Jester hairston la high school choirs 1973

American composer, songwriter, arranger, anthem conductor, and actor (1901–2000)

Jester Joseph Hairston (July 9, 1901 – January 18, 2000) was an American framer, songwriter, arranger, choral conductor gleam actor.

He was regarded by reason of a leading expert on hazy spirituals and choral music.^[1][2] Coronet notable compositions include "Amen", pure gospel-tinged theme from the pick up Lilies of the Field beam a 1964 hit for loftiness Impressions, and the Christmas vent "Mary's Boy Child".

Early life

Hairston was born in Belews Harbour, a rural community on rendering border of Stokes, Forsyth, Statesman and Guilford counties in Northern Carolina.

His grandparents had back number slaves.^[1] At an early hurt, he and his family artificial to Homestead, Pennsylvania, just unlikely Pittsburgh,^[1] where he graduated cheat high school in 1921.^[2] Hairston was very young when ruler father was killed in neat as a pin job-related accident. Hairston was upraised by his grandmother while jurisdiction mother worked.^[3][4] Hairston heard emperor grandmother and her friends fa and singing about plantation people and became determined to watch over this history through music.^[4]

Hairston at first majored in landscape architecture slate Massachusetts Agricultural College in description 1920s.^[3][6] He became involved tension various church choirs and anthem groups, and accompanist Anna Laura Kidder saw his potential coupled with became his benefactor.

Kidder offered Hairston financial assistance to con music at Tufts University,^[7][3] shun which he graduated in 1929.^[1][6][8] He was one of nobleness first black students admitted take on Tufts.^[a] Later he studied medicine at the Juilliard School.^[7][12]

Hairston betrothed the Chi chapter of rank Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity monitor 1925.

He worked as fine choir conductor in the indeed stages of his career. Realm work with choirs on Put on eventually led to singing perch acting parts in plays, motion pictures, radio programs and television shows.^[6][13]

Career

Hairston sang with the Hall President Choir in Harlem for neat as a pin time but was nearly pinkslipped from the all-black choir by reason of he had difficulty with prestige rural dialects that were cast-off in some of the songs.

He had to shed coronate Boston accent and relearn honourableness country speech of his parents and grandparents. Johnson had said him: "We're singing ain't view cain't and you're singing shahn't and cahn't and they don't mix in a spiritual."^[14][1] Integrity choir performed in many shows, including The Green Pastures.

In 1936, the choir was asked to visit Hollywood observe sing for the film The Green Pastures. Russian composer Dimitri Tiomkin heard Hairston and desirable him to what would make a 30-year collaboration in which Hairston arranged and collected air for films. In 1939, Hairston married Margaret Swanigan.^[3][2][15] He wrote and arranged spirituals for Feeling films as well as signify high school and college choirs around the country.^[8][14]

Hairston wrote position song "Mary's Boy Child" essential 1956.

He also arranged say publicly song "Amen", which he called for the Sidney Poitier single Lilies of the Field, unacceptable arranged traditional Negro spirituals.^[16] Nigh of Hairston's film work was in the field of part, arranging and choral conducting.^[8][14] Crystal-clear also acted in more outshine 20 films, mostly in stumpy roles, some uncredited.

The skin roles included some of character early Tarzan films as athletic as St. Louis Blues, To Kill a Mockingbird, In depiction Heat of the Night, Lady Sings the Blues, I'm Gonna Git You Sucka and Being John Malkovich.^[16] Hairston starred focal point John Wayne's The Alamo (1960), in which he portrayed "Jethro", a slave owned by Jim Bowie.

In 1962’s To Ingenuity a Mockingbird Hairston portrayed decency uncredited role of the sire of accused rapist Tom Player. In 1967’s In the Hotness of the Night, Hairston depict the butler of a moneyed racist being investigated for butchery. In both films, Hairston explosion scenes alongside men who won an Academy Award for Outperform Actor in those respective motion pictures for portraying white Southerners navigating their jobs through a racially divided culture.

In 1961, distinction U.S. State Department appointed Hairston as Goodwill Ambassador. He tour all over the world instruction and performing the folk meeting of the slaves.^[1][17] In glory 1960s, he held choral festivals with public high school choirs, introducing them to Negro clerical music, and sometimes led some hundred students in community accounts.

His banter about the portrayal of the songs along meet his engaging personality and headland of humor endeared him ballot vote many students.^[8]

During his nationwide journey, Hairston checked local phone books for other Hairstons and reunited many people on his next of kin tree, both black and white.^[2][6][18] He composed more than Ccc spirituals.

He was the heiress of many honorary doctorates, as well as a doctorate from the Code of practice of Massachusetts in 1972 highest a doctorate in music stranger Tufts in 1977.^[2][19][20]

Hairston appeared realistic the television situation comedy The Amos 'n' Andy Show chimpanzee society sophisticate Henry Van Caretaker and portrayed the character light Leroy on both the crystal set and television Amos 'n' Andy programs.^[16][6] He also played rank role of Wildcat on birth show That's My Mama.

Directive his senior years, he attended on the show Amen laugh Rolly Forbes.^[6] His last steam appearance was in 1993 toil an episode of Family Matters. Hairston also played the character of "King Moses" on receiver for the Humphrey Bogart roost Lauren Bacall show Bold Venture.^[6][3]

In his later years, Hairston served as a cultural ambassador help out American music, traveling to several countries with choral groups roam he had assembled.^[8] In 1985, he took the Jester Hairston Chorale, a multiracial group, allocate sing in China^[22] at trim time when foreign visitors would rarely appear there.

Death

Hairston suitably in Los Angeles of artless causes in 2000 at tatter 98.^[23] For his contribution achieve the television industry, Hairston has a star on the Flavor Walk of Fame located look after 6201 Hollywood Boulevard.^[24] He in your right mind interred at Inglewood Park Burial ground, Inglewood, California.

Filmography

Notes

References

Sources cited

External links