Melvin Van Peebles

Melvin Van Peebles (born August 21, 1932 in Chicago, Illinois) is an American actor, director, screenwriter and composer, and the father of actor and director Mario Van Peebles.

Related Topics:
August 21 - 1932 - Chicago, Illinois - American - Mario Van Peebles

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As a boy Melvin Van Peebles was taken to the grocery store where they stomped and destroyed all of the Wonder Bread. They told the grocer that if the Wonder Bread bakery didn't hire black drivers then there would be no Wonder Bread sold in the black neighborhood.

Related Topics:
Wonder Bread

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Melvin Van Peebles also sacrificed his own job so other people of color keep theirs and broke color barriers in the film trade unions.

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Prior to entering hollywood, Van Peebles directed the French film Story of a Three Day Pass (La Permission). His first Hollywood film was the 1970 comedy Watermelon Man, with writer Herman Raucher. The movie told the story of a casually racist but well meaning white man who wakes up black and finds himself alienated from his friends, family, and job.

Related Topics:
Story of a Three Day Pass - 1970 - Watermelon Man - Herman Raucher

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Van Peebles followed up by directing the independent feature Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song which is credited with starting the blaxploitation genre. Mario Van Peebles 2004 film BAADASSSSS! tells the story behind his father's film. Since the success of Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song he has directed only a small number of other films, none of which have been as successful as that film.

Related Topics:
Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song - Blaxploitation - BAADASSSSS!

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Melvin Van Peebles speaks English, French and Dutch. He was educated at Ohio Wesleyan University.

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Melvin Van Peebles recently became part of Stones Throw Records. He publicly announced his next project - a double album with Madlib to be released on Stones Throw. The first half of the album will be his own "Brer Soul Meets Quasimoto" and the second half will be the Madlib Invazion remix. This is being planned a 2 disc set released together in one package. Madlib sampled Melvin heavily on both of his albums under the Quasimoto moniker. Melvin Van Peebles has already started his new double album.

Related Topics:
Stones Throw Records - Madlib

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