Canada Lee
From Alfred Hitchcock Wiki
- born: 03/Mar/1907 (New York, New York, USA)
- died: 09/May/1952 (New York, New York, USA) - heart attack
Biography
Canada Lee, born Lionel Cornelius Canegata, (March 3, 1907—May 9, 1952) was an actor who pioneered roles for African-Americans. His playing of a white character in 1946 (wearing white face) was a first. In addition he was a strong champion in the civil rights movement.
When Lee walked out on stage in 1946, he shattered a barrier that had never been crossed before. Lee became the first African-American ever to play a white character on the American Stage, and he did it wearing white face. In fact, his landmark portrayal of De Bosola in "The Duchess of Malfi" was only one of the numerous achievements of this profound man. Nonetheless, most people today have never heard of Canada Lee.
More than just an actor, Lee sacrificed health and wealth fighting for racial equality. Although many who fought for civil rights suffered under the shroud of McCarthyism, persecuted as Communists or Fellow travellers, none suffered a fate quite like Canada Lee. Standing at the forefront of the fight for equality, Canada became a target of FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover. As a result, Canada Lee has been so thoroughly erased from history even an anthology as comprehensive as "Black Firsts" (Visible Ink Publications, 2005), which covers over 4,000 first-time accomplishments by African-Americans, does not even mention his name. "Blacklist: Recovering the Life of Canada Lee" seeks to rectify this historic omission, reintroducing Lee to the public stage through the eyes and memories of his widow, friends, and contemporaries.
In 1943, Canada Lee became a champion for racial equality. He was the Jackie Robinson of Hollywood, destroying the prejudicial barriers that barred Negroes from presenting themselves with civility and dignity in the American entertainment industry. Alfred Hitchcock allowed him to rewrite his dialogue for the film "Lifeboat", in order to avoid the stereotypical dialog originally scripted for him. By doing so, Canada became the first African-American to portray a non-stereotyped character on the Silver Screen. In reworking the derogatory dialect, typical of subservient black characters, Lee presented the world with its first alternative: an empowered and thoughtful human being, who need not be comical at his own expense. Lee would single-handedly open the door for generations of African-American actors to come and even perform alongside his most direct successor, Sidney Poitier. This achievement became possible because of a friendship established a few years earlier.
Filmography
With Hitchcock...
- Lifeboat (1944) - cast: George 'Joe' Spencer
Articles
External Links
- Internet Movie Database
- Canada Lee Home Page
- African American Registry - "A distinquished actor, Canada Lee"
- Blacklist: Recovering the Life of Canada Lee - movie website
Image Gallery
Images from the Hitchcock Gallery (click to view larger versions or search for all relevant images)...