Melvin Van Peebles

Melvin Van Peebles (born Melvin Peebles; August 21, 1932 – September 21, 2021) was an American actor, filmmaker, writer, and composer. His feature film debut, The Story of a Three-Day Pass (1967), was based on his own French-language novel La Permission and was shot in France, as it was difficult for a black American director to get work at the time. The film won an award at the San Francisco International Film Festival which gained him the interest of Hollywood studios, leading to his American feature debut Watermelon Man, in 1970. Eschewing further overtures from Hollywood, he used the successes he had so far to bankroll his work as an independent filmmaker.

In 1971, he released his best-known work, creating and starring in the film Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song, which led to the creation of the blaxploitation genre. although critic Roger Ebert did not consider this example of Van Peebles' work to be an exploitation film. He followed this up with the musical, Don't Play Us Cheap, based on his own stage play, and continued to make films, write novels and stage plays in English and in French through the next several decades; his final films include the French-language film Le Conte du ventre plein (2000) and the absurdist film Confessionsofa Ex-Doofus-ItchyFooted Mutha (2008). His son, filmmaker and actor Mario Van Peebles, appeared in several of his works and portrayed him in the 2003 biographical film Baadasssss!.

Melvin Van Peebles is known for work in acting across film and television. New Release currently presents 28 verified screen credits connected to this profile.

Selected work includes American Swing (2009), Farewell, Babylon! (1993), Satchmo: The Life of Louis Armstrong (1992), Jaws: The Revenge (1987), Girlfriends (2000), Homicide: Life on the Street (1993), Living Single (1993), Dream On (1990). The recorded credits span 1951 to 2024, including 16 movies and 12 TV shows.

The filmography below lists available titles, release years and known roles. This profile is updated as additional verified information becomes available.