Oscar Polk (December 25, 1899 – January 4, 1949) was an American

actor An actor or actress is a person who portrays a character in a performance. The actor performs "in the flesh" in the traditional medium of the theatre or in modern media such as film, radio, and television. The analogous Greek term is (), li ...

. He portrayed the servant Pork in the film ''

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).

Career

His most memorable scene in that film comes when Pork discloses to

Scarlett O'Hara Katie Scarlett O'Hara Hamilton Kennedy Butler is a fictional character and the protagonist in Margaret Mitchell's 1936 novel ''Gone with the Wind'' and in the 1939 film of the same name, where she is portrayed by Vivien Leigh. She also is the m ...

, portrayed by

Vivien Leigh Vivien Leigh ( ; 5 November 1913 – 8 July 1967; born Vivian Mary Hartley), styled as Lady Olivier after 1947, was a British actress. She won the Academy Award for Best Actress twice, for her definitive performances as Scarlett O'Hara in ''Gon ...

, that the back property taxes on Tara are $300. He was married to Ivy V. Polk (née Ivy Parsons), who also had an uncredited role in ''

''.Svensk Filmdatabas - Gone with the Wind
/ref> Together they had a son, Oscar Polk Jr. On January 4, 1949, Oscar Polk was fatally struck by a taxi cab as he stepped off a curb in

Times Square Times Square is a major commercial intersection, tourist destination, entertainment hub, and neighborhood in Midtown Manhattan, New York City. It is formed by the junction of Broadway, Seventh Avenue, and 42nd Street. Together with adjacent ...

in New York City ten days after his 49th birthday. At the time of his death, he was scheduled to have a major role in the play ''Leading Lady'', and he was replaced by

Ossie Davis Raiford Chatman "Ossie" Davis (December 18, 1917 – February 4, 2005) was an American actor, director, writer, and activist. He was married to Ruby Dee, with whom he frequently performed, until his death. He and his wife were named to the NAACP ...

. He is buried at Mount Olivet Cemetery,

Maspeth Maspeth is a residential and commercial community in the borough of Queens in New York City. It was founded in the early 17th century by Dutch and English settlers. Neighborhoods sharing borders with Maspeth are Woodside to the north; Sunnyside t ...

Long Island Long Island is a densely populated island in the southeastern region of the U.S. state of New York (state), New York, part of the New York metropolitan area. With over 8 million people, Long Island is the most populous island in the United Sta ...

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...

Theatre credits

Broadway

*''

The Trial of Mary Dugan ''The Trial of Mary Dugan'' is a play written by Bayard Veiller. The 1927 melodrama concerns a sensational courtroom trial of a showgirl accused of killing her millionaire lover. Her defense attorney is her brother, Jimmy Dugan. It was first pr ...

'' (1927) *'' Once in a Lifetime'' (1930) *''

Both Your Houses ''Both Your Houses'' is a 1933 play written by American playwright Maxwell Anderson. It was produced by the Theatre Guild and staged by Worthington Miner with scenic design by Arthur P. Segal. It opened at the Royale Theatre on March 5, 1933 and r ...

'' (1933) *''

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 ...

'' (1935) *'' You Can't Take It with You'' (1936) *''Swingin' The Dream'' (1939), a swing music adaptation of ''

A Midsummer Night's Dream ''A Midsummer Night's Dream'' is a comedy written by William Shakespeare 1595 or 1596. The play is set in Athens, and consists of several subplots that revolve around the marriage of Theseus and Hippolyta. One subplot involves a conflict amon ...

''. *''Sunny River'' (1942) *''The Walking Gentleman'' (1942) *'' Dark Eyes'' (1943)

Other stage credits

* ''Horses Are Like That'' (1943) * ''Bigger Than Barnum'' (1946) * ''The Magnificent Heel'' (1946)

Filmography

References

External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Polk, Oscar 1899 births 1949 deaths American male film actors People from Marianna, Arkansas Male actors from Arkansas Road incident deaths in New York City Pedestrian road incident deaths African-American male actors 20th-century American male actors American male stage actors 20th-century African-American people