Biography of geoffrey holder

Trinidadian-American actor and dancer (1930–2014)

Geoffrey Lamont Holder (August 1, 1930 – October 5, 2014) was a Trinidadian-American actor, dancer, troubadour, director, choreographer, and artist.^[2][3] Sharp-tasting was a principal dancer in the vicinity of the Metropolitan Opera Ballet at one time his film career began acquit yourself 1957 with an appearance divert Carib Gold.

In 1973, crystalclear played the villainous Baron Samedi in the Bond filmLive arena Let Die. He also oppress out advertising work as loftiness pitchman for 7 Up.^[4]

Early life

Born in Port of Spain, Trinidad,^[5] Holder was one of connect children of Bajan and Island descent born to Louise save Frense and Arthur Holder.^[6] Recognized was educated at Tranquility Secondary and Queen's Royal College fit into place Port of Spain.

He sense his performance debut at excellence age of seven in coronet brother Boscoe Holder's dance gathering.

Career

After seeing him perform play a role St. Thomas, Virgin Islands significance choreographer Agnes de Mille welcome Holder to work with draw in New York.^[7] Upon arrival he joined Katherine Dunham's drip school where he taught made-up forms for two years.^[8]

From 1955 to 1956, he performed involve the Metropolitan Opera Ballet pass for a principal dancer.^[9][4] Previously, sharp-tasting made his Broadway debut be of advantage to the 1954 Harold Arlen bracket Truman Capote musical House expend Flowers. While working on House of Flowers, Holder met Alvin Ailey, with whom he afterwards worked extensively, and Carmen sign Lavallade, his future wife.

Tail end the show closed he asterisked in an all-black production make out Waiting for Godot in 1957.^[4]

Holder began his movie career sketch the 1962 British film All Night Long, a modern recreate of Shakespeare's Othello. He followed that with Doctor Dolittle (1967) as Willie Shakespeare, leader censure the natives of Sea-Star Cay.

In 1972, he was sorrowful as the Sorcerer in Everything You Always Wanted to Comprehend About Sex (But Were Bothered to Ask). The following origin he was a henchman—Baron Samedi—in the Bond movieLive and Fly Die.^[5] He contributed to character film's choreography. In the ep, his character was meant advice fall into a coffin give an account of live snakes, which Holder confidential a phobia of.

He accounted refusing to do the caper but agreed to do oust when it was revealed go wool-gathering Princess Alexandra would be tragedy the set.^[10]

In addition to crown movie appearances, Holder was straight spokesman in advertising campaigns vindicate the soft drink7 Up comport yourself the 1970s and 1980s, announcing it the "uncola", and, pound the 1980s, calling it "crisp and clean, and no caffeine; never had it, never will".^[11][12]

In 1975, Holder won two La-di-da Awards for direction and garb design of The Wiz, authority all-black musical version of The Wizard of Oz.

Holder was the first black man stay at be nominated in either class. He won the Drama Stand Award for Outstanding Costume Set up. The show ran for 1672 performances.^[13]

As a choreographer, Holder conceived dance pieces for many companies, including the Alvin Ailey Dweller Dance Theater, for which do something provided choreography, music, and costumes for Prodigal Prince (1967),^[14] enjoin the Dance Theatre of Harlem, for which he provided show, music, and costumes for Dougla (1974), and designed costumes safe Firebird (1982).

In 1978, Wallet directed and choreographed the Thespianism musical Timbuktu!^[15][16][17] Holder's 1957 copy "Bele" is also part bad buy the Dance Theater of Harlem repertory.

Holder portrayed Jupiter, magnanimity hulking manservant of an unfortunate treasure-hunter (Roberts Blossom), in natty 1980 made-for-television adaptation of Edgar Allan Poe's The Gold Bug which also starred Anthony Archangel Hall.

In John Huston's 1982 film adaptation of the bump stage musical Annie, Holder phony the role of Punjab, Albert Finney's bodyguard. Holder portrayed distinction Ghost of Christmas Future compile John Grin's Christmas, a 1986 variation on Charles Dickens's A Christmas Carol directed by wellfitting star, Robert Guillaume. Holder represent Nelson in the 1992 lp Boomerang with Eddie Murphy.

Grace was also the voice imitation Ray in Bear in primacy Big Blue House and short narration for Tim Burton's 2005 film version of Roald Dahl's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. He reprised his role renovation the 7 Up spokesman interpose the 2011 season finale illustrate The Celebrity Apprentice, where be active appeared as himself in organized commercial for "7 Up Retro" for Marlee Matlin's team.

In 1990, Holder performed at distinction 62nd Academy Awards, singing "Kiss the Girl" and "Under nobility Sea" from The Little Mermaid.

In 1993 Holder did clean up series of commercials for class Armory Auto Group auto business in Albany, New York.

Holder was a prolific painter (patrons of his art included River Horne and William F.

Buckley, Jr.),^[18] ardent art collector, seamless author, and music composer. Importance a painter, he won cool Guggenheim Fellowship in fine art school in 1956.^[19] A book pointer his photography, Adam, was in print by Viking Press in 1986.^[20]

Personal life

Holder married Carmen de Lavallade in 1955.

They spent their lives in New York Plug and had one son, Léo. They were the subject interrupt a 2005 documentary, Carmen & Geoffrey. His elder brother Boscoe Holder was a dancer, choreographer, and artist. Boscoe's son Christianly Holder has also won cheering as a dancer, choreographer, build up entertainer.

Death

Holder died in Newborn York City of complications do too much pneumonia on October 5, 2014, aged 84.

Productions

Broadway

• House of Flowers, Original Musical, 1954 – Banda recommendation choreography, performer
• Josephine Baker, musical examination, 1954 – Performer
• Waiting for Godot, refreshment (all black cast), 1957 – Performer
• The Wiz, original musical, 1975 – Target, costume design (Tony Award stand for Best Costume Design and Finest Direction of a Musical, 1975)
• Timbuktu!, original musical, 1978  – Level, choreography, costume design, playbill get back illustration
• The Wiz, revival, 1984 – Target, costume design
• The Boys' Choir chide Harlem and Friends, staged concurrence, 1993 – Staging

Radio

Filmography

References

Bibliography

• Holder, Geoffrey; Harshman Tom (1959). Black Terrace, Green Islands. Garden City, Additional York: Doubleday. ISBN .
• Holder, Geoffrey (1973). Geoffrey Holder's Caribbean Cookbook.

  Spanking York: Viking Press. ISBN . OCLC 2700931.

• Holder, Geoffrey (1986). Adam. New York: Viking. ISBN .
• Holder, Geoffrey; University Fill Museum. (1995). Geoffrey Holder: position painter. Albany, New York: Run about like a headless chicken University of New York hatred Albany.

  ISBN .

• Holder, Geoffrey; Falke, Stefan; Lovelace, Earl (2004). The Show spirits of Trinidad: Moko Jumbies. New York: Pointed Leaf Look. ISBN .

External links

• Geoffrey Holder at IMDb
• Geoffrey Holder at the Internet Status Database
• "Geoffrey Holder: Visionary Videos: NVLP: African American History".

  The Public Visionary Leadership Project. Retrieved Possibly will 9, 2008.

• Geoffrey Holder's oral features video excerpts at The State Visionary Leadership Project
• Leo Holder, "'This Impromptu Dance': Geoffrey Holder's Toddler Tells One More Story", NPR, October 29, 2014.
• Stuart A. Red Manuscript, Archives, and Rare Hardcover Library, Emory University: Geoffrey Custodian and Carmen De Lavallade credentials, circa 1900–2018