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Clarence Muse‌

Gender

Male

Birthday

calendar1889-10-13

Popularity

star8.0

Clarence Muse

Baltimore, Maryland, USA

Clarence Muse

Baltimore, Maryland, USA

Gender

Male

Birthday

calendar1889-10-13

Popularity

star8.0

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).

Movie Credits

Love Crazy

Love Crazy‌
star7.1
calendar 1941

Invisible Ghost

Invisible Ghost‌
star5.2
calendar 1941

Shadow of a Doubt

Shadow of a Doubt‌
star7.5
calendar 1943

The Talk of the Town

The Talk of the Town‌
star7.3
calendar 1942

Secrets of a Nurse

Secrets of a Nurse‌
star3.0
calendar 1938

Buck and the Preacher

Buck and the Preacher‌
star6.2
calendar 1972

The Wrecker

The Wrecker‌
star1.0
calendar 1933

Man Against Woman

Man Against Woman‌
star3.5
calendar 1932

Flying Down to Rio

Flying Down to Rio‌
star6.2
calendar 1933

Black Moon

Black Moon‌
star5.1
calendar 1934

The Black Swan

The Black Swan‌
star6.4
calendar 1942

The Flame of New Orleans

The Flame of New Orleans‌
star6.0
calendar 1941

Car Wash

Car Wash‌
star6.0
calendar 1976

Murder Over New York

Murder Over New York‌
star6.1
calendar 1940

The Black Stallion

The Black Stallion‌
star7.0
calendar 1979

Winner Take All

Winner Take All‌
star5.3
calendar 1932

Hollywood on Parade No. A-12

Hollywood on Parade No. A-12‌
star0.0
calendar 1933

Apache Drums

Apache Drums‌
star6.2
calendar 1951

Laughing Irish Eyes

Laughing Irish Eyes‌
star0.0
calendar 1936

Broadway Bill

Broadway Bill‌
star6.1
calendar 1934

Two Smart People

Two Smart People‌
star6.4
calendar 1946

Laughter in Hell

Laughter in Hell‌
star1.0
calendar 1933

She Wouldn't Say Yes

She Wouldn't Say Yes‌
star5.9
calendar 1945

God Is My Co-Pilot

God Is My Co-Pilot‌
star7.0
calendar 1945

Riding High

Riding High‌
star5.8
calendar 1950

Way Down South

Way Down South‌
star5.4
calendar 1939

X Marks the Spot

X Marks the Spot‌
star6.0
calendar 1931

Lena Rivers

Lena Rivers‌
star5.5
calendar 1932

Among the Living

Among the Living‌
star6.1
calendar 1941

From Hell to Heaven

From Hell to Heaven‌
star7.2
calendar 1933

Caribbean

Caribbean‌
star5.8
calendar 1952

Kisses for Breakfast

Kisses for Breakfast‌
star5.5
calendar 1941

Massacre

Massacre‌
star5.8
calendar 1934

Secret Service

Secret Service‌
star6.0
calendar 1931

Election Day

Election Day‌
star7.0
calendar 1929

O'Shaughnessy's Boy

O'Shaughnessy's Boy‌
star6.0
calendar 1935

High Hat

High Hat‌
star5.0
calendar 1937

Daniel Boone

Daniel Boone‌
star4.8
calendar 1936

Jungle Menace

Jungle Menace‌
star5.0
calendar 1937

Welcome Stranger

Welcome Stranger‌
star6.6
calendar 1947

So Red the Rose

So Red the Rose‌
star6.0
calendar 1935

Jungle Queen

Jungle Queen‌
star5.0
calendar 1945

The Mind Reader

The Mind Reader‌
star6.3
calendar 1933

Spirit of Youth

Spirit of Youth‌
star5.5
calendar 1938

The Toy Wife

The Toy Wife‌
star4.8
calendar 1938

The Sky's the Limit

The Sky's the Limit‌
star6.2
calendar 1943

Is My Face Red?

Is My Face Red?‌
star5.0
calendar 1932

The Woman from Monte Carlo

The Woman from Monte Carlo‌
star5.0
calendar 1932

Night World

Night World‌
star6.7
calendar 1932

Washington Merry-Go-Round

Washington Merry-Go-Round‌
star6.7
calendar 1932

Prestige

Prestige‌
star5.5
calendar 1931

Fury of the Jungle

Fury of the Jungle‌
star0.0
calendar 1933

Hearts in Dixie

Hearts in Dixie‌
star3.0
calendar 1929

Broken Strings

Broken Strings‌
star4.5
calendar 1940

Deep South

Deep South‌
star6.0
calendar 1937

The Last Parade

The Last Parade‌
star0.0
calendar 1931

Hell's Highway

Hell's Highway‌
star6.1
calendar 1932

Guilty?

Guilty?‌
star0.0
calendar 1930

Hallelujah

Hallelujah‌
star6.6
calendar 1929

New York Nights

New York Nights‌
star4.8
calendar 1929

The Custard Nine

The Custard Nine‌
star0.0
calendar 1921

If I Had a Million

If I Had a Million‌
star6.5
calendar 1932

Outside the Law

Outside the Law‌
star4.7
calendar 1930

Derelict

Derelict‌
star10.0
calendar 1930

Frisco Jenny

Frisco Jenny‌
star6.3
calendar 1933

The World's Greatest Athlete

The World's Greatest Athlete‌
star5.3
calendar 1973

Mysterious Crossing

Mysterious Crossing‌
star0.0
calendar 1936

Alice in Movieland

Alice in Movieland‌
star6.3
calendar 1940

Porgy and Bess

Porgy and Bess‌
star6.1
calendar 1959

Huckleberry Finn

Huckleberry Finn‌
star8.0
calendar 1931

The Life of Jimmy Dolan

The Life of Jimmy Dolan‌
star6.1
calendar 1933

Red Hot Tires

Red Hot Tires‌
star5.8
calendar 1935

The Thoroughbred

The Thoroughbred‌
star4.6
calendar 1930

Double Indemnity

Double Indemnity‌
star8.1
calendar 1944

The Great Dan Patch

The Great Dan Patch‌
star5.0
calendar 1949

A Very Honorable Guy

A Very Honorable Guy‌
star2.0
calendar 1934

After the Dance

After the Dance‌
star6.0
calendar 1935

Spendthrift

Spendthrift‌
star5.0
calendar 1936

The Personality Kid

The Personality Kid‌
star4.2
calendar 1934

Alias Mary Dow

Alias Mary Dow‌
star6.2
calendar 1935

Safe in Hell

Safe in Hell‌
star6.7
calendar 1931

The Secret Witness

The Secret Witness‌
star3.0
calendar 1931

Sporting Blood

Sporting Blood‌
star4.3
calendar 1940

Rain or Shine

Rain or Shine‌
star5.7
calendar 1930

Dirigible

Dirigible‌
star5.6
calendar 1931

Swing High

Swing High‌
star6.5
calendar 1930

Jamaica Run

Jamaica Run‌
star5.0
calendar 1953

Jungle Safari

Jungle Safari‌
star4.0
calendar 1956

Kid Millions

Kid Millions‌
star6.5
calendar 1934

The Sun Shines Bright

The Sun Shines Bright‌
star6.5
calendar 1953

A Likely Story

A Likely Story‌
star4.2
calendar 1947

Scarlet Street

Scarlet Street‌
star7.6
calendar 1945

Stars on Parade

Stars on Parade‌
star0.0
calendar 1944

Jungle Terror

Jungle Terror‌
star0.0
calendar 1946

That Gang of Mine

That Gang of Mine‌
star5.6
calendar 1940

In the Meantime, Darling

In the Meantime, Darling‌
star5.0
calendar 1944

The Green Pastures

The Green Pastures‌
star6.3
calendar 1936

Harmony Lane

Harmony Lane‌
star3.5
calendar 1935

The Las Vegas Story

The Las Vegas Story‌
star5.8
calendar 1952

My Favorite Brunette

My Favorite Brunette‌
star6.7
calendar 1947

Attorney for the Defense

Attorney for the Defense‌
star6.0
calendar 1932

The Peanut Man

The Peanut Man‌
star0.0
calendar 1947

Watch on the Rhine

Watch on the Rhine‌
star6.8
calendar 1943

San Diego I Love You

San Diego I Love You‌
star6.3
calendar 1944

Chad Hanna

Chad Hanna‌
star6.0
calendar 1940

Maryland

Maryland‌
star6.2
calendar 1940

Honey

Honey‌
star5.0
calendar 1930

An Act of Murder

An Act of Murder‌
star6.8
calendar 1948

Adam Had Four Sons

Adam Had Four Sons‌
star6.0
calendar 1941

Big City Blues

Big City Blues‌
star5.3
calendar 1932

The Soul of a Monster

The Soul of a Monster‌
star4.8
calendar 1944

The Wet Parade

The Wet Parade‌
star5.8
calendar 1932

The Cabin in the Cotton

The Cabin in the Cotton‌
star6.3
calendar 1932

Passing Through

Passing Through‌
star5.0
calendar 1977

Katie Did It

Katie Did It‌
star6.0
calendar 1950

Tough as They Come

Tough as They Come‌
star0.0
calendar 1942

The Racket Man

The Racket Man‌
star7.0
calendar 1944

The Fighting Sheriff

The Fighting Sheriff‌
star0.0
calendar 1931

Belle Starr

Belle Starr‌
star5.6
calendar 1941

Flesh and Fantasy

Flesh and Fantasy‌
star6.7
calendar 1943

Heaven Can Wait

Heaven Can Wait‌
star6.9
calendar 1943

Gentleman from Dixie

Gentleman from Dixie‌
star6.0
calendar 1941

A Dream for Christmas

A Dream for Christmas‌
star6.0
calendar 1973

Without Love

Without Love‌
star6.8
calendar 1945

Twin Beds

Twin Beds‌
star2.7
calendar 1942

Muss 'em Up

Muss 'em Up‌
star5.5
calendar 1936

A Royal Romance

A Royal Romance‌
star0.0
calendar 1930

She Couldn't Say No

She Couldn't Say No‌
star5.6
calendar 1954

The Death Kiss

The Death Kiss‌
star5.3
calendar 1932

Sherlock Holmes in Washington

Sherlock Holmes in Washington‌
star6.7
calendar 1943

Honeymoon Lodge

Honeymoon Lodge‌
star0.0
calendar 1943

Over the Wall

Over the Wall‌
star0.0
calendar 1943

East of Java

East of Java‌
star6.0
calendar 1935

The Broken Earth

The Broken Earth‌
star1.0
calendar 1936

My Forbidden Past

My Forbidden Past‌
star5.7
calendar 1951

Unconquered

Unconquered‌
star6.2
calendar 1947

Black Shadows on a Silver Screen

Black Shadows on a Silver Screen‌
star0.0
calendar 1975

Show Boat

Show Boat‌
star6.7
calendar 1936

Zanzibar

Zanzibar‌
star0.0
calendar 1940

Jam Session

Jam Session‌
star6.0
calendar 1944

Joe Palooka in the Knockout

Joe Palooka in the Knockout‌
star6.0
calendar 1947

Prison Train

Prison Train‌
star6.0
calendar 1938

Johnny Come Lately

Johnny Come Lately‌
star6.7
calendar 1943

Strictly in the Groove

Strictly in the Groove‌
star0.0
calendar 1942

Tales of Manhattan

Tales of Manhattan‌
star6.2
calendar 1942

White Zombie

White Zombie‌
star5.9
calendar 1932

Tv Credits

Lux Video Theatre

Lux Video Theatre‌
star6.0
calendar 1950

The 20th Century Fox Hour

The 20th Century Fox Hour‌
star5.2
calendar 1955

Casablanca

Casablanca‌
star10.0
calendar 1955

Four Star Playhouse

Four Star Playhouse‌
star6.1
calendar 1952