Leigh Whipper

Birthday: 1876-10-29
Deathday: 1975-07-26
Birthplace: Charleston, South Carolina, USA
Gender: Male
Owned By: Unowned

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Leigh Rollin Whipper (October 29, 1876 – July 26, 1975) was an American actor on the stage and in motion pictures. He was the first African American to join the Actors' Equity Association, and one of the founders of the Negro Actors Guild of America. He is best known for creating the role of Crooks in the original Broadway production of Of Mice and Men, which he reprised in the 1939 film version.

Educated at Howard University Law School, he left in 1895 and never practiced as a lawyer. Without any dramatic training, he made his first Broadway appearance in Georgia Minstrels. His first film role was in the 1920 silent film The Symbol of the Unconquered.

During the Second World War, Whipper was a member of the steering committee of Negro Division the Hollywood Victory Committee.

Credits

Year Title Character
1957-07-26 The Young Don't Cry Doosy
1955-06-16 The Shrike Mr. Carlisle
1947-03-22 Untamed Fury Uncle Gabe
1946-11-11 Undercurrent George
1946-03-01 Young Widow Nate (Uncredited)
1945-12-13 The Negro Sailor Editor
1945-08-31 The Hidden Eye Alistair
1943-11-10 Happy Land Old Ben (uncredited)
1943-04-29 Mission to Moscow Haile Selassie (uncredited)
1942-12-12 White Cargo Jim Fish
1942-12-03 The Ox-Bow Incident Sparks (uncredited)
1942-11-16 Heart of the Golden West Rango
1942-02-01 The Vanishing Virginian Uncle Josh
1941-12-10 Bahama Passage Morales
1941-05-14 King of the Zombies Momba
1941-04-11 Road to Zanzibar Scarface
1941-01-28 Virginia Ezechial
1941-01-14 Robin Hood of the Pecos Kezeye
1939-12-24 Of Mice and Men Crooks
1920-11-28 The Symbol of the Unconquered Tugi - an Indian Fakir
1920-01-12 Within Our Gates