He appeared in Eugene O'Neill's play The Emperor Jones 1924 and the Jerome Kern musical Show Boat 1927, in which he sang Ol' Man River. He played Othello 1930, and his films include Sanders of the River 1935 and King Solomon's Mines 1937. He graduated from Columbia University as a lawyer, but limited opportunities for blacks led him instead to the stage. An ardent advocate of black rights, he had his passport withdrawn 1950-58 after a highly public visit to Russia. His last years were spent in England.
