Jump to content

Brock Peters, actor who appeared in `To Kill a


Recommended Posts

Brock Peters, actor who appeared in `To Kill a Mockingbird,' dies

By GARY GENTILE, Associated Press Writer

Tuesday, August 23, 2005

Printable Version

Email This Article

(08-23) 13:03 PDT Los Angeles (AP) --

Actor Brock Peters, best known for his heartbreaking performance as the black man falsely accused of rape in "To Kill a Mockingbird," died Tuesday at his home after battling pancreatic cancer. He was 78.

Peters was diagnosed with the disease in January and had been receiving chemotherapy treatment, according to Marilyn Darby, his longtime companion. His condition became worse in recent weeks.

He died peacefully in bed, surrounded by family, she said.

Peters was born George Fisher on July 2, 1927 in New York. His long film career began in the 1950s with the landmark productions of "Carmen Jones" in 1954 and "Porgy and Bess" in 1959.

In recent years, he played Admiral Cartwright in two of the "Star Trek" feature films. He also appeared in numerous TV shows. His distinctive deep bass voice was often used for animated characters.

He was perhaps best known for portraying accused rapist Tom Robinson, defended by Gregory Peck's Atticus Finch in the 1962 film "To Kill a Mockingbird."

Peters paid tribute to Peck after he died in 2003.

"In art there is compassion, in compassion there is humanity, with humanity there is generosity and love," Peters said. "Gregory Peck gave us these attributes in full measure. To this day the children of 'Mockingbird' ... call him Atticus."

Peters recounted how shortly before he was to start filming, he was awakened early on a Sunday morning by a phone call from Peck to welcome him to the production. He was so surprised, he recalled, that he dropped the telephone.

"I worked over the years in many, many productions, but no one ever again called me to welcome me aboard, except perhaps the director and the producer, but not my fellow actor-to-be."

In May, Peters was on hand as Harper Lee, the reclusive author of "To Kill a Mockingbird," made a rare step into the limelight to be honored by the Los Angeles Public Library.

In "Carmen Jones," Peters worked with Dorothy Dandridge and Harry Belafonte. Otto Preminger's production of "Porgy" starred Sidney Poitier and Dandridge, and featured Sammy Davis Jr., Pearl Bailey and Diahann Carroll as well as Peters.

Among Peters' other films were "Soylent Green,""The L-Shaped Room" and "The Pawnbroker."

In a 1985 story by The Associated Press on blacks in the movies, Peters said there had been a string of recent hits involving blacks, but "I have been here a long time, and I have seen this cycle happen before. I'll wait awhile and see if this flurry of activity leads to anything permanent."

His accolades include a National Film Society Award, a Life Achievement Award from the Screen Actors Guild, and a Tony Award nomination for his performance on Broadway in "Lost in the Stars."

Peters was a widow and has one daughter, Lise Jo Peters.

http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n.../n130343D06.DTL

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest akanalog

berigan, did you know brock peters did the jack johnson voice over? i can't tell. that would be funny if you didn't since this is a jazz discussion board so this news item would coincidentally be relevant. but since you pulled a political forum move (wink wink) and posted the news without adding your own two cents, i can't tell.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Very sad to hear this news. Brock was a wonderful person to to have as a friend. I hadn't known him long when he threw a party in my honor at his New York apartment, to celebrate my winning a Grammy. Typical of Brock, he made up a guest list of film industry people who might benefit my career.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Very sad to hear this news. Brock was a wonderful person to to have as a friend. I hadn't known him long when he threw a party in my honor at his New York apartment, to celebrate my winning a Grammy. Typical of Brock, he made up a guest list of film industry people who might benefit my career.

how lovely, christiern, that you have such special memories!

and mr. peters also put his "money where his mouth was," so to speak, by standing up and being counted in humanitarian, political and civil/human rights causes. a true gentleman, indeed.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Sad news ....

That Randy Weston recording of "Where" from the Five Spot Jim mentioned was the first time I encountered his big voice. I fondly remember him from Start Trek - didn't he also play Captain Sisko's dad in the Deep Space Nine serial?

That's right! He was Sisko's dad! Ran a New Orleans restaurant. RIP.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

Has anybody ever heard this item?

http://www.dustygroove.com/latincd.htm#397446

barret_rayb_mysteriou_101b.jpg

Ray Barretto/Brock Peters -- Mysterious Instinct

Charlie Parker/Blue Moon (Spain), Early 60s

A very unusual session for Ray Barretto -- one that features plenty of his great work on conga, but which is also strongly focused on the lead vocals of singer Brock Peters! The album's a mixture of traditional numbers and original compositions -- done with an exotic Africanist bent that often features plenty of percussion! Barretto's working alongside Sticks Evans on tympani, Chief Bey on conga, and Al Leas on bass -- in a driving groove that booms alongside Peters' deep-voiced vocals -- all in a mode that's almost folksy, but which has a tighter, jazzier feel -- one that almost recalls some sides of Oscar Brown Jr's work at the time. Titles include "Water Bird", "Go Round The Wall", "Sorrow Valley", "Sing A Man", "Papa Zimbi", "Gambler", and "Gonna Leave You Baby".

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...