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Moses Gunn is a Actor American born on 2 october 1929 at St. Louis (USA)

Moses Gunn

Moses Gunn
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Nationality USA
Birth 2 october 1929 at St. Louis (USA)
Death 16 december 1993 (at 64 years) at Guilford (USA)

Moses Gunn (October 2, 1929 – December 16, 1993) was an American actor of African descent. An Obie Award-winning stage player, he co-founded the Negro Ensemble Company in the 1960s. His 1962 Off-Broadway debut was in Jean Genet's The Blacks, and his Broadway debut was in A Hand is on the Gate, an evening of African-American poetry. He was nominated for a 1976 Tony Award as Best Actor (Play) for The Poison Tree and played Othello on Broadway in 1970.

Biography

Born in St. Louis, Missouri, the son of Mary and George Gunn, he was the oldest of seven children. After his mother died, his family separated. Moses left home and rode the railroad at just 12 years old. He returned to St. Louis and attended school while living at the home of Jewel Richie, his English teacher. He graduated from Tennessee State University after serving in the United States Army, then went to graduate school at Kansas University, gaining a master's degree. He taught briefly at Grambling College before attempting an acting career in NYC. He married Gwendolyn Mumma Landes in 1966, becoming stepfather to her daughter Kirsten Sarah Landes. They had a son, Justin Moses, in 1970
who became a musician and composer in the Copenhagen-based band, "The Reverend Shine Snake Oil Co."

An authoritative black character actor of film and TV, Gunn also enjoyed a successful career on stage. He made his New York City stage debut in the original off-Broadway production of Jean Genet's The Blacks (1962). He performed many Shakespearean roles in Joseph Papp's Shakespeare in the Park, winning an Obie Award for his portrayal of Aaron in Titus Andronicus. He won a second Obie for his work in the NEC produced First Breeze of Summer, which moved to Broadway. His acclaimed performance as Othello at the Stratford, Connecticut Shakespeare Festival moved to Broadway in 1970. Other Broadway plays in which Gunn performed are: A Hand is on the Gate, Twelfth Night, I Have a Dream, and The Poison Tree. He was nominated for a Tony Award nomination for Best Actor for the The Poison Tree.

He may be best remembered in film for his portrayal of mobster Ellsworth Raymond "Bumpy" Jonas in the first two Shaft movies, and for his role of Booker T. Washington in the 1981 movie Ragtime, a performance which won him an NAACP Image Award. He was nominated for an Emmy Award in 1977 for his role in the TV mini-series Roots. He also co-starred with Avery Brooks on the TV series A Man Called Hawk. Gunn appeared in six episodes as atheist shop owner Carl Dixon on Good Times, as boxer-turned-farmer Joe Kagan on Little House on the Prairie, and as "Moses Gage" in Father Murphy. In 1989, Gunn appeared in two episodes of The Cosby Show as two different characters. His final acting role was as murder suspect Risley Tucker in "Three Men and Adena", an award-winning episode of Homicide: Life on the Street.

Best films

Heartbreak Ridge (1986)
(Actor)
Rollerball (1975)
(Actor)
Shaft (1971)
(Actor)
Ragtime (1981)
(Actor)
The Hot Rock (1972)
(Actor)

Usually with

Source : Wikidata

Filmography of Moses Gunn (28 films)

Display filmography as list

Actor

Nothing But a Man, 1h31
Directed by Michael Roemer
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Romance
Themes Films based on plays
Actors Ivan Dixon, Yaphet Kotto, Julius Harris, Gloria Foster, Tom Ligon, Mel Stewart
Roles Mill Hand
Rating78% 3.9395653.9395653.9395653.9395653.939565
The story introduces Duff Anderson on the railroad, playing checkers with his rail worker friends, at a pool hall, and on the street at night. At a church meeting featuring lively gospel music, Duff meets the pretty and genteel schoolteacher Josie Dawson. They begin to date against the will of Preacher Dawson (Josie’s father). Duff tells her he doesn't want to get married. But after visiting his illegitimate son who has been abandoned to the care of a wet nurse, and his drunken father who is barely keeping it together under the care of a loving wife, Duff realizes that he prefers the stability of a family to the life of a drifter. The two marry with bright hopes for the future, but then begin to face a series of challenges as a married couple. Being on the move had given Duff the illusion of freedom, but living in the town makes Duff subject to the town's social rules, and he immediately starts to have problems. He hates his preacher father-in-law, whom he sees as having sold out to the white people, and he hurtfully says to his wife, "You've never really been a nigger, living with them, in that house." After refusing to bow down to the white bosses at the mill he is fired, and subsequently finds himself blacklisted. His father-in-law finally finds him a job at a gas station, but customers who find him too proud for a black "boy" threaten to cause trouble if the boss keeps him on. Duff and his wife get into a fight because of the emotional and physical trials Duff faces, and because of the added pressure that a coming baby adds. Unwilling either to kowtow to white bosses or to pick cotton for $2.50 a day he leaves in a rage, telling his wife that he will write her when he is on his feet again. Duff storms off to his father, who is so inebriated that he dies as Duff and his stepmother are driving him to the hospital. Neither Duff nor his stepmother knows where his father was born or how old he was, and the only possessions he has handed down to Duff are the contents of his pockets. Duff and his stepmother stare at one another, facing the grim reality of the invisibleness and lack of history of the negro. The film concludes as Duff gains the courage to return home with his son, and the two tearfully embrace as he reassures her that "everything is gonna be all right”.
Brother Future, 1h43
Directed by Roy Campanella II
Origin USA
Genres Science fiction, Fantasy
Themes Time travel films
Actors O'Neal Compton, Carl Lumbly, Akosua Busia, Phill Lewis, Moses Gunn, Vonetta McGee
Roles Isaac
Rating60% 3.0019753.0019753.0019753.0019753.001975
The movie begins with TJ (Phill Lewis), a high school student from Detroit, selling stolen items to other members of his neighborhood. Upon returning to class, TJ finds he has to write a paper on a famous black person for his Black History class. TJ is later seen selling more stolen material while talking to his friend, but a police officer starts to chase him. While running, TJ gets hit by a car and is knocked unconscious.
Perfect Harmony, 1h33
Directed by Will Mackenzie
Origin USA
Genres Drama
Actors Justin Whalin, Eugene Byrd, Darren McGavin, Peter Scolari, Catherine Mary Stewart, Moses Gunn
Roles Zeke
Rating72% 3.6294453.6294453.6294453.6294453.629445
In 1959, a new teacher named Derek Sanders becomes the new choirmaster for Blanton Academy, a prestigious but all-white private school in South Carolina. Mr. Sanders tries to reduce some of the prejudice and hostility of some of the students in his choir. Paul, a bully who feels he should be lead boy, is the worst offender. Taylor Bradshaw, on the other hand, is impressed by the music of Landy Allen, an African-American boy and grandson of Zeke, the school caretaker. Taylor begins to explore the music and lives of the African-American people who live in Rivertown, despite knowing that it could get him expelled or rejected. Sanders is also impressed by Landy's abilities and attempts to get him involved with the choir. A tragedy in the community brings the race issue to a head.
Leonard Part 6, 1h25
Directed by Paul Weiland
Origin USA
Genres Science fiction, Comedy, Action, Spy
Themes Spy films
Actors Tom Courtenay, Joe Don Baker, Moses Gunn, Gloria Foster, Victoria Rowell, Bill Cosby
Roles Giorgio
Rating22% 1.1062551.1062551.1062551.1062551.106255
Bill Cosby plays Leonard Parker, a former CIA spy. According to the opening sequence of the movie, the title refers to the idea that this film is actually the sixth installment of a series of films featuring the adventures of Leonard, as parts one through five were locked up in the interests of world security.
Bates Motel, 1h30
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Comedy, Horror
Themes Ghost films, Serial killer films
Actors Bud Cort, Lori Petty, Moses Gunn, Gregg Henry, Khrystyne Haje, Jason Bateman
Roles Henry Watson
Rating38% 1.9176851.9176851.9176851.9176851.917685
Alex West (Bud Cort) roomed and became close friends with Norman Bates at the state lunatic asylum for nearly 20 years. After Bates' death, Alex finds that he is named in Norman's will as the inheritor of the Bates Motel, which has been vacant since Norman's arrest. Alex travels to Bates' California hometown (which this film has renamed Fairville from the original film's Fairvale) and with a little help from teenage runaway Willie (Lori Petty) and local handyman Henry Watson (Moses Gunn), Alex struggles to re-open the motel for business, only to have strange things happen.
Heartbreak Ridge, 2h5
Directed by Clint Eastwood
Origin USA
Genres Drama, War, Comedy, Action, Adventure
Themes Seafaring films, Transport films, United States Armed Forces in films
Actors Clint Eastwood, Marsha Mason, Everett McGill, Mario Van Peebles, Moses Gunn, Eileen Heckart
Roles Staff Sergeant Webster
Rating68% 3.400463.400463.400463.400463.40046
Gunnery Sergeant Thomas Highway (Clint Eastwood) is nearing mandatory retirement from the Marine Corps when he finagles a transfer back to his old unit. On the bus trip to his new assignment, he meets fellow passenger "Stitch" Jones (Mario Van Peebles), a flashy wannabe rock musician who borrows money for a meal at a rest stop and then steals Highway's bus ticket, leaving him stranded.
Certain Fury, 1h27
Directed by Stephen Gyllenhaal
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Action, Crime
Themes Transport films, Road movies, Chase films
Actors Tatum O'Neal, Irene Cara, Nicholas Campbell, George Murdock, Moses Gunn, Peter Fonda
Roles Dr. Freeman
Rating53% 2.6578552.6578552.6578552.6578552.657855
Scarlett (Tatum O'Neal) is a hardened street kid who supports herself with prostitution and drug dealing. Facing charges for killing a client, Scarlett is brought to court. At court, she briefly encounters Tracy Freeman (Irene Cara). Tracy, a doctor's daughter, has been arrested for drug possession and resisting arrest. Tracy admits to using racial slurs against the white officer who arrested her, implying that he also used racial slurs toward her.
Firestarter, 1h54
Directed by Mark L. Lester
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Science fiction, Thriller, Fantastic, Fantasy, Action, Horror
Actors Drew Barrymore, David Keith, George C. Scott, Freddie Jones, Heather Locklear, Martin Sheen
Roles Dr. Pynchot
Rating61% 3.0516953.0516953.0516953.0516953.051695
Andy McGee (David Keith) met his future wife, Vicky Tomlinson (Heather Locklear), in college while they were earning money by participating in an experiment in which they were given a dose of a low-grade hallucinogen called LOT-6. The experiment grants Vicky the ability to read minds; Andy can make people do and believe what he wants, but the effort gives him nosebleeds (the novel revealing them to be "pinprick" hemorrhages). Andy and Vicky went on to get married, and they now have a nine-year-old daughter named Charlene "Charlie" McGee (Drew Barrymore), who can start fires with very little effort.
The NeverEnding Story, 1h34
Directed by Wolfgang Petersen
Origin German
Genres Drama, Science fiction, Fantastic, Fantasy, Adventure, Horror
Themes L'adolescence, Films about animals, Inspiré de l'univers des contes et légendes, Films about education, Films about children, Films about magic and magicians, Monde imaginaire, Films about religion, Films about dragons, L'enfance marginalisée, Films about Jews and Judaism, Children's films, Golem, Films about school violence
Actors Noah Hathaway, Barret Oliver, Tami Stronach, Moses Gunn, Thomas Hill, Alan Oppenheimer
Roles Cairon - Empress' Servant
Rating72% 3.648683.648683.648683.648683.64868
Bastian Balthazar Bux (Barret Oliver), a shy and friendless bibliophile child, hides in a bookstore, interrupting the grumpy bookseller, Mr. Coreander (Thomas Hill). Bastian asks about one of the books he sees, but Mr. Coreander advises against it; despite which, Bastian seizes the book, leaving a note promising to return it, and hides in the school's attic to read. The book describes the world of Fantasia threatened by a force called "The Nothing"; where the Childlike Empress (Tami Stronach) who rules over Fantasia has fallen ill, and has summoned Atreyu (Noah Hathaway) to discover the cure. Atreyu is therefore given the AURYN. As Atreyu sets out, the Nothing summons Gmork (voiced by Alan Oppenheimer), a werewolf, to kill Atreyu.
Amityville II: The Possession, 1h44
Directed by Damiano Damiani
Origin USA
Genres Thriller, Fantastic, Horror
Themes Films about families, Films about religion, Films about sexuality, Demons in film, Ghost films
Actors James Olson, Burt Young, Rutanya Alda, Diane Franklin, Jack Magner, Andrew Prine
Roles Turner
Rating56% 2.8015752.8015752.8015752.8015752.801575
The Montelli family; father Anthony (Young), mother Dolores (Alda), elder son Sonny (Magner), elder teenaged daughter Patricia (Franklin) and two younger kids, move into what they think would be the house of their dreams. Initially things begin well, but everything changes after it is discovered that there is a tunnel leading into the house - from where is unknown.
Ragtime
Ragtime (1981)
, 2h35
Directed by Miloš Forman
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Historical
Themes Politique
Actors James Cagney, Brad Dourif, Moses Gunn, Elizabeth McGovern, Kenneth McMillan, Howard Rollins
Roles Booker T. Washington
Rating72% 3.6469253.6469253.6469253.6469253.646925
The film begins with a newsreel montage, depicting celebrities of the turn of the 20th century such as Harry Houdini, Theodore Roosevelt, and the architect Stanford White (Norman Mailer), as well as life in New York. The newsreel is accompanied by ragtime pianist Coalhouse Walker, Jr. (Howard E. Rollins, Jr.). The millionaire industrialist Harry Kendall Thaw (Robert Joy), who makes a scene when White's latest creation, a nude statue on the roof of Madison Square Garden, is unveiled. The model for the statue is Evelyn Nesbit (Elizabeth McGovern), a former chorus girl who is now Thaw's wife. Thaw becomes convinced White has corrupted Evelyn and humiliated him, and publicly shoots White, killing him.
The Ninth Configuration, 1h58
Directed by William Peter Blatty
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Thriller, Fantastic, Comedy, Horror comedy, Horror
Themes Medical-themed films, Psychologie, Films about religion, Films about psychiatry, Comedy horror films, Films set in psychiatric hospitals
Actors Stacy Keach, Scott Wilson, Jason Miller, Ed Flanders, Neville Brand, George DiCenzo
Roles Maj. Nammack
Rating67% 3.3976453.3976453.3976453.3976453.397645
In the 1970s, a large castle is used by the US Government as an insane asylum for military personnel. Among the many patients there is a former astronaut, Billy Cutshaw (Scott Wilson), who aborted a moon launch and was dragged screaming from the capsule, suffering from an apparent mental breakdown.
Remember My Name, 1h34
Directed by Alan Rudolph
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Thriller
Actors Anthony Perkins, Geraldine Chaplin, Moses Gunn, Berinthia Berenson, Jeff Goldblum, Dennis Franz
Roles Pike
Rating62% 3.148563.148563.148563.148563.14856
Neil Curry (Perkins) is living a happy life with his second wife Barbara (Berenson) in California after abandoning his first wife, Emily (Chaplin) in New York. Their life of domestic bliss is interrupted when Emily comes back from prison, where she served a 12-year sentence for murdering Neil's former lover. She arrives in California to wreak havoc and also to claim back Neil.
Roots (TV miniseries), 9h30
Directed by Gilbert Moses, Marvin J. Chomsky, John Erman, David Greene, David Green
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Historical
Themes Films set in Africa, Films about slavery, Films about racism
Actors John Amos, Ben Vereen, LeVar Burton, Louis Gossett Jr., Georg Stanford Brown, Leslie Uggams
Roles Kintango
Rating83% 4.198614.198614.198614.198614.19861
In The Gambia, West Africa, in 1750 Kunta Kinte is born to Omoro Kinte (Thalmus Rasulala), a Mandinka warrior, and his wife, Binta (Cicely Tyson). When Kunta (LeVar Burton) reaches the age of 15, he and a group of other adolescent boys take part in tribal manhood training, ending with a ceremony, after which they become recognized as men and Mandinka warriors. While trying to carry out a task to catch a bird and take it home unharmed, Kunta sees white men carrying firearms, along with their black collaborators. Later, while fetching wood outside his village to make a drum for his younger brother, Kunta is captured by black collaborators under the direction of white men. He is then sold to a slave trader and placed aboard a ship under the command of Capt. Thomas Davies (Edward Asner) for a three-month journey to Colonial America. During the voyage a group of rebels among the human cargo try but fail to stage a mutiny and to take over the ship.
Rollerball
Rollerball (1975)
, 2h
Directed by Norman Jewison
Origin USA
Genres Science fiction, Social science fiction, Action, Adventure
Themes Seafaring films, Sports films, Transport films, Films set in the future, Roller derby, Political films, Dystopian films
Actors James Caan, John Houseman, Maud Adams, John Beck, Moses Gunn, Ralph Richardson
Roles Cletus
Rating64% 3.247423.247423.247423.247423.24742
The film follows Jonathan E. (James Caan), the veteran star of the Houston rollerball team. By virtue of his stellar performance over the years, Jonathan has become the most recognizable Rollerballer in history; everyone recognizes him on sight. This is problematic for the hegemonic corporations. After another impressive performance in Houston's victory over the Madrid team, Energy Corporation chairman Mr. Bartholomew (John Houseman) announces that the corporation, running out of ways to reward its champion, will feature Jonathan in a "multivision" special devoted to his career.