Actor

Jester Hairston

July 9, 1901 · Belews Creek, North Carolina, USA

Jester Joseph Hairston (July 9, 1901 – January 18, 2000) was an American composer, songwriter, arranger, choral conductor, and actor. He was regarded as a leading expert on Negro spirituals and choral music. His notable compositions include "Amen," a gospel-tinged theme from the film Lilies of the Field and a 1963 hit for The Impressions, and the Christmas song "Mary's Boy Child". He sang with the Hall Johnson Choir in Harlem for a time but was nearly fired from the all black choir because he had difficulty with the rural dialects that were used in some of the songs. He had to shed his Boston accent and relearn the country speech of his parents and grandparents.

Notable work

8
To Kill a Mockingbird (1962)
as Spence Robinson (uncredited)
7.7
In the Heat of the Night (1967)
as Endicott's Butler
7.1
The Alamo (1960)
as Jethro
6.7
Family Matters (1989)
as William 'Skippy' Thomas

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