Spencer Bell (actor) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Spencer Bell
Lobby card for Blue Blood (1925)
Born	(1887-09-25)September 25, 1887 Lexington, Kentucky, U.S.
Died	August 18, 1935(1935-08-18) (aged 47) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Resting place	Sawtelle Military Cemetery
Nationality	American
Other names	G. Howe Black
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1919–1934

Spencer Bell (born September 25, 1887 – died August 18, 1935) was an American actor who performed on stage and in movies. He was best known for acting alongside Larry Semon in many of his funny silent films from the late 1910s until 1928. Spencer Bell was one of the first African American comedy actors during the silent film era. He was also the first to get a movie contract. During his fifteen years in films, Bell appeared in more than seventy short comedy movies.

About Spencer Bell

Early Life and Career

Spencer Bell was born in Lexington, Kentucky. Before he became a Hollywood movie star, he worked as a driver. He also performed in stage shows, including vaudeville, which were popular variety shows.

Bell joined the United States Army and served in World War I. After the war, he started his film career. His first movie was a silent comedy short called Passing the Buck in 1919, with Larry Semon.

Famous Roles

During that time, many African American actors were often given similar kinds of roles. These roles were sometimes based on unfair and old-fashioned ideas about people. Bell's characters were often shown as clumsy or lazy, which was meant to be funny.

One of Spencer Bell's most famous roles was as Snowball, Rastus, or the Cowardly Lion in Larry Semon's 1925 film, The Wizard of Oz. In that movie, Semon gave Bell the stage name "G. Howe Black." A critic from Variety magazine, who generally liked the movie, felt that Semon should not have used such a disrespectful name for Bell. Bell was also credited with this name in Semon's 1925 silent comedy film, The Perfect Clown.

Later Career and Legacy

In the 1930s, Bell often appeared in the Mickey McGuire movie series. These films starred a young Mickey Rooney. For a short time, Bell also managed his own acting group in Harlem, New York. Spencer Bell's last movie was the 1934 comedy short Mickey's Medicine Man.

His Final Years

Spencer Bell passed away on August 18, 1935, at his home in Los Angeles, California. He died from problems after having abdominal surgery in July 1935. He is buried at Sawtelle Military Cemetery, which is now known as Los Angeles National Cemetery.

Films He Was In