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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 detailed form
YearNameJobRoles
2023Nothing But a ManActorMill Hand
1991Brother FutureActorIsaac
1991Perfect HarmonyActorZeke
1987Bates MotelActorHenry Watson
1987Leonard Part 6ActorGiorgio
1986Heartbreak RidgeActorStaff Sergeant Webster
1985Certain FuryActorDr. Freeman
1984FirestarterActorDr. Pynchot
1984The NeverEnding StoryActorCairon - Empress' Servant
1982Amityville II: The PossessionActorTurner
1981RagtimeActorBooker T. Washington
1980The Ninth ConfigurationActorMaj. Nammack
1978Remember My NameActorPike
1977Roots (TV miniseries)ActorKintango
1975RollerballActorCletus
1975Aaron Loves AngelaActorIke
1975Cornbread, Earl and MeActorBenjamin Blackwell
1974Amazing GraceActorWelton J Waters
1973The Iceman ComethActorJoe Mott
1972Shaft's Big Score!ActorBumpy Jonas
1972Eagle in a CageActorGeneral Gourgaud
1972The Hot RockActorDr. Amusa
1972Haunts of the Very RichActorSeacrist
1971ShaftActorBumpy Jonas
1971Wild RoversActorBen
1970The Great White HopeActorScipio
1970WUSAActorClotho
1970Carter's ArmyActorPvt. Doc Hayes