CineScope
William Marshall picture

William Marshall

Acting
Known For

78 Years Old

William Marshall was an American actor, director, and opera singer. He is best known for his title role in Blacula and its sequel Scream Blacula Scream as well as his role on Pee-wee's Playhouse. Marshall made his Broadway debut in 1944 in Carmen Jones. In 1950, he understudied Boris Karloff as Captain Hook in the Broadway production of Peter Pan. He played the leading role of De Lawd in the 1951 revival of The Green Pastures, a role he repeated in 1958 in a BBC telecast of the play. He performed in several Shakespearean plays on the stage in the U. S. and Europe, including the title role in at least six productions of Othello. Harold Hobson of the London Sunday Times praised Marshall’s portrayal as "the best Othello of our time." In 1968, Marshall joined the Center Theatre Group at the Ahmanson Theatre in Los Angeles to play Othello in a jazz musical version, Catch My Soul, with Jerry Lee Lewis as Iago. Marshall portrayed Paul Robeson and Frederick Douglass on stage. He researched Douglass' life extensively, and in 1983 produced and played the lead role in Frederick Douglass: Slave and Statesman. Marshall's career on screen began in the 1952 film Lydia Bailey as a Haitian leader. He followed that with a prominent role as Glycon, comrade and fellow gladiator to Victor Mature in the 1954 film Demetrius and the Gladiators. His demeanor, voice and stature gave him a wide range, though he was ill-suited for the subservient roles that many black actors of his generation were most frequently offered. He was a leader of the Mau-Mau uprising in Something of Value, and Attorney General Edward Brooke in The Boston Strangler. He probably received the most notice for his role in the vampire film Blacula and its sequel Scream Blacula Scream. In later years, Marshall played the King of Cartoons on Pee-wee's Playhouse. Despite blacklisting because of his supposed communist connections, Marshall managed to continue appearing in both television and films. He appeared on the British spy series Danger Man in episodes titled "Deadline" and "The Galloping Major". He also won two local Emmys for producing and performing in a PBS production, As Adam Early in the Morning, a theatre piece originally performed on stage. He also was featured in an episode of The Alfred Hitchcock Hour titled, "The Jar", with actors Pat Buttram and George Lindsey. In addition to acting and producing, Marshall taught acting at various universities including the University of California, Irvine, and the Mufandi Institute, an African-American arts and music institution in the Watts section of Los Angeles. He did similar work at Chicago's ETA Creative Arts Foundation, which in 1992 named Marshall one of its Epic Men of the 20th century. Marshall died June 11, 2003, from complications arising from Alzheimer's disease and diabetes. Marshall was considered by many to be a much underrated actor and one who never got his due. Some have remarked that Marshall should have had a much more successful and larger screen career, even saying that Marshall would have been a perfect choice for the role of Thulsa Doom in Conan the Barbarian.

Born

Gary, Indiana, USA on 19th August 1924

Died

11th June 2003

All Credits

Star Trek Image
Star Trek
Dr. Richard Daystrom
Danger Man Image
Danger Man
Saul Khano
Bonanza Image
Bonanza
Thomas Bowers
Pee-wee's Playhouse Image
Pee-wee's Playhouse
The King of Cartoons
Tarzan Image
Tarzan
Colonel Takakombi
The Man from U.N.C.L.E. Image
The Man from U.N.C.L.E.
Premier Sekue Ashumen
Maverick Image
Maverick
Riverboat Poker Player
Amazon Women on the Moon Image
Amazon Women on the Moon
Pirate Captain (segment "Video Pirates")
The Boston Strangler Image
The Boston Strangler
Atty. Gen. Edward W. Brooke
Demetrius and the Gladiators Image
Demetrius and the Gladiators
Glycon
Blacula Image
Blacula
Blacula / Prince Mamuwalde
Skullduggery Image
Skullduggery
Attorney General
The Many Faces of Dracula Image
The Many Faces of Dracula
Blacula (archive footage)
Pee-wee's Playhouse Christmas Special Image
Pee-wee's Playhouse Christmas Special
King of Cartoons
Horror Noire: A History of Black Horror Image
Horror Noire: A History of Black Horror
Self (archive footage)
Twilight's Last Gleaming Image
Twilight's Last Gleaming
William Klinger - Attorney General
Dinosaur Valley Girls Image
Dinosaur Valley Girls
Dr. Benjamin Michaels
Sorceress Image
Sorceress
John Geiger
Tarzan's Jungle Rebellion Image
Tarzan's Jungle Rebellion
Colonel Tatakombi
To Trap a Spy Image
To Trap a Spy
Sekue Ashumen
Beverly Hills Madam Image
Beverly Hills Madam
Jenny's Widower
Scream Blacula Scream Image
Scream Blacula Scream
Blacula / Prince Mamuwalde
The Complete Bob Wilkins Creature Features Image
The Complete Bob Wilkins Creature Features
Zig Zag Image
Zig Zag
Morrie Bronson
Something of Value Image
Something of Value
Leader - Intellectual in Suit
Dracula: A Cinematic Scrapbook Image
Dracula: A Cinematic Scrapbook
Blacula (archive footage)
Operation Heartbeat Image
Operation Heartbeat
Dr. Harold Tawn
Killer Instinct Image
Killer Instinct
Macked, Hammered, Slaughtered and Shafted Image
Macked, Hammered, Slaughtered and Shafted
Self
The Hell with Heroes Image
The Hell with Heroes
Al Poland
Abby Image
Abby
Bishop Garnet Williams
Honky Image
Honky
Dr. Craig Smith
No Image
Sabu and the Magic Ring
Ubal, the genie
Lydia Bailey Image
Lydia Bailey
King Dick
No Image
The Horror Hall of Fame: A Monster Salute
Self (archive footage)
Vasectomy: A Delicate Matter Image
Vasectomy: A Delicate Matter
Dr. Dean
Vampires: Thirst for the Truth Image
Vampires: Thirst for the Truth
Narrator / Self
Othello Image
Othello
Othello
Rosetti and Ryan: Men Who Love Women Image
Rosetti and Ryan: Men Who Love Women
Judge Marcus Black
The Great Skycopter Rescue Image
The Great Skycopter Rescue
Mr. Jason
The Mask of Sheba Image
The Mask of Sheba
Capt. Condor Sekallie
Monster Madness: The Counter Culture To Blockbusters Image
Monster Madness: The Counter Culture To Blockbusters
(archive footage)
Making It Image
Making It
Narrator
No Image
Frederick Douglass: Slave and Statesman
Frederick Douglas