels and stage plays in English and in French through the next several decades; his final films include the French-language film Le Conte du ventre plein (2000) and the absurdist film Confessionsofa Ex-Doofus-ItchyFooted Mutha (2008). His son, filmmaker and actor Mario Van Peebles, appeared in several of his works and portrayed him in the 2003 biographical film Baadasssss!.
Known for
Credits
Last Action Hero (1993)
as Self
Jaws: The Revenge (1987)
as Mr. Witherspoon
Boomerang (1992)
as Editor
Terminal Velocity (1994)
as Noble
American Swing (2009)
as Self
Panther (1995)
as Old Jail Bird
Fist of the North Star (1995)
as Asher
The Hebrew Hammer (2003)
as Sweetback
Posse (1993)
as Papa Joe
O.C. and Stiggs (1987)
as Wino Bob
Making 'Do the Right Thing' (1989)
as Self
Hard Luck (2006)
as Hospital Prophet
The Black Power Mixtape 1967-1975 (2011)
as Self (voice)
Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song (1971)
as Sweetback
Peeples (2013)
as Grandpa Peeples
True Identity (1991)
as Taxi Driver
Oscar Micheaux: The Superhero of Black Filmmaking (2021)
as Self
Taking Care of Terrific (1988)
as Hawk
Armed (2018)
as Grandpa V.
Midnight Blue, Vol. 3: Celebrities Edition (2006)
as Self (archive footage)
Watermelon Man (1970)
as Sign Painter (uncredited)
BaadAsssss Cinema (2002)
as Self
Farewell, Babylon! (1993)
as Self
René Vautier, le rebelle (2000)
as Self
Classified X (1998)
as Self
Sweet Black Film: The Birth of the Black Hero in Hollywood (2022)
as Self
The Black List: Volume Two (2009)
as Self
Riot (1997)
as Vernon
Gang in Blue (1996)
as Andre Speier
Satchmo: The Life of Louis Armstrong (1992)
as Louis Armstrong (voice)
How to Eat Your Watermelon in White Company (and Enjoy It) (2005)
Actor
Confessions of a Ex-Doofus-ItchyFooted Mutha (2008)
as Melvin Van Peebles
Wattstax (1973)
as Self
Blackout (2007)
as George
Redemption Road (2011)
as Elmo
Identity Crisis (1989)
as The Inspector
Calm at Sunset (1996)
as Mr. Bucket
Love Kills (1999)
as Able
Directors on Directing (2009)
as Self
SMUT (2006)
as Elmoore
Infiltrating Hollywood: The Rise and Fall of the Spook Who Sat by the Door (2011)
Actor
America (1986)
as Man Interviewed
Salty Dog Blues (2012)
as Self (Interviewee)
The Real Deal: What It Is (2003)
as Self
Unstoppable (2005)
as Self
Sunlight (1957)
Actor