[Bob McCann]Encyclopedia of African American Actresses in Film and Television(pdf){Zzzzz}

The first book of its kind, this encyclopedia provides 360 biographical entries on African American film and television actresses from the silent era to 2009. It includes entries on well-known and nearly forgotten actresses, running the gamut from Academy Award and NAACP Image Award winners to B-film and blaxpoitation era divas. Each entry is accompanied by a complete filmography of the actress' TV, film, music video or short film credits. The book also features more than 180 photographs, some of them rare images from Harlem's Schomburg Institute and other sources.

Publisher: McFarland & Co Inc (15 January 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0786437901
ISBN-13: 978-0786437900

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

Slightly "subjective" listing but lots of info on obscure and "B Movie" Actresses 23 January 2010
By Steven I. Ramm -
This thick (461 page) volume by the late Bob McCann is a wealth of knowledge and appears to be generally well researched. In his Preface he explains who he included, or excluded, certain actresses. One thing he does point out is that if an actress was recently gaining fame they may, or may not, be included here so as not to have an imbalance. Well, African Americans were not given large roles in films prior to the 1960s so that was going to happen anyway. He does include some (very few) Black actresses from the silent film era but you can't find them unless you read the birth dates for each listing (there are 360 actresses listed here). There is a large concentration of those from Blaxploitation films of the 1970s (think Pam Grier!). And TV is included so we have near the whole female cast of shows like The Cosby Show and The Jeffersons.

The listings have birth dates and SOME dates of death. (But there are many who have died - Hattie Mc Daniel, for example - who have no date of death in the heading but the year is mentioned in the narrative. Then there is a narrative bio of the actress and discussion of career highlights. This is followed by a listing of film (including TV films) and then TV appearances or shows. When archival footage was used, this is also noted.

AS a reference book this is the first of its kind for this genre. But it is, admittedly not complete or comprehensive. Still it is recommended for libraries

One of a Kind 24 April 2014
By Mercedes P. Brown -
This encyclopedia is helping me with research on African-American lives in Southern California, especially in Hollywood. It is a great addition to my collection.