Duane Jones
Encyclopedia
Duane L. Jones was an American actor, best known for his role as Ben in the 1968 horror film
Night of the Living Dead
. He was director of the Maguire Theater at the State University of New York at Old Westbury
. He was the artistic director
of the Richard Allen Center for Culture and Art in Manhattan
.
A graduate of the Sorbonne
, Jones studied acting in New York City
.
His role in 1968 movie Night of the Living Dead marked the first time an African American actor was cast as the star of a horror film. He was executive director of the Black Theater Alliance, a federation of theater companies, from 1976 to 1981.
He taught acting styles at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts
. As executive director of the Richard Allen Center for Culture and Art (RACCA), he promoted African-American theater. After leaving the American Academy of Dramatic Arts he taught a select group of students privately in Manhattan, by invitation only. His hand-selected students were of diverse ethnic backgrounds.
He died of cardiopulmonary arrest
at Winthrop-University Hospital
on July 22, 1988.
is named after him. Up until his death, he proclaimed that he had never watched any of the other "Dead" films, nor any other George Romero picture, claiming that Night of the Living Dead was "his" time.
In the zombie graphic novel The Walking Dead
by Robert Kirkman
one of the characters is named Duane Jones as an homage.
Horror film
Horror films seek to elicit a negative emotional reaction from viewers by playing on the audience's most primal fears. They often feature scenes that startle the viewer through the means of macabre and the supernatural, thus frequently overlapping with the fantasy and science fiction genres...
Night of the Living Dead
Night of the Living Dead
Night of the Living Dead is a 1968 American independent black-and-white zombie film and cult film directed by George A. Romero, starring Duane Jones, Judith O'Dea and Karl Hardman. It premiered on October 1, 1968, and was completed on a USD$114,000 budget. After decades of cinematic re-releases, it...
. He was director of the Maguire Theater at the State University of New York at Old Westbury
State University of New York at Old Westbury
The State University of New York College at Old Westbury is a university college that is part of the State University of New York system. The college is in Old Westbury, New York, with portions in the neighboring town of Jericho, New York...
. He was the artistic director
Artistic director
An artistic director is the executive of an arts organization, particularly in a theatre company, that handles the organization's artistic direction. He or she is generally a producer and director, but not in the sense of a mogul, since the organization is generally a non-profit organization...
of the Richard Allen Center for Culture and Art in Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
.
Biography
He was born on February 2, 1936, and he had a sister, Marva Jones Brooks.A graduate of the Sorbonne
Sorbonne
The Sorbonne is an edifice of the Latin Quarter, in Paris, France, which has been the historical house of the former University of Paris...
, Jones studied acting in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
.
He taught acting styles at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts
American Academy of Dramatic Arts
The American Academy of Dramatic Arts is a fully accredited two-year conservatory with facilities located in Manhattan, New York City – at 120 Madison Avenue, in a landmark building designed by noted architect Stanford White as the original Colony Club – and in Hollywood, California...
. As executive director of the Richard Allen Center for Culture and Art (RACCA), he promoted African-American theater. After leaving the American Academy of Dramatic Arts he taught a select group of students privately in Manhattan, by invitation only. His hand-selected students were of diverse ethnic backgrounds.
He died of cardiopulmonary arrest
Cardiac arrest
Cardiac arrest, is the cessation of normal circulation of the blood due to failure of the heart to contract effectively...
at Winthrop-University Hospital
Winthrop-University Hospital
Winthrop-University Hospital was founded in 1896 under the name Nassau Hospital as Long Island, New York's first voluntary hospital. The location was originally constructed in 1900. It was renamed Winthrop-University Hospital in the 1980s to avoid confusion with Nassau County Medical Center, now...
on July 22, 1988.
Legacy
The Duane L. Jones Recital Hall at State University of New York at Old WestburyState University of New York at Old Westbury
The State University of New York College at Old Westbury is a university college that is part of the State University of New York system. The college is in Old Westbury, New York, with portions in the neighboring town of Jericho, New York...
is named after him. Up until his death, he proclaimed that he had never watched any of the other "Dead" films, nor any other George Romero picture, claiming that Night of the Living Dead was "his" time.
In the zombie graphic novel The Walking Dead
The Walking Dead
The Walking Dead is a monthly black-and-white US comic book series published by Image Comics beginning in 2003. The comic was created by writer Robert Kirkman and artist Tony Moore, who was replaced by Charlie Adlard from issue #7 onward, although Moore continued to do the covers through issue...
by Robert Kirkman
Robert Kirkman
Robert Kirkman is an American comic book writer best known for his work on The Walking Dead and Invincible for Image Comics, and Ultimate X-Men and Marvel Zombies for Marvel Comics. He has also collaborated with Image Comics co-founder Todd McFarlane on the series Haunt...
one of the characters is named Duane Jones as an homage.
Filmography
| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1968 | Night of the Living Dead Night of the Living Dead Night of the Living Dead is a 1968 American independent black-and-white zombie film and cult film directed by George A. Romero, starring Duane Jones, Judith O'Dea and Karl Hardman. It premiered on October 1, 1968, and was completed on a USD$114,000 budget. After decades of cinematic re-releases, it... |
Ben | |
| 1973 | Ganja and Hess Ganja and Hess Ganja & Hess is a 1973 horror film directed by Bill Gunn and stars Marlene Clark and Duane Jones. The film follows the exploits of archaeologist Dr. Hess Green who becomes a vampire after being stabbed by his intelligent, but unstable, assistant with an ancient cursed dagger... |
Doctor Hess Green | Also released as "Blood Couple" |
| 1982 | Losing Ground | Unknown | |
| 1984 | Beat Street Beat Street Beat Street is a 1984 drama film, following Wild Style in featuring New York City hip hop culture of the early 1980s; breakdancing, DJing, and graffiti.-Plot:... |
Robert | |
| 1986 | Vampires Vampires (1986 film) Vampires is a 1986 horror film directed by Len Anthony. The film stars Orly Benyar, John Bly, Jackie James, Duane Jones, Kit Jones, and Robin Michaels. The plot revolves around mysterious events at a private girls' school in which the students' life-energy is drained by a mad scientist's machine.... |
Charles Harmon | |
| 1988 | Negatives | Paul | |
| Fright House | Charles Harmon | ||
| 1989 | To Die For To Die For (1989 film) To Die For is a 1989 horror-romance film directed by Deran Sarafian. The film stars Brendan Hughes as vampire Vlad Tsepsh along with Duane Jones , Philip Granger, Julie Maddalena, and Amanda Wyss.-Plot:Forbidden passion, unquenchable vengeance, and the kiss of darkness all play a deadly role in this... |
Simon Little |