Actor
Leigh Whipper
October 29, 1876 · Charleston, South Carolina, USA
Leigh Rollin Whipper (October 29, 1876 – July 26, 1975) was an American actor on the stage and in motion pictures. He was the first African American to join the Actors' Equity Association, and one of the founders of the Negro Actors Guild of America. He is best known for creating the role of Crooks in the original Broadway production of Of Mice and Men, which he reprised in the 1939 film version.
Educated at Howard University Law School, he left in 1895 and never practiced as a lawyer. Without any dramatic training, he made his first Broadway appearance in Georgia Minstrels. His first film role was in the 1920 silent film The Symbol of the Unconquered.
Notable work
Often works with
Harry Morgan
2 titles together
The Ox-Bow Incident, Happy Land
Hank Bell
2 titles together
The Ox-Bow Incident, Heart of the Golden West
William Benedict
2 titles together
The Ox-Bow Incident, Heart of the Golden West
E.G. Tatum
2 titles together
Within Our Gates, The Symbol of the Unconquered: A Story of the Ku Klux Klan
Roman Bohnen
2 titles together
Of Mice and Men, Mission to Moscow
Minor Watson
2 titles together
Mission to Moscow, Happy Land
Full filmography · 22
The Young Don't Cry
as Doosy
1957
The Shrike
as Mr. Carlisle
1955
Untamed Fury
as Uncle Gabe
1947
Undercurrent
as George
19465.9
Young Widow
as Nate (Uncredited) and as Nate (uncredited)
1946
The Negro Sailor
as Editor
1945
The Hidden Eye
as Alistair
1945
Dark Waters
as Office Custodian (uncredited)
19446
Happy Land
as Old Ben (uncredited)
1943
Mission to Moscow
as Haile Selassie (uncredited)
19435.7
The Ox-Bow Incident
as Sparks (uncredited)
19437.7
White Cargo
as Jim Fish
1942