Moses Gunn

Authoritative black character actor of film and TV also enjoyed a successful career on stage. Gunn made his NY stage debut in the original off-Broadway production of Jean Genet's "The Blacks" (1962). A co-founder of the celebrated Negro Ensemble Company, he distinguished himself in many of their productions, notably "The First Breeze of Summer" (1975). Gunn was also known for his Shakespearean performances with the Yale Repertory Theatre and the New York Shakespeare Festival.

Gunn rarely had comparable roles to showcase his talents in films but his large, regal features and booming yet somewhat raspy voice stood out during his 25-year film career. Gunn may be best remembered as Bumpy Jonas, the powerful Harlem gangster whose daughter is kidnapped in Gordon Parks' "Shaft" (1971). He reprised that role in Parks' "Shaft's Big Score" (1972). Gunn was also memorable as Booker T. Washington in "Ragtime" (1981). His last major film was Clint Eastwood's "Heartbreak Ridge" (1986) in which he played aging vet Sergeant Webster.

Gunn also worked extensively in TV. He was nominated for an Emmy for his portrayal of African chief Kintango in the first installment of "Roots" (ABC, 1977). Gunn joined the cast of the hit CBS sitcom, "Good Times" in 1977 as Carl Dixon, the appliance store owner who marries the widowed Esther Rolle and whisks her away from the projects. He was also a guest star on numerous series including "The Cosby Show", "Equal Justice" and "Homicide".

• Born:
  October 2, 1929 in St Louis, Missouri
• Died:
  December 16, 1993.
• Job Titles:
  Actor, Teacher of speech and drama, Theatrical director

Family

• Father: George Gunn.
• Mother: Mary Gunn.

Education

• University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas

Milestones

• 1938 Began performing dramatic readings at the age of nine (date approximate)
• 1941 Mother died when Gunn was 12 (date approximate)
• 1946 Moved into the home of English and diction teacher, Jewel Richie (date approximate)
• 1962 Stage acting debut, Genet's "The Blacks"
• 1964 Film debut, "Nothing But A Man"
• 1974 Starred in short-lived ABC-TV version of the John Wayne-starrer, "The Cowboys"
• 1977 Joined the cast of the popular CBS sitcom, "Good Times"
• 1989 Cast as a regular on "A Man Called Hawk", the spinoff from "Spencer: For Hire"
• Final stage appearances included Athol Fugard's, "Blood Knot" and "My Children, My Africa"
• Hired as an understudy in the original off-Broadway production of Jean Genet's "The Blacks"
• Moved to New York
• Taught speech and drama at Grambling College in Louisiana to earn enough money to move to NY
• While an undergraduate, founded the Footlights Across Tennessee theater company; toured colleges in the South and the Midwest