Clarence Muse
Known for Acting · 154 credits
- Born
- 1889-10-13
- Died
- 1979-10-13
- Place of birth
- Baltimore, Maryland, USA
- Also known as
- Clarence Muese
Biography
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Clarence Muse (October 14, 1889 – October 13, 1979) was an American actor, screenwriter, director, composer, and lawyer. He was inducted in the Black Filmmakers Hall of Fame in 1973. Muse was the first Negro to "star" in a film. He acted for more than sixty years appearing in more than 150 movies.
Born in Baltimore, Maryland, the son of Alexander and Mary Muse, he studied at Dickinson College, Carlisle, Pennsylvania, and received an international law degree in 1911. He was acting in New York by the 1920s, during the Harlem Renaissance with two Harlem theatres, Lincoln Players and Lafayette Players.
Muse moved to Chicago for a while, and then moved to Hollywood and performed in Hearts in Dixie (1929), the first all-black movie. For the next fifty years, he worked regularly in minor and major roles. While with the Lafayette Players, Muse worked under the management of producer Robert Levy on productions that helped black actors to gain prominence and respect. In regards to the Lafayette Theatre's staging of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Muse said the play was relevant to black actors and audiences "because, in a way, it was every black man's story. Black men too have been split creatures inhabiting one body.". Muse appeared as an opera singer, minstrel show performer, vaudeville and Broadway actor; he also wrote songs, plays, and sketches. In 1943, he became the first African American Broadway director with Run Little Chillun.
Muse was also the co-writer of several notable songs. In 1931, with Leon René and Otis René, Muse wrote "When It's Sleepy Time Down South", also known as "Sleepy Time Down South". The song was sung by Nina Mae McKinney in the movie Safe in Hell (1931), and later became a signature song of Louis Armstrong.
Known For
TV Shows (4)
Movies (150)
Double Indemnity
1944
as Man (uncredited)
Shadow of a Doubt
1943
as Pullman Porter
Unconquered
1947
as Jason
Car Wash
1976
as Snapper
The Black Swan
1942
as Margaret's Servant (uncredited)
The Black Stallion
1979
as Snoe
Scarlet Street
1945
as Ben - Bank Janitor (uncredited)
Heaven Can Wait
1943
as Jasper (uncredited)
Prestige
1932
as Nham
Derelict
1930
as Driver (uncredited)
Buck and the Preacher
1972
as Cudjo
The Talk of the Town
1942
as Supreme Court Doorkeeper (uncredited)
God Is My Co-Pilot
1945
as Frank (uncredited)
White Zombie
1932
as Coach Driver
Jamaica Run
1953
as Mose
Black Moon
1934
as 'Lunch' McClaren
Belle Starr
1941
as Bootblack in Saloon (uncredited)
Maryland
1940
as Reverend Bitters
The World's Greatest Athlete
1973
as Gazenga's Assistant
Silver River
1948
as Servant (uncredited)
Jungle Queen
1945
as Kyba
The Thin Man Goes Home
1944
as Porter on Train (uncredited)
Flying Down to Rio
1933
as Caddy in Haiti (uncredited)
Apache Drums
1951
as Jehu
Caribbean
1952
as Quashy
The Thoroughbred
1930
as Stablehand
If I Had a Million
1932
as Death Row Singing Prisoner (uncredited)
Without Love
1945
as Train Porter
Frisco Jenny
1933
as Voice of Singer (uncredited)
Welcome Stranger
1947
as Clarence, Train Waiter (uncredited)
Honeymoon Lodge
1943
as Porter
Dirigible
1931
as Clarence
The Wrecker
1933
as Chauffeur
Jam Session
1944
as Henry
Chad Hanna
1940
as Henry Prince
Follow the Boys
1944
as Singer (uncredited)
Kisses for Breakfast
1941
as Old Jeff
Riding High
1950
as Whitey
Jungle Menace
1937
as Lightning
Show Boat
1936
as Sam
Porgy and Bess
1959
as Peter
O'Shaughnessy's Boy
1935
as Jeff
Murder Over New York
1940
as Party Server
Flesh and Fantasy
1943
as Jeff (uncredited)
She Wouldn't Say Yes
1945
as Porter (uncredited)
Tales of Manhattan
1942
as Grandpa
Adam Had Four Sons
1941
as Sam (uncredited)
Big City Blues
1932
as Nightclub Singer (uncredited)
Watch on the Rhine
1943
as Horace
San Diego I Love You
1944
as Porter (uncredited)
An Act of Murder
1948
as Mr. Pope
My Favorite Brunette
1947
as Second Man on Death Row (uncredited)
Among the Living
1941
Joe Palooka in the Knockout
1947
as Smoky
A Very Honorable Guy
1934
as Black Man
Alice in Movieland
1940
as Train Porter
Love Crazy
1941
as Robert - Hat Check Man at Party
The Las Vegas Story
1952
as Train Porter (uncredited)
The Sun Shines Bright
1953
as Uncle Zack
The Life of Jimmy Dolan
1933
as Masseur
Jungle Safari
1956
as Kyba
A Likely Story
1947
as Porter (uncredited)
So Red the Rose
1935
as Cato
The Death Kiss
1932
as Shoeshine Man
The Wet Parade
1932
as Taylor Tibbs
The Toy Wife
1938
as Brutus
Swing High
1930
as Singer
The Cabin in the Cotton
1932
as A Blind Negro
Black Shadows on a Silver Screen
1975
as Self (archive footage)
High Hat
1937
as Congo MacRosenbloom
Daniel Boone
1936
as Pompey
Hell's Highway
1932
as Rascal
Johnny Come Lately
1943
as Butler
Invisible Ghost
1941
as Evans the Butler
Huckleberry Finn
1931
as Jim
Kid Millions
1934
as Native (uncredited)
Broadway Bill
1934
as Whitey
Sporting Blood
1940
as Jeff
Massacre
1934
as Sam
Over the Wall
1943
as Sam
The Personality Kid
1934
as Shamrock
From Hell to Heaven
1933
as Sam
The Green Pastures
1936
as Angel (uncredited)
Hallelujah
1929
as Church Member (uncredited)
The Woman from Monte Carlo
1932
as Tombeau
Sherlock Holmes in Washington
1943
as George
Night World
1932
as Tim Washington, the Doorman
The Last Parade
1931
as Alabam' / Singing Voice of Condemned Man (uncredited)
Jungle Terror
1946
as Lightin'
Fury of the Jungle
1933
as Sunrise
The Racket Man
1944
as George the Butler
Stars on Parade
1944
as Carter (uncredited)
The Flame of New Orleans
1941
as Samuel, Carriage Driver
The Sky's the Limit
1943
as Colonial Club Doorman (uncredited)
Zanzibar
1940
as Bino
My Forbidden Past
1951
as Pompey
Muss 'em Up
1936
as William
Safe in Hell
1931
as Newcastle
Two Smart People
1946
as Train Porter
Outside the Law
1930
as Party Guest (uncredited)
That Gang of Mine
1940
as Ben
The Soul of a Monster
1944
as Entertainer (uncredited)
Spendthrift
1936
as Restaurant Table Captain
Secrets of a Nurse
1938
as 'Tiger', Lee's Handler
Mysterious Crossing
1936
as Lincoln
Honey
1930
as Black Revivalist
In the Meantime, Darling
1944
as Henry
Harmony Lane
1935
as Old Joe
East of Java
1935
as First Mate Johnson
Rain or Shine
1930
as Nero
Is My Face Red?
1932
as Horatio
Katie Did It
1950
as Mose
Red Hot Tires
1935
as Bud's Truck Partner
Winner Take All
1932
as Rosebud, the Trainer
Lena Rivers
1932
as Curfew
Attorney for the Defense
1932
as Jefferson Q. Leffingwell
The Secret Witness
1931
as Jeff - Building Janitor
The Mind Reader
1933
as Sam
The Great Dan Patch
1949
as Voodoo
Way Down South
1939
as Uncle Caton
About Clarence Muse
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Clarence Muse (October 14, 1889 – October 13, 1979) was an American actor, screenwriter, director, composer, and lawyer. He was inducted in the Black Filmmakers Hall of Fame in 1973. Muse was the first Negro to "star" in a film. He acted for more than sixty years appearing in more than 150 movies. Born in Baltimore, Maryland, the son of Alexander and Mary Muse, he studied at Dickinson College, Carlisle, Pennsylvania, and received an international law degree in 1911. He was acting in New York by the 1920s,… With 154 credits spanning from 1921 to 1979, Clarence Muse has appeared in 150 films and 4 TV shows.
Fans searching for Clarence Muse movies, Clarence Muse filmography, or the latest projects starring Clarence Muse can stream many of these titles on HinFlix, free and in HD, with no subscription required.
Most Popular Clarence Muse Movies
- Double Indemnity (1944) — as Man (uncredited)
- Shadow of a Doubt (1943) — as Pullman Porter
- Unconquered (1947) — as Jason
- Car Wash (1976) — as Snapper
- The Black Swan (1942) — as Margaret's Servant (uncredited)
Where to Watch Clarence Muse Films
Most Clarence Muse movies and series are available to stream on HinFlix in full HD, completely free and without signup. Browse the complete filmography above to jump directly to any title. For more films and the latest web series featuring Clarence Muse, check our movies catalogue and browse page.