Clarence Muse
Acting • Born 1889-10-13 – Died 1979-10-13
Biography
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Clarence Muse (October 14, 1889 – October 13, 1979) was an American actor, screenwriter, director, composer, and lawyer. He was inducted in the Black Filmmakers Hall of Fame in 1973. Muse was the first Negro to "star" in a film. He acted for more than sixty years appearing in more than 150 movies. Born in Baltimore, Maryland, the son of Alexander and Mary Muse, he studied at Dickinson College, Carlisle, Pennsylvania, and received an international law degree in 1911. He was acting in New York by the 1920s, during the Harlem Renaissance with two Harlem theatres, Lincoln Players and Lafayette Players. Muse moved to Chicago for a while, and then moved to Hollywood and performed in Hearts in Dixie (1929), the first all-black movie. For the next fifty years, he worked regularly in minor and major roles. While with the Lafayette Players, Muse worked under the management of producer Robert Levy on productions that helped black actors to gain prominence and respect. In regards to the Lafayette Theatre's staging of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Muse said the play was relevant to black actors and audiences "because, in a way, it was every black man's story. Black men too have been split creatures inhabiting one body.". Muse appeared as an opera singer, minstrel show performer, vaudeville and Broadway actor; he also wrote songs, plays, and sketches. In 1943, he became the first African American Broadway director with Run Little Chillun. Muse was also the co-writer of several notable songs. In 1931, with Leon René and Otis René, Muse wrote "When It's Sleepy Time Down South", also known as "Sleepy Time Down South". The song was sung by Nina Mae McKinney in the movie Safe in Hell (1931), and later became a signature song of Louis Armstrong. He was the major star in Broken Earth (1936), which related the story of a black sharecropper whose son miraculously recovers from fever through the father's fervent prayer. Shot on a farm in the South with nonprofessional actors (except for Muse), the film's early scenes focused in a highly realistic manner on the incredible hardship of black farmers, with plowing scenes. In 1938, Muse co-starred with boxer Joe Louis in Spirit of Youth, the fictional story of a champion boxer which featured an all black cast. Muse and Langston Hughes wrote the script for Way Down South (1939). Muse performed in Broken Strings (1940), as a concert violinist who opposes the desire of his son to play "swing". From 1955-56, Muse was a regular on the weekly TV version of Casablanca, playing Sam the pianist (a part he was under consideration for in the original Warner Brothers film), and in 1959, he played Peter, the Honey Man, in Porgy and Bess. He appeared on Disney's TV miniseries The Swamp Fox. Other film credits include Buck and the Preacher (1972), The World's Greatest Athlete (1973) and as Gazenga's Assistant, "Snapper" in Car Wash (1976). His last acting role was in The Black Stallion (1979).
Filmography
154 credits
Love Crazy
Movie • 1941
Robert - Hat Check Man at Party
Invisible Ghost
Movie • 1941
Evans the Butler
Shadow of a Doubt
Movie • 1943
Pullman Porter
The Talk of the Town
Movie • 1942
Supreme Court Doorkeeper (uncredited)
Secrets of a Nurse
Movie • 1938
'Tiger', Lee's Handler
Buck and the Preacher
Movie • 1972
Cudjo
The Wrecker
Movie • 1933
Chauffeur
Man Against Woman
Movie • 1932
Smoke Johnson
Flying Down to Rio
Movie • 1933
Caddy in Haiti (uncredited)
Black Moon
Movie • 1934
'Lunch' McClaren
The Black Swan
Movie • 1942
Margaret's Servant (uncredited)
The Flame of New Orleans
Movie • 1941
Samuel, Carriage Driver
Car Wash
Movie • 1976
Snapper
Murder Over New York
Movie • 1940
Party Server
The Black Stallion
Movie • 1979
Snoe
Winner Take All
Movie • 1932
Rosebud, the Trainer
Hollywood on Parade No. A-12
Movie • 1933
Self
Apache Drums
Movie • 1951
Jehu
Laughing Irish Eyes
Movie • 1936
Deacon
Broadway Bill
Movie • 1934
Whitey
Two Smart People
Movie • 1946
Train Porter
Laughter in Hell
Movie • 1933
Abraham Jackson
She Wouldn't Say Yes
Movie • 1945
Porter (uncredited)
God Is My Co-Pilot
Movie • 1945
Frank (uncredited)
Riding High
Movie • 1950
Whitey
Way Down South
Movie • 1939
Uncle Caton
X Marks the Spot
Movie • 1931
Eustace Brown
Lena Rivers
Movie • 1932
Curfew
Among the Living
Movie • 1941
From Hell to Heaven
Movie • 1933
Sam
Caribbean
Movie • 1952
Quashy
Kisses for Breakfast
Movie • 1941
Old Jeff
Massacre
Movie • 1934
Sam
Secret Service
Movie • 1931
Jonas Polk
Election Day
Movie • 1929
Farina's father
O'Shaughnessy's Boy
Movie • 1935
Jeff
High Hat
Movie • 1937
Congo MacRosenbloom
Daniel Boone
Movie • 1936
Pompey
Jungle Menace
Movie • 1937
Lightning
Welcome Stranger
Movie • 1947
Clarence, Train Waiter (uncredited)
So Red the Rose
Movie • 1935
Cato
Jungle Queen
Movie • 1945
Kyba
The Mind Reader
Movie • 1933
Sam
Spirit of Youth
Movie • 1938
Frankie Walburn
The Toy Wife
Movie • 1938
Brutus
The Sky's the Limit
Movie • 1943
Colonial Club Doorman (uncredited)
Is My Face Red?
Movie • 1932
Horatio
The Woman from Monte Carlo
Movie • 1932
Tombeau
Night World
Movie • 1932
Tim Washington, the Doorman
Washington Merry-Go-Round
Movie • 1932
Clarence
Prestige
Movie • 1932
Nham
Fury of the Jungle
Movie • 1933
Sunrise
Hearts in Dixie
Movie • 1929
Nappus
Broken Strings
Movie • 1940
Arthur Williams
Hallelujah
Movie • 1929
Church Member (uncredited)
New York Nights
Movie • 1929
Cabaret Singer (uncredited)
The Custard Nine
Movie • 1921
Derelict
Movie • 1930
Driver (uncredited)
The Last Parade
Movie • 1931
Alabam' / Singing Voice of Condemned Man (uncredited)
Outside the Law
Movie • 1930
Party Guest (uncredited)
Deep South
Movie • 1937
Hell's Highway
Movie • 1932
Rascal
If I Had a Million
Movie • 1932
Death Row Singing Prisoner (uncredited)
Guilty?
Movie • 1930
Jefferson
The World's Greatest Athlete
Movie • 1973
Gazenga's Assistant
Frisco Jenny
Movie • 1933
Voice of Singer (uncredited)
Mysterious Crossing
Movie • 1936
Lincoln
Alice in Movieland
Movie • 1940
Train Porter
Porgy and Bess
Movie • 1959
Peter
Huckleberry Finn
Movie • 1931
Jim
The Life of Jimmy Dolan
Movie • 1933
Masseur
The Thoroughbred
Movie • 1930
Stablehand
Red Hot Tires
Movie • 1935
Bud's Truck Partner
Double Indemnity
Movie • 1944
Man (uncredited)
The Great Dan Patch
Movie • 1949
Voodoo
A Very Honorable Guy
Movie • 1934
Black Man
After the Dance
Movie • 1935
Cook
Spendthrift
Movie • 1936
Restaurant Table Captain
The Personality Kid
Movie • 1934
Shamrock
Alias Mary Dow
Movie • 1935
'Rufe'
Safe in Hell
Movie • 1931
Newcastle
The Secret Witness
Movie • 1931
Jeff - Building Janitor
Sporting Blood
Movie • 1940
Jeff
Rain or Shine
Movie • 1930
Nero
Dirigible
Movie • 1931
Clarence
Swing High
Movie • 1930
Singer
Jamaica Run
Movie • 1953
Mose
Jungle Safari
Movie • 1956
Kyba
Kid Millions
Movie • 1934
Native (uncredited)
The Sun Shines Bright
Movie • 1953
Uncle Zack
A Likely Story
Movie • 1947
Porter (uncredited)
Scarlet Street
Movie • 1945
Ben - Bank Janitor (uncredited)
Stars on Parade
Movie • 1944
Carter (uncredited)
Jungle Terror
Movie • 1946
Lightin'
That Gang of Mine
Movie • 1940
Ben
In the Meantime, Darling
Movie • 1944
Henry
The Green Pastures
Movie • 1936
Angel (uncredited)
Harmony Lane
Movie • 1935
Old Joe
The Las Vegas Story
Movie • 1952
Train Porter (uncredited)
My Favorite Brunette
Movie • 1947
Second Man on Death Row (uncredited)
Attorney for the Defense
Movie • 1932
Jefferson Q. Leffingwell
The Peanut Man
Movie • 1947
Dr. George Washington Carver
Watch on the Rhine
Movie • 1943
Horace
San Diego I Love You
Movie • 1944
Porter (uncredited)
Chad Hanna
Movie • 1940
Henry Prince
Maryland
Movie • 1940
Reverend Bitters
Honey
Movie • 1930
Black Revivalist
An Act of Murder
Movie • 1948
Mr. Pope
Big City Blues
Movie • 1932
Nightclub Singer (uncredited)
Adam Had Four Sons
Movie • 1941
Sam (uncredited)
The Soul of a Monster
Movie • 1944
Entertainer (uncredited)
The Wet Parade
Movie • 1932
Taylor Tibbs
The Cabin in the Cotton
Movie • 1932
A Blind Negro
Passing Through
Movie • 1977
Papa Harris
Katie Did It
Movie • 1950
Mose
Tough as They Come
Movie • 1942
Eddie
The Racket Man
Movie • 1944
George the Butler
The Fighting Sheriff
Movie • 1931
Curfew
Belle Starr
Movie • 1941
Bootblack in Saloon (uncredited)
Flesh and Fantasy
Movie • 1943
Jeff (uncredited)
Heaven Can Wait
Movie • 1943
Jasper (uncredited)
Gentleman from Dixie
Movie • 1941
Jupe
A Dream for Christmas
Movie • 1973
Donald Freeland
Without Love
Movie • 1945
Train Porter
Twin Beds
Movie • 1942
George
Muss 'em Up
Movie • 1936
William
A Royal Romance
Movie • 1930
Rusty
She Couldn't Say No
Movie • 1954
Diaper Delivery Man
The Death Kiss
Movie • 1932
Shoeshine Man
Sherlock Holmes in Washington
Movie • 1943
George
Honeymoon Lodge
Movie • 1943
Porter
Over the Wall
Movie • 1943
Sam
East of Java
Movie • 1935
First Mate Johnson
The Broken Earth
Movie • 1936
The Farmer
My Forbidden Past
Movie • 1951
Pompey
Unconquered
Movie • 1947
Jason
Black Shadows on a Silver Screen
Movie • 1975
Self (archive footage)
Show Boat
Movie • 1936
Sam
Zanzibar
Movie • 1940
Bino
Jam Session
Movie • 1944
Henry
Joe Palooka in the Knockout
Movie • 1947
Smoky
Prison Train
Movie • 1938
Train Steward / Sam
Johnny Come Lately
Movie • 1943
Butler
Strictly in the Groove
Movie • 1942
Durham's Valet (uncredited)
Tales of Manhattan
Movie • 1942
Grandpa
White Zombie
Movie • 1932
Coach Driver
Beautiful Dreamer
Movie • 1935
The Thin Man Goes Home
Movie • 1944
Porter on Train (uncredited)
Silver River
Movie • 1948
Servant (uncredited)
Follow the Boys
Movie • 1944
Singer (uncredited)
Lux Video Theatre
TV • 1950
Albert
The 20th Century Fox Hour
TV • 1955
Casablanca
TV • 1955
Four Star Playhouse
TV • 1952
Phil