Chittlin' Talk: Spencer Williams

Sunday, April 1, 2007

Spencer Williams

"Spencer Williams, Jr. (July 14, 1891—December 13, 1969) was an African American actor best known for playing Andy in the Amos 'n' Andy television show. Before achieving recognition as an actor, he had a important career primarily as a film director, producer, and writer. He was also involved with the film The Blood of Jesus. Spencer Williams wrote, produced, directed and starred in this film which was selected in 1991 to be inducted into the Library of Congress National Film Registry.

In the televised episodes of "Amos 'n' Andy, Spencer Williams Jr. played the lovable but gullible character of Andrew H. Brown. The middle initial stood for Hogg. Andy, as he was known by his friends and co-horts on the show, was the constant victim of the ever conniving Kingfish, head of the Mystic Knights of the Sea Lodge hall (who was the star of the show), and played expertly by Tim Moore, a celebrated comedian from vaudeville and the Broadway stage. Just as in radio days "Andy" continued to be portrayed on television as quite the "ladies man." The popular series ran from 1951 until 1953 and Spencer Williams Jr. appeared in all 78 episodes that were produced.

Spencer Williams Jr. was born in Vidalia, Louisiana and died December 13, 1969 in Los Angeles, California of a kidney disease."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spencer_Williams_(actor)

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Booker T. Washington said:

"There is another class of colored people who make a business of keeping the troubles, the wrongs, and the hardships of the Negro race before the public. Having learned that they are able to make a living out of their troubles, they have grown into the settled habit of advertising their wrongs -- partly because they want sympathy and partly because it pays. Some of these people do not want the Negro to lose his grievances, because they do not want to lose their jobs....There is a certain class of race-problem solvers who do not want the patient to get well, because as long as the disease holds out they have not only an easy means of making a living, but also an easy medium through which to make themselves prominent before the public."