Melvin Van Peebles
Acting
1932-08-21 · Chicago, Illinois, USA
Melvin Van Peebles (born Melvin Peebles; August 21, 1932 – September 21, 2021) was an American actor, filmmaker, writer, and composer. His feature film debut, The Story of a Three-Day Pass (1967), was based on his own French-language novel La Permission and was shot in France, as it was difficult for a black American director to get work at the time. The film won an award at the San Francisco International Film Festival which gained him the interest of Hollywood studios, leading to his American feature debut Watermelon Man, in 1970. Eschewing further overtures from Hollywood, he used the successes he had so far to bankroll his work as an independent filmmaker. In 1971, he released his best-known work, creating and starring in the film Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song, which led to the creation of the blaxploitation genre. although critic Roger Ebert did not consider this example of Van Peebles' work to be an exploitation film. He followed this up with the musical, Don't Play Us Cheap, based on his own stage play, and continued to make films, write novels and stage plays in English and in French through the next several decades; his final films include the French-language film Le Conte du ventre plein (2000) and the absurdist film Confessionsofa Ex-Doofus-ItchyFooted Mutha (2008). His son, filmmaker and actor Mario Van Peebles, appeared in several of his works and portrayed him in the 2003 biographical film Baadasssss!.
Filmography
Hollywood Black
2024 · Series
Sweet Black Film: The Birth of the Black Hero in Hollywood
2022 · Movie
Oscar Micheaux: The Superhero of Black Filmmaking
2021 · Movie
Armed
2018 · Movie
Peeples
2013 · Movie
Salty Dog Blues
2012 · Movie
Redemption Road
2011 · Movie
The Black Power Mixtape 1967-1975
2011 · Movie
Infiltrating Hollywood: The Rise and Fall of the Spook Who Sat by the Door
2011 · Movie
American Swing
2009 · Movie
Directors on Directing
2009 · Movie
The Black List: Volume Two
2009 · Movie
Confessions of a Ex-Doofus-ItchyFooted Mutha
2008 · Movie
Sex: The Revolution
2008 · Series
Blackout
2007 · Movie
Hard Luck
2006 · Movie
SMUT
2006 · Movie
Midnight Blue, Vol. 3: Celebrities Edition
2006 · Movie
How to Eat Your Watermelon in White Company (and Enjoy It)
2005 · Movie
Unstoppable
2005 · Movie
Baadasssss!
2004 · Movie
The Hebrew Hammer
2003 · Movie
The Real Deal: What It Is
2003 · Movie
BaadAsssss Cinema
2002 · Movie
Girlfriends
2000 · Series
Bellyful
2000 · Movie
René Vautier, le rebelle
2000 · Movie
Love Kills
1999 · Movie
Classified X
1998 · Movie
The Shining
1997 · Series
Riot
1997 · Movie
Calm at Sunset
1996 · Movie
Gang in Blue
1996 · Movie
Tales of Erotica
1996 · Movie
Panther
1995 · Movie
Fist of the North Star
1995 · Movie
The Outer Limits
1995 · Series
Vrooom Vrooom Vroooom
1995 · Movie
Terminal Velocity
1994 · Movie
Living Single
1993 · Series
Farewell, Babylon!
1993 · Movie
Last Action Hero
1993 · Movie
Posse
1993 · Movie
Homicide: Life on the Street
1993 · Series
Boomerang
1992 · Movie
Satchmo: The Life of Louis Armstrong
1992 · Movie
True Identity
1991 · Movie
Dream On
1990 · Series
Making 'Do the Right Thing'
1989 · Movie
Identity Crisis
1989 · Movie
976-STUD
1989 · Movie
Sonny Spoon
1988 · Series
Taking Care of Terrific
1988 · Movie
Jaws: The Revenge
1987 · Movie
O.C. and Stiggs
1987 · Movie
The Day They Came to Arrest the Book
1987 · Movie
America
1986 · Movie
CBS Schoolbreak Special
1984 · Series
The Sophisticated Gents
1981 · Series
Greased Lightning
1977 · Movie
Just an Old Sweet Song
1976 · Movie
Don't Play Us Cheap
1973 · Movie
Wattstax
1973 · Movie
Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song
1971 · Movie
Watermelon Man
1970 · Movie
Slogan
1969 · Movie
The Story of a Three-Day Pass
1968 · Movie
Pour le plaisir
1964 · Series
Seize millions de jeunes
1964 · Series
500 Francs
1961 · Movie
Three Pick-Up Men for Herrick
1957 · Movie
Sunlight
1957 · Movie
Hallmark Hall of Fame
1951 · Series