Melvin Van Peebles
- Known for
- Acting
- Born
- August 21, 1932
- Died
- September 21, 2021 (aged 89)
- Birthplace
- Chicago, Illinois, USA
Biography
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
Photos
Filmography
Hollywood Black
TV · as Self (archive footage) · 4 eps
Sweet Black Film: The Birth of the Black Hero in Hollywood
Movie · as Self
Oscar Micheaux: The Superhero of Black Filmmaking
Movie · as Self
Armed
Movie · as Grandpa V.
Peeples
Movie · as Grandpa Peeples
Salty Dog Blues
Movie · as Self (Interviewee)
The Black Power Mixtape 1967-1975
Movie · as Self (voice)
Infiltrating Hollywood: The Rise and Fall of the Spook Who Sat by the Door
Movie
Redemption Road
Movie · as Elmo
Directors on Directing
Movie · as Self
The Black List: Volume Two
Movie · as Self
American Swing
Movie · as Self
Confessions of a Ex-Doofus-ItchyFooted Mutha
Movie · as Melvin Van Peebles
Sex: The Revolution
TV · as Self · 4 eps
Blackout
Movie · as George
Hard Luck
Movie · as Hospital Prophet
SMUT
Movie · as Elmoore
Midnight Blue, Vol. 3: Celebrities Edition
Movie · as Self (archive footage)
Unstoppable
Movie · as Self
How to Eat Your Watermelon in White Company (and Enjoy It)
Movie
The Real Deal: What It Is
Movie · as Self
The Hebrew Hammer
Movie · as Sweetback
BaadAsssss Cinema
Movie · as Self
René Vautier, le rebelle
Movie · as Self
Girlfriends
TV · as Kenneth Daly · 2 eps
Love Kills
Movie · as Able
Classified X
Movie · as Self
Riot
Movie · as Vernon
The Shining
TV · as Richard Hallorann · 2 eps
Calm at Sunset
Movie · as Mr. Bucket
Gang in Blue
Movie · as Andre Speier
Fist of the North Star
Movie · as Asher
Panther
Movie · as Old Jail Bird
Terminal Velocity
Movie · as Noble
Posse
Movie · as Papa Joe
Last Action Hero
Movie · as Self
Farewell, Babylon!
Movie · as Self
Living Single
TV · 1 ep
Homicide: Life on the Street
TV · as Bennett Jackson · 1 ep
Boomerang
Movie · as Editor
Satchmo: The Life of Louis Armstrong
Movie · as Louis Armstrong (voice)
True Identity
Movie · as Taxi Driver
Dream On
TV · as Norman Green · 1 ep
Identity Crisis
Movie · as The Inspector
Making 'Do the Right Thing'
Movie · as Self
Taking Care of Terrific
Movie · as Hawk
Sonny Spoon
TV · 15 eps
O.C. and Stiggs
Movie · as Wino Bob
Jaws: The Revenge
Movie · as Mr. Witherspoon
America
Movie · as Man Interviewed
The Sophisticated Gents
TV · as Walter 'Moon' Porter · 3 eps
Wattstax
Movie · as Self
Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song
Movie · as Sweetback
Watermelon Man
Movie · as Sign Painter (uncredited)
Pour le plaisir
TV · as Self · 1 ep
Seize millions de jeunes
TV · as Self · 1 ep
Sunlight
Movie
Hallmark Hall of Fame
TV · as Bucket · 1 ep