Oscar Micheaux: An Early On African American Filmmaker

Photo of Oscar Micheaux (b. Jan 2, 1884 – d. March 25, 1951)

The long history of African American celluloid is close a national secret. Oscar Micheaux has been the most astonishing early independent Black filmmaker, renown for his groovy contributions to a celluloid genre that was termed race films. He has wrote, directed, produced as well as distributed forty-four films betwixt 1918 as well as 1948. Twenty-four of these films were characteristic length. His concluding characteristic celluloid was 'Betrayal," released inward 1948.

Micheaux was born in Metropolis, Illinois equally the 5th kid of xiii children born to Calvin S. as well as Belle Michaux -- the 'e' was later added past times Oscar to his surname. We know that his manful soul rear was born into slavery inward the province of Kentucky as well as that after the terminate of slavery the occupation solid unit of measurement faced continued social oppression. The Michaux occupation solid unit of measurement would eventually motility from farming communities to the urban marrow to offering their children access to amend schooling.

How Micheaux came into film-making is withal a mystery. He moved to Chicago, Illinois when he was 17 years quondam to alive alongside his brother. He began working inward Chicago's stockyards as well as performing other strange jobs. The story is told that after Micheaux was cheated out of a pay of 2 dollars from an job agency, he decided he would solely operate for himself. Micheaux afterward became known equally an aggressive entrepreneur, alongside a reputation for his difficult operate as well as sudden dress.

Micheaux started out inward the creative arts as a novelist. He published at least ten novels earlier turning to film-making. He established his film production offices as the Oscar Micheaux Corporation, located at 135th Street inward Harlem, New York. He was ofttimes seen around Harlem wearing long Russian fur coats against the New York wintertime winds.

Excerpt from Oscar Micheaux's 1939 Film "Lying Lips"

In the spring, Micheaux occupation concern model was to tour theaters across the province where he would halt to present home managers his novel screenplays as well as stills of his casts. He sometime traveled alongside moving-picture present casts to promote his films to theaters. Once Micheaux booked a celluloid at a theater, he requested an advance against the film's booking -- funds that he used inward the summertime equally production coin for shooting as well as editing. He would shoot as well as edit the celluloid as well as commence alongside distribution to theaters.

Micheaux's career spans both still as well as talking pictures. Most of his films dealt alongside race problems inward America. Paul Robeson -- the groovy actor, concert creative soul as well as social activist -- made his showtime celluloid nether Micheaux's direction inward the painting "Body as well as Soul," a still film. Not solely was Micheaux the showtime producer to cast Robeson inward a film, he was the showtime managing director to brand an all-black talkie, "The Exile."

Micheaux's instant wife, Alice B. Russell, was an actress who appeared inward several of his productions. She was rattling individual as well as lived inward seclusion inward her New York storey after her hubby died on March 25, 1951 of a see assault inward Charlotte, North Carolina.