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Jester Hairston (1901–2000)

Actor | Music Department | Soundtrack

Composer, songwriter, conductor, singer and actor, educated at Tufts University, Juilliard, and the University of the Pacific (hon. Mus. D.). He acted on radio and television besides on film, and played Leroy on the "Amos 'n Andy" radio series for fifteen years. He directed the Federal Theatre Project... See full bio »

Born:

Jester Joseph Hairston
in Belews Creek, North Carolina, USA

Died:

(age 98) in Los Angeles, California, USA
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Known For


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Filmography

Hide HideActor (61 titles)
1999 Being John Malkovich
Lester's Friend (uncredited)
 
1993 Family Matters (TV series)
William
– Mama's Wedding (1993) … William
 
1986-1991 Amen (TV series)
Rolly Forbes
– Deliverance: Part 2 (1991) … Rolly Forbes
– Deliverance: Part 1 (1991) … Rolly Forbes
– Date with an Angel (1991) … Rolly Forbes
– Three's a Crowd (1991) … Rolly Forbes
– The Wild Deak (1991) … Rolly Forbes
See all 109 episodes »
 
1988 I'm Gonna Git You Sucka
Pop
 
1976 The Last Tycoon
Waiter in Stahr's Office (uncredited)
 
1976 The Bingo Long Traveling All-Stars & Motor Kings
Furry Taylor
 
1975 Harry O (TV series)
Jefferson Johnson
– Tender Killing Care (1975) … Jefferson Johnson
 
1974-1975 That's My Mama (TV series)
Wildcat
– Stephanie's Boyfriend (1975) … Wildcat
– Clifton and Politics (1975) … Wildcat
– Trial and Error (1975) … Wildcat
– The Image Maker (1975) … Wildcat
– The Hero (1975) … Wildcat
See all 22 episodes »
 
1972 Lady Sings the Blues
The Butler
 
1972 Nichols (TV series)
Melville
– Eddie Joe (1972) … Melville
 
1969 The Virginian (TV series)
John Douglas
– The Long Ride Home (1969) … John Douglas
 
1969 The Outcasts (TV series)
Daniel
– Give Me Tomorrow (1969) … Daniel
 
1968 Finian's Rainbow
Passion Pilgrim Gospeleer (uncredited)
 
1967 In the Heat of the Night
Butler
 
1964 Hazel (TV series)
Marvin
– Everybody's a Comedian (1964) … Marvin
 
1962 To Kill a Mockingbird
Spence Robinson - Tom's Father (uncredited)
 
1962 Have Gun - Will Travel (TV series)
Euclid - Lacey's Servant / Moses - The Old Man
– Penelope (1962) … Euclid - Lacey's Servant
– The Waiting Room (1962) … Moses - The Old Man
 
1961 Summer and Smoke
Thomas (uncredited)
 
1961 Thriller (TV series)
Papa Benjamin
– Papa Benjamin (1961) … Papa Benjamin
 
1960 The Alamo
Jethro
 
1960 Raymie
Ransom
 
1960 The Man in the Moon (TV movie)
 
1959 Rawhide (TV series)
Zachariah
– Incident on the Edge of Madness (1959) … Zachariah
 
1958 St. Louis Blues
Choir Member (uncredited)
 
1958 The Court of Last Resort (TV series)
Seth
– The Stephen Lowell Case (1958) … Seth
 
1957 Studio 57 (TV series)
Thomas
– The Alibi (1957) … Thomas
 
1956 Full of Life
Train Porter (uncredited)
 
1956 Tension at Table Rock
Black Janitor (uncredited)
 
1956 The 20th Century-Fox Hour (TV series)
Jacob
– Deception (1956) … Jacob
 
1956 Gunsmoke (TV series)
Wellington
– Professor Lute Bone (1956) … Wellington
 
1955 Screen Directors Playhouse (TV series)
Train Cook
– Life of Vernon Hathaway (1955) … Train Cook (uncredited)
 
1955 Pete Kelly's Blues
Mourner, Pre-Credit Sequence (uncredited)
 
1955 You Are There (TV series)
Thornton
– The Emancipation Proclamation (January 1, 1863) (1955) … Thornton
 
1955 Tarzan's Hidden Jungle
Witch Doctor (uncredited)
 
1954 Tanganyika
Singer (uncredited)
 
1954 Gypsy Colt
Carl
 
1951-1953 The Amos 'n Andy Show (TV series)
Henry Van Porter / Leroy Smith / Grocery Store Man / …
– The New Neighbors (1953) … Landlord
– The Adoption (1953) … Mr. Phillips
– Kingfish Goes to Work (1953) … Mr. Johnson
– The Piggy Bank (1952) … Grocery Store Man (uncredited)
– Relatives (1951) … Leroy Smith (uncredited)
See all 10 episodes »
 
1953 So This Is Love
Preacher (uncredited)
 
1952 We're Not Married!
Lead Christmas Caroler (uncredited)
 
1950 The Moods (short)
Choir Director (as Jester J. Hairston)
 
1950 Folk Lore (short)
Choir Director (as Jester J. Hairston)
 
1950 Long Remembrances (short)
Choir Director (as Jester J. Hairston)
 
1950 Highlights of Long Ago (short)
Choir Director (as Jester J. Hairston)
 
1950 Glory Filled Spirituals (short)
Choir Director (as Jester J. Hairston)
 
1950 Tunes That Live (short)
Choir Director (as Jester J. Hairston)
 
1950 Memorable Gems (short)
Choir Director (as Jester J. Hairston)
 
1950 The Tradition (short)
Choir Director (as Jester J. Hairston)
 
1950 Southern A Capella (short)
Choir Director (as Jester J. Hairston)
 
1949 Cherished Melodies (short)
Choir Director (as Jester J. Hairston)
 
1949 Melodies Reborn (short)
Choir Director (as Jester J. Hairston)
 
1949 Symphonic Shades (short)
Choir Director (as Jester J. Hairston)
 
1949 Melodius Sketches (short)
Choir Director (as Jester J. Hairston)
 
1949 Visions and Voices (short)
Choir Director (as Jester J. Hairston)
 
1949 Melodic Spirituals (short)
Choir Director (as Jester J. Hairston)
 
1949 Treasured Ballads (short)
Choir Director (as Jasper J. Hairston)
 
1942 Tales of Manhattan
Undetermined Role (uncredited)
 
1942 In This Our Life
Black Man in Jail (uncredited)
 
1942 The Vanishing Virginian
Mover (uncredited)
 
1941 Sullivan's Travels
Charlie - Church Projectionist (uncredited)
 
1941 Sundown
Native Boy (uncredited)
 
1936 The Green Pastures
Member of Hall Johnson Choir (uncredited)
 
Show ShowMusic Department (29 titles)
1963 Lilies of the Field (music arranger: vocal arrangements)
 
1957 Band of Angels (choral director - uncredited)
 
1955 Land of the Pharaohs (choral director - uncredited)
 
1954 Carmen Jones (choral director - uncredited, vocal coach - uncredited)
 
1954 The Gambler from Natchez (composer: additional music - uncredited)
 
1953 The Sun Shines Bright (music arranger - uncredited)
 
1950 The Moods (short) (musical director - as Jester J. Hairston)
 
1950 Folk Lore (short) (musical director - as Jester J. Hairston)
 
1950 Long Remembrances (short) (musical director - as Jester J. Hairston)
 
1950 Highlights of Long Ago (short) (musical director - as Jester J. Hairston)
 
1950 Glory Filled Spirituals (short) (musical director - as Jester J. Hairston)
 
1950 Tunes That Live (short) (musical director - as Jester J. Hairston)
 
1950 Memorable Gems (short) (musical director - as Jester J. Hairston)
 
1950 The Tradition (short) (musical director - as Jester J. Hairston)
 
1950 Southern A Capella (short) (musical director - as Jester J. Hairston)
 
1949 Cherished Melodies (short) (musical director - as Jester J. Hairston)
 
1949 Melodies Reborn (short) (musical director - as Jester J. Hairston)
 
1949 Symphonic Shades (short) (musical director - as Jester J. Hairston)
 
1949 She Wore a Yellow Ribbon (choral director - uncredited)
 
1949 Melodius Sketches (short) (musical director - as Jester J. Hairston)
 
1949 Visions and Voices (short) (musical director - as Jester J. Hairston)
 
1949 Melodic Spirituals (short) (music supervisor - as Jester J. Hairston)
 
1949 Treasured Ballads (short) (musical director - as Jester J. Hairston)
 
1948 Red River (choral director - uncredited)
 
1947 The Foxes of Harrow (vocal coach - uncredited)
 
1946 Duel in the Sun (choral director - uncredited)
 
1944 The Negro Soldier (documentary short) (choral director - uncredited)
 
1942 The Vanishing Virginian (music arranger: negro spirituals)
 
1937 Lost Horizon (choral director - uncredited)
 
Show ShowSoundtrack (7 titles)
2011 Sing Your Song (documentary) (writer: "Amen")
 
2009 Loose Women (TV series)
– Episode #14.75 (2009) (writer: "Mary's Boy Child - Oh My Lord")
 
2000 Dream a Dream: Charlotte Church in the Holy Land (video documentary) ("Mary's Boy Child")
 
1968 Finian's Rainbow (performer: "The Begat" 1946 - uncredited)
 
1963 Lilies of the Field (performer: "Amen" - uncredited / "Amen" - uncredited)
 
1954 Tanganyika (writer: "FUNERAL CHANT" - uncredited, "NATIVE CHANT AND DRUMS" - uncredited, "NUKUMBI WARRIORS' SONG" - uncredited, "NUKUMBI DANCE SONG" - uncredited)
 
1953 The Sun Shines Bright (arranger: "My Old Kentucky Home" - uncredited, "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot" - uncredited, "Deep River" - uncredited)
 
Show ShowWriter (1 title)
1930 Deep South
 
Show ShowSelf (3 titles)
1999 60 Minutes (TV series documentary)
Himself - Conductor (segment "Family Ties")
– The Minister's Blessing/Family Ties/Classic: The Trashing of Clayton Hartwig (1999) … Himself - Conductor (segment "Family Ties")
 
1988 Ebony/Jet Showcase (TV series)
Himself
– Episode dated 29 July 1988 (1988) … Himself
 
1951 Yes Sir, Mr. Bones
Himself
 
Show ShowArchive Footage (2 titles)
1999 60 Minutes (TV series documentary)
 
1992 John Wayne's 'The Alamo' (video documentary short)
Jethro
 

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Personal Details

Other Works:

Appeared in the DC Talk music video "Colored People" (1996) See more »

Publicity Listings:

1 Print Biography  | See more »

Alternate Names:

Jasper J. Hairston | Jester J. Hairston
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Did You Know?

Trivia:

Portrayed King Moses on the syndicated radio show "Bold Venture" (1950-1952). See more »

Nickname:

Rolly See more »

Star Sign:

Cancer