Rex Ingram
Known for Acting · 48 credits
- Born
- 1895-10-20
- Died
- 1969-09-19
- Place of birth
- Cairo, Illinois, USA
Biography
Rex Ingram (October 20, 1895 – September 19, 1969) was an American stage, film, and television actor.
Ingram graduated from the Northwestern University medical school in 1919 and was the first African-American man to receive a Phi Beta Kappa key from there. He went to Hollywood as a young man where he was literally discovered on a street corner by the casting director for Tarzan of the Apes (1918), starring Elmo Lincoln. He made his (uncredited) screen debut in that film and had many other small roles, usually as a generic black native, such as in the Tarzan films.
With the arrival of sound, his presence and powerful voice became an asset and he went on to memorable roles in The Green Pastures (1936), The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (the 1939 MGM version), The Thief of Bagdad (1940—perhaps his best-known film appearance—as the genie), The Talk of the Town (1942), and Sahara (1943).
From 1929, he also appeared on stage, making his debut on Broadway. He appeared in more than a dozen Broadway productions, with his final role coming in Kwamina in 1961. He was in the original cast of Haiti (1938), Cabin in the Sky (1940), and St. Louis Woman (1946). He is one of the few actors to have played both God (in The Green Pastures) and the Devil (in Cabin in the Sky). In 1966 he played Tee-Tot in the movie Your Cheatin' Heart.
Ingram was arrested for violating the Mann Act in 1948. Pleading guilty to the charge of transporting a teenage girl to New York for immoral purposes, he was sentenced to eighteen months in jail. He served just ten months of his sentence, but the incident had a serious effect on his career for the next six years.
Known For
TV Shows (10)
The Rifleman
1958
as Thaddeus
Climax!
1954
as Petraca
Gunsmoke
1955
as Juba
Kraft Television Theatre
1947
as Lem
Branded
1965
as Hannibal - Valet
Black Saddle
1959
as Alex Booth
The Bill Cosby Show
1969
as George
Daktari
1966
as Chief Makubu / Natoma
Sam Benedict
1962
as Judge Larkin
Cowboy in Africa
1967
as Dr. Tom Merar / Nhinga
Movies (38)
The Ten Commandments
1956
as Bit Part (uncredited)
Sahara
1943
as Sgt. Maj. Tambul
Moonrise
1948
as Mose
Elmer Gantry
1960
as Preacher of Black Congregation (uncredited)
Adventure
1945
as Preacher (unconfirmed)
The Thief of Bagdad
1940
as Djinn
Emperor Jones
1933
as Court Crier
The Talk of the Town
1942
as Tilney
The Ten Commandments
1923
as Israelite Slave (uncredited)
Journey to Shiloh
1968
as Jacob
The King of Kings
1927
as (uncredited)
God's Little Acre
1958
as Uncle Felix
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
1939
as Jim
Hurry Sundown
1967
as Prof. Thurlow
A Thousand and One Nights
1945
as Giant
The Legend of Rudolph Valentino
1961
as Self (archive footage)
The Green Pastures
1936
as De Lawd / Adam / Hezdrel
Tarzan of the Apes
1918
as (uncredited)
Tarzan's Hidden Jungle
1955
as Sukulu Chieftain
Watusi
1959
as Umbopa
Cabin in the Sky
1943
as Lucius / Lucifer Jr.
Fired Wife
1943
as Charles
Your Cheatin' Heart
1964
as Teetot
Dark Waters
1944
as Pearson Jackson
Congo Crossing
1956
as Dr. Leopold Gorman
Escort West
1959
as Nelson Walker
Desire in the Dust
1960
as Burt Crane
Anna Lucasta
1958
as Joe Lucasta
The Four Feathers
1929
as Fuzzy Wuzzy Native
The Men Who Made the Movies: Vincente Minnelli
1973
as Self (archive footage)
Visual Effects: The Thief of Bagdad
2008
as Djinn (archival footage)
Let My People Live
1939
as Dr. Gordon
Jasper's Paradise
1944
as (voice)
John Henry and the Inky-Poo
1946
as Narrator / John Henry (voice)
Hoola Boola
1941
as Narrator (voice)
The Gay Knighties
1941
as Narrator (voice)
Harlem After Midnight
1934
Shoe Shine Jasper
1947
as (voice)
About Rex Ingram
Rex Ingram (October 20, 1895 – September 19, 1969) was an American stage, film, and television actor. Ingram graduated from the Northwestern University medical school in 1919 and was the first African-American man to receive a Phi Beta Kappa key from there. He went to Hollywood as a young man where he was literally discovered on a street corner by the casting director for Tarzan of the Apes (1918), starring Elmo Lincoln. He made his (uncredited) screen debut in that film and had many other small roles, usually as a generic black native, such a… With 48 credits spanning from 1918 to 2008, Rex Ingram has appeared in 38 films and 10 TV shows.
Fans searching for Rex Ingram movies, Rex Ingram filmography, or the latest projects starring Rex Ingram can stream many of these titles on Bowood.TV, free and in HD, with no subscription required.
Most Popular Rex Ingram Movies
- The Ten Commandments (1956) — as Bit Part (uncredited)
- Sahara (1943) — as Sgt. Maj. Tambul
- Moonrise (1948) — as Mose
- Elmer Gantry (1960) — as Preacher of Black Congregation (uncredited)
- Adventure (1945) — as Preacher (unconfirmed)
Where to Watch Rex Ingram Films
Most Rex Ingram movies and series are available to stream on Bowood.TV in full HD, completely free and without signup. Browse the complete filmography above to jump directly to any title. For more films and the latest web series featuring Rex Ingram, check our movies catalogue and browse page.