Filmmaker Melvin Van Peebles Dead at 89 – Entertainment News

By Geoffrey Huchel

Actor and Writer Melvin Van Peebles, father of Mario Van Peebles, passed away September 21, 2021, at his home in Manhattan. The cause of death was not disclosed. He was 89.

Born on August 21, 1932, in Chicago, Illinois, Van Peebles led an extraordinary life, and not only found success as a filmmaker, but as a writer, a composer and a playwright. He published four novels and a collection of short stories, and wrote the plays “The Hostage”, “Ain’t Supposed to Die a Natural Death”, “Don’t Play US Cheap”, “Waltz of the Stork” and “Champeen”. He produced seven studio albums including “”Ain’t Supposed to Die a Natural Death”, “Ghetto Gothic” and “As Serious as a Heart-Attack”.

As an actor, he appeared in films and TV series and movies such as WATERMELON MAN (1970), SWEET SWEETBACK’S BAADASSSSS SONG (1971), DON’T PLAY US CHEAP (1973), IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT (1988-1995), BOOMERANG (1992), LAST ACTION HERO (1993), DREAM ON (1990-1996), LIVING SINGLE (1993-1998), RIOT (1997), THE SHINING (1997), GIRLFRIENDS (200-2008), ALL MY CHILDREN (1970-2011), and ARMED (2018).

He directed the films as WATERMELON MAN, SWEET SWEETBACK’S BAADASSSSS SONG, DON’T PLAY US CHEAP, GANG IN BLUE (1996), and an episode of THE OUTER LIMITS (1995-2002), among others.

Ringside Report sends our condolences to Melvin Van Peebles’ family during their time of grief.

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