Billie Allen facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Billie Allen
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Billie Allen in Route 66 1961
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| Born | January 13, 1925 |
| Died | December 29, 2015 (aged 90) |
| Years active | 1949-1996 |
| Spouse(s) | Duane H. Grant, Sr. (divorced) (2 children) Luther Henderson ((1981-2003) (his death) |
Billie Allen (born January 13, 1925 – died December 29, 2015) was an American actress, theater director, dancer, and entertainer. She was a trailblazer, being one of the first black performers to appear on television and stage in the United States. This was at a time when opportunities for African Americans in entertainment were very limited.
In the 1950s, Billie Allen made history. She became one of the first black entertainers to have a regular role on network television. She played a WAC staff member on the CBS army comedy The Phil Silvers Show from 1955 to 1959. She was also among the first African Americans to appear in TV commercials. Plus, she was one of the earliest black actors on daytime soap operas. She played Ada Chandler on the popular show The Edge of Night in the mid-1950s. Billie Allen was also well-known for her work on Broadway and off Broadway stages.
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Billie Allen's Early Life and Career
Billie Allen was born Wilhelmina Louise Allen on January 13, 1925, in Richmond, Virginia. Her father, William R. Allen, worked as an actuary. Her mother, Mamie Wimbush, was a teacher. Billie became interested in performing arts, especially ballet and opera, from a young age. She was a big fan of singer Marian Anderson. Billie even attended Anderson's famous 1939 concert at the Lincoln Memorial. This concert happened because another venue had refused Anderson due to her race.
Education and Moving to New York
Billie Allen attended the Hampton Institute, which is now Hampton University. In the mid-1940s, she moved to New York City. There, she wanted to follow her dreams of acting and dancing.
Early Broadway Roles
Early in her career, Billie Allen performed as a dancer in several Broadway shows. These included the 1947 musical Caribbean Carnival. She also appeared in a 1952 Broadway revival of Four Saints in Three Acts. In the same year, she was in My Darlin' Aida. This show was an adaptation of a Giuseppe Verdi opera. Billie Allen also worked with one of her mentors, the famous Ethel Waters. They appeared together in the off-Broadway show Mamba's Daughters.
Studying Acting and A Raisin in the Sun
Billie Allen was accepted into the Actors Studio. This is a famous place where actors learn their craft. She studied there with the well-known acting teacher Lee Strasberg. Later, she was chosen as an understudy for the role of "Beneatha Younger." This was for the 1959 Broadway premiere of Lorraine Hansberry's play A Raisin in the Sun.
She later took over the full-time role of "Beneatha Younger." This happened when her friend, actress Diana Sands, left the part. Billie Allen became good friends with many cast members. She had a friendship with actress Ruby Dee that lasted over 55 years. Years later, Billie Allen directed her friend Ruby Dee. This was for the 2001 off-Broadway play Saint Lucy's Eyes. The play first opened at the Cherry Lane Theatre in New York. Billie Allen also directed it in Atlanta, Georgia, at the Alliance Theatre in the early 2000s.
More Broadway and Film Work
In 1960, Billie Allen played a maid in the Broadway show Critic's Choice. Her character, "Essie," was the housekeeper for the main character. She also appeared in James Baldwin's Blues for Mr. Charlie in 1964. This play was loosely based on the tragic killing of Emmett Till. Billie Allen's last Broadway acting role was in A Teaspoon Every Four Hours in 1969.
Television and Film Appearances
Besides her important role in The Phil Silvers Show on CBS, Billie Allen had other TV parts. She was in Car 54, Where Are You? on NBC in the early 1960s. She also appeared in Law & Order during the 1990s. Her film roles included Black Like Me in 1964. She was also in The Wiz in 1978 and Losing Ground in 1982.
Directing and Legacy
In 1973, Billie Allen helped create something very special. She joined with actor Garland Lee Thompson, Jr., actor Morgan Freeman, and journalist Clayton Riley. Together, they started the Frank Silvera Writers Workshop in Harlem. This workshop was a tribute to Frank Silvera, who was an actor, director, and acting teacher.
Supporting New Playwrights
The Frank Silvera Writers Workshop helped many talented writers. Award-winning playwrights like Charles Fuller, Ntozake Shange, and Samm-Art Williams were among its students. By the early 1980s, Billie Allen became known as an excellent director. She directed powerful plays like Kathleen Collins's The Brothers in 1982. She also directed Anna Deavere Smith's Aye, Aye, Aye, I'm Integrated in 1984. And she directed the musical Miss Ethel Waters.
Awards and Recognition
In 2006, Billie Allen was nominated for a Lucille Lortel Awards. This was for directing Funnyhouse of a Negro. This was a very important one-act play by Adrienne Kennedy. Billie Allen had actually played the lead character, "Sarah," when the play first came out in 1964. Also in 2006, she received The Rose McClendon Trailblazer Award. This award came from the Classical Theatre of Harlem.
Personal Life
Billie Allen was married twice. Her first marriage was to Duane H. Grant, Sr. They later divorced. Her second husband was Luther Henderson. He was a pianist and a very talented Broadway composer and arranger. Billie Allen and Luther Henderson worked together to create the musical "Little Ham." This musical was based on a play by the famous poet Langston Hughes. Billie Allen and Luther Henderson both won AUDELCO Awards for their work. They stayed married until Luther Henderson's death in 2003.
Billie Allen passed away peacefully at her home in Manhattan, New York City. She died on December 29, 2015, at the age of 90. This was just 15 days before her 91st birthday. She is remembered by her son and daughter, Duane H. Grant, Jr. and Carolyn J. Grant. She also had one granddaughter, several stepchildren, and a brother, Dr. Edward B. Allen. Many other relatives and artists she directed and mentored throughout her long career also remember her.
