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Jester Joseph Hairston was an American composer, songwriter, arranger, choral conductor, and actor. He was regarded as a leading expert on Negro spirituals and choral music. His notable compositions include "Amen," a gospel-tinged theme from the film Lilies of the Field and a 1963 hit for The Impressions, and the Christmas song "Mary's Boy Child".
Birth Name
Jester Joseph Hairston
Born
Tuesday, 09 July 1901
Died
Tuesday, 18 January 2000
Actor Filmography
| Title | Character | Year |
|---|
| Being John Malkovich | Lester's Friend | 1999 |
| 60 Minutes II | Self - Conductor (segment "Family Ties") | 1999 |
| Love & War | Joe | 1992 |
| John Wayne's 'the Alamo' | Jethro | 1992 |
| Family Matters | William 'Skippy' Thomas | 1989 |
| I'm Gonna Git You Sucka | Pop | 1988 |
| Amen | Rolly Forbes | 1986 |
| The Last Tycoon | Waiter in Stahr's Office | 1976 |
| The Bingo Long Traveling All-Stars & Motor Kings | Furry Taylor | 1976 |
| That's My Mama | Wildcat | 1974 |
Actor Filmography
| Title | Character | Year |
|---|
| Being John Malkovich | Lester's Friend | 1999 |
| 60 Minutes II | Self - Conductor (segment "Family Ties") | 1999 |
| Love & War | Joe | 1992 |
| John Wayne's 'the Alamo' | Jethro | 1992 |
| Family Matters | William 'Skippy' Thomas | 1989 |
| I'm Gonna Git You Sucka | Pop | 1988 |
| Amen | Rolly Forbes | 1986 |
| The Last Tycoon | Waiter in Stahr's Office | 1976 |
| The Bingo Long Traveling All-Stars & Motor Kings | Furry Taylor | 1976 |
| That's My Mama | Wildcat | 1974 |
| Harry O | Jefferson Johnson | 1973 |
| Lady Sings the Blues | The Butler | 1972 |
| Nichols | Melville | 1971 |
| Finian's Rainbow | Passion Pilgrim Gospeleer | 1968 |
| The Outcasts | Daniel | 1968 |
| In the Heat of the Night | Endicott's Butler | 1967 |
| To Kill a Mockingbird | Spence Robinson | 1962 |
| The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson | Himself - Guest / Self - Guest / Himself | 1962 |
| The Virginian | John Douglas | 1962 |
| Summer and Smoke | Thomas | 1961 |
| Hazel | Marvin | 1961 |
| The Alamo | Jethro | 1960 |
| Thriller | Papa Benjamin | 1960 |
| Raymie | Ransom | 1960 |
| Rawhide | Zachariah | 1959 |
| St. Louis Blues | Choir Member | 1958 |
| The Court of Last Resort | Seth | 1957 |
| The Thin Man | Murphy - Bellhop | 1957 |
| Have Gun - Will Travel | Euclid - Servant / Moses - Old Man | 1957 |
| Band of Angels | Plantation Slave | 1957 |
| Full of Life | Train Porter | 1956 |
| Tension at Table Rock | Black Janitor | 1956 |
| The 20th Century-Fox Hour | Jacob | 1955 |
| Screen Directors Playhouse | Train Cook | 1955 |
| Gunsmoke | Wellington | 1955 |
| Pete Kelly's Blues | Mourner, Pre-Credit Sequence | 1955 |
| Tarzan's Hidden Jungle | Witch Doctor | 1955 |
| Studio 57 | Thomas | 1954 |
| Tanganyika | Singer | 1954 |
| Gypsy Colt | Carl | 1954 |
| So This Is Love | Preacher | 1953 |
| You Are There | Thornton | 1953 |
| We're Not Married! | Lead Christmas Caroler | 1952 |
| Yes Sir, Mr. Bones | Jester Hairston | 1951 |
| The Amos 'n Andy Show | Henry Van Porter / Leroy Smith / Mr. Phillips / Mr. Johnson / Landlord / Grocery Store Man | 1951 |
| Across the Pacific | Passerby | 1942 |
| Tales of Manhattan | Shantytown Man (Robeson sequence) | 1942 |
| In This Our Life | Black Man in Jail | 1942 |
| The Vanishing Virginian | Mover | 1942 |
| Sullivan's Travels | Charlie - Church Projectionist | 1941 |
| Sundown | Native Boy | 1941 |
| The Green Pastures | Member of Hall Johnson Choir | 1936 |
