Ernest Whitman (February 21, 1893 - August 5, 1954) was an American stage and screen actor. He was also billed in some Broadway plays as Ernest R. Whitman.

Early years

Whitman was born in

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Oklahoma City (), officially the City of Oklahoma City, and often shortened to OKC, is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. The county seat of Oklahoma County, it ranks 20th among United States cities in population, and ...

, and was educated at

Tuskegee Institute Tuskegee University (Tuskegee or TU), formerly known as the Tuskegee Institute, is a private, historically black land-grant university in Tuskegee, Alabama. It was founded on Independence Day in 1881 by the state legislature. The campus was de ...

. He was ordained as a minister in 1907. His participation in

Chautauqua Chautauqua ( ) was an adult education and social movement in the United States, highly popular in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Chautauqua assemblies expanded and spread throughout rural America until the mid-1920s. The Chautauqua bro ...

s led to his becoming an entertainer in vaudeville.

Career

Whitman debuted as an entertainer in

Purcell, Oklahoma Purcell is a city in and the county seat of McClain County, Oklahoma, United States. As of the 2020 census, the city population was 6,651. Founded in 1887, Purcell was a railroad town named after Edward B. Purcell, who was an official with th ...

. He performed on stage in ''

The Last Mile The Last Mile may refer to: * The Last Mile (prison rehabilitation program), a program for inmates in the California corrections system * ''The Last Mile'' (play), a 1930 play by John Wexley * ''The Last Mile'' (1932 film), an American adaptatio ...

'' and other productions. He sang in a touring production of ''

Lucky Sambo ''Lucky Sambo'' was a 1925 musical comedy staged on Broadway. It originally toured as ''Aces and Queens'' in 1923 and 1924. It was by Porter Grainger and Freddy Johnson. It played at the Colonial Theatre (New York City). Time magazine described it ...

'' (1927). He appeared in a number of films, including ''King for a Day'' (1934), ''

The Prisoner of Shark Island ''The Prisoner of Shark Island'' is a 1936 American drama film loosely based on the life of Maryland physician Samuel Mudd, who treated the injured presidential assassin John Wilkes Booth and later spent time in prison after his controversial co ...

'' (1936), ''

The Green Pastures ''The Green Pastures'' is a play written in 1930 by Marc Connelly adapted from ''Ol' Man Adam an' His Chillun'' (1928), a collection of stories written by Roark Bradford. The play was the winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1930. It had th ...

'' (1936), ''

Jesse James Jesse Woodson James (September 5, 1847April 3, 1882) was an American outlaw, bank and train robber, guerrilla and leader of the James–Younger Gang. Raised in the " Little Dixie" area of Western Missouri, James and his family maintained stro ...

'' (1939), ''

Gone With the Wind Gone with the Wind most often refers to: * ''Gone with the Wind'' (novel), a 1936 novel by Margaret Mitchell * ''Gone with the Wind'' (film), the 1939 adaptation of the novel Gone with the Wind may also refer to: Music * ''Gone with the Wind'' ...

'' (1939), '' Third Finger, Left Hand'' (1940), ''

Among the Living ''Among the Living'' is the third studio album by American heavy metal band Anthrax. It was released on March 16, 1987, by Megaforce Records in the US and by Island Records in the rest of the world. The album is dedicated to Cliff Burton of ...

'' (1941), '' Road to Zanzibar'' (1941), '' Cabin in the Sky'' (1943), '' Stormy Weather'' (1943), '' The Lost Weekend'' (1945), '' My Brother Talks to Horses'' (1947), ''Banjo'' (1947) and ''

The Sun Shines Bright ''The Sun Shines Bright'' is a 1953 American Comedy-Drama Western film directed by John Ford, based on material taken from a series of Irvin S. Cobb "Judge Priest" short stories featured in ''The Saturday Evening Post'' in the 1910s, specifica ...

'' (1953), his last movie. On radio, Whitman was the wartime host of the

Armed Forces Radio Service The American Forces Network (AFN) is a government television and radio broadcast service the U.S. military provides to those stationed or assigned overseas. Headquartered at Fort George G. Meade, Maryland, AFN's broadcast operations, which i ...

's ''

Jubilee A jubilee is a particular anniversary of an event, usually denoting the 25th, 40th, 50th, 60th, and the 70th anniversary. The term is often now used to denote the celebrations associated with the reign of a monarch after a milestone number of y ...

'', which was designed for African-American troops and featured mostly African-American entertainers. He portrayed the character Awful on ''

The Gibson Family ''The Gibson Family'' is an American old-time radio program — the first original musical comedy on radio. It was broadcast on NBC from September 15, 1934, until June 23, 1935, when the format was revamped and the title was changed to ''Uncle Char ...

''. He played Bill Jackson on '' Beulah'' on radio and on TV.

Death

Whitman died at his home of a liver ailment on August 5, 1954, in Hollywood, aged 61.

Broadway roles

Ernest Whitman as Vincent Jackson The Last Mile 1930

Billed as Ernest Whitman

* ''

'' (1930) as Vincent Jackson *''Chamberlain Brown's Scrap Book'' (1932) as Ashley the penitent --Source: Internet Broadway Database

Billed as Ernest R. Whitman

*''Harlem'' (1929) as Kid Vamp and in ensemble *''Savage Rhythm'' (1931) as Sweetback *''Bloodstream'' (1932) as Duke Taylor *''The Monster'' (1933) as Caliban *''John Brown'' (1934) as Frederick Douglass --Source: Internet Broadway Database

Filmography

*''King for a Day'' (1934, Short) as Mr. Brown (film debut) *''

'' (1936) as 'Buck' Milford *''

'' (1936) as

Pharaoh Pharaoh (, ; Egyptian: ''pr ꜥꜣ''; cop, , Pǝrro; Biblical Hebrew: ''Parʿō'') is the vernacular term often used by modern authors for the kings of ancient Egypt who ruled as monarchs from the First Dynasty (c. 3150 BC) until the an ...

*''

White Hunter White hunter is a literary term used for professional big game hunting, big game hunters of European or North American backgrounds who plied their trade in Africa, especially during the first half of the 20th century. The activity continues in t ...

'' (1936) as Abdi *''

They Gave Him a Gun ''They Gave Him a Gun'' is a 1937 American crime drama film directed by W. S. Van Dyke and starring Spencer Tracy, Gladys George, and Franchot Tone. The picture bears a resemblance to later films noir in its dark theme regarding the struggles a ...

'' (1937) as Roustabout (uncredited) *'' Nothing Sacred'' (1937) as Policeman (uncredited) *''

Daughter of Shanghai ''Daughter of Shanghai'' is a 1937 American crime film directed by Robert Florey and starring Anna May Wong. Unusually for the time, East Asian American actors played the lead roles. It was also one of the first films in which Anthony Quinn appe ...

'' (1937) as Sam Blike (uncredited) *''

Pacific Liner ''Pacific Liner'' is a 1939 American action/adventure film directed by Lew Landers. The film stars Victor McLaglen, Chester Morris and Wendy Barrie. ''Pacific Liner'' is primarily set in the engineering section of the vessel, where a stowaway ha ...

'' (1939) as Professor - Black Stoker (uncredited) *''

'' (1939) as Pinkie *''

Tell No Tales ''Tell No Tales'' is the third studio album by the Norwegian hard rock band TNT. It was the best-selling TNT album in the U.S., according to their bass guitarist Morty Black. This album diverted from the power metal style of '' Knights of the ...

'' (1939) as Slab Griffin (uncredited) *'' 6,000 Enemies'' (1939) as Black Prisoner Willie Johnson (uncredited) *''

'' (1939) as Carpetbagger's Friend (uncredited) *''

Congo Maisie ''Congo Maisie'' is a 1940 comedy-drama film directed by H. C. Potter and starring Ann Sothern for the second time in the ten film Maisie Maisie Ravier is a fictional character, the leading character of ten films (1939–1947) and the radio ...

'' (1940) as Varnai *''

Castle on the Hudson ''Castle on the Hudson'' (UK title: ''Years Without Days'') is a 1940 American film noir drama (film and television), drama directed by Anatole Litvak and starring John Garfield, Ann Sheridan, and Pat O'Brien (actor), Pat O'Brien. A thief is sent ...

'' (1940) as Alexander '8 Ball' Hamilton (uncredited) *''

Buck Benny Rides Again ''Buck Benny Rides Again'' is a 1940 American Western comedy film from Paramount Pictures starring Jack Benny and Ellen Drew. The film featured regulars from Benny's radio show including Eddie 'Rochester' Anderson, Andy Devine, Phil Harris, and D ...

'' (1940) as Colored Gentleman (uncredited) *''

Safari A safari (; ) is an overland journey to observe wild animals, especially in eastern or southern Africa. The so-called "Big Five" game animals of Africa – lion, leopard, rhinoceros, elephant, and Cape buffalo – particularly form an importa ...

'' (1940) as Witch Doctor (uncredited) *''

Maryland Maryland ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It shares borders with Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware and the Atlantic Ocean to ...

'' (1940) as Dogface *''

Mystery Sea Raider ''Mystery Sea Raider'' is a 1940 American drama war film directed by Edward Dmytryk and starring Carole Landis, Henry Wilcoxon and Onslow Stevens. Plot A woman (Carole Landis) and a U.S. captain (Henry Wilcoxon) foil a German spy's (Onslow Stev ...

'' (1940) as First Fisherman (uncredited) *''

The Return of Frank James ''The Return of Frank James'' is a 1940 Western film directed by Fritz Lang and starring Henry Fonda and Gene Tierney. It is a sequel to Henry King's 1939 film ''Jesse James''. Written by Sam Hellman, the film loosely follows the life of Fran ...

'' (1940) as Pinky *'' Third Finger, Left Hand'' (1940) as Sam *''

Santa Fe Trail The Santa Fe Trail was a 19th-century route through central North America that connected Franklin, Missouri, with Santa Fe, New Mexico. Pioneered in 1821 by William Becknell, who departed from the Boonslick region along the Missouri River, th ...

'' (1940) as Black Man in Barn (uncredited) *'' Back Street'' (1941) as Porter #1 (uncredited) *'' Road to Zanzibar'' (1941) as Whiteface *'' The Get-Away'' (1941) as 'Moose' *''

The Pittsburgh Kid ''The Pittsburgh Kid'' is a 1941 American sports film directed by Jack Townley and starring Billy Conn, Jean Parker and Dick Purcell.Ritchie p.231 The film's sets were designed by the art director John Victor Mackay. Plot About to fight his bigg ...

'' (1941) as Feets Johnson *''

Married Bachelor ''Married Bachelor'' is a 1941 American comedy film directed by Edward Buzzell. It stars actors Robert Young and Ruth Hussey. Plot summary Cast * Robert Young as Randolph 'Randy' Haven * Ruth Hussey as Norma Haven, aka Norma Winters * Felix ...

'' (1941) as Black Men's Room Attendant (uncredited) *''

Birth of the Blues ''Birth of the Blues'' is a 1941 American musical film directed by Victor Schertzinger and starring Bing Crosby, Mary Martin and Brian Donlevy. The plot loosely follows the origins and breakthrough success of the Original Dixieland Jass Band i ...

'' (1941) as Fancy-Pants, Doorman (uncredited) *'' Blues in the Night'' (1941) as Black Prisoner #1 (uncredited) *''

'' (1941) as Pompey *''

Mr. District Attorney in the Carter Case ''Mr. District Attorney in the Carter Case'' is a 1941 American crime film directed by Bernard Vorhaus and written by Sidney Sheldon and Ben Roberts. The film stars James Ellison, Virginia Gilmore, Franklin Pangborn, Paul Harvey, Lynne Carver ...

'' (1941) as Sam (uncredited) *''

The Bugle Sounds ''The Bugle Sounds'' is a 1942 American World War II movie starring Wallace Beery as a cavalry sergeant resistant to replacing horses with tanks. The supporting cast includes Marjorie Main, Lewis Stone, George Bancroft, Donna Reed, and Chill Will ...

'' (1942) as Cartaret *''

Drums of the Congo ''Drums of the Congo'' is a 1942 American drama film, directed by Christy Cabanne. It stars Ona Munson, Stuart Erwin, and Peggy Moran, and was released on July 17, 1942. Cast list * Ona Munson as Dr. Ann Montgomery * Stuart Erwin as Congo Ja ...

'' (1942) as King Malaba *'' Arabian Nights'' (1942) as Nubian Slave (uncredited) *'' The Human Comedy'' (1943) as Black Man on Train (uncredited) *'' Cabin in the Sky'' (1943) as Jim Henry *'' Stormy Weather'' (1943) as Jim Europe (uncredited) *'' The Impostor'' (1944) as Ekoua *'' The Adventures of Mark Twain'' (1944) as Stoker (uncredited) *''

Goldilocks and the Jivin' Bears ''Goldilocks and the Jivin' Bears'' is a 1944 Warner Bros. '' Merrie Melodies'' cartoon directed by Friz Freleng and produced by Eddie Selzer. The short was released on September 2, 1944. Because of the racial stereotypes of black people throug ...

'' (1944, Short) as Narrator (Voice, Uncredited) *''

Dillinger John Herbert Dillinger (June 22, 1903 – July 22, 1934) was an American gangster during the Great Depression in the United States, Great Depression. He led the Dillinger Gang, which was accused of robbing 24 banks and four police stations. Dill ...

'' (1945) as Jack - Black Prisoner (uncredited) *'' The Lost Weekend'' (1945) as Black Man Talking to Himself (uncredited) *''

She Wouldn't Say Yes ''She Wouldn't Say Yes'' is a 1945 screwball comedy film directed by Alexander Hall and starring Rosalind Russell and Lee Bowman. Plot A psychiatrist, Dr. Susan Lane, is leaving a military hospital after spending two weeks working with patients ...

'' (1945) as Train Bartender (uncredited) *'' My Brother Talks to Horses'' (1947) as Mr. Mordecai *''

Banjo The banjo is a stringed instrument with a thin membrane stretched over a frame or cavity to form a resonator. The membrane is typically circular, and usually made of plastic, or occasionally animal skin. Early forms of the instrument were fashi ...

'' (1947) as Uncle Jasper *'' Blonde Savage'' (1947) as Tonga * ''Half-Pint Pygmy'' (1948, Short) as Pygmy (Voice, Uncredited) * '' Beulah'' (1952, TV) as Bill Jackson *''

'' (1953) as Pleasant 'Uncle Plez' Woodford (final film)

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Whitman, Ernest 1893 births 1954 deaths American male film actors American male radio actors African-American male actors American male stage actors American male television actors People from Fort Smith, Arkansas Male actors from Arkansas 20th-century American male actors 20th-century African-American people