Jester Hairston

{{Short description|American composer, songwriter, arranger, choral conductor, and actor (1901–2000)}}

{{Infobox person

| name = Jester Hairston

| image = Jester hairston 1951.jpg

| imagesize =

| caption = Hairston as Henry Van Porter on The Amos 'n' Andy Show, 1951

| birthname = Jester Joseph Hairston

| birth_date = {{Birth date|1901|7|9|mf=y}}

| birth_place = Belews Creek, North Carolina, U.S.

| death_date = {{Death date and age|2000|1|18|1901|7|9|mf=y}}

| death_place = Los Angeles, California, U.S.

| othername = Jasper J. Hairston
Jester J. Hairston

| occupation = {{flatlist|

Composer
songwriter
arranger
choral conductor
actor}}

| resting_place = Inglewood Park Cemetery

| years_active = 1936–1999

| spouse = {{marriage|Isabelle Margaret Swanigan|1939|1986|reason=d}}

}}

Jester Joseph Hairston (July 9, 1901 – January 18, 2000) was an American composer, songwriter, arranger, choral conductor and actor. He was regarded as a leading expert on black spirituals and choral music.{{cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2000-jan-21-me-56224-story.html|title=Actor Overcame Race Stereotypes|author=Woo, Elaine|work=Los Angeles Times|date=January 21, 2000|access-date=March 19, 2020|archive-date=March 5, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180305224204/http://articles.latimes.com/2000/jan/21/local/me-56224|url-status=live}}{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2000/01/30/nyregion/jester-hairston-98-choral-expert-and-actor.html|title=Jester Hairston, 98, Choral Expert and Actor|author=Watkins, Mel|work=The New York Times|date=January 30, 2000|access-date=February 19, 2017|archive-date=September 21, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170921001940/http://www.nytimes.com/2000/01/30/nyregion/jester-hairston-98-choral-expert-and-actor.html|url-status=live}} His notable compositions include "Amen", a gospel-tinged theme from the film Lilies of the Field and a 1964 hit for the Impressions, and the Christmas song "Mary's Boy Child".

Early life

Hairston was born in Belews Creek, a rural community on the border of Stokes, Forsyth, Rockingham and Guilford counties in North Carolina. His grandparents had been slaves. At an early age, he and his family moved to Homestead, Pennsylvania, just outside Pittsburgh, where he graduated from high school in 1921. Hairston was very young when his father was killed in a job-related accident. Hairston was raised by his grandmother while his mother worked.{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/13886855/background/|title=From shipboard waiter to Hollywood|last=Bass Cope|first=Penelope|page=29|newspaper=Morning News|date=February 27, 1984|access-date=September 20, 2017|via=Newspapers.com|archive-date=September 21, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170921001225/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/13886855/background/|url-status=live}} {{Open access}}{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/13890056/background_2/|title=Southern California File|page=179|date=July 2, 1994|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|access-date=September 20, 2017|via=Newspapers.com|archive-date=September 21, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170921000939/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/13890056/background_2/|url-status=live}} {{Open access}} Hairston heard his grandmother and her friends talking and singing about plantation life and became determined to preserve this history through music.{{sfn|Fullen|1992|pp=15–17}}

Hairston initially majored in landscape architecture at Massachusetts Agricultural College in the 1920s.{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/13883135/jester_hairston_actor_2/|title=Lord, What a Career|last=Rense|first=Rip|page=134|date=December 4, 1988|newspaper=Chicago Tribune|access-date=September 20, 2017|via=Newspapers.com|archive-date=September 21, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170921000657/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/13883135/jester_hairston_actor_2/|url-status=live}} {{Open access}} He became involved in various church choirs and choral groups, and accompanist Anna Laura Kidder saw his potential and became his benefactor. Kidder offered Hairston financial assistance to study music at Tufts University, from which he graduated in 1929.{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/?spot=13882376|title=Choir Director Jester Hairston "Spirituals Adviser to the World"|last=Williford|first=Stanley O.|page=68|date=October 26, 1981|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|access-date=September 20, 2017|via=Newspapers.com|archive-date=September 21, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170921000451/https://www.newspapers.com/image/?spot=13882376|url-status=live}} {{Open access}} He was one of the first black students admitted to Tufts.{{sfn|Fullen|1992|p=18}}{{efn|Hairston had to postpone his college work many times due to financial problems. Each time he would temporarily withdraw and work full time to earn his tuition money for the next year of education. When he first applied to Tufts, he was rejected. After meeting an African-American man who had formerly studied at Tufts, he was advised how to write a letter to gain acceptance.{{sfn|Wiencek|2000|pp=220–222}} Hairston was able to obtain a full scholarship for his time at Tufts after his first semester as a student there.{{cite web|url=https://dl.tufts.edu/catalog/tei/tufts:UA069.005.DO.00001/chapter/H00001|title=Concise Encyclopedia of Tufts History|last1=Sauer|first1=Anne|last2=Branco|first2=Jessica|last3=Bennett|first3=John|last4=Crowley|first4=Zachary|year=2000|access-date=September 25, 2017|archive-date=September 23, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923051349/http://dl.tufts.edu/catalog/tei/tufts:UA069.005.DO.00001/chapter/H00001|url-status=live}}}} Later he studied music at the Juilliard School.{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/13886521/longview_1977/|title=No Business Like Show Business for Hairston|last=Traylor|first=Susan|page=64|newspaper=Longview News-Journal|date=March 20, 1977|access-date=September 20, 2017|via=Newspapers.com|archive-date=September 21, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170921001549/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/13886521/longview_1977/|url-status=live}} {{Open access}}{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/13883986/jester_hairston_studies/|title=Sounds of slavery in Sonoma|last=McConahey|first=Meg|page=32|newspaper=Press Democrat|date=March 20, 1987|access-date=September 20, 2017|via=Newspapers.com|archive-date=September 21, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170921000321/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/13883986/jester_hairston_studies/|url-status=live}} {{Open access}}

Hairston pledged the Chi chapter of the Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity in 1925. He worked as a choir conductor in the early stages of his career. His work with choirs on Broadway eventually led to singing and acting parts in plays, films, radio programs and television shows.{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/13885529/broadway/|title=Noted Musician to Visit Longview|page=51|newspaper=Longview News-Journal|date=March 13, 1977|access-date=September 20, 2017|via=Newspapers.com|archive-date=September 21, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170921001508/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/13885529/broadway/|url-status=live}} {{Open access}}

Career

Hairston sang with the Hall Johnson Choir in Harlem for a time but was nearly fired from the all-black choir because he had difficulty with the rural dialects that were used in some of the songs. He had to shed his Boston accent and relearn the country speech of his parents and grandparents. Johnson had told him: "We're singing ain't and cain't and you're singing shahn't and cahn't and they don't mix in a spiritual." The choir performed in many Broadway shows, including The Green Pastures. In 1936, the choir was asked to visit Hollywood to sing for the film The Green Pastures. Russian composer Dimitri Tiomkin heard Hairston and invited him to what would become a 30-year collaboration in which Hairston arranged and collected music for films. In 1939, Hairston married Margaret Swanigan.{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/13891438/jester_hairston_and_wife_1939/|title=Engaged Couple|page=50|newspaper=Oakland Tribune|date=May 14, 1939|access-date=September 20, 2017|via=Newspapers.com|archive-date=September 21, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170921050218/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/13891438/jester_hairston_and_wife_1939/|url-status=live}} {{Open access}} He wrote and arranged spirituals for Hollywood films as well as for high school and college choirs around the country.{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/13882534/jester_hairston_choir_2/|title=Hairston:A Spirituals Adviser|page=75|date=October 26, 1981|author=Williford, Stanley O.|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|access-date=September 20, 2017|via=Newspapers.com|archive-date=September 20, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170920190841/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/13882534/jester_hairston_choir_2/|url-status=live}} {{Open access}}

Hairston wrote the song "Mary's Boy Child" in 1956. He also arranged the song "Amen", which he dubbed for the Sidney Poitier film Lilies of the Field, and arranged traditional Negro spirituals. Most of Hairston's film work was in the field of composing, arranging and choral conducting. He also acted in more than 20 films, mostly in small roles, some uncredited. The film roles included some of the early Tarzan films as well as St. Louis Blues, To Kill a Mockingbird, In the Heat of the Night, Lady Sings the Blues, I'm Gonna Git You Sucka and Being John Malkovich.{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/13882923/jester_hairston_actor/|title=Veteran black actor has seen changes on and off screen|last=Deeb|first=Gary|page=28|newspaper=Courier-Post|date=June 23, 1987|access-date=September 20, 2017|via=Newspapers.com|archive-date=September 21, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170921000659/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/13882923/jester_hairston_actor/|url-status=live}} {{Open access}} Hairston starred in John Wayne's The Alamo (1960), in which he portrayed "Jethro", a slave owned by Jim Bowie. In 1962’s To Kill a Mockingbird Hairston portrayed the uncredited role of the father of accused rapist Tom Robinson. In 1967’s In the Heat of the Night, Hairston portrayed the butler of a wealthy racist being investigated for murder. In both films, Hairston shot scenes alongside men who won an Academy Award for Best Actor in those respective films for portraying white Southerners navigating their jobs through a racially divided culture.

In 1961, the U.S. State Department appointed Hairston as Goodwill Ambassador. He traveled all over the world teaching and performing the folk music of the slaves.{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/13885085/goodwill_tour_1966/|title=Director Fresh From Tour of Africa|author=Lowery, Lucie|page=37|newspaper=Pasadena Independent|date=November 4, 1966|access-date=September 20, 2017|via=Newspapers.com|archive-date=September 21, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170921001250/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/13885085/goodwill_tour_1966/|url-status=live}} {{Open access}} In the 1960s, he held choral festivals with public high school choirs, introducing them to Negro spiritual music, and sometimes led several hundred students in community performances. His banter about the history of the songs along with his engaging personality and sense of humor endeared him to many students.

During his nationwide travels, Hairston checked local phone books for other Hairstons and reunited many people on his family tree, both black and white.{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/13884068/jester_hairston_family/|title=He Had a Dream. Amen|author=Hairston, Will|page=117|date=January 28, 2000|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|access-date=September 20, 2017|via=Newspapers.com|archive-date=September 21, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170921000405/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/13884068/jester_hairston_family/|url-status=live}} {{Open access}} He composed more than 300 spirituals. He was the recipient of many honorary doctorates, including a doctorate from the University of Massachusetts in 1972 and a doctorate in music from Tufts in 1977.{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/13884165/umass_doctorate/|title=Revue to Feature Jester Hairston|page=28|newspaper=Marshall Texas Messenger|date=November 11, 1979|access-date=September 20, 2017|via=Newspapers.com|archive-date=September 20, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170920190719/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/13884165/umass_doctorate/|url-status=live}} {{Open access}}{{cite web|url=http://www.umass.edu/chronicle/archives/00/01-28/Hairston18.html|title=Alumnus Jester Hairston Dies at 98: Actor-Composer Helped Preserve Negro Spirituals|date=January 28, 2000|work=University of Massachusetts Chronicle|access-date=September 17, 2014|archive-date=July 11, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150711192842/http://www.umass.edu/chronicle/archives/00/01-28/Hairston18.html|url-status=live}}

Hairston appeared on the television situation comedy The Amos 'n' Andy Show as society sophisticate Henry Van Porter and portrayed the character of Leroy on both the radio and television Amos 'n' Andy programs. He also played the role of Wildcat on the show That's My Mama. In his senior years, he appeared on the show Amen as Rolly Forbes.{{sfn|Fearn-Burns|2005|p=584}} His last television appearance was in 1993 on an episode of Family Matters. Hairston also played the role of "King Moses" on radio for the Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall show Bold Venture.

In his later years, Hairston served as a cultural ambassador for American music, traveling to numerous countries with choral groups that he had assembled. In 1985, he took the Jester Hairston Chorale, a multiracial group, to sing in China{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/13885175/china_tour/|title=Jester Hairston to perform two concerts at Victor Valley College|page=36|newspaper=San Bernardino County Sun|date=November 27, 1986|access-date=September 20, 2017|via=Newspapers.com|archive-date=September 21, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170921001230/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/13885175/china_tour/|url-status=live}} {{Open access}} at a time when foreign visitors would rarely appear there.

Death

Hairston died in Los Angeles of natural causes in 2000 at age 98.{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/13891547/jester_hairston_cause_of_death/|title=TV Mailbag|last=Michaels|first=Taylor|newspaper=Palm Beach Post|page=264|date=April 16, 2000|access-date=September 20, 2017|via=Newspapers.com|archive-date=September 21, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170921050208/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/13891547/jester_hairston_cause_of_death/|url-status=live}} {{Open access}} For his contribution to the television industry, Hairston has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame located at 6201 Hollywood Boulevard.{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/13889748/walk_of_fame_star/|title=91-year-old Jester Hairston earns 'star'|page=3|newspaper=The Daily Times|date=February 20, 1992|access-date=September 20, 2017|via=Newspapers.com|archive-date=September 21, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170921001120/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/13889748/walk_of_fame_star/|url-status=live}} {{Open access}} He is interred at Inglewood Park Cemetery, Inglewood, California.

Filmography

class="wikitable" style="font-size: 90%;"
colspan="4" style="background-color: #cccccc;" \| Film
Year ! Title ! Role ! Notes
1936 \| The Green Pastures \| Member of Hall Johnson Choir \| Uncredited
1941 \| Sundown \| Native Boy \| Uncredited
1941 \| Sullivan's Travels \| Charlie – Church Projectionist \| Uncredited
1942 \| The Vanishing Virginian \| Mover \| Uncredited
1942 \| In This Our Life \| Black Man in Jail \| Uncredited
1942 \| Tales of Manhattan \| Shantytown Man \| (Robeson sequence), Uncredited
1942 \| Across the Pacific \| Passerby \| Uncredited
1951 \| Yes Sir, Mr. Bones \| Jester Hairston \|
1952 \| We're Not Married! \| Leader of Christmas Carolers \| Uncredited
1953 \| So This Is Love \| Preacher \| Uncredited
1954 \| Gypsy Colt \| Carl \|
1954 \| Tanganyika \| Singer \| Uncredited
1955 \| Tarzan's Hidden Jungle \| Witch Doctor \| Uncredited
1955 \| Pete Kelly's Blues \| Mourner, Pre-Credit Sequence \| Uncredited
1956 \| Tension at Table Rock \| Black Janitor \| Uncredited
1956 \| Full of Life \| Train Porter \| Uncredited
1957 \| Band of Angels \| Plantation Slave \| Uncredited
1958 \| St. Louis Blues \| Choir Member \| Uncredited
1960 \| Raymie \| Ransom \|
1960 \| The Alamo \| Jethro \|
1961 \| Summer and Smoke \| Thomas \| Uncredited
1962 \| To Kill a Mockingbird \| Spence Robinson, Tom's father \| Uncredited
1967 \| In the Heat of the Night \| Butler \|
1968 \| Finian's Rainbow \| Passion Pilgrim Gospeleer \| Uncredited
1972 \| Lady Sings the Blues \| The Butler \|
1976 \| The Bingo Long Traveling All-Stars & Motor Kings \| Furry Taylor, Has-been player selling souvenirs \|
1976 \| The Last Tycoon \| Waiter in Stahr's Office \| Uncredited
1988 \| I'm Gonna Git You Sucka \| Pop Adam \|
1999 \| Being John Malkovich \| Adam Hairston \| Uncredited, (final film role)
colspan="4" style="background-color: #cccccc;" \| Television
Year ! Title ! Role ! Notes
1951–53 \| The Amos 'n' Andy Show \| Various \| 10 episodes
1955 \| You Are There \| Thornton \| 1 episode
rowspan=2\|1956 \| Gunsmoke \| Wellington \| 1 episode
The 20th Century Fox Hour \| Jacob \| 1 episode
1959 \| Rawhide \| Zachariah \| 1 episode
1961 \| Thriller \| Papa Benjamin \| 1 episode
1962 \| Have Gun – Will Travel \| Old Man \| 1 episode
rowspan=2\|1969 \| The Outcasts \| Daniel \| 1 episode
The Virginian \| John Douglas \| 1 episode
1974–1975 \| That's My Mama \| Wildcat \| 22 episodes
1975 \| Harry O \| Jefferson Johnson \| 1 episode
1986–1991 \| Amen \| Rolly Forbes \| 110 episodes
1993 \| Family Matters \| William \| 1 episode

class="wikitable" style="font-size: 90%;"

colspan="4" style="background-color: #cccccc;" | Film

Year

! Title

! Role

! Notes

1936

| The Green Pastures

| Member of Hall Johnson Choir

| Uncredited

1941

| Sundown

| Native Boy

| Uncredited

1941

| Sullivan's Travels

| Charlie – Church Projectionist

| Uncredited

1942

| The Vanishing Virginian

| Mover

| Uncredited

1942

| In This Our Life

| Black Man in Jail

| Uncredited

1942

| Tales of Manhattan

| Shantytown Man

| (Robeson sequence), Uncredited

1942

| Across the Pacific

| Passerby

| Uncredited

1951

| Yes Sir, Mr. Bones

| Jester Hairston

1952

| We're Not Married!

| Leader of Christmas Carolers

| Uncredited

1953

| So This Is Love

| Preacher

| Uncredited

1954

| Gypsy Colt

| Carl

1954

| Tanganyika

| Singer

| Uncredited

1955

| Tarzan's Hidden Jungle

| Witch Doctor

| Uncredited

1955

| Pete Kelly's Blues

| Mourner, Pre-Credit Sequence

| Uncredited

1956

| Tension at Table Rock

| Black Janitor

| Uncredited

1956

| Full of Life

| Train Porter

| Uncredited

1957

| Band of Angels

| Plantation Slave

| Uncredited

1958

| St. Louis Blues

| Choir Member

| Uncredited

1960

| Raymie

| Ransom

1960

| The Alamo

| Jethro

1961

| Summer and Smoke

| Thomas

| Uncredited

1962

| To Kill a Mockingbird

| Spence Robinson, Tom's father

| Uncredited

1967

| In the Heat of the Night

| Butler

1968

| Finian's Rainbow

| Passion Pilgrim Gospeleer

| Uncredited

1972

| Lady Sings the Blues

| The Butler

1976

| The Bingo Long Traveling All-Stars & Motor Kings

| Furry Taylor, Has-been player selling souvenirs

1976

| The Last Tycoon

| Waiter in Stahr's Office

| Uncredited

1988

| I'm Gonna Git You Sucka

| Pop Adam

1999

| Being John Malkovich

| Adam Hairston

| Uncredited, (final film role)

colspan="4" style="background-color: #cccccc;" | Television

Year

! Title

! Role

! Notes

1951–53

| The Amos 'n' Andy Show

| Various

| 10 episodes

1955

| You Are There

| Thornton

| 1 episode

rowspan=2|1956

| Gunsmoke

| Wellington

| 1 episode

The 20th Century Fox Hour

| Jacob

| 1 episode

1959

| Rawhide

| Zachariah

| 1 episode

1961

| Thriller

| Papa Benjamin

| 1 episode

1962

| Have Gun – Will Travel

| Old Man

| 1 episode

rowspan=2|1969

| The Outcasts

| Daniel

| 1 episode

The Virginian

| John Douglas

| 1 episode

1974–1975

| That's My Mama

| Wildcat

| 22 episodes

1975

| Harry O

| Jefferson Johnson

| 1 episode

1986–1991

| Amen

| Rolly Forbes

| 110 episodes

1993

| Family Matters

| William

| 1 episode

Notes

References

Sources cited

{{cite book|title=Historical Dictionary of African-American Television (Historical Dictionaries of Literature and the Arts)|editor-last=Fearn-Burns|editor-first=Kathleen|publisher=The Scarecrow Press|year=2005|isbn=0-8108-5335-3|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zVFgqEAMcngC&dq=amos+n+andy&pg=PA20}}
{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QeoPCouHwzwC&q=hairston|title=Pathblazers: Eight People who Made a Difference|last=Fullen|first=M. K.|year=1992|publisher=Open Hand Publishing|isbn=978-0-9408-8036-8}}
{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZgRniUIwRqYC&q=jester&pg=PA222|title=The Hairstons: An American Family in Black and White|last=Wiencek|first=Henry|publisher=Macmillan|year=2000|isbn=978-0-3122-5393-6}}

External links

{{IMDb name}}
{{IBDB name}}
[https://web.archive.org/web/20141221162142/http://www.aaregistry.org/historic_events/view/jester-hairston-more-actor African American Registry biography]
{{cite web |first=Pete |last=Sanborn |url=http://www.choralnet.org/resources/repertoire/composer/hairston.html |title=Jester Hairston| publisher=ChoralNet.org |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020616092945/http://www.choralnet.org/resources/repertoire/composer/hairston.html |archive-date=2002-06-16 |access-date=2019-09-23 }}
{{Find a Grave}}

Category:1901 births

Category:2000 deaths

Category:People from Forsyth County, North Carolina

Category:Male actors from North Carolina

Category:Male actors from Pennsylvania

Category:African-American songwriters

Category:African-American composers

Category:African-American male composers

Category:African-American male songwriters

Category:American male film actors

Category:American male radio actors

Category:American male television actors