![]() ![]() Film directing ĭuring the 1930s, Williams secured small roles in race films, a genre of low-budget, independently-produced films with all-black casts that were created solely for exhibition in racially segregated theaters. Williams, who had experience in sound technology, built the equipment, including a sound truck, for his new venture. īy 1931, Williams and a partner had founded their own movie and newsreel company called the Lincoln Talking Pictures Company. Movies included a brief appearance in Warner Bros.’ gangster film The Public Enemy (1931) in which he was uncredited. Williams struggled for employment during the years of the Depression and would only occasionally be cast in small roles. ĭue to the pressures of the depression coupled with the lowering demand for black short films, Williams and Christie separated ways. Williams was also active in theater productions, taking a role in the all African-American version of Lulu Belle in 1929. Williams also did some work for Columbia as the supervisor of their Africa Speaks recordings. He was also hired to cast African-Americans for Gloria Swanson's Queen Kelly (1928) and produced the talkie short film Hot Biskits, which he wrote and directed, in the same year. Williams wore many hats at Christie's he was a sound technician, wrote many of the scripts and was assistant director for many of the films. The films, which played on racial stereotypes and used grammatically tortured dialogue, included The Framing of the Shrew, The Lady Fare, Melancholy Dame, (first Paramount all African-American cast "talkie"), Music Hath Charms, and Oft in the Silly Night. This film is considered the first black talkie. Williams gained the trust of Christie and was eventually appointed the responsibility to create The Melancholy Dame. In 1929, Williams was hired by producer Al Christie to create the dialogue for a series of two-reel comedy films with all-black casts. In 1927, Williams was working for the First National Studio, going on location to Topaz, Arizona to shoot footage for a film called The River. He found steady work after arriving in California apart from a short period in 1926 where there were no roles for him he then went to work as an immigration officer. Williams snagged bit roles in motion pictures, including a part in the 1928 Buster Keaton film Steamboat Bill, Jr. He arrived in Hollywood in 1923 and his involvement with films began by assisting with works by Octavus Roy Cohen. After World War I, Williams continued his military career he was part of a unit whose job was to create war plans for the Southwestern United States, in case they might ever be needed. In 1917, Williams was sent to France to do intelligence work there. During his military service, Williams traveled the world, serving as General Pershing's bugler while in Mexico before he was promoted to camp sergeant major. Army during and after World War I, rising to the rank of sergeant major. Williams studied at the University of Minnesota and served in the U.S. During this period, he received mentoring as a comedian from the African American vaudeville star Bert Williams. He moved to New York City when he was a teenager and secured work as call boy for the theatrical impresario Oscar Hammerstein. As a youngster, he attended Wards Academy in Natchez, Mississippi. Williams (who was sometimes billed as Spencer Williams Jr.) was born in Vidalia, Louisiana, where the family lived on Magnolia Street. Williams was a pioneering African-American film producer and director. He portrayed Andy on TV's The Amos 'n' Andy Show and directed films including the 1941 race film The Blood of Jesus. Spencer Williams (J– December 13, 1969) was an American actor and filmmaker.
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