What should you know about Oscar Micheaux?
Oscar Micheaux was something of a Renaissance man. Born in Metropolis, IL, in 1844, the fifth of 13 children, he went to work young and never stopped. Beginning as a shoeshine boy, a porter and a farm laborer, he became a novelist and publisher while working his South Dakota ranch. Then "moving pictures" caught his attention and he became the first African American to make a feature-length film. He also wrote it and produced it. "The Homesteader" was also based on his second novel. It grossed over $5000, making it a box office success at the time.
Micheaux wrote all of his films, many of them based on his own novels. He wrote seven novels, some of them autobiographical. His most successful, The Case of Mrs. Wingate, sold over 55,000 copies. His books covered many controversial topics for his time, including interracial romance, the light skinned v. dark skinned discrimination. He continued examining these themes in his films as well as the realistic images of ghetto life in the cities and related social issues, and corruption in the clergy. He also offered audiences the "black" version of Hollywood, complete with a "sepia Mae West" among other characters.
What made him so successful?
Micheaux's tenacity and ingenuity drove him to succeed. He published his own books so he could write what he wanted, then he went door to door selling them. He sold shares of his Micheaux Book and Film Company door to door, too. When he wanted to make a movie, he went to black theater owners and obtained advances against ticket sales. He didn't take no for an answer. He just tried something else. As a result, of the 80+ black films made during his lifetime, he made 44 of them. While other independent black film companies managed one film a year, Micheaux made three.
When sound came to the movies, its expense and the ever-deepening Depression brought an end to the independent black cinema, except for Micheaux. He released his first "talkie," "The Exile", in 1931 and continued to make films, though not as frequently, until 1948's "Betrayal."
Micheaux died in Charlotte, NC, in 1951
What is his legacy?
Like his protagonist in "The Homesteader," Micheaux pioneered for African Americans in Hollywood. Definitely the most prolific black independent filmmaker, he is one of most prolific filmmaker in general. His attacks on racism, corruption and other social issues are as relevant today as they were 90 years ago when Micheaux began writing.
The country now celebrates the once-controversial filmmaker. In 1974, the Black Filmmakers Hall of Fame held its first Oscar Micheaux Award Ceremony honoring black artists in film. The Director's Guild of America honored Micheaux, Federico Fellini and Akira Kurosawa with their Special Golden Jubilee Award for Directorial Achievement in 1986. A year later, he received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Gregory, SD holds the Annual Oscar Micheaux Film Festival and the Barton County Arts Council in Great Bend, KS, celebrates Micheaux at an annual memorial. The Producers Guild of America presents the Oscar Micheaux Award annually.Many of his books are back in print and can be found new and used on Amazon or Alibris. I also found several DVDs of his movies on Amazon.
Sources: Producers Guild of America, Barton County Arts Council, GoogleBooks, Director's Guild of America
5 comments:
Thanks for taking the time and effort to create this wonderful blog. I loved it, and have referred to it in my latest post. Please do keep up the good work:)
I really enjoyed this entry. I never heard of this gentleman...will do more research
Thanks!
MattM
Thank you both. He is an interesting person I just discovered too.
Great post! People tend to forget that there was an entire black film industry running alongside the white one. Segregated theaters actually helped fuel this, because black directors knew that in black theaters they'd have a receptive audience.
I've seen many black western, horror, and adventure films that are indistinguishable from white films of the same genre other than the color of their cast. It's the more serious films like Micheaux's, however, that are of real value.
I'm wondering at the "80+" figure for black films. I don't know for sure, but I'm under the impression that there were a lot more, perhaps in the hundreds. Many of the early silent ones would now be lost.
Thanks Sean--That number was what I found in my research. If you can point me to another source, I'll be happy to correct the number and cite the source.
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