Lennie Bluett
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Lennie Bluett | |
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| Born | January 21, 1919 Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Died | January 1, 2016 (aged 96) Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Occupations | Actor, musician |
| Years active | 1937–2014 |
Lennie Bluett (January 21, 1919 – January 1, 2016) was an American film actor, pianist, dancer and singer. His mother was a cook for Humphrey Bogart. At age 16, Bluett started playing the piano at Bogart's parties.
Bluett formed a harmonizing group with his friends called "Four Dreamers". Nat King Cole used to play with the band.
He played a soldier in Gone With the Wind in 1939. During production of the film, the outdoor set's bathrooms were segregated with signs that said "white" and "colored," respectively, until an appalled Bluett brought this to the attention of Clark Gable, who threatened to quit the film unless the signs were taken down.
His career consisted of minor roles due to the limited opportunities for African-Americans at the time. He relocated to Vancouver in order to avoid being drafted into World War II, and returned afterwards.[1][2][3] He died in Los Angeles on January 1, 2016, at the age of 96.[4]
