Melvin Van Peebles
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
Homicide: Life on the Street
1993
Girlfriends
2000
Living Single
1993
Dream On
1990
Last Action Hero
1993
The Shining
1997
Jaws: The Revenge
1987
Hollywood Black
2024
0Pour le plaisir
1964
Hallmark Hall of Fame
1951
Boomerang
1992
Terminal Velocity
1994
Filmography
Homicide: Life on the Street
as Bennett Jackson · 1993
Girlfriends
as Kenneth Daly · 2000
Living Single
· 1993
Dream On
as Norman Green · 1990
Last Action Hero
as Self · 1993
The Shining
as Richard Hallorann · 1997
Jaws: The Revenge
as Mr. Witherspoon · 1987
Hollywood Black
as Self (archive footage) · 2024
Pour le plaisir
as Self · 1964
Hallmark Hall of Fame
as Bucket · 1951
Boomerang
as Editor · 1992
Terminal Velocity
as Noble · 1994
Satchmo: The Life of Louis Armstrong
as Louis Armstrong (voice) · 1992
Sex: The Revolution
as Self · 2008
Fist of the North Star
as Asher · 1995
Posse
as Papa Joe · 1993
The Sophisticated Gents
as Walter 'Moon' Porter · 1981
The Hebrew Hammer
as Sweetback · 2003
Seize millions de jeunes
as Self · 1964
Panther
as Old Jail Bird · 1995
American Swing
as Self · 2009
Sonny Spoon
· 1988
True Identity
as Taxi Driver · 1991
Peeples
as Grandpa Peeples · 2013
Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song
as Sweetback · 1971
Hard Luck
as Hospital Prophet · 2006
The Black Power Mixtape 1967-1975
as Self (voice) · 2011
Making 'Do the Right Thing'
as Self · 1989
O.C. and Stiggs
as Wino Bob · 1987
Armed
as Grandpa V. · 2018
Gang in Blue
as Andre Speier · 1996
How to Eat Your Watermelon in White Company (and Enjoy It)
· 2005
Midnight Blue, Vol. 3: Celebrities Edition
as Self (archive footage) · 2006
Oscar Micheaux: The Superhero of Black Filmmaking
as Self · 2021
BaadAsssss Cinema
as Self · 2002
The Black List: Volume Two
as Self · 2009
Watermelon Man
as Sign Painter (uncredited) · 1970
Taking Care of Terrific
as Hawk · 1988
Sweet Black Film: The Birth of the Black Hero in Hollywood
as Self · 2022
Riot
as Vernon · 1997
Farewell, Babylon!
as Self · 1993
Blackout
as George · 2007
Confessions of a Ex-Doofus-ItchyFooted Mutha
as Melvin Van Peebles · 2008
René Vautier, le rebelle
as Self · 2000
Love Kills
as Able · 1999
Calm at Sunset
as Mr. Bucket · 1996
Redemption Road
as Elmo · 2011
Classified X
as Self · 1998
Wattstax
as Self · 1973
Identity Crisis
as The Inspector · 1989
Directors on Directing
as Self · 2009
Infiltrating Hollywood: The Rise and Fall of the Spook Who Sat by the Door
· 2011
America
as Man Interviewed · 1986
SMUT
as Elmoore · 2006
Salty Dog Blues
as Self (Interviewee) · 2012
The Real Deal: What It Is
as Self · 2003
Unstoppable
as Self · 2005
Sunlight
· 1957