Gertrude Howard | |
|---|---|
.jpg.webp) Howard in Peck's Bad Boy (1934) | |
| Born | October 13, 1892 Hot Springs, Arkansas, U.S. |
| Died | September 30, 1934 (aged 41) Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1925–1934 |
Gertrude Howard (October 13, 1892 – September 30, 1934)[1] was an American actress of the silent and early sound film eras.
Biography
Born in 1892, Howard performed in the chorus of The Wife Hunters (1911) on Broadway.[2] She broke into films in 1925, appearing in The Circus Cyclone, directed by Albert Rogell.[3] In 1927, she played the wife of Uncle Tom in Uncle Tom's Cabin.[4] In 1927, The Pittsburgh Courier stated that she was the "highest salaried colored actress in Hollywood".[5] She appeared mostly in minor or supporting film roles, such as Queenie in the original version of Show Boat (1929),[6] and Martha in Christy Cabanne's Conspiracy.[7]
Her appearance as Beulah Thorndyke in I'm No Angel (1933), led to her being forever linked to Mae West with the famous line, "Beulah, peel me a grape".[8]
In Howard's short career she would appear in twenty-two films. That career was cut short by her untimely death in 1934 at the age of 41. Mae West helped raise funds for her funeral.
Filmography
- The Circus Cyclone (1925) as Mrs. Jackson
- Easy Pickings (1927) as Mandy
- On Your Toes (1927) as Mammy
- South Sea Love (1927) as Moana
- Uncle Tom's Cabin (1927) as Aunt Chloe
- Hearts in Dixie (1929) as Emmy
- Show Boat (1929) as Queenie (uncredited)
- His Captive Woman (1929) as Lavoris Smythe
- Synthetic Sin (1929) as Cassie
- Conspiracy (1930) as Martha
- Guilty? (1930) as Lucy
- Father's Son (1931) as Dinah
- The Prodigal (1931) as Naomi
- Penrod and Sam (1931) as Delia - Schofield's Maid (uncredited)
- Consolation Marriage (1931) as Kate - Mary's Maid (uncredited)
- Secret Service (1931) as Martha Polk (uncredited)
- Strangers in Love (1932) as Snowball, Servant
- Forbidden Trail (1932) as Angelina
- I'm No Angel (1933) as Beulah
- The Fighting Code (1933) as Housekeeper Martha
- George White's Scandals (1934) as Black Woman (uncredited)
- Peck's Bad Boy (1934) as Martha the Maid
- Carolina (1934) as Minor Role (uncredited)
References
- ↑ McCann, Bob (December 21, 2009). Encyclopedia of African American Actresses in Film and Television. McFarland. p. 169. ISBN 978-0-7864-5804-2. Retrieved October 30, 2020.
- ↑ "Gertrude Howard". Internet Broadway Database. The Broadway League. Archived from the original on October 30, 2020. Retrieved October 30, 2020.
- ↑ "The Circus Cyclone details". American Film Institute. Retrieved December 27, 2014.
- ↑ "Uncle Tom's Cabin details". American Film Institute. Retrieved December 27, 2014.
- ↑ "Colored Stars Selected For Ince Production". The Pittsburgh Courier. July 16, 1927. p. A2. ProQuest 201878258. Retrieved October 27, 2020.
- ↑ "Show Boat details". American Film Institute. Retrieved December 27, 2014.
- ↑ "Conspiracy details". American Film Institute. Retrieved December 27, 2014.
- ↑ "I'm No Angel details". American Film Institute. Retrieved December 27, 2014.
- ↑ "Gertrude Howard profile". American Film Institute. Retrieved December 27, 2014.
External links
