Oscar Micheaux: The Great and Only
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Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man, The, 89–90
Bachin, Robin F., 18
Baker, Edna Mae, 288
Beaumont, Texas, OM establishes branch in, 171
Beavers, Louise, 284, 296
Becker, Agnes, 14
Belasco, David, 228
Bernstein, Matthew, 101, 102, 158, 168, 276
Betrayal, The, 335, 337
reviews of, 340–43
Binga, Jesse, 266
Birth of a Nation, The (film), 109, 137
Birthright (film), 191–93, 196
casting for, 193–95
censors and, 198–202
reviews of, 196–98
sound version of, 292, 297–98
Birthright (Stribling) (novel), 191–92
Bishop, Andrew, 186, 191, 207, 241, 278, 279–80, 287
black actors, Hollywood and, 228–29
black-audience theaters, 183–84, 290–91
booking in, 116
in Harlem, 219
talkies and, 246–47
black films, 108. See also race pictures black show business, 107–8
Blake, Eubie, 190, 262
Body and Soul (film), 181, 203–5, 215–18, 220
censors and, 215–17
discovery of copy of, 347
Bogle, Donald, 108, 241, 246, 274
Bontemps, Arna, 248
Bowman, Laura, 228, 229, 259, 280
Bowser, Pearl, 138n, 143–44, 347
Boyle, Martha, 122
Brascher, Nahum David, 156, 329
Brecher, Leo, 219, 249, 257–58
Broken Violin, The (film), 233–34, 264
Brooks, A. F., 174
Brooks, Clarence, 113, 159, 273–74, 277, 279, 281
Brooks, Eunice, 268
Brooks, Phillips, 36
Brown, John Mack, 244
Brown, Ralph, 264
Brown, William Wells Brown, 110–11
Brute, The (film), 146–50, 180–81, 306, 307
reviews of, 149–59
Burley, 302
Calloway, Cab, 264, 278
Calloway, Starr, 225, 268, 278
Caruso, Enrico, 36
Case of Mrs. Wingate, The (Micheaux) (novel), 280, 308, 311–13, 315–18
censors, 117, 134
Birthright and, 198–202
Body and Soul and, 215–17
Homesteader, The and, 130–31, 134–35
OM and, 238
Within Our Gates and, 140–41
Symbol of the Unconquered, The and, 155–56
Chenault, Lawrence, 147, 154, 159, 167, 181, 186, 191, 194, 205, 212–13, 229, 249, 259, 263, 264
Chesnutt, Charles W., 111, 152, 160, 168, 174, 180, 185–87, 209, 212, 248, 248n, 262, 322–26
Chicago, Illinois, 16–18
OM leaving, for New York, 220–21
race riot of July 1919
in, 137
South Side neighborhood of, 17–18
Christie Film Company, 229
cinephiles, 163
Clark, W. E., 255
Clayton, William A., Jr., 237, 239, 242, 264
Clements, Flo, 147
Cohen, Octavus Roy, 229
Collins, Leroy, Jr., 330–31, 332, 334, 335, 336, 337, 341
Colored Players Film Corporation, 159, 247
Communism, OM and, 299–301
Conjure Woman, The (Chesnutt) (novel), 160, 176, 212–14
Conjure Woman, The (film), 212–13, 214
Connie’s Inn, Harlem, 158
Conquest, The (Micheaux) (novel), 13, 23, 45
attempts to publish, 92–94
as autobiography, 15
OM’s promotion of, 94–95, 98–99
republishing of, 348
writing of, 90–92
Cook, Louise, 253
Cooper, Ralph, 284
Corliss, Richard, 301–2
Cotton Club, Harlem, 158, 257
Cowan, Verlie, 330, 336
Creekmur, Corey K., 139, 142, 204–5
Criner, J. Lawrence, 226, 228
Cripps, Thomas, 123, 347
Crowe, Vera, 349
Crowell, William B. F., 174, 178, 180
Cullen, Countee, 248, 344
Cutler, Marty, 146–47
Dabney, Ardelle, 234
Dailey, Ulysses Grant, 81–82
Daughter of the Congo, A (film), 242, 243–46
Dean, Louis, 154
DeBulger, Louis, 167, 172, 222
Deceit (film), 171–73, 195–96
DeComathiere, A. B., 147–48, 172, 252, 263, 264
DeMille, Cecil B., 306
Depression, the, Harlem and, 283–84
DePriest, Oscar, 130
Desmond, Cleo, 172–73, 226, 228
Devil’s Disciple, The (film), 213–15
Dougherty, Romeo L., 219
Downing, Henry Francis, 233, 234n, 243, 248, 248n
Dreamland Gardens, 226
Dreams, Micheaux and, 142
Du Bois, Alfred, 172
DuBois, W. E. B., 99, 221, 234, 299, 316, 344
Dunbar, Louis, 248
Dunbar Film corporation, 234
Dunbar-Nelson, Alice, 248
Duncan, Ina, 228
Duncan, Vernon B., 332
Duncan, Vernon S., 126
Dungeon, The, 179–82, 182–83
Easy Street (film), 242–43
Eckert, Peter, 231
Edmondson, William, 226, 234
Edwards, Mattie, 147
Empire Laboratories, 273
Essanay Studios, 328, 329
Everett, John, 268
Exile, The (film), 250–56, 258
cameramen for, 254–55
cast for, 252
highlights of, 252–54
premiere of, 256
previews of, 255–56
Fallows, Samuel T., 130
Fax, Elton, 209, 211, 290, 318, 321–22
Fayette Pictures, 249–50
Fellini, Federico, 349
film industry, American, 108
black actors in, 108–9
Fisher, Rudolph, 248
“Fool’s Errand, A,” 189–90, 190
Forged Note, The: A Romance of the Darker Races (Micheaux) (novel), 8, 25, 99, 104, 165–67
Foster, William, 123, 218
Fountaine, William E., 178, 181, 182, 189, 241, 246n, 249
Fox, Ted, 258
Frank, Leo, trial of, 100–103, 165–68, 275
Freeman, Bee, 182, 262, 263, 278–79, 289–90
Gaines, Harris, 330, 334
Ganines, Jane, 348
Gant, Harry, 221, 247
Gardner, Chappy, 239, 241
Garner, George R., Jr., 129, 133
Garvey, Marcus, 158, 221, 299, 314
Gates, Henry Louis, Jr., 349
George, William, 127
“Ghost of Tolston Manor, The.” See Son of Satan, A (film) Ghost of Yesterday, The (Micheaux), 136
Gilbert, Mercedes, 205, 252
Girl from Chicago, The, 269–70
God’s Stepchildren (film), 292, 294–97, 298, 345
Harlem Communists and, 299–301
as OM’s most accomplished sound-era film, 301
Gomery, Douglas, 116
Goodloe, Beatrice, 300
Gordon, Wycliffe, 347
Gough, Bell. See Michaux, Bell Gough (mother)
Green, J. Ronald, 15, 92, 99, 109, 167, 263, 265, 327
Green-Eyed Monster, The (film), 159–60
Griffith, D. W., 2, 109
Groves, Junius, 57, 63
Grupenhoff, Richard, 236, 242
Guilford, Willor Lee, 265
Gunsaulus Mystery, The (film), 167–68
Guy, Barrington, 259
Hall, Iris, 126, 154
Hallelujah! (film), 246, 246n, 250
Hammond, John, 258
Hammond, O. C., 183
Harding, Daisy, 244
Harlem, 151, 157–58
black
theaters in, 219
during the Depression, 283–84
Harlem After Midnight (film), 263, 345
Harlem Renaissance, 247–49
Harper, Leonard, 253, 254
Harris, Arvelle “Snoopie,” 278
Harris, Edna Mae, 303, 308
Harrison, Richard B., 242, 252
Harrop, Roy M., 93, 93n
Hearts in Dixie (film), 250
Herndon, Alonzo, 266
Herndon, Angelo, 299–300
Heywood, Donald, 253, 264, 279
Hinshaw, Daisy, 46, 57–58
Hoberman, J., 301
Holder, Roland, 253
Hollister, John Hamilcar, 93
Hollywood black actors and, 228–29
black audiences and, during
Depression, 284
Civil Rights movement and, 350
recognition of OM by, 349–50
Homesteader, The (film), 250
cast for, 124–27
censors and, 130–31, 134–35
debut of, 129–31
filming of, 127–28
finding investors for, 121–23
as material for movie, 113–18
organized religion and, 134
partnership with Lincoln Motion
Pictures and OM for, 118–21
promotion of, 132–33, 136
Reverend McCracken as villain in, 130
scriptwork for, 123–24
Homesteader, The (Micheaux) (novel), 90–91
republishing of, 348
writing of, 105–6
Horne, Lena, 278
House Behind the Cedars, The (Chestnutt) (novel), 111, 160–61
House Behind the Cedars, The (film), 203
contract problems with Chesnutt for, 168–69
filming of, 185–87
Micheaux’s interest in filming, 161–65
production problems for, 174–76
reviews of, 208–9
Howard, Elcora “Shingzie,” 170–71, 173–74, 178, 180, 182, 186, 189, 191, 194, 225, 259
Hughes, Langston, 18, 248
Hughitt, Marvin, 37, 45
Hunter, Alberta, 226
Hunter, Martha Stewart, 122
Hurston, Zora Neale, 222, 248, 321, 344
Imitation of Life (film), 284, 293–94
Ingram, Rex, 263
intermarriage, racial, 54
Jacks, S. T., 226
Jackson, Ernest A., 37–38, 44, 45, 47, 93, 312
Jackson, Frank D., 37–38, 95
Jackson, Graydon, 38, 93
Jackson, Harry “Pee Wee,” 291
Jackson, J. A., 198
“Jasper Landry’s Will,” 189, 190
Jazz Singer, The, 227
Jessie, 16–17, 34, 35–36, 44, 58
Jews
Micheaux’s attitude toward, 167–68
in Micheaux’s works, 100–103
as race-picture producers, 159–60
Jim Crow, 3, 10
Johnson, George P., 14, 112–14, 131–32, 141, 145, 181, 220, 247, 290
filming of The Homesteader, 118–20
Johnson, James Weldon, 137, 248
Johnson, Jesse, 333–34, 336
Johnson, Noble, 112–17, 119, 221, 247
Johnson, Norman, 172
Johnson Publishing Company, 330
Jolson, Al, 227
Jones, Alice Beatrice, 206–7
Jones, G. William, 347
Jones, James Earl (son), 303, 303n
Jones, Quincy, 349
Jones, Robert Earl (father), 303, 304, 308
Julian, Hubert Fantleroy, 305–6, 308–9
Kadison, Harry, 308
Keenan, Martin, 348
Kirkpatrick, Sidney, 228, 229
Krigwa Little Theatre movement, 234
Kurosawa, Akira, 349
Lafayette Players, 124–25, 159
Lang, Lester, 254
Langford, Sam, 147
Langston, Tony, 117, 125, 130, 211
Lem Hawkins’ Confession (film), 275–82
casting for, 277–79
critics and, 281–82
discovery of copy of, 347–48
Levering, David, 157
Levy, Robert, 159, 228, 247
Lewis, David Levering, 99
Lewis, Lucille, 259, 270, 278
Lewis, Theophilus, 244–45, 246, 250
Lincoln Motion Picture Company, 113, 159, 181, 221
Lincoln Theatre, Harlem, 158
Lovejoy, Alex, 278, 279, 281
Lucas, Charles D., 127
Lunceford, Jimmy, 291
Lying Lips (film), 302–5
Lyles, Aubrey, 190, 191
Machen, Yvonne, 330, 334
Mahon, Carl, 225, 252, 259, 265, 269
Marshall, John R., 130
Martin Eden, 89, 90
Masquerade, The (Micheaux) (novel), 322–27
Matthews, Ralph, 271–72
Maurice Film Company, 159, 247
McCollum, Obie, 234
McCracken, Orlean. See Micheaux,
Orlean McCracken (first wife) McCracken, Rev. Newton J., 9, 62–63, 66–67, 70–71, 79–80
lawsuit with OM, 95–98
trip to South Dakota, 74–77
as villain of The Homesteader, 130
McGowan, Ira, 158, 172, 220, 247
McGuire, Hugh E., 122
McKay, Claude, 158
Melba, Nelli, 36
Metropolis, Illinois, 9, 10
Michaux, Andrew Jackson (uncle), 5
Michaux, Bell Gough (mother), 6, 7, 8, 10
death of, 112
Michaux, Calvin Swan (father), 5, 6–7, 9, 10
death of, 270
Michaux, David and Melvina (grandparents), 5
Michaux, Edward (uncle), 5–6
Michaux, Finis (brother), 7, 14
Michaux, Ida (sister), 7, 16
Michaux, Lawrence (brother), 7, 14
Michaux, William (brother), 7, 16, 18–19
Micheaux, Alice B. Russell (second wife), 222–25, 230, 239, 240, 242–43, 249, 263, 265, 297, 320, 330, 332
after death of OM, 346
death of, 347
jobs of, during making of movies, 304–5
Micheaux, Orlean McCracken (first wife), 61–62, 64, 66–68
death of, 111–12
finding investors for The Homesteader, 120–24
first article in Chicago Defender, 68–69
marriage of, 69–71, 73
pregnancy of, 77–79
return to Chicago after miscarriage, 79–82
separation from OM, 86–87
Micheaux, Oscar ambiguities/mysteries of, 1–3, 14
attempt to return to movie making after World War II, 327–31
attempts to get married, 60–61
bankruptcy filing of, 232
beginning of “talkies” and, 227
birth of, 7
censors and, 238
cinematic skills of, 142–43
cities and, 26
closing of Chicago office, 220–21
Communism and, 299–301
consensus about darkness of skin of, 14
on control of pictures, 266–67
criticism of black community and, 12–13
death of, 344–45
dreams/premonitions and, 142
drought of 1911
and, 82–86
early Chicago jobs of, 18–20
education of, 10–11
experiences traveling in South of, 169–70
falling in love with Scottish blonde, 52–55
falling out with Swan Micheaux, 230–32
family history of, 3–9
Fayette Pictures and, 249–50
as filmmaker, 127–28, 163
films of, 2. See also specific film final years of, 343–44
finances of, 225–26
fondness for Chicago, 26
ghost films of, 190–91, 262
Harlem
Renaissance and, 247–49
headstone for, 348
hitting bottom in 1932, 270–72
as homesteader, 37–42, 45–52
“Jessie” and, 16–17, 34, 35–36, 44, 58–59
Jews and, 100–103, 167–68
job as porter with Pullman
Company, 20–26
Hubert Julian and, 305–9
lawsuit with father-in-law, 95–98
Leo Frank trial and, 100–103
marriage to Alice B. Russell, 222–25
marriage to Orlean McCracken, 69–71
messages in films of, 142
motivations of, as filmmaker, 273
move to Chicago, 15–21
move to New York City, 150–52
as moviegoer, 107–8
musical tastes of, 36
new recognition of, 348–49
novels of. See specific novel n-word and, 135
partnership with Brechner and Schiffman, 249–50
politics of, 298–99
profitability of films of, 144–46
purchase of land on Rosebud
Reservation, 27–34
rediscovery of, 346–50
relationship with father-in-law, 74–77
religion and, 8, 134
Alfred Sack and, 286–90
as salesman, 12–13, 131–35, 290–91
separation from Orlean, 86–87
Sioux City, Iowa and, 104–5
as storyteller, 142
talent for casting, 277–79
travel as tonic for, 135–39
Lorenzo Tucker and, 260. See also
Tucker, Lorenzo views of, on black population, 266
visit to South America by, 34–35
World War II novels of, 322
Micheaux, Swan (brother), 148–49, 152, 169, 174–75, 184, 196–97, 220
falling out with OM, 230–32
final years of, 238
Micheaux Book and Film Company, 121, 131
Midnight Ace, The (film), 234–35, 237
Miller, Flournoy, 190, 191
Millionaire, The (film), 226–27, 231
Mills, Florence, 178, 288
Mills, Jerry, 123
Molitor, R. H., 91
Moore, Charles S., 127, 241, 243, 252, 254
Morrell, Stanleigh, 252
Moses, Ethel, 288, 290, 297
Moss, Carlton, 7, 248, 265–67, 315
Muse, Clarence, 302
Musser, Charles, 204
National Association for Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), 221, 350
Neuforth, Karen P., 5
Newsome, Carman, 291, 297, 301, 304, 308
Newsome, Nora, 252, 259, 278
Noisette, Katherine, 239, 243, 252, 277–78
Norman, Richard E., 159, 178, 183, 228–29, 247, 290
Norman Film Manufacturing
Concern, 159, 178
Notorious Elinor Lee, The (film), 306–10, 311
n-word, OM and, 135
Olcott, Chauncy, 36
Oney, Steve, 101, 281
Oscar Micheaux Award, 349