Alvin Childress

Birthday: 1907-09-14
Deathday: 1986-04-19
Birthplace: Meridian, Mississippi, USA
Gender: Male
Owned By: Unowned

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

American actor who is best known for playing the cabdriver Amos Jones in the 1950s television comedy series Amos 'n Andy. Alvin Childress was born in Meridian, Mississippi. He was educated at Rust College, from which he received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology. When he initially entered college, Childress intended to become a doctor, enrolling in typical pre-med courses. He had no thoughts of becoming involved in acting, but became involved in theater outside of classes.

Childress and Rex Ingram in the Federal Theatre Project production of Haiti (1938)

Childress moved to New York City and became an actor with Harlem's Lafayette Players, a troupe of stock players associated with the Lafayette Theatre. Soon, he was engaged as an actor in the Federal Theater Project, the American Negro Theater, and in all-black race film productions such as Keep Punching (1939). His greatest success on the stage was his performance as Noah in the popular comedy, Anna Lucasta, which ran for 957 performances. He also worked at Teachers College of Columbia University.[3][8] Childress also operated his own radio and record store in New York City. When he learned about casting for the Amos 'n Andy television series, Childress decided to audition for a role. He was hired a year before the show went on the air.

Credits

Year Title Character
1982-06-07 Sister, Sister Mr. Jacobs
1980-07-18 Cheech & Chong's Next Movie Pinochle Player
1979-06-22 The Main Event Man In Gym
1976-07-16 The Bingo Long Traveling All-Stars & Motor Kings Horace
1975-10-07 Darktown Strutters Bo
1975-05-07 The Day of the Locust Butler
1975-01-01 Senior Power Prowling Victim
1971-03-15 Banyon Mr. Clayton
1958-11-20 Old Man Farmer on Levee
1958-11-01 Anna Lucasta Noah
1945-01-01 Jasper's Boobytraps
1944-07-27 Jasper Goes Hunting Professor Scarecrow (voice) (uncredited)
1944-03-10 Say Ah, Jasper Professor Scarecrow (uncredited) (voice)
1944-01-28 Package for Jasper Professor Scarecrow (voice)
1943-05-21 Jasper's Music Lesson Professor Scarecrow (voice)
1942-10-22 Jasper and the Haunted House Blackbird (uncredited)