Throughout his career, Melvin Van Peebles was known as the “God Father of Black Cinema.”
The entertainer died at his home in Manhattan at the age of 89.
His family released a joint statement with The Criterion Collection and Janus Films.
“In an unparalleled career distinguished by relentless innovation, boundless curiosity and spiritual empathy, Melvin Van Peebles made an indelible mark on the international cultural landscape through his films, novels, plays and music,” the statement read. “His work continues to be essential and is being celebrated at the New York Film Festival this weekend with a 50th anniversary screening of his landmark film ‘Sweet Sweetback’s Baadasssss Song’; a Criterion Collection box set, Melvin Van Peebles: Essential Films, next week; and a revival of his play ‘Ain’t Supposed to Die a Natural Death,’ slated for a return to Broadway next year.”
His son Mario Van Peebles, who directed New Jack City, also made a statement.
“Dad knew that Black images matter,” Mario said in a statement. “If a picture is worth a thousand words, what was a movie worth? We want to be the success we see, thus we need to see ourselves being free. True liberation did not mean imitating the colonizer’s mentality. It meant appreciating the power, beauty and interconnectivity of all people.”
Van Peebles was an inspiration to filmmakers like Spike Lee and John Singleton. He was well versed in many forms of art including writing prose, songwriting, playwrighting, making music and painting. His breakthrough in directing was the cinematography he created in the film Watermelon Man.
He then directed Sweetback in 1971 which he made in 19 days with a $500,000 budget. It generated $15 million at the box office and became the highest grossing independent film in history (at the time).
He also had a major success on Broadway with a musical entitled Ain’t Supposed to Die a Natural Death. It played for a month at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre and had an extended run at the Ambassador Theater. The cast featured Bill Duke, Garrett Morris, Phylicia Rashad, Ted Lange and Roger Robinson. It received a Tony nomination in 1972 and won a Drama Desk award for outstanding book of a musical. His other Broadway credits include Don’t Play Us Cheap!, Reggae, and Waltz of the Stork.
He also won a Daytime Emmy and a Humanitas Prize in 1987 for writing an episode of The Day They Came to Arrest the Books for CBS.
Van Peebles was born in 1932 and his father was a tailor in Chicago. He graduated from Ohio Wesleyan in 1953 and served in the Air Force. After his discharge, he worked as a painter in Mexico, then as a cable car grip in San Francisco. As a professional artist he certainly paid his dues, he wasn’t immediately granted the popular and glamourous positions within film, television and theatre. He had to work his way up before he finally got the opportunity to find work as an actor, and gain the opportunity to direct and produce his original works. Van Peebles is a groundbreaking artist whose work will continued to be observed for its impact on culture.