Arthur Wellesley French Jr.[1] (November 6, 1931 – July 24, 2021) was an American actor and director, best known for his work in the theatre.
Arthur French | |
|---|---|
| Born | Arthur Wellesley French Jr. November 6, 1931 New York City, U.S. |
| Died | July 24, 2021 (aged 89) New York City, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Actor, director |
| Years active | 1960s–2021 |
| Spouse | Antoinette Williams[1] |
| Children | 2 |
Life and career
French was born in Harlem, New York City, on November 6, 1931,[1] the son of Arthur and Ursilla French, who both emigrated to the U.S. from Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.[2][3]
Throughout a career that spans over fifty years, French is best known for his work on the stage. He worked extensively with the Negro Ensemble Company (NEC) and has played a wide variety of roles. He was also a supporting character in the 1976 comedy film Car Wash.[citation needed]
His later film credits were in 2 Days in New York and Red Hook Summer, both released in August 2012. He died on July 24, 2021, at the age of 89 in Manhattan, New York.[1]
Selected credits
Theatre
Acting
| Year | Production | Role | Theatre(s) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1962 | Raisin' Hell in the Son | Provincetown Playhouse | ||
| 1969 | Ceremonies in Dark Old Men[4] | William Jenkins | St. Mark's Playhouse | |
| 1971 | Black Girl[5] | Earl | Theatre de Lys | |
| 1971 | Ain't Supposed to Die a Natural Death[1] | Ethel Barrymore Theatre | ||
| 1978 | Nevis Mountain Dew[6] | Ayton Morris | St. Mark's Playhouse | |
| 1981 | The Amen Corner | Brother Boxer | Crossroads Theater Company | |
| 1983 | You Can't Take It With You[7] | Donald | Plymouth Theatre Royale Theatre | |
| 1991 | Mule Bone[8] | Rev. Singletary Mayor Joe Clark (understudy) | Ethel Barrymore Theatre | |
| 1995 | Henry VI[9] | Earl of Salisbury | Theater at St. Clements Church | |
| 2001 | Fire Drill | Carl | Urban Stages | Part of "Free Market," a collection of eight short plays. |
| Kickin Summit | Ski | Urban Stages | Part of "Free Market," a collection of eight short plays. | |
| Give Us This Day | Dad | Urban Stages | Part of "Free Market," a collection of eight short plays. | |
| The Border Crossers Lounge | Mother Perez | Urban Stages | Part of "Free Market," a collection of eight short plays. | |
| 2005 | The Master Builder[10] | Doctor Herdal | Pearl Theatre | |
| 2006 | Two Trains Running[11] | Holloway | Peter Norton Space | Lucille Lortel Award, Outstanding Featured Actor |
| 2007 | Dividing the Estate[12] | Doug | 59E59 Theater A | |
| 2009 | Medea | The Riverside Theatre | ||
| The Book of Lambert | La MaMa etc. | |||
| Dividing the Estate | Doug | Hartford Stage |
Directing
| Year | Production | Theatre(s) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1967 | One Last Look[13] | Old Reliable Theatre Tavern | One of the first produced plays written by steve carter |
Film
Acting
| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 1976 | Car Wash | Charlie |
| 1986 | 'Round Midnight | Booker |
| 1992 | Malcolm X[1] | Pullman Porter |
| 1994 | Crooklyn | West Indian Store Manager |
| 2012 | Where is Joel Baum? | Detective Robertson |
| 2013 | 2 Days in New York | Lee Robinson |
| Movie 43 | Old Man | |
| 2014 | God's Pocket | Lucien "Old Lucy" Edwards |
Television
Acting
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1986–1987 | Another World | Al Edwards | 2 episodes |
| 2018 | New Amsterdam | Brent | Season 1, Episode 15 |
References
External links
- Arthur French at the Internet Broadway Database
- Arthur French at IMDb
- Arthur French at the Internet Off-Broadway Database
- Arthur French at the Internet Theatre Database
