Moses Gunn
| Moses Gunn | |
|---|---|
Gunn in 1974
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| Born |
October 2, 1929 St. Louis, Missouri, U.S. |
| Died | December 16, 1993 (aged 64) Guilford, Connecticut, U.S. |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1962–1993 |
| Spouse(s) | Gwendolyn Mumma Landes (1966–1993) (his death) (2 children) |
Moses Gunn (October 2, 1929 – December 16, 1993) was an American actor of stage and screen. An Obie Award-winning stage player, he co-founded the Negro Ensemble Company in the 1960s. His 1962 Off-Broadway debut was in Jean Genet's The Blacks, and his Broadway debut was in A Hand is on the Gate, an evening of African-American poetry. He was nominated for a 1976 Tony Award as Best Actor (Play) for The Poison Tree and played Othello on Broadway in 1970.
Born in St. Louis, Missouri, of African descent the son of Mary and George Gunn, a labourer he was one of seven siblings. After his mother died, his family separated. Moses left home and rode the railroad at just 12 years old. He returned to St. Louis and attended school while living at the home of Jewel Richie, his English teacher. He graduated from Tennessee State University after serving in the United States Army, then went to graduate school at Kansas University, gaining a master's degree. He taught briefly at Grambling College before attempting an acting career in NYC. He married Gwendolyn Mumma Landes in 1966, becoming stepfather to her daughter Kirsten Sarah Landes. They had a son, Justin Moses, in 1970 who became a musician and composer in the Copenhagen-based band, "The Reverend Shine Snake Oil Co."
An authoritative black character actor of film and TV, Gunn also enjoyed a successful career on stage. He made his New York City stage debut in the original off-Broadway production of Jean Genet's The Blacks (1962). He performed many Shakespearean roles in Joseph Papp's Shakespeare in the Park, winning an Obie Award for his portrayal of Aaron in Titus Andronicus. He won a second Obie for his work in the NEC produced First Breeze of Summer, which moved to Broadway. His acclaimed performance as Othello at the Stratford, Connecticut Shakespeare Festival moved to Broadway in 1970. Other Broadway plays in which Gunn performed are: A Hand is on the Gate, Twelfth Night, I Have a Dream, and The Poison Tree. He was nominated for a Tony Award nomination for Best Actor for the The Poison Tree.
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