Gordon Heath facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Gordon Heath
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| Born | September 20, 1918 New York City, New York, U.S.
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| Died | August 27, 1991 (aged 72) |
| Occupation | Actor, musician, café owner |
| Years active | 1937–1989 |
| Partner(s) | Lee Payant (1949-76; Payant's death) |
Gordon Heath (born September 20, 1918 – died August 27, 1991) was an American actor and musician. He was known for narrating the animated movie Animal Farm (1954). He also played the main character in The Emperor Jones (1953) and Othello (1955). Both of these were live TV shows for the BBC.
About Gordon Heath
Gordon Heath was born in New York City. He was the only child of his parents. His father, Cyril Gordon Heath, came from Barbados to the US. There, he met and married Hattie Hooper.
Gordon Heath showed a talent for both music and art when he was young. But he chose to become an actor. He worked on stage and on the radio. In 1945, he joined the New York radio station WMCA. He became the first black staff announcer at a major US radio station.
In 1945, he acted on Broadway. This is a famous theater area in New York City. He was very successful in a play called Deep Are the Roots. The play ran for 447 shows. Later, the play was shown in London's West End, another famous theater area. Gordon Heath played his role again there. After six months in London, Heath decided to move to Paris, France, in 1948.
He continued acting in Paris. In 1950, he played the character Othello on stage in London. He later played Othello for BBC Television. For 10 years, starting in the 1960s, he directed an English-speaking theater group in Paris called the Studio Theater of Paris.
Gordon Heath and his close friend and music partner, Lee Payant, owned a café in Paris. It was on the Left Bank and was called L'Abbaye. Famous people like actress Rita Hayworth visited the café. Heath and Payant often performed music there for their guests. Many of their folk albums from the 1950s were recorded at L'Abbaye. These albums were released by different music companies, including Elektra Records. Lee Payant passed away on December 14, 1976.
Gordon Heath died in Paris on August 27, 1991, after being sick for a long time.
Movies and TV Shows
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1953 | The Emperor Jones | Emperor Brutus Jones | TV movie |
| 1950-1954 | BBC Sunday-Night Theatre | Rev. Ezekiel Selby / Stanley Atlas / Brett Charles | 3 episodes |
| 1954 | Animal Farm | Narrator | Voice role |
| 1955 | Captain Gallant of the Foreign Legion | Charlie | Episode: "The Prayer Rug" |
| 1955 | Mr. Arkadin | Pianist | Not credited |
| 1955 | Heroes and Sinners | Sidney | |
| 1955 | Othello | Othello | TV movie |
| 1956 | Le secret de soeur Angèle | Le trompettiste | |
| 1956 | Man of Africa | Narrator | Voice role |
| 1958 | Storm Over Jamaica | Coroner | |
| 1959 | Sapphire | Paul Slade | |
| 1961 | My Baby is Black! | Daniel | |
| 1962 | My Uncle from Texas | ||
| 1966 | Lost Command | Dia | |
| 1969 | Staircase | Postman | |
| 1969 | The Madwoman of Chaillot | The Folksinger | |
| 1970 | Aladdin and His Magic Lamp | Magician of Egypt | English version, Voice role |
| 1972 | La nuit Bulgare | ||
| 1972 | L'aventure, c'est l'aventure | Le général africain | |
| 1983 | L'africain | Le ministre | |
| 1985 | Asterix Versus Caesar | Caesar | English version, Voice role |
| 1986 | Asterix in Britain | ||
| 1989 | Samuel Fuller's Street of No Return | Black Bum | (His last movie role) |
Music Albums
- Gordon Heath and Lee Payant Sing Songs of the Abbaye ‒ Elektra (1954)
- Chants Tradionnels des Etats-Unis – Editions de la Boite à Musique LD 313 (1955)
- Gordon Heath and Lee Payant Sing Encores from the Abbaye ‒ Elektra (1955)
- Folksongs and Footnotes – Abbaye Record 1 (1956)
- An Evening at L'Abbaye – Elektra (1957)
- Abbaye Anniversary Album – Abbaye Record 2 (1959)
- Gordon Heath Sings Spirituals – Abbaye Record 3 (1961)
