Cast & creator
Melvin Van Peebles
Best known for The Outer Limits, Homicide: Life on the Street, Girlfriends
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!.
98
film credits
15
television credits
58
1951–2024 · acting roles
6.0
average across scored titles
Signature credits
Known for
Across film & television
Filmography (113)
Showing 113 of 113 credits
The Outer Limits
Director
1995
Homicide: Life on the Street
Bennett Jackson
1993
Girlfriends
Kenneth Daly
2000
Living Single
1993
Dream On
Norman Green
1990
CBS Schoolbreak Special
Writer
1984
Last Action Hero
Self
1993
The Shining
Richard Hallorann
1997
Hollywood Black
Self (archive footage)
2024
Jaws: The Revenge
Mr. Witherspoon
1987
Hallmark Hall of Fame
Bucket
1951
Pour le plaisir
Self
1964
Boomerang
Editor
1992
The Sophisticated Gents
Walter 'Moon' Porter
1981The Sophisticated Gents
Teleplay
1981
Fist of the North Star
Asher
1995Sex: The Revolution
Self
2008
American Swing
Self
2009
Terminal Velocity
Noble
1994
The Hebrew Hammer
Sweetback
2003
Seize millions de jeunes
Self
1964
Panther
Old Jail Bird
1995Panther
Screenplay
1995Panther
Producer
1995Panther
Novel
1995
Posse
Papa Joe
1993
Sonny Spoon
1988
Greased Lightning
Screenplay
1977Greased Lightning
Writer
1977
Slogan
Writer
1969
O.C. and Stiggs
Wino Bob
1987
Peeples
Grandpa Peeples
2013
Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song
Sweetback
1971Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song
Editor
1971Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song
Producer
1971Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song
Director
1971Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song
Screenplay
1971Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song
Original Music Composer
1971
Hard Luck
Hospital Prophet
2006
The Black Power Mixtape 1967-1975
Self (voice)
2011Making 'Do the Right Thing'
Self
1989
True Identity
Taxi Driver
1991
Tales of Erotica
Director
1996Tales of Erotica
Writer
1996
Oscar Micheaux: The Superhero of Black Filmmaking
Self
2021
Bellyful
Writer
2000Bellyful
Director
2000Bellyful
Executive Producer
2000Bellyful
Novel
2000Bellyful
Original Music Composer
2000
Farewell, Babylon!
Self
1993
Armed
Grandpa V.
2018
Watermelon Man
Sign Painter (uncredited)
1970Watermelon Man
Director
1970Watermelon Man
Original Music Composer
1970
Classified X
Self
1998Classified X
Writer
1998
Baadasssss!
Book
2004
BaadAsssss Cinema
Self
2002
The Black List: Volume Two
Self
2009
Gang in Blue
Andre Speier
1996Gang in Blue
Producer
1996Gang in Blue
Director
1996
Midnight Blue, Vol. 3: Celebrities Edition
Self (archive footage)
2006
Satchmo: The Life of Louis Armstrong
Louis Armstrong (voice)
1992
How to Eat Your Watermelon in White Company (and Enjoy It)
2005
Taking Care of Terrific
Hawk
1988
Just an Old Sweet Song
Writer
1976The Day They Came to Arrest the Book
Writer
1987
Sweet Black Film: The Birth of the Black Hero in Hollywood
Self
2022
Don't Play Us Cheap
Director
1973Don't Play Us Cheap
Editor
1973Don't Play Us Cheap
Theatre Play
1973Don't Play Us Cheap
Screenplay
1973Don't Play Us Cheap
Songs
1973Don't Play Us Cheap
Original Music Composer
1973
Riot
Vernon
1997
Blackout
George
2007
Redemption Road
Elmo
2011
René Vautier, le rebelle
Self
2000
Directors on Directing
Self
2009
Wattstax
Self
1973Confessions of a Ex-Doofus-ItchyFooted Mutha
Melvin Van Peebles
2008Confessions of a Ex-Doofus-ItchyFooted Mutha
Writer
2008Confessions of a Ex-Doofus-ItchyFooted Mutha
Director
2008
Calm at Sunset
Mr. Bucket
1996
Identity Crisis
The Inspector
1989Identity Crisis
Editor
1989Identity Crisis
Producer
1989Identity Crisis
Director
1989
Love Kills
Able
1999
America
Man Interviewed
1986
Vrooom Vrooom Vroooom
Director
1995Vrooom Vrooom Vroooom
Writer
1995Vrooom Vrooom Vroooom
Producer
1995Vrooom Vrooom Vroooom
Original Music Composer
1995Vrooom Vrooom Vroooom
Editor
1995
The Story of a Three-Day Pass
Director
1968The Story of a Three-Day Pass
Music
1968The Story of a Three-Day Pass
Writer
1968
Infiltrating Hollywood: The Rise and Fall of the Spook Who Sat by the Door
2011
Salty Dog Blues
Self (Interviewee)
2012
Three Pick-Up Men for Herrick
Director
1957Three Pick-Up Men for Herrick
Writer
1957
SMUT
Elmoore
2006
500 Francs
Director
1961500 Francs
Original Music Composer
1961500 Francs
Writer
1961
The Real Deal: What It Is
Self
2003The Real Deal: What It Is
Director
2003Unstoppable
Self
2005
Sunlight
1957Sunlight
Director
1957