Leigh Whipper
Leigh Whipper | |
|---|---|
Whipper as the Crab Man in Porgy (1927) | |
| Born | Leigh Rollin Whipper October 29, 1876 |
| Died | July 26, 1975 (aged 98) New York City, U.S. |
| Alma mater | Howard University |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1899–1958 |
| Spouse |
Lillian E. Myles
(m. 1904; died 1946) |
| Children | Leighla Whipper |
| Parent(s) | William James Whipper Frances Rollin Whipper |
| Relatives | Ionia Rollin Whipper (sister) William Whipper (great-uncle) |
Leigh Rollin Whipper (October 29, 1876 – July 26, 1975) was an American actor on the stage and in motion pictures. He was the first African American to join the Actors' Equity Association, and one of the founders of the Negro Actors Guild of America. He created the role of Crooks in the original Broadway production of Of Mice and Men, which he reprised in the 1939 film version.