Milton "Mel" Stewart was an American character actor

Character actor

A character actor is one who predominantly plays unusual or eccentric characters. The Oxford English Dictionary defines a character actor as "an actor who specializes in character parts", defining character part in turn as "an acting role displaying pronounced or unusual characteristics or...

, television director

Television director

A television director directs the activities involved in making a television program and is part of a television crew.-Duties:The duties of a television director vary depending on whether the production is live or recorded to video tape or video server .In both types of productions, the...

, and musician

Musician

A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....

 who appeared in numerous films and television shows from the 1960s to the 1990s. He is best known for playing Henry Jefferson

Henry Jefferson

Henry Jefferson is a fictional character, the brother of George Jefferson from the TV series All in the Family. He lived with George, his sister-in-law Louise, their son Lionel, and Lionel's aunt , who was referenced in one episode but never seen. He was thus a neighbor to Archie Bunker...

 on the popular television series All in the Family

All in the Family

All in the Family is an American sitcom that was originally broadcast on the CBS television network from January 12, 1971, to April 8, 1979. In September 1979, a new show, Archie Bunker's Place, picked up where All in the Family had ended...

. Stewart is sometimes credited as Melvin Stewart or Melvin Stuart.

Career

Mel Stewart began his career in 1959 with bit parts in TV and films. In the early 1960s, Stewart also appeared in the Broadway

Broadway theatre

Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...

 shows Purlie Victorious, The Hostage, The Cool World, and Simply Heavenly. In 1961, Stewart recorded an album of Langston Hughes

Langston Hughes

James Mercer Langston Hughes was an American poet, social activist, novelist, playwright, and columnist. He was one of the earliest innovators of the then-new literary art form jazz poetry. Hughes is best known for his work during the Harlem Renaissance...

' poetry on Folkways Records

Folkways Records

Folkways Records was a record label founded by Moses Asch that documented folk, world, and children's music. It was acquired by the Smithsonian Institution in 1987, and is now part of Smithsonian Folkways.-History:...

 – Langston Hughes' The Best of Simple.

Stewart went on to land roles in various television series including That Girl

That Girl

That Girl is an American television situation comedy that ran on ABC from 1966 to 1971. It stars Marlo Thomas as the title character, Ann Marie, an aspiring actress, who had moved from her hometown of Brewster, New York to make it big in New York City...

, Marcus Welby, M.D.

Marcus Welby, M.D.

Marcus Welby, M.D. is an American medical drama television program that aired on ABC from September 23, 1969, to July 29, 1976. It starred Robert Young as a family practitioner with a kind bedside manner, and was produced by David Victor and David J. O'Connell...

, The Bob Newhart Show

The Bob Newhart Show

The Bob Newhart Show is an American situation comedy produced by MTM Enterprises, which aired 142 original episodes on CBS from September 16, , to April 1, . Comedian Bob Newhart portrayed a psychologist having to deal with his patients and fellow office workers...

, Good Times

Good Times

Good Times is an American sitcom that originally aired from February 8, 1974, until August 1, 1979, on the CBS television network. It was created by Eric Monte and Michael Evans, and developed by Norman Lear, the series' primary executive producer...

, and Harry O. One of his most memorable roles was as Henry Jefferson

Henry Jefferson

Henry Jefferson is a fictional character, the brother of George Jefferson from the TV series All in the Family. He lived with George, his sister-in-law Louise, their son Lionel, and Lionel's aunt , who was referenced in one episode but never seen. He was thus a neighbor to Archie Bunker...

 on the series All in the Family

All in the Family

All in the Family is an American sitcom that was originally broadcast on the CBS television network from January 12, 1971, to April 8, 1979. In September 1979, a new show, Archie Bunker's Place, picked up where All in the Family had ended...

. In 1973, he co-starred in the short-lived series Roll Out

Roll Out

Roll Out is an American sitcom that aired Friday evenings on CBS during the 1973-1974 television season. Starring nightclub comedian Stu Gilliam and Hilly Hicks, and featuring Ed Begley, Jr...

. The following year, Stewart directed two episodes of yet another short-lived series Get Christie Love!

Get Christie Love!

Get Christie Love! is a 1974 made-for-television film starring Teresa Graves as an undercover female police detective who is determined to overthrow a drug ring. This film is based on Dorothy Uhnak's crime-thriller novel, The Ledger...

, before co-starring in On the Rocks. After On the Rocks was canceled in 1976, Stewart portrayed the role of Marvin Decker in the Bewitched

Bewitched

Bewitched is an American situation comedy originally broadcast for eight seasons on ABC from 1964 to 1972, starring Elizabeth Montgomery, Dick York and Dick Sargent , Agnes Moorehead, and David White. The show is about a witch who marries a mortal and tries to lead the life of a typical suburban...

spin-off series

Spin-off (media)

In media, a spin-off is a radio program, television program, video game, or any narrative work, derived from one or more already existing works, that focuses, in particular, in more detail on one aspect of that original work...

 Tabitha

Tabitha (TV series)

Tabitha is an American fantasy sitcom that aired during the 1977-1978 season on ABC. It is a spin-off of Bewitched, which had ended its run several years earlier...

from 1977 to 1978.

In the 1980s, Stewart continued guest starring in both television and films. He also had a recurring role on Scarecrow and Mrs. King

Scarecrow and Mrs. King

Scarecrow and Mrs. King is an American television series that aired from October 3, 1983, to May 28, 1987 on CBS. The show starred Kate Jackson and Bruce Boxleitner as divorced housewife Amanda King and top-level "Agency" operative Lee Stetson who begin a strange association, and eventual romance,...

as Billy Melrose during the show's four year run. His last on screen appearance came in the 1993 film Made in America

Made in America (film)

Made in America is a 1993 comedy film released on May 28, 1993 by Warner Bros. starring Whoopi Goldberg and Ted Danson, and featuring Nia Long, Jennifer Tilly and Will Smith.-Plot:...

, starring Whoopi Goldberg

Whoopi Goldberg

Whoopi Goldberg is an American comedian, actress, singer-songwriter, political activist, author and talk show host.Goldberg made her film debut in The Color Purple playing Celie, a mistreated black woman in the Deep South. She received a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actress and won...

 and Ted Danson

Ted Danson

Edward Bridge “Ted” Danson III is an American actor best known for his role as central character Sam Malone in the sitcom Cheers, and his role as Dr. John Becker on the series Becker. He also plays a recurring role on Larry David's HBO sitcom Curb Your Enthusiasm and starred alongside Glenn Close...

.

Side projects

In addition to acting and directing, Stewart was an accomplished jazz saxophonist. A longtime resident of San Francisco, he also taught acting at San Francisco State University

San Francisco State University

San Francisco State University is a public university located in San Francisco, California. As part of the 23-campus California State University system, the university offers over 100 areas of study from nine academic colleges...

. His students included actor Danny Glover

Danny Glover

Danny Lebern Glover is an American actor, film director, and political activist. Glover is perhaps best known for his role as Detective Roger Murtaugh in the Lethal Weapon film franchise.-Early life:...

. He established the theater group Black Actors Now Through Unity (BANTU) and directed plays at the Center for African and African-American Art and Culture in San Francisco and the Black Repertory Theater in Berkeley, California

Berkeley, California

Berkeley is a city on the east shore of the San Francisco Bay in Northern California, United States. Its neighbors to the south are the cities of Oakland and Emeryville. To the north is the city of Albany and the unincorporated community of Kensington...

.

A third degree black belt

Black belt (martial arts)

In martial arts, the black belt is a way to describe a graduate of a field where a practitioner's level is often marked by the color of the belt. The black belt is commonly the highest belt color used and denotes a degree of competence. It is often associated with a teaching grade though...

 in aikido

Aikido

is a Japanese martial art developed by Morihei Ueshiba as a synthesis of his martial studies, philosophy, and religious beliefs. Aikido is often translated as "the Way of unifying life energy" or as "the Way of harmonious spirit." Ueshiba's goal was to create an art that practitioners could use to...

, Stewart opened a dojo

Dojo

A is a Japanese term which literally means "place of the way". Initially, dōjōs were adjunct to temples. The term can refer to a formal training place for any of the Japanese do arts but typically it is considered the formal gathering place for students of any Japanese martial arts style to...

 for inner-city youths in the Bayview district of San Francisco.

Personal life and death

On July 11, 1976, Stewart married Annie Dong. The couple had one child together, a daughter. On February 24, 2002, Mel Stewart died of Alzheimer's disease

Alzheimer's disease

Alzheimer's disease also known in medical literature as Alzheimer disease is the most common form of dementia. There is no cure for the disease, which worsens as it progresses, and eventually leads to death...

.

Selected filmography

Film

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1959	Odds Against Tomorrow Odds Against Tomorrow Odds Against Tomorrow is a 1959 film noir produced and directed by Robert Wise for HarBel Productions, a company founded by the film's star, Harry Belafonte. Belafonte selected Abraham Polonsky to write the script, which is based on a novel by William P. McGivern. As a blacklisted writer Polonsky...	Hotel Juno Elevator Operator	Uncredited
1964	Nothing But a Man Nothing But a Man Nothing But a Man is a film made in 1964 and directed by Michael Roemer. The story is about a black railroad worker, who falls in love with a black school teacher, who is the town’s preacher’s daughter. The story depicts the struggle of their strife for “a meaningful place” in their society. It...	Riddick
1970		Professor Duboise	Credited as Melvin Stewart
1971	Cry Uncle! Cry Uncle! Cry Uncle! is a 1971 film in the Troma library. It is directed by John G. Avildsen and stars Allen Garfield. The story, based on the Michael Brett novel Lie A Little, Die A Little, follows the misadventures of a slobbish private detective who is hired by a millionaire to investigate a murder...	Lt. Fowler	Alternative titles: American Oddballs Super Dick Credited as Melvin Stewart
1972	Hammer Hammer (film) Hammer is a 1972 blaxploitation film directed by Bruce Clark. The film was released following the successes of Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song and Shaft, notable 1971 films that popularized black cinema....	Professor	Alternative title: BJ Hammer
1972	Trick Baby Trick Baby Trick Baby is a 1972 American crime-drama film starring Kiel Martin and Mel Stewart. The film is commonly associated with the blaxploitation genre of the period but is more plot and character driven than other blaxploitation films...	Blue Howard
1973	Steelyard Blues Steelyard Blues Steelyard Blues is a 1973 comedy crime film starring Donald Sutherland, Jane Fonda and Peter Boyle. It concerns the lives of a group of misfits trying to find a happier life against the norms of society. Sutherland plays an ex-con with a passion for demolition derbies. He has wrecked almost every...	Black Man in Jail	Alternative title: The Final Crash
1975	Let's Do It Again Let's Do It Again (1975 film) Let's Do It Again is a 1975 film starring Sidney Poitier, Bill Cosby and Jimmie Walker. Poitier also directed. The film is about blue-collar workers who decide to rig a boxing match to raise money for their fraternal lodge...	Ellison
1981	Whose Life Is It Anyway? Whose Life is it Anyway? Whose Life Is It Anyway? is a play by Brian Clark adapted from his 1972 television play of the same title. The play premiered at the Mermaid Theatre in London's West End in 1978 starring Tom Conti as Ken.-Plot:...	Dr. Barr
1988	Dead Heat	Captain Mayberry
1990	Martians Go Home Martians Go Home (film) Martians Go Home is a 1990 comedy film starring Randy Quaid. It was directed by David Odell and written by Charles S. Haas based on the novel by science fiction author Fredric Brown....	Judge
1990	Bride of Re-Animator Bride of Re-Animator Bride of Re-Animator is an American horror film released in 1990. It was directed by Brian Yuzna and was written by Yuzna, Rick Fry and Woody Keith. H. P. Lovecraft wrote the original series of stories, titled Herbert West–Reanimator, from which the characters were derived. The plot roughly...	Dr. Graves	Alternative title: Re-Animator 2

Television

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1962	Car 54 Where Are You?	Officer	Episode: "That's Show Business" Uncredited
1963	Naked City Naked City (TV series) Naked City is a police drama series which aired from 1958 to 1963 on the ABC television network. It was inspired by the 1948 motion picture of the same name, and mimics its dramatic "semi-documentary" format....	Pharmacist	Episode: "Barefoot on a Bed of Coals" Uncredited
1964		Grand Jury Foreman	Episode: "The Love of a Smart Operator"
1969	The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour	Mr. Harris	Episode #1.1
1972		Dawson	Episode: "A Single Blow of a Sword"
1974	Toma Toma (TV series) Toma was a short-lived television series that ran on ABC in 1973 and 1974.-Overview:The series starred Tony Musante and Susan Strasberg and was based on the real-life story and published biography of police detective David Toma. Toma had compiled an amazing arrest record during his years on the...	George Sawtelle	Episode: "A Funeral for Max Berlin"
1974	Lucas Tanner Lucas Tanner Lucas Tanner is an NBC television drama that aired during the 1974-75 season. The title character, played by David Hartman, was a former baseball player and sportswriter who became an english teacher at the fictional Harry S. Truman High School in Webster Groves, Missouri, a suburb of St. Louis...	Mr. Browder	Episode: "Look the Other Way"
1975		Police Lieutenant	Episode: "Charlie Harris at Large"
1975	That's My Mama That's My Mama That's My Mama is an American television sitcom that was originally broadcast on the ABC network from September 1974 until December 1975. There are 39 episodes of this series.-Synopsis:...	Laforche	Episode: "Business Is Business"
1977	What's Happening!! What's Happening!! What's Happening!! is an American television sitcom that aired on ABC from August 5, 1976 to April 28, 1979. The show premiered as a summer series. With good ratings and reviews, and after the failure of several other shows on the network, What's Happening!! returned in November 1976 as a weekly...	Spike Gibbs	Episode: "The Hospital Stay"
1977	Sanford and Son Sanford and Son Sanford and Son is an American sitcom, based on the BBC's Steptoe and Son, that ran on the NBC television network from January 14, 1972, to March 25, 1977....	Clarence	Episode: "Fred the Activist"
1979	Roots: The Next Generations Roots: The Next Generations Roots: The Next Generations is a 1979 television miniseries that continues the story of the family of Alex Haley from the 1880s, and their life in Henning, Tennessee, to the 1960s, with Haley researching his family history and his travels to Africa to learn of his ancestor, Kunta Kinte...	Dr. Crawford	Miniseries
1979	Benson Benson (TV series) Benson is an American television sitcom which aired from September 13, 1979, to April 19, 1986, on ABC. The series was a spin-off from the soap opera parody Soap ; however, Benson discarded the...	Loromo	Episode: "The President's Double"
1980	Soap Soap (TV series) Soap is an American sitcom that originally ran on ABC from 1977 to 1981.The show was created as a parody of daytime soap operas, presented as a weekly half-hour prime time comedy. Similar to a soap opera, the show's story was presented in a serial format and included melodramatic plot elements such...	Walter Coleman	Episode: "3.14
1981	Little House: A New Beginning Little House on the Prairie (TV series) Little House on the Prairie is an American Western drama television series, starring Michael Landon and Melissa Gilbert, about a family living on a farm in Walnut Grove, Minnesota, in the 1870s and 1880s. The show was an adaptation of Laura Ingalls Wilder's best-selling series of Little House books...	Hertzell Lundy	Episode: "Make a Joyful Noise"
1981		Sherman	Episode: "Saturday Night on Sunset Boulevard"
1984	Cheers Cheers Cheers is an American situation comedy television series that ran for 11 seasons from 1982 to 1993. It was produced by Charles/Burrows/Charles Productions, in association with Paramount Network Television for NBC, and was created by the team of James Burrows, Glen Charles, and Les Charles...	Man	Episode: "Coach Buries a Grudge"
1987	Amen Amen (TV series) Amen is an American television sitcom produced by Carson Productions that ran from September 27, 1986 to May 11, 1991 on NBC. Set in Sherman Hemsley's real-life hometown of Philadelphia, Amen starred Hemsley as the deacon of a church and was part of a wave of successful sitcoms on NBC in the 1980s...	Brother Clark	Episode: "California Dreaming"
1988	Frank's Place Frank's Place Frank's Place is an American comedy-drama series which aired on CBS for 22 episodes during the 1987-1988 television schedule. The series was created by Hugh Wilson and executive produced by Wilson and series star Tim Reid.-Plot:Set in New Orleans, Frank's Place chronicles the life of Frank Parrish...	Ben Coleman	Episode: "Cultural Exchange"
1989	227 227 (TV series) 227 is an American situation comedy that originally aired on NBC from September 14, 1985, until May 6, 1990. The series starred Marla Gibbs as a sharp-tongued, inner-city resident gossip and housewife, Mary Jenkins...	Jack McGee	Episode: "The Real Decoys"
1989	Matlock Matlock (TV series) Matlock is an American television legal drama, starring Andy Griffith in the title role of attorney Ben Matlock. The show originally aired from September 23, 1986 to May 8, 1992 on NBC, where it replaced The A-Team, then from November 5, 1992 until May 7, 1995 on ABC.The show's format was similar...	Sgt Lou Marshall	Episodes: "The Mayor: Part 1" "The Mayor: Part 2"
1989		Judge	Episode: "Love Under the Big Top"
1990	In the Heat of the Night In the Heat of the Night (TV series) In the Heat of the Night is a television series based on the motion picture and novel of the same name. It was broadcast on NBC from 1988 until 1992, and then on CBS until 1995...	Calvin Peterson	Episodes: "Brotherly Love: Part 1" "Brotherly Love: Part 2" "Lessons Learned"

External links