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Jester Joseph HairstonAmerican musician and actor
Date of Birth: 09.07.1901
Country:  USA |
Content:
- Jester Hairston: A Renaissance Man
- Show Business Beginnings
- Acting Career
- Musical Successes
- Later Life and Legacy
Jester Hairston: A Renaissance Man
Early Life and EducationJester Joseph Hairston was born in Belews Creek, North Carolina in 1901. His family moved to Homestead, Pennsylvania, where he graduated from high school in 1919. Hairston attended Massachusetts Agriculture College before transferring to Tufts University, where he graduated in 1928. He also spent several years studying at the prestigious Juilliard School in New York City.
Show Business Beginnings
Hairston began his career as a choral conductor. However, after successful stage productions, he transitioned to acting in films and television. He made his film debut in 1936's "Green Pastures," but his name was omitted from the credits.
Acting Career
Throughout the 1940s, Hairston had bit roles in movies. His breakthrough came in 1951 with a starring role as Henry Van Porter on the sitcom "The Amos 'n Andy Show."
Musical Successes
Hairston is best known for the Christmas carol "Mary's Boy Child," which he wrote in 1956. Harry Belafonte initially claimed credit for the song, but Hairston's authorship was eventually recognized. He also wrote the gospel song "Amen," first heard in the 1963 film "Lilies of the Field."
Later Life and Legacy
Hairston continued acting and composing in the 1960s and 1970s, appearing in shows such as "That's My Mama" and "Amen." In his later years, he served as a "musical ambassador for America," traveling internationally with top US choirs. In 1985, he led the interracial Jester Hairston Chorale on a series of concerts in China.
Jester Hairston died in Los Angeles, California, in 1999 at the age of 98. A memorial service was held at Inglewood Park Cemetery in Inglewood, California.
