A Worthy Supporting Role

The Oscars are upon us yet again. This Hollywood ritual is noted as much for its mistakes as it is for its successes in honoring the best films. Debatable decisions by the members of the Academy are pretty much par for the course. "Rocky" for Best Picture? Really...

One of my favorite categories is the "Supporting Actor" (or actress). These actors' roles and performances often pump a lot of life into their respective films -- just think of Walter Houston's famous turn in "The Treasure of the Sierra Madre."

But a small supporting role that I've always admired is in one of my favorite films, "Sahara." No, not that train wreck of a film made in 2005, but the really first-rate Humphrey Bogart World War II movie made in 1943.

No doubt about it, this film is a piece of propaganda. But it's good propaganda, and supports a just cause. In the film we follow an American tank crew, cut off from their unit, and forced to flee across the trackless desert to safety. Along the way the American crew picks up a veritable U.N. of supporting characters: an Irish doctor, British and Commonwealth soldiers, a Free French fighter, a sympathetic Italian prisoner, a bad Nazi pilot (deliciously played by Kurt Kruger), and most surprisingly, a black soldier.

Conveniently, this black man isn't an American soldier (too many issues there!) but is a "colonial Sudanese" -- Sergeant Major Tambul. Tambul is portrayed by the veteran character actor Rex Ingram, who invests him with a quiet dignity and professionalism that is totally at odds with the "Amos and Andy" stereotypes so popular in those days. Sergeant Major Tambul is skilled, professional, loyal, and brave. And in the end he sacrifices himself to save our band of heroes.

It's a well-written role, and well-played by Ingram. No doubt he found it a highly satisfying role, after many years of playing stereotypical African natives and the like. Ingram's character is treated as an equal by the fellow soldiers of his lost detachment.

Like I said, it's a piece of propaganda. But with a good message, and in the case of Rex Ingram's role, a message with a positive model, portrayed with dignity.

A Worthy Supporting Actor

Ken's post reminded me of another outstanding African-American actor, Mantan Moreland. Beginning in 1933, Moreland's career stretched over 100 films and several TV appearances before his death in 1973. Considered a major star –- or as much of one as an actor of color could be at the time –- his sophisticated, deceptively simple humor made him popular among both black and white audiences (although probably for different reasons). In the 1940's it was not unusual for him to receive top billing immediately beneath the white leads.

I’ve written before about what the uncurious miss –- and without the continual exposure to new things I receive from podcasts, I would have missed Mantan Moreland. One of the ClashTV.com’s podcast episodes was “King of the Zombies.” a 1941 “B” picture. It was competently filmed and acted and without Moreland would have been another pleasant but forgettable movie to watch.

Moreland’s running commentary on the action and witty asides made his performance practically leap off the screen -- raising the entire film several notches in my option. The highpoint of the picture were his scenes with Marguerite Whitten, an actress who also pushed the limits of what African-Americans were allowed to portray in film.

Click here for a sample of their by-play.

I’ll continue exploring Moreland’s work, now that I’m aware of him. Just another example of what’s out there -– if you’re curious.

- Ralph

In praise of lesser men and women

I was watching an episode of "Have Gun Will Travel," late 1950's western starring Richard Boone. As with a lot of vintage TV shows and movies, part of the fun is seeing Famous stars back in their salad days as extras or members of the supporting cast.

In this particular episode the guest star was John Abbott, a character actor I had seen many times before. Character actors don't seem to get much attention with the general public. After all, they're never the stars of the show, and often just have a scene or two. And they basically play the same part over and over.

John Abbott was such an actor, usually appearing as an urbane villain or eccentric intellectual, always speaking with a cultured British accent. In the episode "Shot by Request," he plays a scholar who, for self-preservation, learns to handle a gun and ends up earning a reputation as a gunfighter (so this was one of those eccentric intellectual roles).

On a whim, I decided to look him up to see what other films I had seen him in. And what I got was a little surprising. Because this person who I had never really thought much about had a long and distinguished career beyond his typecast roles.

John Abbott (1905-1996) was a well-respected Shakespearean actor before coming to the United States in the 1940's and started working in films. He was as cultured in real life as he appeared on screen -- in addition to working with some of the greatest classical actors of his day (such as Laurence Olivier), Abbott served with the British Embassy in Moscow when the Second World War broke out.

He worked extensively on stage (and was to have originated the lead role in "Harvey"), and actually had a play written in verse for him -- by Tennessee Williams. And he also taught the art of acting to a rising generation of future stars (and character actors). And he also did voice over work, appearing as the wolf in Disney's "The Jungle Book."

It was an impressive career.

And that got me thinking:

John Abbott was but one of many actors who appear fleetingly in films, TV shows and stage dramas that never reach "stardom."

How many others are there whose creative lives were far richer than their stereotyped roles might suggest?

I'll be paying even more attention than ever to those "other" actors!