Melvin Van Peebles
Melvin Van Peebles (born Melvin Peebles; August 21, 1932 – September 21, 2021) was an American actor, filmmaker, writer, and composer. His feature film debut, The Story of a Three-Day Pass (1967), was based on his own French-language novel La Permission and was shot in France, as it was difficult for a black American director to get work at the time. The film won an award at the San Francisco International Film Festival which gained him the interest of Hollywood studios, leading to his American feature debut Watermelon Man, in 1970. Eschewing further overtures from Hollywood, he used the successes he had so far to bankroll his work as an independent filmmaker. In 1971, he released his best-known work, creating and starring in the film Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song, which led to the creation of the blaxploitation genre. although critic Roger Ebert did not consider this example of Van Peebles' work to be an exploitation film. He followed this up with the musical, Don't Play Us Cheap, based on his own stage play, and continued to make films, write novels and stage plays in English and in French through the next several decades; his final films include the French-language film Le Conte du ventre plein (2000) and the absurdist film Confessionsofa Ex-Doofus-ItchyFooted Mutha (2008). His son, filmmaker and actor Mario Van Peebles, appeared in several of his works and portrayed him in the 2003 biographical film Baadasssss!.
Filmography
Sweet Black Film: The Birth of the Black Hero in Hollywood
as Self
Sweet Black Film: The Birth of the Black Hero in Hollywood
as Self
Oscar Micheaux: The Superhero of Black Filmmaking
as Self
Oscar Micheaux: The Superhero of Black Filmmaking
as Self
Armed
as Grandpa V.
Armed
as Grandpa V.
Peeples
as Grandpa Peeples
Peeples
as Grandpa Peeples
Salty Dog Blues
as Self (Interviewee)
Salty Dog Blues
as Self (Interviewee)
Redemption Road
as Elmo
Redemption Road
as Elmo
The Black Power Mixtape 1967-1975
as Self (voice)
The Black Power Mixtape 1967-1975
as Self (voice)
Infiltrating Hollywood: The Rise and Fall of the Spook Who Sat by the Door
Infiltrating Hollywood: The Rise and Fall of the Spook Who Sat by the Door
American Swing
as Self
American Swing
as Self
Directors on Directing
as Self
Directors on Directing
as Self
The Black List: Volume Two
as Self
The Black List: Volume Two
as Self
Confessions of a Ex-Doofus-ItchyFooted Mutha
as Melvin Van Peebles
Confessions of a Ex-Doofus-ItchyFooted Mutha
as Melvin Van Peebles
Blackout
as George
Blackout
as George
Hard Luck
as Hospital Prophet
Hard Luck
as Hospital Prophet
SMUT
as Elmoore
SMUT
as Elmoore
Midnight Blue, Vol. 3: Celebrities Edition
as Self (archive footage)
Midnight Blue, Vol. 3: Celebrities Edition
as Self (archive footage)
How to Eat Your Watermelon in White Company (and Enjoy It)
How to Eat Your Watermelon in White Company (and Enjoy It)
Unstoppable
as Self
Unstoppable
as Self
The Hebrew Hammer
as Sweetback
The Hebrew Hammer
as Sweetback
The Real Deal: What It Is
as Self
The Real Deal: What It Is
as Self
BaadAsssss Cinema
as Self
BaadAsssss Cinema
as Self
René Vautier, le rebelle
as Self
René Vautier, le rebelle
as Self
Love Kills
as Able
Love Kills
as Able
Classified X
as Self
Classified X
as Self
Riot
as Vernon
Riot
as Vernon
Calm at Sunset
as Mr. Bucket
Calm at Sunset
as Mr. Bucket
Gang in Blue
as Andre Speier
Gang in Blue
as Andre Speier
Panther
as Old Jail Bird
Panther
as Old Jail Bird
Fist of the North Star
as Asher
Fist of the North Star
as Asher
Terminal Velocity
as Noble
Terminal Velocity
as Noble
Farewell, Babylon!
as Self
Farewell, Babylon!
as Self
Last Action Hero
as Self
Last Action Hero
as Self
Posse
as Papa Joe
Posse
as Papa Joe
Boomerang
as Editor
Boomerang
as Editor
Satchmo: The Life of Louis Armstrong
as Louis Armstrong (voice)
Satchmo: The Life of Louis Armstrong
as Louis Armstrong (voice)
True Identity
as Taxi Driver
True Identity
as Taxi Driver
Making 'Do the Right Thing'
as Self
Making 'Do the Right Thing'
as Self
Identity Crisis
as The Inspector
Identity Crisis
as The Inspector
Taking Care of Terrific
as Hawk
Taking Care of Terrific
as Hawk
Jaws: The Revenge
as Mr. Witherspoon
Jaws: The Revenge
as Mr. Witherspoon
O.C. and Stiggs
as Wino Bob
O.C. and Stiggs
as Wino Bob
America
as Man Interviewed
America
as Man Interviewed
Wattstax
as Self
Wattstax
as Self
Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song
as Sweetback
Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song
as Sweetback
Watermelon Man
as Sign Painter (uncredited)
Watermelon Man
as Sign Painter (uncredited)
Sunlight
Sunlight