Gordon Heath

Gordon Heath
Born(1918-09-20)September 20, 1918
New York City, New York, U.S.
DiedAugust 27, 1991(1991-08-27) (aged 72)
Paris, France
Occupation(s)Actor, musician, café owner
Years active1937–1989
PartnerLee Payant (1949-76; Payant's death)

Gordon Heath (September 20, 1918 – August 27, 1991) was an American actor and musician who narrated the animated feature film Animal Farm (1954) and appeared in the title role of The Emperor Jones (1953) and Othello (1955), both live BBC telecasts, respectively directed by Alvin Rakoff and Tony Richardson. it featured several kisses between himself and Rosemary Harris and is a contender for the first interracial kiss on television.

Biography

Heath was born in New York City, his parents' only child. His father Cyril Gordon Heath had emigrated from Barbados to the US, where he met and married Hattie Hooper.[1] Gordon Heath showed an early talent for both music and art, but opted to pursue an acting career, working on stage and radio.[1] Joining the New York radio station WMCA in 1945 he became the first black staff announcer employed by a major US radio station.[1] In 1945 he appeared on Broadway to great success in the play Deep Are the Roots, written by Arnaud d'Usseau and James Gow, directed by Elia Kazan, and starring Barbara Bel Geddes. The play ran for 447 performances, and when it was subsequently produced in London's West End, Heath reprised his co-starring role in it.[1] After the six-month London run, Heath decided to settle in Paris, France, in 1948.[2]

He also acted in Paris, and in 1950 in London he played Othello on stage and later for BBC Television. He directed an English-speaking production company, the Studio Theater of Paris, for 10 years, from the 1960s.[2]

He and his music and life partner Lee Payant operated a Left Bank café in Paris called L'Abbaye, whose clientele included Josephine Baker, Yves Montand, Eartha Kitt, Rita Hayworth and other celebrities of the era, and where Heath and Payant were the entertainers.[3] Many of the duo's folk albums from the 1950s[3] were recorded there and released on various international labels, including Elektra Records. Payant died on December 14, 1976.

Heath died in Paris after a lengthy illness on August 27, 1991.[2]

Filmography

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
1955 Captain Gallant of the Foreign Legion Charlie Episode: "The Prayer Rug"
1955 Mr. Arkadin Pianist Uncredited
1955 The Heroes Are Tired Sidney
1955 Othello Othello TV movie
1956 Le secret de soeur Angèle Le trompettiste
1956 Man of Africa Narrator Voice
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
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
1986 Asterix in Britain
1989 Samuel Fuller's Street of No Return Black Bum (final film role)

Select discography

  • 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)

References

  1. ^ a b c d Rapp, Linda (2004). "Heath, Gordon". In Summers, Claude J. (ed.). The Queer Encyclopedia of Music, Dance & Musical Theater. Jersey City, New Jersey: Cleis Press. p. 118. ISBN 9781573441988.
  2. ^ a b c Eleanor Blau (August 31, 1991). "Gordon Heath, 72; Co-Starred in Play 'Dweep are the Roots'". The New York Times. Retrieved July 14, 2010.
  3. ^ a b Bruce Eder, Biography of Gordon Heath and Lee Payant, AllMusic.

Bibliography

  • Bourne, Stephen. "Heath, Gordon." Who's Who in Contemporary Gay & Lesbian History from World War II to the Present Day. Robert Aldrich and Garry Wotherspoon, eds. London and New York: Routledge, 2001. 183.
  • Breman, Paul. "Obituary: Gordon Heath." The Independent (London) (September 13, 1991): 26.
  • Heath, Gordon. Deep Are the Roots: Memoirs of a Black Expatriate. Amherst: The University of Massachusetts Press, 1992.
  • Shipman, David. "Obituary: Gordon Heath." The Independent (London) (September 2, 1991): 21.