Person
Melvin Van Peebles
Chicago, Illinois, USA
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…
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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
Movies and shows, newest first
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2024
Hollywood Black
TV show Self (archive footage)
- 2022
- 2021
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2018
Armed
Movie Grandpa V.
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2013
Peeples
Movie Grandpa Peeples
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2012
Salty Dog Blues
Movie Self (Interviewee)
-
2011
Redemption Road
Movie Elmo
-
2011
The Black Power Mixtape 1967-1975
Movie Self (voice)
- 2011
-
2009
American Swing
Movie Self
-
2009
Directors on Directing
Movie Self
-
2009
The Black List: Volume Two
Movie Self
-
2008
Confessions of a Ex-Doofus-ItchyFooted Mutha
Movie Melvin Van Peebles
-
2008
Sex: The Revolution
TV show Self
-
2007
Blackout
Movie George
-
2006
Hard Luck
Movie Hospital Prophet
More credits
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2006
SMUT
Movie Elmoore
-
2006
Midnight Blue, Vol. 3: Celebrities Edition
Movie Self (archive footage)
- 2005
-
2005
Unstoppable
Movie Self
-
2004
Baadasssss!
Movie Book
-
2003
The Hebrew Hammer
Movie Sweetback
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2003
The Real Deal: What It Is
Movie Self
-
2002
BaadAsssss Cinema
Movie Self
-
2000
Girlfriends
TV show Kenneth Daly
-
2000
Bellyful
Movie Writer
-
2000
René Vautier, le rebelle
Movie Self
-
1999
Love Kills
Movie Able
-
1998
Classified X
Movie Self
-
1997
The Shining
TV show Richard Hallorann
-
1997
Riot
Movie Vernon
-
1996
Calm at Sunset
Movie Mr. Bucket
-
1996
Gang in Blue
Movie Andre Speier
-
1996
Tales of Erotica
Movie Director
-
1995
Panther
Movie Old Jail Bird
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1995
Fist of the North Star
Movie Asher
-
1995
The Outer Limits
TV show Director
-
1995
Vrooom Vrooom Vroooom
Movie Director
-
1994
Terminal Velocity
Movie Noble
-
1993
Living Single
TV show
