Adolph Caesar facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Adolph Caesar
Adolph Caesar, circa 1979
Born	(1933-12-05)December 5, 1933 Harlem, New York City, U.S.
Died	March 6, 1986(1986-03-06) (aged 52) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Alma mater	New York University
Occupation	Actor theatre director playwright dancer choreographer
Years active	1969–1986
Known for	Playing Sgt. Waters in A Soldier's Play and film adaptation A Soldier's Story
Spouse(s)	Diane (m. 1986)
Children	3
Awards	NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture 1985 A Soldier's Story Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play 1982 A Soldier's Play Obie Award for Outstanding Broadway Achievement 1983 A Soldier's Play

Adolph Caesar (born December 5, 1933 – died March 6, 1986) was a talented American actor, director, writer, dancer, and choreographer. He was famous for his deep, powerful voice.

Caesar was a key member of the Negro Ensemble Company, an important theater group. He also did many voice-overs for movie trailers. He became widely known for his role as Sgt. Vernon Waters in the play A Soldier's Play. He played this role again in the 1984 movie A Soldier's Story. For this movie, he was nominated for an Academy Award and a Golden Globe Award, and he won an NAACP Image Award.

Early Life and School

Adolph Caesar was born in Harlem, New York City, in 1933. He was the youngest of three sons. When he was 12, he got laryngitis, which is how he developed his very deep voice.

After finishing George Washington High School in 1952, Caesar joined the United States Navy. He served for five years during the Korean War era as a hospital corpsman, helping sick and injured people. He reached the rank of chief petty officer. After leaving the Navy, he decided to become an actor. He studied drama at New York University and graduated in 1962.

His Acting Career

Starting Out in Acting

Caesar's first movie role was in 1969 in Che!. He played a Cuban revolutionary named Juan Almeida Bosque. In 1970, he joined the Negro Ensemble Company. He acted in plays like The River Niger and The Brownsville Raid. He also worked with other theater companies, including the American Shakespeare Theatre. He even appeared on TV soap operas like Guiding Light and General Hospital.

Thanks to his amazing voice, Caesar often worked as a voice-over artist. He did voices for TV and radio commercials, including previews for movies. For many years, he was the voice of the United Negro College Fund's famous slogan: "...because a mind is a terrible thing to waste." Later in his career, he also voiced Hotwing, a magician, in the animated series SilverHawks.

In 1980, Caesar played himself as a TV news reporter in the movie Fist of Fear, Touch of Death. In the film, he investigated the death of martial arts star Bruce Lee.

A Soldier's Play and A Soldier's Story

Caesar's most famous role was Sgt. Vernon C. Waters in the play A Soldier's Play. This play won a Pulitzer Prize. For his performance, Caesar won a Drama Desk Award and an Obie Award. The play takes place during World War II, before the U.S. military was desegregated.

In an interview, Caesar said he used his own experiences to play Sgt. Waters. He explained that even after studying Shakespeare and speaking perfectly, he was told to "get a good colored role." He said his character, Waters, tried his best, but people still hated him. Caesar even came up with the character's famous line, "They still hate you."

Caesar played Sgt. Waters again in the 1984 movie version, called A Soldier's Story. His acting was highly praised. He was nominated for an Academy Award and a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor. He also won an NAACP Image Award and the Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actor.

Later Roles

After the success of A Soldier's Story, Caesar was cast in Steven Spielberg's movie The Color Purple. He played Old Mister Johnson, the father of Danny Glover's character. He also appeared on an episode of The Twilight Zone and an ABC Afterschool Special. Caesar's last completed movie was Club Paradise, which was released after he passed away.

Personal Life

Adolph Caesar was married to his wife, Diane. They had three children together.

Death

In 1986, Adolph Caesar was working on the set of the movie Tough Guys in Los Angeles. He had a heart attack and died shortly after. Another actor, Eli Wallach, took over his role in the movie. Caesar was buried in the Ferncliff Cemetery in Hartsdale, New York.

Awards and Honors