Personal Info

Known For

Acting

Known Credits

Gender

Male

Birthday

1932-08-21

Deathday

2021-09-21 (89 years old)

Place of Birth

Chicago, Illinois, USA

Melvin Van Peebles

Biography

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Melvin "Block" Van Peebles (August 21, 1932 - September 21, 2021) was an American actor, director, screenwriter, playwright, novelist and composer.

He was most famous for creating the acclaimed film, Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song, which heralded a new era of African American focused films. He was the father of actor and director Mario Van Peebles.

Description above from the Wikipedia article Melvin Van Peebles, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

Known For

6.5%

Last Action Hero

Jun 18, 1993

4.1%

Jaws: The Revenge

Jul 17, 1987

5.7%

Boomerang

Jun 30, 1992

6.3%

The Shining

Apr 27, 1997

5.3%

Terminal Velocity

Sep 23, 1994

8.1%

Homicide: Life on the Street

Jan 31, 1993

5.2%

Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song

Mar 31, 1971

5.4%

Posse

May 14, 1993

4.3%

Fist of the North Star

Apr 22, 1995

5.5%

Peeples

May 9, 2013

5.6%

Hard Luck

Oct 17, 2007

5.4%

The Hebrew Hammer

Dec 5, 2003

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Acting

—

SMUT as Elmoore

2022

Sweet Black Film: The Birth of the Black Hero in Hollywood as Self

2021

Oscar Micheaux: The Superhero of Black Filmmaking as Self

2018

Armed as Grandpa V.

2013

Peeples as Grandpa Peeples

2012

Salty Dog Blues as Self (Interviewee)

2011		Redemption Road as Elmo
2011		The Black Power Mixtape 1967-1975 as Self (voice)
2011		Infiltrating Hollywood: The Rise and Fall of the Spook Who Sat by the Door

2009		American Swing as Self
2009		Directors on Directing as Self
2009		The Black List: Volume Two as Self

2008		Confessions of a Ex-Doofus-ItchyFooted Mutha as Melvin Van Peebles
2008		Sex: The Revolution

2007		Hard Luck as Hospital Prophet
2007		Blackout as George

2006

Midnight Blue, Vol. 3: Celebrities Edition as Self (archive footage)

2005		How to Eat Your Watermelon in White Company (and Enjoy It)
2005		Unstoppable as Self

2003		The Hebrew Hammer as Sweetback
2003		The Real Deal: What It Is as Self

2002

BaadAsssss Cinema as Self

2000		Girlfriends
2000		René Vautier, le rebelle as Self

1999

Love Kills as Able

1998

Classified X as Self

1997		The Shining as Richard Hallorann
1997		Riot as Vernon

1996		Calm at Sunset as Mr. Bucket
1996		Gang in Blue as Andre Speier

1995		Panther as Old Jail Bird
1995		Fist of the North Star as Asher

1994

Terminal Velocity as Noble

1993		Living Single
1993		Farewell, Babylon! as Self
1993		Last Action Hero as Self
1993		Posse as Papa Joe
1993		Homicide: Life on the Street

1992

Boomerang as Editor

1991

True Identity as Taxi Driver

1990

Dream On as Norman Green

1989		Making 'Do the Right Thing' as Self
1989		Identity Crisis as The Inspector

1988		Sonny Spoon
1988		Taking Care of Terrific as Hawk

1987		Jaws: The Revenge as Mr. Witherspoon
1987		O.C. and Stiggs as Wino Bob

1986

America as Man Interviewed

1981

The Sophisticated Gents as Walter 'Moon' Porter

1973

Wattstax as Self

1971

Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song as Sweetback

1970

Watermelon Man as Sign Painter (uncredited)

1957

Sunlight

1951

Hallmark Hall of Fame as Bucket

Directing

2008

Confessions of a Ex-Doofus-ItchyFooted Mutha as Director

2003

The Real Deal: What It Is as Director

2000

Bellyful as Director

1996		Gang in Blue as Director
1996		Tales of Erotica as Director

1995		The Outer Limits as Director
1995		Vrooom Vrooom Vroooom as Director

1989		Identity Crisis as Director
1989		976-STUD as Director

1972

Don't Play Us Cheap as Director

1971

Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song as Director

1970

Watermelon Man as Director

1968

The Story of a Three-Day Pass as Director

1961

500 Francs as Director

1957		Sunlight as Director
1957		Three Pick-Up Men for Herrick as Director

Editing

1995

Vrooom Vrooom Vroooom as Editor

1989

Identity Crisis as Editor

1972

Don't Play Us Cheap as Editor

1971

Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song as Editor

Production

2000

Bellyful as Producer

1996

Gang in Blue as Producer

1995		Panther as Producer
1995		Vrooom Vrooom Vroooom as Producer

1989

Identity Crisis as Producer

1971

Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song as Producer

Sound

2000

Bellyful as Music

1995

Vrooom Vrooom Vroooom as Original Music Composer

1972		Don't Play Us Cheap as Songs
1972		Don't Play Us Cheap as Original Music Composer

1971

Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song as Original Music Composer

1970

Watermelon Man as Original Music Composer

1968

The Story of a Three-Day Pass as Music

1961

500 Francs as Original Music Composer

Writing

2008

Confessions of a Ex-Doofus-ItchyFooted Mutha as Writer

2004

Baadasssss! as Writer

2000

Bellyful as Writer

1998

Classified X as Writer

1995		Panther as Screenplay
1995		Panther as Novel
1995		Vrooom Vrooom Vroooom as Writer

1987

The Day They Came to Arrest the Book as Writer

1984

CBS Schoolbreak Special as Writer

1981

The Sophisticated Gents as Teleplay

1977		Greased Lightning as Screenplay
1977		Greased Lightning as Writer

1976

Just an Old Sweet Song as Writer

1972		Don't Play Us Cheap as Theatre Play
1972		Don't Play Us Cheap as Screenplay

1971

Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song as Screenplay

1969

Slogan as Writer

1968

The Story of a Three-Day Pass as Writer

1961

500 Francs as Writer

1957

Three Pick-Up Men for Herrick as Writer