Onest Conley facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Onest Conley
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| Born | December 6, 1906 Evanston, Illinois, U.S.
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| Died | October 8, 1989 (aged 82) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
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| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1926–1955 |
| Parent(s) | Madame Sul-Te-Wan Robert Reed Conley |
| Relatives | Odel Conley |
Onest Conley (born December 6, 1906 – died October 8, 1989) was an American actor who appeared in many films. He was known for his roles in movies like King Kong and This Day and Age. His mother was also a famous actress, Madame Sul-Te-Wan.
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Early Life of Onest Conley
Onest Conley was born in Evanston, Illinois, on December 6, 1906. His mother was Madame Sul-Te-Wan, a very important African-American actress. Her real name was Nellie Crawford. His father was Robert Reed Conley. Onest had two brothers, Odel and Otto. Sadly, his father left the family when Onest was very young. His mother, who was an actress, raised the three boys by herself.
Onest Conley's Acting Career
Just like his mother, Onest Conley became interested in acting. He started getting small roles in movies. His very first movie was The Dixie Merchant in 1926. This film was directed by Frank Borzage. It was based on a book called The Chicken-Wagon Family. The main actors in the movie were Jack Mulhall and Madge Bellamy.
During the 1920s and 1930s, it was often hard for African-American actors to get many different kinds of roles in movies. Onest Conley still managed to appear in films during this time. He was often given roles that were not very fair, like playing "natives" or "shoeshine boys".
Onest and his brother Odel both appeared as "warriors" in the very popular 1933 movie King Kong. Their mother also had a small, uncredited role in the same movie as a "native handmaiden". Onest also acted with his mother in the 1930 film The Thoroughbred, which was directed by Richard Thorpe.
Some of his most well-known roles include:
- George Harris in the 1933 crime movie This Day and Age, directed by Cecil B. DeMille.
- Neptune in the 1935 romantic drama Grand Old Girl, directed by John S. Robertson.
- Mose in the 1935 adventure film Racing Luck, directed by Sam Newfield.
By the early 1940s, Onest Conley's acting career slowed down. He started getting fewer and fewer roles. His last acting job was in the 1950s TV show Soldiers of Fortune. He played a "voodoo drummer" in one episode.
Later Life and Death
Onest Conley passed away in Los Angeles, California, in 1989. He was 82 years old.
Selected Filmography
- The Dixie Merchant, as Eph (1926)
- Vengeance, as Chief (1930)
- King Kong, as Warrior [uncredited] (1933)
- This Day and Age, as George Harris (1933)
- Grand Old Girl, as Neptune (1935)
- Racing Luck, as Mose (1935)
- She Knew All the Answers, as Shoeshine Boy (1941)
- The Foxes of Harrow, as Drummer in voodoo sequence [uncredited] (1947)
- Jungle Goddess, as Drummer (1948)
